Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer

Company: SQUER

Location: Althanstraße 4/3/63, 1090 Wien, Wien, Austria

Job Type: Permanent employee

Category: Product Design / UX/UI Design

Date Posted: 2026-06-03T09:48:21

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Owns the complete product design lifecycle, from initial problem discovery and human-centered research to the creation of high-fidelity, interactive prototypes.

• Leverages AI-assisted design tools to streamline execution, focusing on strategic decision-making and problem framing rather than repetitive tasks.

• Collaborates closely with engineering, product owners, and stakeholders, translating complex design decisions into reusable design system rules and context for the team.

• Acts as a design consultant for clients, directly engaging with them to understand needs, validate solutions, and communicate design rationale with confidence.

• Focuses on enabling engineers to adopt a product-centric perspective through shared discovery and human-centered methodologies, ensuring the development of the right solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Senior Product Designer with a strong emphasis on consulting and direct client engagement. The "AI-assisted Work" and "Appetite for a Changing Role" qualifications highlight a forward-thinking approach, expecting designers to adapt to evolving AI capabilities and shift focus towards higher-level strategic thinking and problem definition in design.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive product discovery through human-centered research, user interviews, and usability testing to identify key behaviors, pain points, and user expectations.

• Translate research findings into actionable insights and a clear point of view on which problems are most critical to solve for clients.

• Develop interactive, high-fidelity prototypes using tools like Figma, increasingly exploring code-based prototyping for rapid validation.

• Maintain design quality and consistency across the entire product lifecycle, ensuring alignment with client product visions and strategic objectives.

• Define and document reusable design context, constraints, and design system rules to facilitate scalable and efficient development by the team and its tooling.

• Partner effectively with engineers, product owners, and other stakeholders to champion user-centered design principles and ensure successful product implementation.

• Clearly articulate design decisions, rationale, and strategic value to clients and internal decision-makers, fostering buy-in and alignment.

• Guide and mentor engineers to adopt human-centered methods and a product-focused mindset, enhancing overall team efficiency and product outcomes.

• Proactively utilize AI tools to automate execution tasks, allowing for increased focus on strategic problem framing and complex design decisions.

• Contribute to the evolution and maintenance of design systems, ensuring they are scalable, consistent, and effectively support multiple products.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities indicate a senior-level individual contributor role with significant autonomy and client-facing responsibilities. The emphasis on "capturing context" and "enabling engineers" suggests a focus on building sustainable design practices and fostering a collaborative, product-driven culture within client engagements.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong educational foundation in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field is implied by the nature of the role.

Experience: A proven track record of shipping products for over 4 years across various contexts, with a preference for B2B, SaaS, or complex domain products.

Required Skills:

• Product Discovery & Research: Expertise in conducting human-centered research, usability testing, and translating findings into clear problem statements.

• Prototyping: High-fidelity prototyping skills, with proficiency in tools like Figma.

• Design Tools: Fluency in Figma and Adobe Cloud.

• AI-Assisted Design Tools: Experience with prompt-driven UI tools such as Claude Design, v0, or Lovable.

• Design Systems: Demonstrated experience in building, evolving, and scaling design systems across multiple products.

• Product Judgment: Ability to critically assess whether the team is solving the right problem and articulate the strategic justification for proposed solutions.

• Communication & Collaboration: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain design decisions clearly and effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams and clients.

• Consulting Mindset: Hands-on, pragmatic, solution-oriented approach, comfortable with dynamic client projects and ambiguity.

• Language Proficiency: Fluent in English and German.

Preferred Skills:

• Code-Based Prototyping: Basic understanding of HTML, CSS, and React, with a strong plus for experience in code-based prototyping tools.

• Client Management: Experience in direct client interaction and managing design consulting engagements.

• Agile Methodologies: Familiarity with agile development processes and cross-functional team collaboration within an agile framework.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for fluency in both English and German, combined with the consulting nature of the role, strongly suggests that candidates will be expected to engage with German-speaking clients and potentially work on projects within German-speaking markets. The emphasis on AI tools indicates a need for adaptability and a willingness to explore new technologies in the design process.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A robust portfolio showcasing 4+ years of shipped products, with a strong emphasis on B2B, SaaS, or complex domain products.

• Case studies that clearly demonstrate the end-to-end design process, from problem discovery and research to high-fidelity prototypes and implementation.

• Evidence of problem-solving skills and strategic thinking, illustrating how design decisions addressed specific user needs and business objectives.

• Examples of design system development, including how they were built, maintained, and scaled across products.

• Prototypes showcasing user flows, interaction design, and UI execution, preferably including examples created with Figma.

Process Documentation:

• Examples of how design decisions were translated into reusable context, constraints, and design system rules for engineering teams.

• Demonstrations of collaboration with engineers and product owners, illustrating how design intent was communicated and maintained through implementation.

• Case studies that detail the product discovery phase, including research methodologies, user insights, and how these informed design solutions.

• Documentation of how usability testing and iterative feedback loops were incorporated into the design process.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the consulting aspect of the role, portfolios should emphasize the ability to understand client-specific problems, conduct thorough research, and deliver practical, high-quality design solutions. The inclusion of AI tools in the qualifications suggests that portfolio examples demonstrating their effective use would be highly advantageous.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: The stated salary range is €63,000 - €63,000+ annually, with the potential for overpayment based on qualifications and experience.

Benefits:

• Professional Development: €5,000 annual training budget, in-house Leadership Academy, and up to 40 hours of additional time off per year for personal education.

• Work-Life Balance: Hybrid work options, flexible hours, workations within the EU, and additional vacation days.

• Work Environment: Choice of preferred hardware configuration, central office location with a terrace and BBQ, free lunch in the office, MyClubs sports membership, and public transport ticket (Wiener Linien or Klimaticket contribution).

• Well-being & Perks: Free massages, referral bonuses, Corporate Benefits, JobRad (cycling leasing program), annual employee presents, and monthly team breakfast.

• Recognition: Competitive annual salary and a culture that values ownership, responsibility, and impact.

Working Hours: The job description implies a standard 40-hour work week, with flexibility and opportunities for overtime compensation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary is presented as a starting point, with explicit mention of "overpayment depending on qualifications and experience," indicating a willingness to negotiate for strong candidates. The comprehensive benefits package highlights a strong focus on employee well-being, professional growth, and work-life integration, typical of companies in the European tech and consulting sectors.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology / Digital Consulting / Software Development

Company Size: The company size is not explicitly stated, but the benefits and team structure suggest a medium-sized, growing organization. The mention of "flat hierarchies" and an "active tech community" points towards a dynamic, potentially agile environment.

Founded: The founding date is not provided, but the company's emphasis on modern practices like AI-assisted design and a strong tech community suggests it is a relatively modern or forward-thinking firm.

Team Structure:

• Operates with "flat hierarchies," implying direct access to leadership and less bureaucracy.

• Emphasizes "independent agile teams," suggesting a collaborative and self-organizing team structure.

• Fosters cross-functional collaboration, with designers working closely with engineers, product owners, and stakeholders.

Methodology:

• Adopts a human-centered approach to product discovery and design.

• Utilizes agile methodologies for project execution.

• Embraces AI tools to enhance efficiency and focus on strategic aspects of design.

• Focuses on creating reusable design context and design system rules for scalable solutions.

• Encourages continuous learning, experimentation, and taking calculated risks within a supportive environment.

Company Website: https://squer.io/

📝 Enhancement Note: SQUER positions itself as a modern, agile consultancy that values innovation, employee empowerment, and a strong sense of community. The emphasis on flat hierarchies and direct impact suggests a culture where individual contributions are highly visible and valued. The integration of AI into their workflow indicates a commitment to staying at the forefront of design and technology trends.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is classified as a Senior Product Designer, indicating a level of expertise and autonomy beyond mid-level positions. It involves owning design from problem to prototype, client interaction, and contributing to design system strategy.

Reporting Structure: While specific reporting lines aren't detailed, the mention of "flat hierarchies" suggests a less rigid structure, potentially reporting to a Design Lead, Head of Design, or directly to project stakeholders depending on the client engagement.

Operations Impact: Senior Product Designers at SQUER have a direct impact on client success by shaping digital products, improving user experiences, validating product-market fit through research, and ensuring the successful implementation of design solutions. They influence product strategy by identifying the right problems to solve and guiding development teams.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Development: Access to a €5,000 annual training budget, in-house Leadership Academy, and additional time off for personal education allows for continuous skill enhancement in areas like AI, advanced prototyping, and leadership.

• Career Progression: Potential to advance into Lead Designer roles, specialized design consulting positions, or management within SQUER, particularly in client-facing or strategic design capacities.

• Project Diversity: Exposure to a wide range of client projects across different industries and domains, offering varied challenges and learning experiences.

• Community Involvement: Participation in SQUER's active tech community, including meetups, hackathons, and training sessions, fosters knowledge sharing and networking.

• Impact on SQUER: Contributing to the company's methodologies, design system, and client success can lead to increased visibility and influence within the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Appetite for a Changing Role" qualification is a key indicator of growth potential. SQUER is actively seeking individuals who are not only skilled in current design practices but are also eager to evolve their roles as AI transforms the industry, likely leading to opportunities in problem framing, AI integration, and strategic design leadership.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: SQUER offers a hybrid work model, allowing for a blend of remote and in-office work. The office itself is described as central, featuring a spacious terrace with a BBQ, suggesting a modern and collaborative workspace conducive to team interaction and social events.

Office Location(s): The primary office is located at Althanstraße 4/3/63, 1090 Wien, Wien, Austria. The company also mentions "workations within the EU," indicating flexibility for employees to work from different locations within Europe.

Workspace Context:

• Collaboration: The office environment, coupled with hybrid work options, facilitates both focused individual work and collaborative team sessions. The central office with amenities like a terrace encourages informal interactions.

• Tools & Technology: Employees have the flexibility to choose their preferred hardware configuration, ensuring they have the right tools for their workflow. The job description highlights proficiency in specific design software (Figma, Adobe Cloud) and AI tools.

• Team Interaction: Regular team events, monthly breakfasts, and the annual SQUER offsite are designed to foster strong team connections and a sense of community, even within a hybrid setup.

Work Schedule: The role implies a standard 40-hour work week, with "flexible hours" offering employees autonomy in managing their workday to optimize performance and work-life balance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a central office with amenities, combined with hybrid work and workations, suggests SQUER aims to provide a flexible yet connected work environment. This setup is designed to support both individual productivity and strong team cohesion, which is crucial for a consulting firm with client-facing responsibilities.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely involves a review of the resume and portfolio to assess qualifications and experience.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: Candidates will likely present their portfolio, focusing on key projects that demonstrate their skills in product discovery, design execution, AI tool usage, and design system thinking. Expect questions about their design rationale, problem-solving approach, and how they collaborate.

• Skills Assessment: May include a practical design exercise or a case study to evaluate problem-solving abilities, design thinking, and proficiency with required tools. This could involve developing a solution for a given problem or critiquing an existing design.

• Behavioral & Cultural Fit Interviews: Interviews with team members and leadership to assess communication skills, consulting mindset, adaptability, and alignment with SQUER's culture of collaboration, learning, and taking calculated risks.

• Client/Stakeholder Simulation: Potentially a simulated client interaction or discussion about how they would approach a client engagement.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Impact: Showcase projects where your design decisions led to measurable improvements (e.g., increased user engagement, improved conversion rates, enhanced usability). Quantify results whenever possible.

• Demonstrate Process: Clearly articulate your design process for each project. Explain your research methodologies, how you translated insights into design, and your iterative approach.

• Showcase AI Integration: Include examples of how you've used AI tools to augment your design workflow, speed up execution, or explore new possibilities. Explain the benefits realized.

• Design System Expertise: If applicable, clearly present your experience with design systems – their architecture, implementation, and how they contribute to consistency and efficiency.

• Consulting Mindset: Frame your projects as solutions to specific business or user problems, demonstrating your ability to think strategically and pragmatically.

• Language Specificity: Be prepared to discuss your projects and rationale in both English and German.

Challenge Preparation:

• Problem Framing: Practice identifying core problems, defining scope, and articulating potential solutions based on limited information.

• Design System Thinking: Be ready to discuss principles of scalable design systems and how to apply them in practice.

• AI Tool Application: Prepare to discuss how you would leverage specific AI tools for efficiency and innovation in a given design scenario.

• Client Communication: Practice explaining complex design concepts and trade-offs clearly and concisely, anticipating potential stakeholder questions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on AI tools and a consulting mindset suggests that interviewers will be looking for candidates who are not just skilled designers but also strategic thinkers and adaptable problem-solvers capable of client-facing work. The portfolio review will be critical, requiring candidates to clearly articulate their process, impact, and ability to leverage new technologies.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for UI design, prototyping, and collaboration. Proficiency in creating high-fidelity interactive prototypes is expected.

• Adobe Cloud: Likely includes tools such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and potentially After Effects for visual design, asset creation, and motion graphics.

• AI-Assisted Design Tools: Specific mention of Claude Design, v0, and Lovable indicates a requirement or strong preference for designers experienced with prompt-driven UI generation and AI-powered design assistance.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

Other:

• HTML, CSS, React: Basic understanding is a strong plus, particularly for code-based prototyping and better collaboration with engineers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of AI-assisted design tools is a significant differentiator for this role. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience and innovative uses of these tools, as SQUER clearly values designers who are embracing these advancements to enhance their workflow and strategic contributions.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Ownership & Responsibility: High degree of autonomy and empowerment; individual ideas and actions are highly valued.

• Learning & Growth: Continuous professional development is encouraged through training budgets, internal academies, and a supportive learning environment.

• Impact & Contribution: Focus on making a tangible difference for clients and the company through high-quality work.

• Collaboration & Connection: Strong emphasis on teamwork, open communication, and building meaningful relationships within the team.

• Innovation & Adaptability: Openness to new technologies (like AI), trying new things, and embracing a changing role.

• Pragmatism & Solution-Orientation: A hands-on, practical approach to problem-solving, especially in a consulting context.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Designers work closely with engineers, product owners, and stakeholders, fostering a holistic product development approach.

• Agile Teamwork: Operates within independent agile teams, promoting shared responsibility and iterative development.

• Client-Centric Partnership: Engages directly with clients, requiring strong communication, empathy, and the ability to build trust and alignment.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encourages asking questions, sharing insights, and participating in community events (meetups, hackathons) to foster collective learning.

📝 Enhancement Note: SQUER cultivates a culture that balances individual empowerment with strong team collaboration. The values emphasize proactivity, continuous learning, and a results-oriented mindset, essential for a consulting environment where adaptability and client satisfaction are paramount.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Evolving AI Landscape: Keeping pace with rapid advancements in AI design tools and adapting one's role to focus on higher-level strategic tasks and judgment.

• Consulting Demands: Managing multiple client projects, diverse stakeholder expectations, and potentially tight deadlines in a dynamic consulting environment.

• Balancing Innovation and Execution: Integrating new AI-driven workflows while ensuring high-quality, consistent design output and meeting client requirements.

• Translating Design Vision: Effectively communicating complex design decisions and rationale to clients and technical teams, ensuring buy-in and accurate implementation.

• Navigating Ambiguity: Thriving in a role that is expected to shift and evolve, requiring continuous adaptation and learning.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Skills: Utilizing the €5,000 training budget to deepen expertise in areas like AI-assisted design, advanced prototyping, UX research methodologies, or specific design system frameworks.

• Leadership Development: The in-house Leadership Academy offers structured growth paths for those aspiring to lead teams or projects.

• Industry Exposure: Access to meetups, hackathons, and training sessions within SQUER's tech community provides exposure to new trends and networking opportunities.

• Mentorship: The flat hierarchy and collaborative culture likely foster informal mentorship opportunities with senior designers and leaders.

• Client Management Skills: Direct client interaction provides invaluable experience in stakeholder management, negotiation, and building client relationships.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge and growth opportunity lie in the dynamic nature of AI in design. SQUER is actively seeking individuals who view this as an exciting evolution, offering significant potential for those who can adapt and lead in this new paradigm.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you used human-centered research to uncover a critical user need that fundamentally changed a product's direction." (Focus on process, insight, and impact)

• "How would you approach designing a new feature for a complex SaaS product using AI-assisted tools, and what are the key considerations for ensuring quality and user experience?" (Demonstrate AI tool application, strategic thinking, and process)

• "Walk us through a project where you developed or significantly evolved a design system. What were the challenges, and how did you ensure its adoption and scalability?" (Highlight design system expertise and collaboration)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you most about SQUER's approach to product design and consulting, particularly our integration of AI?" (Show research and alignment with company values)

• "How do you see your role evolving as AI capabilities in design continue to advance?" (Assess adaptability and forward-thinking)

• "Describe your ideal team environment and how you contribute to a collaborative and learning-focused culture." (Evaluate cultural fit and teamwork)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Focus: Structure your presentation around compelling stories for each project, highlighting the problem, your process, the challenges, your solutions, and the measurable impact.

• AI Integration Showcase: Clearly identify and explain instances where AI tools were used, the specific benefits achieved (e.g., faster iteration, novel idea generation), and your role in guiding the AI.

• Design System Clarity: For design system projects, visually demonstrate its components, principles, and how it facilitated efficient design and development.

• Client Context: If possible, frame projects with client context, showcasing your ability to understand business needs and deliver tailored solutions.

• Concise Explanations: Be prepared to explain your design decisions and rationale clearly and concisely, especially for stakeholders who may not have a design background.

• Language Fluency: Be comfortable discussing your portfolio in both English and German.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating a blend of strong design fundamentals, strategic thinking, client-facing capabilities, and a proactive embrace of emerging technologies like AI. The ability to articulate process, impact, and rationale in both English and German will be crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the SQUER jobs portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects demonstrating your expertise in product discovery, AI-assisted design, design systems, and client consulting. Prioritize case studies with clear problem statements, robust processes, and measurable impact.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 4+ years of shipping products and highlights proficiency in Figma, Adobe Cloud, and AI design tools. Use keywords relevant to product design, UX research, UI design, SaaS, B2B, and consulting.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, rationale, and contributions to team success. Prepare to present your portfolio and discuss how you leverage AI tools, focusing on both English and German communication.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research SQUER's work, client projects, and company culture. Understand their approach to consulting, agile development, and their vision for AI in design.

⚠️ 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.