Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer

Company: Uplight

Location: United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-06-24

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Remote OK

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end customer journey for energy use portals, insight widgets, and outbound communications, significantly impacting product strategy and roadmaps.

• Drive best-in-class design practices, adeptly balancing established design principles with real-world constraints to deliver elegant, accessible, and scalable user experiences.

• Leverage and contribute to Uplight’s comprehensive UI Design System to ensure consistency and efficiency across all product touchpoints.

• Conduct qualitative user research, synthesize findings, and present actionable recommendations to diverse stakeholder audiences, including utility clients.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Senior Product Designer, indicating a need for a candidate who can not only execute design tasks but also influence strategic direction and mentor junior designers. The focus on "end-to-end experience" and "ownership" suggests a high degree of autonomy and responsibility.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own and lead the complete customer journey for Residential & Business energy use portals, energy insight widgets, and outbound communications, from initial research through post-launch iteration.

• Drive best-in-class design practices, understanding when to adapt established processes while remaining grounded in strong design principles and user-centric methodologies.

• Utilize and contribute to Uplight’s UI Design System to deliver intuitive, accessible, and scalable experiences that enhance user satisfaction.

• Facilitate qualitative user research studies (unmoderated and moderated), synthesizing findings and translating them into business recommendations for diverse stakeholder groups.

• Distill complex problems into manageable steps through research, prototyping, creating mental models, and facilitating team alignment.

• Lead iterative product and design thinking to continuously measure, learn, and enhance user experience within enrollment products.

• Develop a deep, data-driven understanding of customer needs, pain points, and behaviors across various energy programs.

• Partner closely with Product Managers, Engineers, fellow Designers, User Researchers, Marketers, and Account Managers to identify core user problems and collaborative opportunities.

• Champion a culture of continuous learning, feedback exchange, and iterative improvement within the product development lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic influence and hands-on design execution, with a strong emphasis on research, collaboration, and driving user-centric product enhancements within the energy sector. The mention of "enrollment products" suggests a focus on user acquisition and engagement within utility programs.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, or a related field is typically expected for a Senior Product Designer role. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: 5+ years of experience in software/digital product design, with a robust portfolio showcasing end-to-end design thinking processes and demonstrable business impact.

Required Skills:

• Product Design Proficiency: Demonstrated expertise across the full spectrum of product design, including user research, UX/interaction design, UI/visual design, prototyping, and working with design systems.

• Systemic & Service Design Thinking: Proven ability to design for complex ecosystems where user actions trigger intricate downstream workflows, including mapping service blueprints and designing scalable frameworks for multi-persona journeys (B2B2C).

• Design Tool Fluency: Deep familiarity with modern design and research tools, with specific proficiency in Figma (primary tool), Adobe Creative Suite, Lucid, JIRA, and Google Workspace. Experience with user research platforms is essential.

• Technical Fluency: Understanding of frontend capabilities (e.g., React, Angular) and component frameworks (e.g., Material Design) to facilitate effective collaboration with engineering teams.

• Exceptional Communication & Storytelling: Ability to translate complex energy data and technical constraints into compelling narratives for both technical and non-technical audiences, including internal teams and external clients.

• Ambiguity Navigation & Alignment: Skill in treating ambiguity as an opportunity, using discovery techniques, rapid prototyping, and collaborative workshops to synthesize complex inputs and drive cross-functional alignment.

• User-Centric Mindset: A strong advocate for simple, elegant solutions that balance user needs with technical constraints.

• Collaboration & Accountability: Commitment to shared ownership, cross-functional trust, and holding oneself accountable for team outcomes.

• Growth Mindset: Proficient in giving and receiving constructive feedback, with a dedication to collaborative problem-solving and continuous improvement.

• Enterprise Software Design: Experience designing for enterprise software, specifically in B2B and/or B2B2C contexts.

• Peer Review Participation: Active engagement in structured peer critiques and team reviews, contributing to a culture of feedback and continuous design elevation.

Preferred Skills:

• Curiosity and humility when engaging with complex technical domains.

• Experience working across multiple industries or in startup environments.

• Fluency in Agile methodologies and common meeting cadences.

• Interest in exploring responsible efficiency opportunities with AI.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "full stack" requirement for product design emphasizes the need for a versatile designer. The emphasis on "Systemic & Service Design thinking" and "B2B2C" experience is critical for understanding the complexity of Uplight's utility client ecosystem. The explicit mention of Figma as the primary tool is a key technical requirement.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase end-to-end design thinking processes for at least 3-5 distinct projects, clearly illustrating your role and contributions.

• Demonstrate measurable business impact and user success metrics resulting from your design decisions (e.g., increased engagement, conversion rates, reduced support tickets).

• Detail your approach to user research, problem definition, ideation, prototyping, and final visual design for complex digital products.

• Include examples of how you have leveraged or contributed to a Design System or component library.

• Present case studies that highlight your systemic and service design thinking, especially for B2B2C or complex enterprise environments. Process Documentation:

• Provide examples of how you map user journeys, service blueprints, or other artifacts that visualize complex user flows and ecosystem interactions.

• Document your approach to iterative design, including how you incorporate user feedback and data analysis into design revisions.

• Showcase your methods for collaborating with product managers and engineers to translate design concepts into implemented features, including design QA processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is crucial for this role, requiring demonstration of not just aesthetic skill but also strategic thinking, problem-solving, and measurable impact. Emphasis on systemic design and B2B2C contexts suggests a need for case studies that reflect complex, multi-stakeholder environments.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $120,000 - $145,000 annually, plus a bonus.

Benefits:

• Flexible Time Off: Encourages a healthy work-life balance by offering adaptable leave policies.

• Generous Parental Leave: Supports new parents with extended leave to focus on family.

• Wellness Stipend: Provides financial support for employee well-being initiatives.

• Work Flexibility: Offers options for how and where work is performed to accommodate individual needs.

• Learning and Development Programs: Opportunities for professional growth through training, workshops, and skill enhancement.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week, with flexibility offered to support work-life balance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is provided for the US market, specifically referencing Colorado's Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, indicating that this range is a benchmark for similar roles in the United States. The bonus structure suggests a performance-driven compensation component. The benefits listed are standard for a progressive tech company, with a particular emphasis on well-being and flexibility.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, Energy, Environmental & Sustainability. Uplight operates at the intersection of these sectors, providing software and services to utilities to help accelerate the clean energy ecosystem.

Company Size: Uplight likely falls into the mid to large-sized company category based on typical tech industry structures and its B Corp certification, suggesting established processes but also a dynamic environment.

Founded: Uplight was founded with a mission to motivate energy users and providers towards a sustainable future. Its B Corp certification underscores a commitment to social and environmental responsibility alongside business objectives.

Team Structure:

• The design team is likely integrated within product development squads, working closely with Product Managers and Engineers.

• Collaboration extends across multiple departments including Marketing, Account Management, and potentially dedicated User Researchers.

• Expect a structure that supports cross-functional teams focused on specific product areas or customer segments. Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making, with a focus on understanding customer needs and behaviors through research and analytics.

• Iterative product development and design thinking, emphasizing continuous learning and improvement.

• Agile methodologies are likely employed for project management and workflow coordination.

• A strong emphasis on collaboration, feedback, and shared ownership within teams.

Company Website: https://uplight.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Uplight's mission-driven nature as a B Corp is a significant cultural differentiator. The company's focus on sustainability and clean energy will likely attract candidates passionate about environmental impact. The B2B2C model means designers must consider both utility clients and end-consumers.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Product Designer role, indicating a mid-to-senior level position. Successful candidates are expected to operate with significant autonomy, lead design initiatives, and influence product strategy. They are often seen as design experts within their domain and may mentor less experienced designers.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer will likely report to a Design Lead, Head of Design, or a Director of Product. They will work collaboratively within cross-functional product teams.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on customer experience, user satisfaction, and engagement within energy portals and communications. This, in turn, influences customer retention, program adoption, and ultimately contributes to Uplight's mission of decarbonization and utility client success.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Potential to move into Lead Designer or Managerial roles, overseeing design teams or specific product areas.

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in areas like service design, UX research, or specific B2B2C product domains within the clean energy sector.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Gain broader business acumen by working closely with Product Management, Engineering, and client-facing teams.

• Mentorship: Opportunity to mentor junior designers and contribute to the growth of the design practice at Uplight.

• Industry Impact: Contribute to meaningful projects in the sustainability and clean energy space, aligning career growth with personal values.

📝 Enhancement Note: The Senior title implies a pathway to leadership and strategic influence. The company's mission provides a unique growth opportunity for those seeking purpose-driven work. The B2B2C nature of the business means growth can occur in understanding complex enterprise client needs as well as end-consumer user behavior.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: While the role is listed as "Remote OK" and #LI-Remote, Uplight may have physical office locations. The company culture emphasizes collaboration, suggesting that even for remote employees, there will be structured opportunities for virtual team interaction and potentially occasional in-person meetups or client visits.

Office Location(s): The primary listing is for the United States. Specific office locations are not detailed, but Uplight operates across the US and potentially internationally, serving utility clients.

Workspace Context:

• Remote Collaboration: A strong reliance on digital collaboration tools (Figma, Lucid, JIRA, Google Workspace) for seamless remote work.

• Design System Integration: Access to and contribution towards a robust UI Design System ensures efficient and consistent design output.

• Cross-functional Interaction: Regular interaction with Product Managers, Engineers, researchers, and client account teams, fostering a dynamic and collaborative work environment.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (40 hours/week) with offered flexibility. This typically means core working hours for team collaboration, with some autonomy over start/end times, supporting efficient design workflow and research activities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Remote OK" status is a key aspect, suggesting a distributed workforce. The company's focus on collaboration implies that effective remote communication and asynchronous work practices are essential.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review your application and portfolio for alignment with the role's requirements.

• Portfolio Presentation & Design Challenge: Expect to present your portfolio, walk through key case studies, and potentially complete a design exercise or challenge that assesses your problem-solving skills, design process, and strategic thinking. This may involve a hypothetical scenario related to Uplight's business.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially other designers to assess collaboration style, technical understanding, and cultural fit.

• Final Interview: Likely with a senior leader (e.g., Head of Design, VP of Product) to discuss strategic alignment, leadership potential, and overall fit with Uplight's mission and values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Process: Clearly articulate your design process for each case study, from problem definition and user research to ideation, iteration, and final solution.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, highlight the measurable business outcomes and user improvements achieved through your designs. Use data and metrics to support your claims.

• Showcase Systemic Thinking: Include examples that demonstrate your ability to design for complex ecosystems and consider multi-persona journeys (B2B2C).

• Highlight Collaboration: Explain how you collaborated with cross-functional teams (PMs, Engineers, Researchers) and how you incorporated their feedback.

• Design System Contribution: If you have experience contributing to or building design systems, make sure to showcase this.

• Tailor to Uplight: Research Uplight's mission, products, and target audience. Frame your case studies to show how your skills align with their specific challenges in the clean energy sector.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Familiarize yourself with the energy utility industry, common customer pain points, and the role of technology in sustainability.

• Practice Design Exercises: Be ready to tackle a problem that requires research, ideation, wireframing, and prototyping. Focus on explaining your thought process.

• Articulate Strategy: Prepare to discuss your design strategy, rationale for decisions, and how your solutions align with business goals and user needs.

• Prepare Questions: Have thoughtful questions ready for the interviewers about the team, product challenges, design culture, and company strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio review and potential design challenge underscores the practical, execution-oriented nature of this role. Candidates should be prepared to deeply discuss their past work and demonstrate their design thinking in real-time.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core design and prototyping tool for UI/UX and interaction design. Proficiency is essential.

• Adobe Creative Suite: Used for asset creation and potentially more advanced visual design tasks.

• Lucid: Utilized for whiteboarding and collaborative ideation sessions.

• JIRA: Essential for coordination and tracking of design tasks within product and engineering workflows.

• Google Workspace: Standard suite for documentation, communication, and collaboration (Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc.).

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly listed, expect to work with data from analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel) to inform design decisions and measure impact.

• Experience with tools that provide insights into user behavior within energy portals and communication platforms would be beneficial. CRM & Automation:

• Understanding of how design impacts CRM and marketing automation workflows for utility customers can be advantageous, though direct tool experience might not be required for the designer role itself.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma, Lucid, and JIRA highlights the collaborative and agile nature of the design process at Uplight. Familiarity with these tools is critical for effective contribution.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Mission-Driven: A strong commitment to accelerating the clean energy ecosystem and achieving decarbonization goals.

• User-Centricity: A profound focus on understanding and serving the needs of both end-consumers and utility clients.

• Collaboration & Accountability: Emphasis on shared ownership, cross-functional trust, and taking responsibility for team outcomes.

• Continuous Learning & Feedback: A culture that encourages constant improvement through seeking and providing constructive feedback.

• Sustainability & Responsibility: As a B Corp, ethical business practices and environmental stewardship are core tenets.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Designers work seamlessly within product teams, partnering closely with Product Managers, Engineers, and Researchers.

• Open Feedback Culture: Regular design critiques and peer reviews are integral to elevating the quality of work and fostering mutual growth.

• Knowledge Sharing: A proactive approach to sharing insights, best practices, and learnings across the design and product development teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: Uplight's B Corp status and mission are central to its culture. Candidates should demonstrate alignment with these values and a passion for sustainability. The emphasis on feedback and collaboration suggests a team that values constructive critique and collective problem-solving.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complex Domain: Navigating the intricacies of the energy sector, including regulatory environments, technical constraints, and diverse user needs (residential vs. business, utility clients vs. end-consumers).

• Balancing B2B & B2C: Designing experiences that satisfy the needs of enterprise utility clients while also providing value and ease of use for their end customers.

• Data Interpretation: Translating complex energy data and usage patterns into simple, actionable insights for users.

• Driving Adoption: Designing features and communications that encourage users to adopt new energy-saving behaviors or programs.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into Clean Energy Tech: Gain expertise in a rapidly evolving and impactful industry.

• Advanced Design System Contribution: Opportunities to shape and expand Uplight's design system, influencing product consistency and efficiency.

• Service Design Expansion: Develop skills in mapping and optimizing complex service ecosystems for utilities.

• Mentorship & Leadership: Grow into a leadership role, mentoring junior designers and contributing to the strategic direction of the design practice.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are inherent to Uplight's business model and industry. Candidates should view these as opportunities to apply their design skills to solve significant real-world problems. The growth opportunities are tied to both professional development and contributing to a meaningful mission.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led the end-to-end design of a complex digital product. What were the key challenges, and how did you overcome them? How did you measure success?" (Focus on process, collaboration, and impact).

• "How do you approach designing for a B2B2C ecosystem where you need to satisfy both the needs of the business client (utility) and the end-user (customer)?" (Assess systemic thinking and multi-persona design).

• "Walk me through a project where you had to translate complex data or technical constraints into a simple, user-friendly experience. What was your process?" (Highlight problem-solving and simplification skills). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Uplight's mission and our role in the clean energy sector?" (Demonstrate alignment with company values).

• "How do you contribute to a culture of continuous learning and feedback within a design team?" (Showcase collaboration and growth mindset).

• "How would you approach integrating new AI capabilities into our energy insight products responsibly?" (Address curiosity and forward-thinking). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, the process you followed, the solutions you designed, and the outcomes achieved.

• Emphasize Impact: Use data and metrics to demonstrate the tangible business and user value of your work.

• Showcase Your Process: Detail your research, ideation, prototyping, and testing methodologies. Explain the rationale behind your design decisions.

• Highlight Collaboration: Discuss how you partnered with cross-functional teams and managed stakeholder feedback.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about specific design choices, technical considerations, and trade-offs made during the project.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong understanding of the design process, strategic thinking, collaborative abilities, and a genuine interest in Uplight's mission. Be prepared to discuss your portfolio in depth and articulate your design rationale clearly.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided jobvite link.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight experience in product design, UX/UI, user research, design systems, and B2B2C environments. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that showcase end-to-end design thinking, systemic design, and measurable impact. Ensure clear articulation of your role and process.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio case studies, focusing on storytelling, design rationale, and outcomes. Be ready to discuss your approach to collaboration and problem-solving.

• Research Uplight: Understand their mission, products, and the energy sector. Prepare thoughtful questions to demonstrate your engagement and interest.

⚠️ 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.

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