Senior Product Designer II

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer II

Company: Handshake

Location: San Francisco, California, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / User Experience

Date Posted: 2026-09-04

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Design the core end-to-end jobs experience for millions of students, encompassing search, discovery, application, and post-application follow-up.

• Collaborate closely with Product, Engineering, Data Science, and Content teams to define challenges, ideate solutions, and deliver high-quality user experiences.

• Contribute to the design of the Home experience, ensuring it effectively connects students to relevant opportunities and the broader Handshake ecosystem.

• Leverage user research, behavioral data, and qualitative feedback to drive impactful design decisions that enhance match quality, application completion, and student confidence.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within a critical area of Handshake's platform, focusing on the high-stakes student job search journey. The "Senior Product Designer II" title suggests a need for a candidate who can not only execute design tasks but also contribute strategically to the product vision and user experience within a complex, scaled environment. The emphasis on "AI economy" and "generative AI" integration indicates a forward-looking approach to product development.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own the design strategy and execution for the entire jobs funnel, from initial search and discovery through detailed job listings, the application process, and post-application status management.

• Drive the user experience for the Home screen, ensuring it acts as a personalized and effective entry point for students, guiding them towards relevant career opportunities.

• Translate complex user needs, insights from user research, and behavioral analytics into intuitive and effective design solutions.

• Develop and iterate on wireframes, interactive prototypes, and conduct A/B tests and experiments to validate design concepts and optimize user flows.

• Partner with Product Managers to define product roadmaps and with Engineering teams to ensure seamless implementation of design specifications.

• Work alongside Data Scientists to understand user behavior, identify friction points, and leverage data to inform design iterations and measure impact.

• Collaborate with Content Strategists to ensure all user-facing copy and information architecture supports a clear, trustworthy, and empowering user journey.

• Maintain and evolve design systems and visual standards to ensure a cohesive and high-quality user interface across all job-related surfaces.

• Contribute to design critiques and provide constructive feedback to peers and design leadership to elevate the overall quality of design work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly outline a senior-level individual contributor role with significant ownership over a core product area. The emphasis on "end-to-end jobs experience" and "Home experience" suggests a need for a designer who can think holistically about the user journey and its touchpoints. The requirement to "translate user research, behavioral data, and qualitative feedback" highlights the importance of a data-informed design approach.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: A Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: 5+ years of professional product design experience, with a strong focus on designing consumer-facing products that operate at scale. Proven experience in designing complex, multi-step user flows where user retention, conversion, and completion rates are critical metrics.

Required Skills:

• Product Design: Deep expertise in the product design lifecycle, from concept to launch and iteration.

• Interaction Design: Ability to craft intuitive and efficient user interactions for complex workflows.

• Visual Design: Strong aesthetic sensibility and the ability to create polished, visually engaging interfaces.

• User Research: Proficiency in planning, conducting, and synthesizing user research (qualitative and quantitative) to inform design decisions.

• Wireframing & Prototyping: Mastery of tools for creating low-fidelity wireframes and high-fidelity interactive prototypes (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD).

• Generative AI Integration: Experience or a strong understanding of incorporating generative AI tools into the design process for ideation, prototyping, and iteration acceleration.

• Data Analysis & Interpretation: Ability to use behavioral data, funnel metrics, and experiment results to validate design hypotheses and measure impact.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively with Product Managers, Engineers, Data Scientists, and Content teams.

• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design rationale, tradeoffs, and recommendations clearly.

• Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to tackle ambiguous and complex design challenges.

• Iterative Design: A demonstrated ability to rapidly iterate on designs based on feedback and data.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing search, discovery, or marketplace matching experiences.

• Experience with application/funnel flows where conversion and completion rates are key metrics.

• Familiarity with career services, recruiting processes, or early-career talent pipelines.

• Experience designing personalized "home" or landing surfaces for diverse user segments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirement of "5+ years" combined with "Senior Product Designer II" suggests a role that expects a high degree of autonomy and strategic contribution. The explicit mention of "generative AI tools" indicates a need for candidates who are either experienced with or eager to learn and apply AI in their design workflow, which is a key differentiator in today's product design landscape.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• End-to-End Project Case Studies: Showcase at least two comprehensive case studies detailing your involvement in a complex product feature or system from initial problem definition through to launch and post-launch analysis. These should highlight your ownership and impact.

• Problem Definition & User Research: Clearly articulate the user problem or business challenge you addressed, supported by evidence from user research, data analysis, or market insights.

• Design Process & Iteration: Demonstrate your design process, including wireframing, prototyping, user testing, and how you iterated based on feedback and data. Visuals of different design stages are crucial.

• Systemic Thinking: For this role, highlight projects that involved designing complex flows, multi-step processes, or integrations within a larger product ecosystem, showcasing your ability to think about the entire user journey and its interconnectedness.

• Impact & Metrics: Quantify the impact of your designs. Use key performance indicators (KPIs) such as conversion rates, completion rates, user satisfaction scores, or efficiency gains. Clearly state the metrics you influenced and the percentage of improvement.

• Collaboration: Briefly describe your role within cross-functional teams and how you collaborated with Product, Engineering, and other stakeholders.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design: Evidence of designing and optimizing complex user workflows, such as application funnels or discovery journeys.

• User Flow Diagrams: Visual representations of user journeys that demonstrate thoughtful consideration of user steps, decision points, and potential friction.

• System Integration Examples: If applicable, showcase projects where your design work had to integrate with or influence other systems or platform components.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior Product Designer II role, the portfolio is paramount. It should not just be a collection of pretty screens but a narrative that demonstrates strategic thinking, a rigorous design process, cross-functional collaboration, and, most importantly, measurable impact. The emphasis on "complex, multi-step flows" and "funnel optimization" means candidates should select case studies that directly align with these requirements.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $170,000 - $215,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Ownership: Equity in a fast-growing company.

• Financial Wellness: 401(k) with company match, competitive compensation, and financial coaching.

• Family Support: Comprehensive paid parental leave, fertility benefits, and parental coaching.

• Wellbeing: Medical, dental, and vision insurance, mental health support, and a $500 wellness stipend.

• Growth & Development: $2,000 learning stipend for ongoing professional development.

• Work Flexibility: Internet stipend, commuting stipend, and free lunch/gym access at the San Francisco office.

• Time Off: Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO), 15 company holidays, plus 2 additional flex days.

• Connection: Team outings and referral bonuses.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week (standard full-time).

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is competitive for a Senior Product Designer II role in San Francisco. The benefits package is robust, emphasizing financial security, family support, personal well-being, and professional growth, which are attractive perks for experienced professionals. The "Hybrid" work arrangement implies flexibility but also expectations for in-office presence, likely for collaboration.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, specifically focused on higher education and early-career talent acquisition (EdTech/Future of Work). Handshake operates at the intersection of technology, education, and employment, aiming to democratize career opportunities.

Company Size: Handshake is a growth-stage company. While the exact number of employees isn't provided, the description of tripling ARR at scale suggests a significant and expanding team, likely in the hundreds. This implies a dynamic environment with established processes but still retaining some startup agility.

Founded: Founded in 2014, Handshake has a history of innovation in the career network space, evolving to meet the demands of the modern workforce, particularly in the context of the "AI economy."

Team Structure:

• The Senior Product Designer II will be part of the "Jobs team," which is a core functional area within Handshake.

• This team likely comprises Product Managers, Engineers (front-end and back-end), Data Scientists, and Content Strategists, all working collaboratively.

• The designer will report into Design Leadership, likely a Head of Design or Design Manager, and will work closely with a Staff Designer on strategic initiatives.

• Cross-functional collaboration is heavily emphasized, indicating a matrixed or agile team structure where individuals contribute across disciplines. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: The role explicitly requires leveraging user research, behavioral data, and experiment results to inform design decisions, pointing to a strong emphasis on analytics and A/B testing.

• Iterative Development: Rapid prototyping and experimentation are key, suggesting an agile development methodology focused on continuous improvement and user feedback loops.

• User-Centricity: The mission to help students build meaningful careers underscores a deep commitment to understanding and serving the end-user's needs.

• AI Integration: The mention of the "AI economy" and generative AI implies a forward-thinking approach, potentially incorporating AI tools into product features or internal workflows to enhance efficiency and user outcomes.

Company Website: https://joinhandshake.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Handshake's positioning as a "career network built for the AI economy" and its significant growth trajectory indicate a company at the forefront of technological change in talent acquisition. The culture is likely fast-paced, data-informed, and mission-driven, with a strong emphasis on collaboration and user impact. The size suggests a balance between established processes and the agility of a growing tech company.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Product Designer II. This level signifies a high degree of autonomy, ownership, and strategic contribution. The individual is expected to lead design efforts for significant product areas, mentor junior designers (informally or formally), and influence product strategy. They are beyond execution and are expected to shape the "why" and "what" of the product.

Reporting Structure: The designer will report to Design Leadership and work closely with a Staff Designer. This provides opportunities for mentorship, guidance on complex challenges, and exposure to higher-level design strategy and decision-making. Collaboration will be extensive with Product, Engineering, and Data Science teams.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct and significant impact on Handshake's core mission: helping millions of students find and land jobs. Success in this role means improving the efficiency, transparency, and success rates of student job applications, which directly contributes to user acquisition, retention, and Handshake's overall value proposition. The "Jobs team" is central to Handshake's success, making this a high-visibility and high-impact position.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: With demonstrated success and strategic thinking, there's potential to grow into a Staff Designer role, leading larger initiatives, or even into management positions within the design organization.

• Specialization: Deepening expertise in specific areas like marketplace design, AI-driven user experiences, or large-scale consumer funnels.

• Product Strategy: Contributing more significantly to product strategy, roadmap planning, and defining new product opportunities based on user insights and market trends.

• Mentorship: Opportunities to mentor junior designers, helping to shape the next generation of talent within Handshake.

• Cross-functional Leadership: Developing skills to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence product direction across teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior II" designation implies a clear career path beyond this role, likely towards Staff Designer or Principal Designer, focusing on greater strategic influence and technical leadership. The emphasis on mission impact and the core nature of the Jobs team offers substantial career development opportunities within a rapidly growing and relevant tech company.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Handshake offers a hybrid work environment, with a physical office located in San Francisco. This suggests a blend of in-office collaboration and remote flexibility.

Office Location(s): San Francisco, California. This location provides access to a vibrant tech hub and talent pool. Specific details about office amenities (free lunch, gym access) are provided, indicating a focus on employee well-being and convenience for those working on-site.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The San Francisco office likely serves as a central point for team collaboration, brainstorming sessions, and in-person meetings, particularly beneficial for design sprints and complex problem-solving.

• Technology Enabled: As a tech company, expect a modern workspace equipped with the necessary tools and technology to support design and development workflows, including high-speed internet and potentially advanced AV equipment for hybrid meetings.

• Team Interaction: The hybrid model encourages intentional in-person interaction for key activities, fostering team cohesion and spontaneous idea generation, while remote days allow for focused, heads-down work.

Work Schedule: The standard 40-hour work week is expected, but the hybrid arrangement and "Flexible PTO" suggest a culture that values work-life balance and empowers employees to manage their time effectively, provided project deliverables and team collaboration needs are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model in San Francisco implies that while remote work is an option, candidates should be prepared for regular in-office presence for collaborative activities. This setup is typical for growth-stage tech companies aiming to balance flexibility with the benefits of in-person synergy.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will likely conduct an initial call to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and interest in the role and Handshake's mission.

• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: A significant portion of the interview process will involve a detailed review of your portfolio. You will likely be asked to walk through 1-2 case studies, explaining your process, decisions, and impact. A take-home design challenge or an in-person/virtual whiteboarding session focused on a specific problem related to the Jobs experience may also be part of this stage.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers, Engineering Leads, and Data Scientists to assess your ability to collaborate effectively, communicate design rationale, and understand technical constraints.

• Design Leadership Interview: A final interview with Design Leadership (e.g., Head of Design) to discuss your strategic thinking, leadership potential, and overall fit with the design team's vision and culture.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Select Relevant Case Studies: Prioritize projects that showcase experience with complex, multi-step user flows, consumer-facing products at scale, and ideally, marketplace or search/discovery experiences.

• Tell a Story: Structure your case studies as narratives. Clearly define the problem, your role and process, the solutions you explored, the rationale behind your final design, and the measurable impact.

• Quantify Impact: For each project, clearly state the KPIs you influenced and the quantitative results achieved. Use data to back up your claims.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Include visual artifacts of your process: sketches, wireframes, user flows, prototypes, and final UI designs.

• Highlight Collaboration: Briefly explain how you worked with cross-functional partners and how you incorporated their feedback.

• Be Prepared for "Why": Be ready to articulate the "why" behind every design decision.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Problem Space: Familiarize yourself with Handshake's platform, its users (students, employers), and the challenges of career discovery and application.

• Focus on Process and Rationale: For design challenges, emphasize your thought process, how you approach ambiguity, and your ability to generate creative solutions rapidly.

• Consider AI Integration: Think about how generative AI could be leveraged to solve the problem presented in the challenge.

• Time Management: Practice working within time constraints, as design challenges often have strict deadlines.

• Presentation Skills: Prepare to present your solutions clearly and concisely, addressing key aspects like user needs, proposed solution, and potential impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio review and potential design challenge indicates that practical design skills and the ability to articulate a robust process are critical. Candidates should be prepared to defend their design decisions with data and user insights, and demonstrate how they can contribute to Handshake's mission.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma is highly likely to be the primary tool, given its industry prevalence for collaborative design, wireframing, and prototyping. Other possibilities include Sketch or Adobe XD.

• User Research & Testing: Tools for user interviews, surveys, and usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, SurveyMonkey).

• Collaboration & Project Management: Tools like Jira, Asana, or Trello for tracking tasks and project progress, and Slack for team communication.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics: Tools such as Amplitude, Mixpanel, or Google Analytics to track user behavior, funnel performance, and engagement metrics.

• Data Visualization: Potentially Tableau, Looker, or internal dashboards for reporting and analyzing data trends.

• Experimentation Platforms: Tools for A/B testing and experimentation (e.g., Optimizely, VWO, or in-house solutions).

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a designer's primary tool, familiarity with how CRM systems (like Salesforce, though Handshake may use a different one for its business operations) and marketing automation platforms influence user journeys and data can be beneficial. The focus here is more on understanding the data flow and user touchpoints across the platform.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is almost a given for modern product design roles. Beyond that, a strong understanding of analytics platforms (Amplitude/Mixpanel) and experimentation tools is crucial for a data-informed designer. The ability to interpret data and translate it into design actions is a key requirement.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Mission-Driven: A strong commitment to Handshake's mission of empowering students to build meaningful careers, especially within the evolving AI economy. This means decisions are often weighed against their impact on student success.

• User-Centricity: A deep focus on understanding and serving the needs of students and employers, with a commitment to creating transparent and less anxious experiences.

• Data-Informed: Decisions are guided by qualitative and quantitative data, encouraging a culture of experimentation and continuous learning.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Open communication and close partnership across Product, Engineering, Data Science, and Design are vital for success.

• Craftsmanship & Detail: A high standard for the quality of work, with attention to detail in both visual design and user experience.

• Growth Mindset: A culture of continuous learning, curiosity, and embracing new challenges, particularly in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Partnership: Expect to work very closely with Product Managers, Engineers, and Data Scientists. This involves regular syncs, joint problem-solving sessions, and shared ownership of outcomes.

• Iterative Feedback Loops: A culture of frequent design reviews, critiques, and feedback exchange to ensure designs are robust and well-considered.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of insights, best practices, and learnings across the design team and with other departments.

• Empowerment and Autonomy: While collaborative, designers are empowered to take ownership of their areas and drive solutions forward with a degree of autonomy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture at Handshake appears to be a blend of mission-driven purpose and data-driven execution, common in successful tech companies. The emphasis on collaboration and craftsmanship suggests a supportive yet high-performance environment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scaling User Experience: Designing for millions of students means ensuring the experience is scalable, performant, and accessible to a diverse user base with varying technical literacy.

• Balancing Student and Employer Needs: Handshake serves two primary user groups. Designing features that effectively meet the needs of both students seeking jobs and employers posting them can be complex.

• Navigating Ambiguity: As a growth-stage company in a rapidly evolving market (AI economy), there will be inherent ambiguity in product direction and user needs, requiring adaptability and proactive problem-solving.

• Integrating AI Ethically and Effectively: Incorporating generative AI into the design process and product features requires careful consideration of ethical implications, user trust, and ensuring AI genuinely enhances the user experience rather than creating new friction.

• Managing High Stakes: The job search is a critical life event for students. Designing experiences that are not only efficient but also reduce anxiety and build confidence is a significant responsibility.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI in Design: Deepen expertise in leveraging AI tools for design ideation, prototyping, and efficiency.

• Large-Scale Product Design: Gain experience in optimizing user flows and experiences for millions of users.

• Marketplace Dynamics: Understand the complexities of designing for two-sided marketplaces like Handshake.

• Career Services & Recruitment Tech: Develop a strong understanding of the EdTech and Future of Work landscape.

• Strategic Product Influence: Grow skills in contributing to product strategy, influencing roadmaps, and driving business outcomes through design.

• Mentorship: Access to senior design leadership and staff designers for guidance and skill development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the complexity and impact of the role. Growth opportunities are tied to mastering these challenges and leveraging the unique context of Handshake's mission and market position.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you designed a complex, multi-step user flow. What were the key challenges, how did you approach them, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on process, decision-making, and impact).

• "How would you approach designing a new feature that leverages generative AI to improve the job application process for students?" (Assess understanding of AI integration, user needs, and ethical considerations).

• "Imagine a student is experiencing high anxiety during their job search on Handshake. How would your design work on the Jobs team help alleviate this?" (Focus on empathy, user-centricity, and problem-solving for a high-stakes emotional context). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you most about Handshake's mission, especially in the context of the AI economy?" (Demonstrate research and genuine interest).

• "How do you typically collaborate with Product Managers and Engineers? Can you give an example of a successful cross-functional partnership?" (Assess collaboration style and communication skills).

• "How do you ensure your designs are data-informed? Can you walk us through how you've used data to iterate on a design?" (Highlight analytical skills and data-driven approach). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, start with the problem, your role, the key decisions, the solutions, and the quantifiable impact.

• Focus on "Why": Be prepared to articulate the rationale behind every design choice. Why this solution? Why this iteration? Why these metrics?

• Quantify Everything: Ensure you have clear metrics and outcomes to present for each project. If exact numbers aren't available, explain the KPIs you aimed for and the qualitative impact.

• Highlight Collaboration: Briefly mention how you worked with other disciplines and how their input shaped the final design.

• Showcase Your Process: Include visuals that demonstrate your journey: early sketches, wireframes, user flows, prototypes, and final polished designs.

• Be Ready for Questions: Anticipate questions about trade-offs, challenges encountered, and alternative solutions you considered.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong understanding of the design process, the ability to quantify impact, and a genuine alignment with Handshake's mission and values. Expect to be challenged on your decision-making and problem-solving skills.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer II position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects that best demonstrate your experience with complex user flows, consumer-facing products at scale, and ideally, marketplace or search/discovery experiences. Ensure your case studies clearly articulate problems, your process, solutions, and quantifiable impact.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to prominently feature keywords such as "Product Design," "User Experience," "Interaction Design," "Generative AI," "consumer-facing products at scale," and "multi-step flows." Quantify achievements with metrics where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice walking through your portfolio case studies, focusing on storytelling, articulating design rationale, and presenting measurable results. Prepare for potential design challenges by reviewing Handshake's platform and considering how AI can be integrated into user experiences.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Handshake's mission, values, recent news, and positioning in the "AI economy." Understand their user base (students, employers) and the broader career services/recruiting tech landscape.

⚠️ 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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