Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer

Company: ShiftKey

Location: Warsaw, Poland

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-09-24

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the design thinking process to solve complex product challenges, balancing user needs, business objectives, and technical constraints.

• Develop and execute creative design deliverables, including high-resolution user interface screens and assets, ensuring design integrity across all ShiftKey platforms.

• Conduct comprehensive UX research activities, such as heuristic evaluations, competitive analysis, and stakeholder interviews, to inform design decisions.

• Collaborate closely with product management, engineering, and fellow designers to define product priorities and ensure seamless design handoffs and implementation.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as the first Senior Product Designer in Poland, indicating a significant opportunity for influence and the establishment of design practices within the local team, while maintaining close collaboration with the existing US-based Design Team.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the global design team to maintain consistent design assets and brand integrity across ShiftKey's web and mobile platforms.

• Partner with engineering teams to ensure accurate implementation of designs, providing detailed specifications and support throughout the development lifecycle.

• Execute a range of UX research methodologies to gather insights, validate design concepts, and identify areas for improvement.

• Actively participate in brainstorming sessions, contributing to product strategy and helping to define and prioritize product features.

• Proactively explore innovative design solutions, pushing creative boundaries to elevate the user experience and digital product offerings.

• Take ownership of assigned design projects, articulating design rationale and defending decisions based on research, user needs, and business goals.

• Ensure all design deliverables meet established methodology, best practices, current trends, and company standards for quality and consistency.

• Define and refine comprehensive UI design specifications, including navigation, frameworks, and page/screen layouts through sketches, wireframes, and interaction flows.

• Deliver high-quality design solutions within established timelines, preparing for and participating in internal reviews.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "holistic creative goals," "exploring creative solutions," and "taking ownership" suggests a role that requires a high degree of autonomy and strategic thinking, typical of senior-level design positions where individuals are expected to drive initiatives rather than just execute tasks.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio and demonstrated experience in product design are paramount. A Bachelor's degree in Design, HCI, Computer Science, or a related field is often preferred for senior roles.

Experience: A proven track record of working on the entire software lifecycle, bringing digital products from concept to launch, with a minimum of 5 years of professional experience as a Senior Product Designer or similar role.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrable expertise in the end-to-end software development lifecycle for digital products.

• A robust design portfolio showcasing interaction design skills, problem-solving capabilities, and the business impact of your work.

• Proficiency in designing for native applications (iOS and Android) and responsive desktop experiences.

• Deep understanding of the UX design process, including its methodologies and underlying rationale.

• Solid grasp of user research techniques (surveys, script writing, interviews, analysis, persona creation) and their application in the design process.

• Expert-level command of Figma and other industry-standard design and prototyping tools.

• Thorough knowledge of UX/UI design best practices, emerging trends, and effective techniques.

• Familiarity with Apple Human Interface Guidelines (HIG) and Google Material Design Guidelines.

• Strong active listening skills, enabling effective comprehension of user needs and stakeholder feedback.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for articulating design concepts and collaborating with global teams.

• A proactive, positive attitude with a strong sense of ownership and a willingness to adapt.

• Creative problem-solving abilities and a passion for delivering exceptional user experiences. Preferred Skills:

• Experience with heuristic evaluation and competitive analysis as distinct research methods.

• Demonstrated ability to translate complex business requirements into intuitive user interfaces.

• Experience working in a fast-paced, agile development environment.

• Familiarity with design systems and their implementation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 5+ years of experience and the emphasis on owning solutions and defending decisions strongly indicate a senior-level position. The specific mention of "bringing products from concept to launch" highlights the need for a candidate who can manage projects independently from ideation through to release.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive design portfolio that clearly details your skills, extensive experience, and demonstrable impact on previous digital products.

• Specific case studies showcasing your ability to solve complex problems within digital environments, highlighting the user-centric approach.

• Examples of your interaction design skills, including prototypes or animated flows, demonstrating intuitive navigation and user journeys.

• Evidence of your work on both native mobile applications (iOS and Android) and responsive desktop web experiences, illustrating adaptability across platforms.

• Demonstrations of how your design solutions have positively impacted business metrics and user satisfaction. Process Documentation:

• Showcase your understanding of the full UX design process, from initial research and ideation to wireframing, prototyping, user testing, and final UI specification.

• Detail your approach to user research, including how you conduct stakeholder interviews, competitive analyses, and user interviews, and how you synthesize findings.

• Illustrate your workflow for collaborating with engineering teams, including design handoff procedures, asset creation, and ensuring implementation fidelity.

• Present examples of how you have applied design thinking principles to tackle ambiguous or challenging product requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit request for a portfolio with examples of "impact your work has had on the business" and "solving complex problems" suggests that ShiftKey values demonstrable results and strategic contributions over purely aesthetic design. Candidates should prepare to quantify their achievements and articulate the business value of their design decisions.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry standards for a Senior Product Designer role with 5-10 years of experience in Warsaw, Poland, the estimated annual gross salary range is PLN 150,000 - PLN 220,000. This estimate considers the cost of living in Warsaw, the demand for skilled UX/UI professionals, and ShiftKey's status as a growing tech company.

Benefits:

• Private Healthcare: Comprehensive medical coverage for employees.

• Sport Card: Access to fitness facilities and sports activities.

• Flexible Work Hours: Arrangements that allow for adaptability in daily schedules.

• Remote Work Environment: Option to work remotely, providing flexibility in location.

• Market Competitive Pay: Compensation that aligns with industry benchmarks.

• Modern Work Campus: Access to a contemporary office space overlooking the Vistula River (for days in office).

Working Hours: The standard work week is likely around 40 hours, with the explicit offering of "Flexible work hours and arrangements" suggesting a degree of autonomy in managing one's schedule, accommodating different working styles and personal needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on general market data for senior design roles in Warsaw and the provided benefits. Specific compensation will depend on the candidate's experience, qualifications, and negotiation. The mention of a "Modern work campus overlooking Vistula River" alongside "Remote work environment" and "Flexible work hours" indicates a hybrid model where remote work is a primary option, but on-site collaboration or access to a well-appointed office is also available.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology / Healthcare Staffing Marketplace. ShiftKey operates in a rapidly evolving sector, bridging the gap between healthcare facilities facing staffing shortages and licensed professionals seeking flexible work. This context implies a dynamic, fast-paced environment focused on innovation and problem-solving within a critical industry.

Company Size: ShiftKey has offices in Dallas, TX, Austin, TX, and Warsaw, Poland, and has facilitated over 35 million hours of shifts. While exact employee numbers aren't provided, this suggests a scale-up stage company with a significant market presence and growth trajectory. For operations professionals, this means opportunities for impact and potential for rapid career advancement, alongside the challenges of scaling processes and systems.

Founded: Founded in 2016, ShiftKey is a relatively young company, indicating a culture that is likely agile, innovative, and adaptable, with a focus on disrupting traditional healthcare staffing models.

Team Structure:

• The design team is globally distributed, with a primary hub in Austin, TX, and the newly established design presence in Warsaw, Poland. This Senior Product Designer will be the first designer in Poland, working closely with the Austin team.

• The reporting structure will likely involve reporting to a design lead or manager based in Austin, requiring strong communication and collaboration skills across different time zones.

• Cross-functional collaboration is essential, with close partnerships expected between design, product management, and engineering teams. Methodology:

• Data Analysis & Insights: The company leverages marketplace dynamics and industry knowledge, suggesting a data-driven approach to understanding user behavior and market trends.

• Workflow Planning & Optimization: The core business model is about optimizing the connection between facilities and professionals, implying a focus on efficient workflows and seamless user journeys.

• Automation & Efficiency: As a platform business, automation is likely a key component in scaling operations and improving efficiency for both users and internal teams.

Company Website: www.ShiftKey.pl (for Poland-specific information)

📝 Enhancement Note: The description of ShiftKey as "disrupting" the healthcare staffing industry and "mitigating America’s healthcare staffing shortages" highlights a mission-driven culture. For a Senior Product Designer, this means an opportunity to contribute to a product with significant real-world impact, which can be a strong motivator. The "calculated risk-taking is applauded and failing is not penalized" point suggests a culture that encourages experimentation and learning from mistakes, crucial for innovation.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a "Senior Product Designer" role, signifying a mid-to-senior level position. It requires a strong foundation in design principles, a proven ability to execute complex design projects independently, and the capacity to mentor or guide less experienced designers. The individual is expected to contribute strategically to product direction and design quality.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer in Poland will report to a design lead or manager, likely based in Austin, TX. This cross-continental reporting structure necessitates excellent asynchronous communication skills and proactive engagement. Collaboration will be with product managers and engineering teams, both locally in Poland and remotely.

Operations Impact: The Senior Product Designer's impact will be directly tied to shaping the user experience of ShiftKey's platform. This includes improving user acquisition, engagement, and retention for both healthcare facilities and professionals. By designing intuitive and efficient interfaces, the role directly contributes to mitigating staffing shortages, a core business objective, thereby impacting revenue and market position.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: As the first designer in Poland, there's a significant opportunity to influence the growth and direction of the design function in the region, potentially leading to future team-building and management roles.

• Skill Specialization: The role offers depth in UX research, interaction design, and visual design for both native apps and responsive web. Continued focus on these areas can lead to specialization.

• Cross-Functional Advancement: Deep understanding of product development, user needs, and business goals can open doors to product management or GTM strategy roles within ShiftKey.

• Mentorship: The seniority of the role implies opportunities to mentor junior designers and contribute to establishing design best practices within the Polish office and the broader company.

📝 Enhancement Note: The phrase "You will be the first designer to join ShiftKey in Poland" is a critical indicator of growth potential. This position offers a unique chance to shape the design culture and processes locally, which can be a significant stepping stone for career advancement beyond individual contributor roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: ShiftKey offers a hybrid work environment. While they highlight a "Modern work campus overlooking Vistula River" in Warsaw, they also explicitly state a "Remote work environment" and "Flexible work hours." This suggests that remote work is a primary mode of operation, with the office serving as an optional collaborative space or hub.

Office Location(s): Warsaw, Poland. The specific office location is described as a "Modern work campus overlooking Vistula River," suggesting a desirable and well-equipped workspace for those who choose to work from the office.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model, coupled with global collaboration between Poland and Austin, necessitates strong digital collaboration tools and practices. Expect regular video calls, shared digital whiteboards, and asynchronous communication channels.

• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design tools like Figma will be provided. The team likely uses project management software and communication platforms to facilitate seamless remote collaboration.

• Team Interaction: While remote work is emphasized, opportunities for in-person team interaction in the Warsaw office are likely available for team-building, workshops, and focused collaborative sessions.

Work Schedule: The company offers "Flexible work hours and arrangements." This implies that while a standard work week likely exists, there's flexibility in how and when employees complete their tasks, provided collaboration with teams in different time zones is managed effectively. This is beneficial for operations roles requiring focused work periods or accommodating personal commitments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The combination of "Remote work environment," "Flexible work hours," and a physical office space indicates a modern, flexible approach to work. This is particularly appealing for operations roles that often require deep focus and can benefit from flexible scheduling, while still valuing in-person collaboration opportunities.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess qualifications and alignment with the role's requirements.

• Portfolio Presentation & Design Challenge: You will likely be asked to present your portfolio, walking through key case studies and demonstrating your design process, problem-solving skills, and impact. A design challenge, either take-home or live, may be part of this stage to assess your practical design skills and approach to a specific problem.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Management and Engineering leads to assess collaboration style, technical understanding, and ability to integrate design into the development process.

• Hiring Manager / Design Lead Interview: A final discussion focusing on your senior-level experience, strategic thinking, cultural fit, and alignment with ShiftKey's values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Impact: Curate 3-5 of your strongest case studies that clearly demonstrate how your designs solved specific user problems and achieved business objectives. Quantify results whenever possible (e.g., increased conversion rates, reduced task completion time, improved user satisfaction scores).

• Showcase Process: Clearly articulate your design process for each case study, including user research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, user testing, and final UI. Explain your rationale behind key decisions.

• Highlight Collaboration: Include examples or descriptions of how you collaborated with cross-functional teams (product managers, engineers, stakeholders) throughout the design process.

• Tailor to ShiftKey: Research ShiftKey's product and target audience. Highlight projects that demonstrate experience with marketplace dynamics, healthcare tech, or mobile/responsive applications.

• Technical Proficiency: Ensure your portfolio showcases expertise in Figma and adherence to mobile design guidelines (Apple HIG, Google Material).

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a take-home challenge, thoroughly understand the problem statement, target users, and business goals.

• Structure Your Approach: Outline your design process, from research and ideation to proposed solutions. Be prepared to explain your assumptions and trade-offs.

• Focus on Rationale: For any proposed solution, be ready to defend your design decisions with clear reasoning based on user needs, best practices, and business objectives.

• Presentation Skills: Practice presenting your work concisely and effectively, anticipating questions about your process, decisions, and potential impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given this is the first designer in Poland, the interview process might place a strong emphasis on assessing your ability to work independently, establish processes, and collaborate effectively across time zones and cultures. Be prepared to discuss how you would onboard yourself and contribute to building the design function locally.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Expert experience is a mandatory requirement for UI design, prototyping, and collaboration.

• Prototyping Tools: Likely includes Figma's prototyping features, and potentially others for more complex interactions.

• Design Systems: Experience in contributing to or working within design systems is highly beneficial.

Analytics & Reporting:

• User Analytics Platforms: Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude, or similar, to understand user behavior and measure design impact.

• A/B Testing Tools: Experience in designing and interpreting A/B tests to validate design hypotheses.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a design tool, an understanding of how CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and automation platforms integrate with user-facing applications can be beneficial for context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of "Expert experience with Figma and other industry standard tools" highlights Figma as the core design tool. Candidates should be ready to demonstrate advanced proficiency, including component libraries, auto-layout, and complex prototyping within Figma.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A strong focus on understanding and meeting user needs is paramount, driving the "Products are built to service and delight our users" ethos.

• Innovation & Experimentation: "Calculated risk-taking is applauded and failing is not penalized" and "Process exists only to enable progress" suggest a culture that encourages pushing boundaries, learning from failures, and avoiding bureaucratic processes.

• Collaboration: "Design and development happen in global collaboration" emphasizes the importance of teamwork and effective communication across diverse teams and locations.

• Craftsmanship & Quality: "Design is not an afterthought" and the emphasis on delivering solutions "in line with methodology, best practice, trends, and company standards" highlight a commitment to high-quality design output.

• Continuous Improvement: "You’ll have time to invest in your craft and explore personal and professional development areas" indicates a company that values ongoing learning and skill development.

Collaboration Style:

• Global & Asynchronous: Collaboration will heavily involve working with teams in different time zones, requiring strong asynchronous communication skills, clear documentation, and effective use of collaboration tools.

• Cross-Functional Integration: Design is integrated into the product development process, working closely with product managers and engineers from ideation through to launch.

• Feedback-Oriented: The culture appears to encourage open feedback, both giving and receiving, to drive continuous improvement in products and processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company values of "Process exists only to enable progress" and "Calculated risk-taking is applauded" suggest a pragmatic and forward-thinking culture. For operations roles, this means an environment that encourages efficiency and innovation, rather than rigid adherence to outdated methodologies.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Establishing Design Presence: Being the first designer in Poland means establishing design practices, building local relationships, and potentially influencing the company's global design strategy.

• Remote Collaboration: Effectively collaborating with a design team and stakeholders in a different time zone (Austin, TX) requires proactive communication and strong organizational skills.

• Balancing Innovation and Execution: Continuously finding opportunities to innovate while meeting product deadlines and business requirements for a rapidly growing platform.

• Evolving Product Landscape: Staying abreast of industry trends and ShiftKey's evolving business needs to ensure design solutions remain relevant and impactful.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Leadership in a New Market: Opportunity to shape the design function in Poland, potentially leading to future team growth and management responsibilities.

• Deepening UX/UI Expertise: Working on complex problems in a growing marketplace provides ample opportunity to hone skills in user research, interaction design, and visual design for diverse platforms.

• Cross-Cultural Competency: Developing enhanced skills in communicating and collaborating effectively with international teams.

• Industry Exposure: Contributing to a platform that directly addresses critical healthcare staffing shortages offers unique professional fulfillment and exposure to a vital industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge and growth opportunity lie in the "first designer in Poland" aspect. This role offers a unique chance to build, influence, and lead without the constraints of established, potentially rigid, local processes, while simultaneously contributing to a mission-driven product.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to solve a complex product problem with limited resources or unclear requirements. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your design thinking, research, and problem-solving methodology.)

• "How do you approach collaborating with product managers and engineers who may have different priorities or perspectives?" (Highlight your communication, negotiation, and cross-functional partnership skills.)

• "Walk me through a case study from your portfolio where your design significantly impacted business metrics or user satisfaction. What was your specific contribution, and how did you measure success?" (Prepare to quantify your impact and articulate your design rationale.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about ShiftKey's mission and our role in the healthcare industry?" (Research ShiftKey's impact on staffing shortages and healthcare.)

• "How would you approach building relationships and establishing design best practices as the first designer in our Warsaw office?" (Demonstrate proactivity, leadership potential, and understanding of remote collaboration.)

• "Describe your experience working in a hybrid or remote-first environment. How do you ensure effective communication and collaboration across different locations and time zones?" (Highlight your organizational skills and asynchronous communication strategies.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Begin with a brief overview of ShiftKey and your understanding of their product. Then, select 3-4 key case studies. For each, clearly outline the problem, your role, your process, your solutions, and the measurable results.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals effectively – sketches, wireframes, high-fidelity mockups, and interactive prototypes. Explain your design decisions at each stage.

• Focus on Rationale: Be prepared to articulate the "why" behind every design choice. Connect your decisions back to user needs, business goals, and technical constraints.

• Quantify Achievements: Where possible, present data-driven results. If exact metrics are unavailable, discuss the intended impact and how you would measure it.

• Engage the Audience: Make it a conversation. Be open to questions and discussions about your work throughout the presentation.

📝 Enhancement Note: For this specific role, be prepared to discuss how you would onboard yourself into a new team and country, and how you would proactively contribute to shaping the design culture and processes in Warsaw, given you are the first designer there. Emphasize your ability to work autonomously and build bridges with the existing US-based team.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on recruitingbypaycor.com.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 3-5 of your most impactful projects that best showcase your experience with native mobile apps, responsive web design, complex problem-solving, and demonstrable business impact. Ensure Figma proficiency is evident.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight experience relevant to the full software lifecycle, UX research methodologies, collaboration with engineering, and your years of experience (5+ years). Use keywords from the job description like "Figma," "UX research," "UI design," and "interaction design."

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio case studies, focusing on your design process, rationale, and quantifiable results. Be ready to discuss your approach to remote collaboration and your vision for establishing design practices in a new location.

• Research ShiftKey: Understand their mission, product, target users, and recent company news. Be prepared to articulate why you are a good fit for their culture and how you can contribute to their growth.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.