Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer

Company: SkyGrid

Location: Austin, TX

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design & User Experience

Date Posted: 2026-05-26

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the evolution of SkyGrid’s design system, ensuring scalable patterns and interface consistency across critical operational tools for autonomous flight.

• Develop a holistic UX strategy that integrates user-centered designs into SkyGrid’s product lines, focusing on operational objectives and safety principles.

• Lead design reviews, mentor junior designers, and champion design rationale to leadership and stakeholders to align with broader product and engineering goals.

• Support comprehensive usability testing and customer feedback mechanisms to iteratively improve product offerings and refine the value proposition.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is classified under Product Design & User Experience, with a strong emphasis on its application within the aviation and autonomous systems sector, requiring a blend of advanced UX/UI skills and an understanding of complex operational environments. The "Senior" title and emphasis on leadership, strategy, and mentorship indicate a need for strategic thinking and experience in driving design initiatives.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic vision and execution for the design system, ensuring its scalability, consistency, and alignment with SkyGrid's software product portfolio.

• Develop comprehensive design artifacts, from low-fidelity wireframes to high-fidelity mockups using Figma, to create detailed implementation specifications for software engineers.

• Collaborate closely with product managers and human factors specialists to engage with customers, define product requirements, establish user-centered interface patterns, and articulate detailed interaction models that communicate desired product workflows.

• Ensure the final user experience aligns with product requirements and the defined value proposition by partnering with product managers throughout the product lifecycle.

• Contribute to the development and refinement of the Product Roadmap, leveraging user feedback, customer prioritization, and market insights.

• Integrate human factors principles into design solutions, transforming wireframes into high-fidelity designs that facilitate seamless handoffs to engineering teams.

• Support the creation and iteration of research interfaces for testing prototype functionality and validating design concepts.

• Guide the ongoing evolution, documentation, and adoption of the SkyGrid design system, including its tokens, shared components, and usage standards.

• Provide mentorship and guidance to junior designers, fostering their professional growth and ensuring design quality across the team.

• Act as a strong advocate for the end-user throughout the entire design and development process, ensuring their needs are prioritized.

• Stay abreast of the latest UI design trends, best practices, and emerging technologies within UX/UI and aviation, actively seeking opportunities for professional development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a leadership role in design system strategy and execution, direct customer engagement for requirements gathering, and close collaboration with Product Management and Human Factors. The emphasis on "leading," "guiding," and "mentoring" signifies a senior-level contribution to both design output and team development.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Human Computer Interaction, Visual Design, Human Factors Engineering, Psychology, or a related discipline.

Experience: 5+ years of professional experience in UX/UI design, with a minimum of 3 years in frontend implementation (CSS, HTML, JavaScript).

Required Skills:

• Extensive professional experience in UX/UI design, demonstrating a strong portfolio of complex digital products.

• Proven ability in frontend implementation, including proficiency with CSS, HTML, and JavaScript, to inform design decisions and collaborate effectively with engineers.

• Expertise in Figma for creating high-fidelity mockups and facilitating seamless UI handoffs to software engineers.

• Experience working collaboratively with engineering teams on the release of features and full products.

• Strong understanding of the entire design process, including various design methods and core design principles.

• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, essential for stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration.

• Ability to conduct user study sessions and gather actionable customer feedback.

• Proficiency with industry-standard design and prototyping tools such as Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, XD, Photoshop, or equivalent). Preferred Skills:

• Prior experience developing graphical user interfaces specifically for aviation applications.

• Working knowledge of human factors principles as they apply to the design of aviation user interfaces.

• Experience with design system development and management.

• Familiarity with agile development methodologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 3+ years in frontend implementation suggests that this role bridges the gap between design and development, requiring a candidate who can not only design but also understand the technical feasibility and implementation constraints. The preferred qualifications strongly indicate a desire for domain-specific experience in aviation UX.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 5-7 distinct projects demonstrating end-to-end UX/UI design process and impact.

• Include case studies that highlight the evolution of a design system or significant contributions to one, detailing strategy, implementation, and outcomes.

• Present projects that involve complex user workflows, ideally within operational or technical domains, emphasizing problem-solving and user-centric solutions.

• Demonstrate proficiency in Figma, including interactive prototypes, component libraries, and effective UI handoff documentation.

• Projects should clearly articulate the user problem, design process, key decisions, and measurable results or impact. Process Documentation:

• Detail your approach to user research, including methodologies for requirements gathering, usability testing, and feedback synthesis.

• Illustrate your process for translating user needs and business requirements into scalable design system components and user interfaces.

• Provide examples of how you collaborate with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders to ensure design alignment and successful product delivery.

• Showcase your method for documenting design specifications and ensuring fidelity during the handoff process.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a senior role, the portfolio needs to go beyond just showcasing final designs. It must demonstrate strategic thinking, leadership in design system development, and a deep understanding of the design process from research to implementation, with a particular emphasis on how designs are translated into functional, user-friendly products in a complex environment.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Senior Product Designers in Austin, TX, with 5-10 years of experience, the estimated salary range is $130,000 - $170,000 annually. This estimate considers the cost of living in Austin, the demand for specialized design skills in the tech sector, and the senior level of the role.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Coverage from Day One: Immediate access to medical, dental, and vision insurance, with HSA and FSA options available.

• Generous Retirement Contributions: Automatic company 401k contribution program, plus an additional company matching program.

• Calm Annual Membership: Complimentary access to mindfulness and meditation resources for mental well-being.

• Discounted ClassPass Membership: Access to thousands of fitness studios and gyms nationwide to support an active lifestyle.

• Investment in Your Growth: Annual stipend dedicated to learning and development, supporting continuous education and skill enhancement.

• Engaging Team Activities: Participation in quarterly team-building events and celebrations organized by the culture committee.

• Fully Stocked Kitchen: Access to a variety of snacks and beverages throughout the workday.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours are expected, typically around 40 hours per week. While a hybrid model is in place, flexibility may be available based on project needs and team collaboration requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on market data for similar roles in Austin, TX, and the specified experience level. Actual compensation will be determined by experience, qualifications, and negotiation. The benefits package is comprehensive, with a particular focus on well-being and professional development, which are attractive to senior-level talent.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Aviation Technology / Advanced Air Mobility. SkyGrid operates at the intersection of aviation, software, and autonomous systems, a rapidly evolving and safety-critical industry. This context demands a high degree of precision, reliability, and a strong focus on user safety.

Company Size: SkyGrid is a Wisk Company. While Wisk's overall size is significant, SkyGrid as a distinct entity may operate with the agility of a startup within a larger, established organization, offering a unique blend of innovation and stability. This size implies cross-functional teams and a need for clear communication.

Founded: SkyGrid's association with Wisk (a joint venture between The Boeing Company and Wisk Aero) suggests a foundation built on significant aerospace expertise and investment. This background implies a commitment to long-term vision and robust engineering practices.

Team Structure:

• The design team likely operates within a Product department, collaborating closely with Product Management, Engineering, and Human Factors.

• Reporting to the Head of Product, this senior role will have significant influence over design strategy and team direction.

• Cross-functional collaboration is a core tenet, requiring designers to work seamlessly with diverse teams to achieve complex technical and operational goals. Methodology:

• Data-driven design processes are paramount, leveraging user research, usability testing, and performance metrics to inform decisions.

• Workflow planning and optimization are critical for developing efficient and safe operational tools in the aviation context.

• Automation and efficiency practices are likely key areas of focus, aiming to streamline operations and reduce human workload in critical flight systems.

Company Website: [SkyGrid Company URL - Assuming it's part of Wisk Aero or has a dedicated site]

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding SkyGrid's position within the aviation technology sector is crucial. The emphasis on safety, regulation, and complex operational environments will heavily influence design decisions and user experience requirements, differentiating it from consumer-facing tech roles.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Product Designer role, indicating a high level of expertise and responsibility. It involves not only creating exceptional designs but also shaping design strategy, mentoring junior team members, and influencing product direction. The role requires a deep understanding of user-centered design principles, design systems, and the ability to translate complex operational requirements into intuitive interfaces.

Reporting Structure: The role reports to the Head of Product. This position suggests a direct line of communication with leadership and a significant opportunity to influence product strategy and design vision. It implies a level of autonomy and trust in decision-making.

Operations Impact: The Senior Product Designer will have a direct impact on the safety, efficiency, and usability of SkyGrid's software products, which are critical for the safe operation of autonomous aircraft. Their work will influence how users interact with complex systems, directly affecting operational success, safety metrics, and customer adoption.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: Potential to grow into a Design Lead or Manager role, overseeing larger design initiatives or teams.

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in aviation UX, human factors, or design systems, becoming a subject matter expert within the company and industry.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Opportunities to move into Product Management or other strategic roles leveraging a strong understanding of user needs and product development.

• Learning & Development: Access to an annual stipend for continuous learning, certifications, and attending industry conferences, fostering ongoing skill development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth opportunities emphasize both vertical advancement within design leadership and horizontal movement into related strategic roles, driven by the unique domain knowledge gained at SkyGrid. The "senior" designation implies a path toward greater influence and mentorship.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is a hybrid position based in Austin, TX. This arrangement suggests a balance between in-office collaboration and remote flexibility. The office environment is likely designed to foster collaboration and innovation.

Office Location(s): Austin, Texas. This location is a major tech hub, offering a vibrant ecosystem for talent and innovation.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace is expected to be collaborative, encouraging interaction between designers, product managers, and engineers.

• Access to modern design tools and technology is a given, supporting the creation of high-fidelity mockups and prototypes.

• Opportunities for team interaction will be plentiful during designated in-office days, facilitating brainstorming, design critiques, and knowledge sharing.

Work Schedule: A standard full-time work schedule (approximately 40 hours per week) is expected, with the hybrid model allowing for some flexibility in where work is performed. The focus will be on meeting project deadlines and collaborative needs, rather than strict adherence to hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role in Austin, TX, is a key factor. It suggests a company that values both in-person collaboration for ideation and focused work, alongside the flexibility that many professionals seek. The environment is likely geared towards innovation within a safety-conscious industry.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review your application and portfolio. Be prepared to articulate your design process and highlight relevant projects.

• Technical Interview / Portfolio Review: This stage typically involves a deep dive into your portfolio. Expect to present 2-3 key projects, explaining your role, process, design decisions, and the impact of your work. Be ready to discuss your experience with design systems, Figma, and human factors.

• Design Challenge: A practical exercise may be given, either as a take-home assignment or a live problem-solving session, to assess your design thinking, problem-solving skills, and ability to work within constraints.

• Team/Stakeholder Interviews: You will likely meet with product managers, engineers, and potentially other designers or leadership. These interviews will assess your collaboration style, communication skills, and cultural fit.

• Final Interview: A final discussion with senior leadership (e.g., Head of Product) to assess overall fit and alignment with company vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best showcase your experience with design systems, complex interfaces, and user-centered design, ideally with relevance to operational or aviation contexts.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly define the problem, your role, the process you followed, the challenges you faced, your solutions, and the measurable outcomes.

• Highlight Design System Contributions: If you've led or significantly contributed to a design system, dedicate specific slides or sections to detail its architecture, components, and impact on consistency and efficiency.

• Showcase Figma Proficiency: Be ready to demonstrate interactive prototypes and explain your approach to UI handoffs.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the positive impact of your designs on user experience, efficiency, or business goals.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Research SkyGrid, Wisk Aero, and the general landscape of autonomous flight and advanced air mobility. Understand the unique challenges of designing for safety-critical aviation systems.

• Practice Design Thinking: Be prepared to articulate your thought process for solving design problems, from initial problem definition to solution validation.

• Focus on User Needs: Emphasize how you would approach understanding and designing for the specific users of SkyGrid's products (e.g., air traffic controllers, flight operators).

• Design System Application: If the challenge involves UI elements, consider how they would fit into an existing or proposed design system.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio review and potential design challenge indicates a practical, results-oriented hiring process. Candidates should prepare to not only discuss their past work but also demonstrate their problem-solving capabilities and strategic thinking in a simulated scenario.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for high-fidelity mockups, prototyping, and design system management. Proficiency and experience with UI handoffs are critical.

• Adobe Creative Suite: Illustrator, Photoshop, XD (or equivalent visual design software) for asset creation and broader design tasks.

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma, familiarity with other industry-standard prototyping tools may be beneficial.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not a primary design tool, understanding how designs are measured through analytics and reporting tools (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics) can inform design decisions. The role requires collaboration with teams that use these tools. CRM & Automation:

• Experience with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and automation platforms is less directly relevant for this design role, but an understanding of how user data and product usage inform the product roadmap is valuable. Version Control & Collaboration:

• Familiarity with tools like Git or other version control systems might be beneficial for managing design assets and collaborating with engineering.

• Project management tools such as Jira, Asana, or Trello are likely used for task tracking and workflow management.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is explicitly called out as a core requirement. The emphasis is on design and prototyping tools. While analytics and CRM knowledge isn't a direct requirement, understanding how design impacts these areas is an advantage for a senior role.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the user throughout the design and development process. This is fundamental to creating effective and safe operational tools.

• Collaboration: A strong emphasis on teamwork, with designers working closely and effectively with product managers, engineers, human factors experts, and other stakeholders.

• Innovation & Excellence: A drive to create novel, high-quality solutions that push the boundaries of autonomous flight operations, while maintaining rigorous standards.

• Safety & Reliability: An inherent understanding that design decisions in aviation have critical safety implications, fostering a culture of meticulous attention to detail and thorough validation.

• Continuous Improvement: A proactive approach to learning, seeking feedback, and iterating on designs and processes to achieve optimal outcomes.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Designers are expected to be active participants in cross-functional teams, contributing insights and collaborating on shared goals.

• Open Communication: A culture that encourages open dialogue, constructive feedback, and transparent sharing of design rationale and challenges.

• Knowledge Sharing: Practices that promote the sharing of best practices, design patterns, and learnings across the design team and with other departments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture values are heavily influenced by the safety-critical nature of the aviation industry. This means a strong emphasis on user needs, meticulous detail, and collaborative problem-solving across disciplines to ensure both operational efficiency and paramount safety.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Safety-Critical Systems: Balancing user needs with stringent safety regulations and the high stakes of aviation operations. This requires a deep understanding of human factors and risk mitigation.

• Evolving Technology Landscape: Keeping pace with rapid advancements in autonomous systems, AI, and aviation technology, and translating these into user-friendly interfaces.

• Complex User Workflows: Designing intuitive interfaces for highly complex operational tasks that may have steep learning curves and require precision.

• Balancing Design System Evolution: Strategically evolving a design system to accommodate new features and technologies while maintaining consistency and scalability across a growing product suite.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Aviation UX Specialization: Opportunity to become a recognized expert in designing for advanced air mobility and autonomous flight.

• Design System Leadership: Grow expertise in building, maintaining, and scaling sophisticated design systems.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Gain deep insights into aerospace engineering, human factors, and regulatory environments.

• Mentorship Programs: Access to mentorship from experienced leaders within SkyGrid and Wisk, and the opportunity to mentor junior designers.

• Industry Conferences & Training: Utilization of the annual learning stipend for relevant conferences, workshops, and certifications in UX, aviation, or design systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are specific to the domain, requiring a candidate who is not only a strong designer but also adaptable and eager to learn about a complex, regulated industry. The growth opportunities are tailored to developing deep expertise within this niche.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led the development or significant evolution of a design system. What was your strategy, and what was the impact?"

• "How would you approach designing a new interface for autonomous flight path management, considering safety, user workload, and real-time data? Walk us through your process."

• "Tell me about a complex user problem you solved through design. What was your approach to understanding the problem, and how did you validate your solution?" Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about SkyGrid and the future of autonomous flight?"

• "How do you approach advocating for the user in a highly technical or safety-conscious environment?"

• "Describe your ideal collaboration with product managers and engineers. How do you ensure alignment and effective communication?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Begin with a brief overview of your career and design philosophy. For each project, clearly state the problem, your specific role and contribution, the process, key challenges, your design solutions, and quantifiable outcomes.

• Emphasize Design System Work: If you have design system experience, dedicate a section to explain its architecture, component strategy, and how it drives consistency and efficiency. Show examples of components and their usage.

• Demonstrate Figma Mastery: Be ready to share your Figma files, showcasing interactive prototypes and your approach to design system implementation and UI handoffs.

• Quantify Results: Use data points (e.g., % improvement in task completion, reduction in user error, increase in adoption) to illustrate the success of your designs.

• Contextualize for SkyGrid: Frame your experience and examples in a way that highlights their relevance to SkyGrid's mission and the aviation industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview questions will likely probe strategic thinking, problem-solving skills in complex domains, and the ability to articulate design rationale. Preparing case studies that demonstrate these abilities, especially those related to design systems and operational tools, will be key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link on jobs.lever.co.

• Tailor your Resume: Highlight your experience with UX/UI design, design systems, Figma, human factors, and any relevant experience in aviation or complex operational software. Quantify achievements wherever possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best showcase your end-to-end design process, design system contributions, and problem-solving skills. Ensure it's easily accessible (e.g., via a link to your personal website or a well-organized PDF).

• Prepare Your Narrative: Be ready to articulate your design philosophy, your process for tackling complex UX challenges, and your experience mentoring other designers.

• Research SkyGrid: Understand their mission, Wisk Aero's role, and the broader context of advanced air mobility. This will help you tailor your application and prepare for interview discussions.

⚠️ 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.