Senior Product Designer - LATAM | Short Term Contract

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer - LATAM | Short Term Contract

Company: Very LLC

Location: Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama

Job Type: CONTRACTOR

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-09-17

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

Remote Status: Remote Solely

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end product design initiatives, from initial client discovery and strategy definition through to the successful launch of digital products.

• Drive the full product design lifecycle, encompassing UX/UI design, interactive prototyping, user research, data visualization, and the implementation/management of design systems.

• Facilitate client and user feedback through discovery workshops and alignment sessions, ensuring close collaboration with engineering teams throughout the development process.

• Apply and explore AI integration within the design workflow, leveraging it to enhance patterns, build fluid design-to-code tools, and design for agentic systems without compromising human judgment.

• Own design quality assurance (QA) and ensure that shipped products accurately reflect the intended craft and strategic goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a short-term contract (9 weeks) focusing on a senior-level product designer with a strong emphasis on client interaction, ambiguity management, and the practical application of design to launch real products. The integration of AI into the design process is a key differentiator, suggesting a forward-thinking approach to design tools and methodologies.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct client discovery workshops and alignment sessions to deeply understand business needs and user problems in ambiguous environments.

• Develop comprehensive UX and UI designs, creating interactive prototypes to effectively communicate design concepts and user flows.

• Execute user research to gather insights and validate design decisions with target audiences.

• Design and implement data visualization components to make complex information clear and actionable for clients.

• Build, maintain, and evolve design systems to ensure consistency, scalability, and efficiency across product development.

• Partner closely with engineering teams to ensure seamless integration of designs and provide design QA throughout the development cycle.

• Manage the entire design engagement lifecycle, from initial concept to final product launch, ensuring outcomes are prioritized over mere artifacts.

• Contribute to product strategy by translating client needs and user insights into effective design solutions.

• Adapt to evolving project requirements and ambiguity, demonstrating strong ownership and problem-solving skills to drive projects forward.

• Explore and integrate AI tools and methodologies into the design workflow to enhance productivity and explore new design possibilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a hands-on role requiring end-to-end ownership. The emphasis on "shipping products" and "outcomes, not just artifacts" is crucial, indicating a need for designers who can navigate ambiguity and deliver tangible results in a client-facing environment.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is listed, a strong portfolio and extensive experience in product design are paramount. Candidates should demonstrate a deep understanding of design principles and methodologies.

Experience:

• A minimum of 5-7 years of professional experience in product design, with a significant portion dedicated to UX/UI design, prototyping, and user research.

• A proven history of successfully launching real-world products, encompassing both zero-to-one initiatives and iterative improvements. Required Skills:

• Client Obsessed: Demonstrated ability to prioritize client success and measure technical choices by their business impact.

• Clear Communicator: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex design thinking to both technical and non-technical stakeholders, and to "carry a room."

• Self-direction and Ownership: Proven capability to scope work independently, manage project scope and impact, and make informed decisions on when to push back or decline requests.

• Comfort with Ambiguity: Ability to thrive and deliver effectively when project briefs are unclear, targets are moving, or requirements are evolving.

• Design Systems Thinking: Core competency in developing, implementing, and maintaining robust design systems.

• AI Integration: Experience or demonstrated enthusiasm for integrating AI tools into design workflows, viewing AI as a complementary tool for pattern expansion and fluid design-to-code capabilities.

• UX and UI Design: Proficiency in creating user-centered designs and intuitive interfaces.

• Interactive Prototyping: Skill in developing functional prototypes to simulate user experiences and gather feedback.

• User Research: Experience conducting various forms of user research to inform design decisions.

• Data Visualization: Ability to design clear and effective data visualizations for complex information.

Preferred Skills:

• IoT and Connected Product Experience: Familiarity with designing for Internet of Things devices and connected ecosystems.

• React, HTML, and CSS: Basic understanding or experience with these front-end technologies, as the team works with them and can provide mentorship.

• Data-Heavy/Analytical Product Design: Experience designing products where the primary challenge is making complex data clear and actionable.

• Agentic/AI-Driven Product Design: Understanding of how to design for systems that exhibit agency or advanced AI capabilities, going beyond simple response mechanisms.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "Communication above all" and "Self-direction and ownership" are critical soft skills for this client-facing, contract role. The preference for AI integration suggests a need for candidates who are adaptable and forward-thinking in their design practices.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Launched Products: The portfolio must prominently feature examples of real products that have been successfully launched, not just conceptual mockups. Showcase both entirely new product developments (zero-to-one) and significant iterative improvements.

• End-to-End Design Process: Demonstrate mastery across the entire design lifecycle, from initial discovery and strategy through UX/UI design, prototyping, user research, and final implementation.

• Ambiguity Navigation: Include case studies that highlight your ability to work effectively with ambiguous requirements, evolving briefs, and moving targets. Show how you clarified problems and drove towards solutions.

• Design Systems: Showcase your experience with design systems, including their creation, implementation, and maintenance, and how they contributed to efficiency and consistency.

• Client Collaboration: Provide examples of how you collaborated directly with clients, facilitated workshops, and incorporated client/user feedback into the design process.

• AI Integration Examples: If possible, include examples of how you have integrated AI tools into your design workflow, demonstrating practical application and benefits.

Process Documentation:

• Discovery & Strategy: Clearly document your process for conducting discovery workshops, defining product strategy, and aligning stakeholders around a common vision.

• User-Centered Design: Illustrate your methodology for user research, persona development, journey mapping, and translating insights into user-centered design solutions.

• Prototyping & Iteration: Show your approach to interactive prototyping and how you use it for user testing and iterative design refinement.

• Design System Development: Detail your process for creating and maintaining design systems, including component libraries, style guides, and governance.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Explain how you partner with engineering, product managers, and other stakeholders to ensure successful product delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a senior contract role focused on delivering launched products, the portfolio is paramount. It should explicitly demonstrate the ability to navigate ambiguity, drive outcomes, and collaborate effectively with clients and engineering. A strong emphasis on real-world impact and process is expected.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: This is a short-term contract engagement with a total compensation of $12,600 USD for a 9-week period. This equates to approximately $1,400 USD per week, or an estimated hourly rate of $35 USD per hour assuming a 40-hour work week.

Benefits: As an independent contractor, standard employee benefits (health insurance, paid time off, retirement plans) are not typically provided. The primary benefit is the opportunity to work on impactful projects with a reputable firm and gain experience in a fast-paced, client-facing environment.

Working Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week. Availability is required between 9 AM - 5 PM ET (Eastern Time) to facilitate client calls, internal team meetings, and daily stand-ups.

📝 Enhancement Note: The compensation is a fixed total for the contract duration, not an annual salary. Candidates should consider this structure when evaluating the offer. The specified working hours and time zone availability are critical for client engagement.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology Consulting / Product Development. Very LLC specializes in creating efficient, scalable solutions for commercial, industrial, and consumer products, often leveraging connected devices and AI.

Company Size: While not explicitly stated, the mention of "fully distributed," "expert problem-solvers," and "tight-knit culture" suggests a dynamic, potentially growing firm that values expertise and collaboration. They have won workplace awards, indicating a focus on employee experience.

Founded: The founding date is not provided, but the company has a history of winning workplace awards and has established itself as a partner for well-known brands.

Team Structure:

• Operations: The company operates as a "fully distributed technology firm," implying a decentralized team structure.

• Collaboration: A "collaborative, tight-knit culture" is emphasized, suggesting strong teamwork and communication, even in a remote setting.

• Client Engagement: Designers work "shoulder to shoulder with clients," indicating a highly integrated client-facing model.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Designers partner closely with engineering throughout the product development lifecycle.

Methodology:

• Problem-Solving Focused: The core of Very's approach is "expert problem-solvers who create efficient, scalable solutions."

• Agile and Fast-Paced: The description implies a rapid development cycle ("move from pilot to production in record time") and a focus on delivering business-critical outcomes.

• Data-Driven & AI-Informed: The company works with clients leveraging connected devices and AI, and they are actively exploring AI's role in their own design and development processes.

• Outcome-Oriented: The focus is on "shipping launched products" and delivering "business-critical outcomes," not just creating design artifacts.

Company Website: http://www.verytechnology.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Very LLC positions itself as a results-driven, client-focused technology firm that values expertise and collaboration. The culture is described as hardworking and dedicated to tackling challenging projects.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is classified as Senior Product Designer. At this level, the expectation is for the designer to operate with significant autonomy, manage complex projects, lead design initiatives from conception to launch, and act as a key point of contact for clients. They are expected to influence strategy and mentor others implicitly through their work and approach.

Reporting Structure: As a contractor, the designer will likely report to a project lead or a design manager within Very LLC. They will work directly with client stakeholders and closely with engineering teams on project-specific assignments.

Operations Impact: The Senior Product Designer has a direct and significant impact on Very's ability to deliver successful client outcomes. By driving the product design process, ensuring high-quality execution, and navigating ambiguity, they contribute directly to client satisfaction, product success, and the company's reputation for delivering results. The ability to integrate AI and innovative design approaches can also position Very as a leader in emerging technologies.

Growth Opportunities:

• Project Diversity: This contract offers exposure to a variety of clients and projects across different industries (commercial, industrial, consumer), allowing for broad skill development.

• Advanced Design Methodologies: The focus on AI integration and designing for complex/agentic systems provides opportunities to explore and master cutting-edge design practices.

• Client Relationship Building: Direct client interaction at a senior level can enhance consulting and stakeholder management skills.

• Portfolio Enhancement: Successfully delivering a launched product within a short timeframe is a significant addition to a professional portfolio.

• Potential for Future Engagements: High performance in this contract could lead to further opportunities with Very LLC.

📝 Enhancement Note: While a contract role, the "Senior" designation implies a high level of responsibility and autonomy. The growth opportunities lie in project experience, exposure to new technologies (AI), and client-facing skills.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is fully remote. Very LLC operates as a "fully distributed technology firm," indicating that team members work from various locations.

Office Location(s): Remote within LATAM, specifically mentioning Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Panama. While remote, candidates must be authorized to work in these regions without sponsorship.

Workspace Context:

• Remote Collaboration: The environment relies heavily on digital collaboration tools for communication, design reviews, and project management.

• Client Interaction: Significant time will be spent in client meetings, workshops, and alignment sessions, requiring a professional remote setup.

• Design Tools: Access to personal computer/device, design software, and a reliable internet connection is a prerequisite.

• Team Interaction: While remote, the company emphasizes a "tight-knit" and "collaborative" culture, suggesting regular virtual team interactions and support.

Work Schedule: The primary work schedule is approximately 40 hours per week, with required availability during core client business hours (9 AM - 5 PM ET). This ensures synchronization for meetings and client responsiveness.

📝 Enhancement Note: The fully remote nature of the role necessitates strong self-discipline and effective use of remote collaboration tools. The ET availability requirement is a key factor for candidates in different LATAM time zones.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a review of the portfolio and resume to assess experience, relevant skills, and alignment with the "Senior" level and contract requirements.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: Expect to present your portfolio, focusing on specific case studies that demonstrate your ability to handle ambiguity, lead design from discovery to launch, and integrate AI. Be prepared to discuss your process, decision-making, and client interaction.

• Skills Assessment: Interviews will likely probe into your "Client Obsessed," "Clear Communicator," "Ownership Mindset," and "Problem Solver" skills through behavioral questions and scenario-based inquiries.

• Technical Deep Dive: Discussion of your technical capabilities (UX/UI, Prototyping, Design Systems, AI integration) and how you've applied them in past projects.

• Cultural Fit & Ambiguity Navigation: Assess your comfort with ambiguity, self-direction, and your ability to thrive in a fast-paced, client-focused, distributed environment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Launched Products: Dedicate significant space to case studies of products you've shipped. Detail the problem, your role, the challenges, your process, and the impact.

• Showcase Ambiguity Management: Select projects where the initial brief was unclear or evolved significantly. Explain how you clarified requirements, defined scope, and drove the project forward.

• Demonstrate End-to-End Ownership: Walk through the entire design process for at least one key project, from initial client engagement and discovery to final launch and QA.

• Explain Your AI Integration: If you have examples of using AI in your workflow, explain the tools used, the problem solved, and the benefits achieved. Be specific about how AI complemented, rather than replaced, your design thinking.

• Focus on Communication & Collaboration: Be prepared to articulate your design rationale clearly and discuss how you managed client expectations and collaborated with engineering.

• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize experience with B2B/B2C products, data visualization, design systems, and any relevant AI/IoT experience.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Exercise: Be prepared for a potential design challenge or a deep dive into a specific portfolio project that simulates a client engagement. Focus on articulating your thought process and how you would approach an ambiguous problem.

• Behavioral Questions: Prepare examples that demonstrate your problem-solving skills, ability to handle pressure, client management, and self-direction.

• Understanding Very's Model: Research Very LLC's approach to client work and their focus on delivering tangible outcomes. Frame your responses in the context of their client-obsessed, results-driven methodology.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily rely on portfolio review and behavioral questions designed to assess senior-level capabilities in client handling, ambiguity, and execution. Candidates should be ready to articulate their process and impact with concrete examples.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design Software: Proficiency in industry-standard design and prototyping tools is expected. While not explicitly listed, common tools include:

  • Figma
  • Sketch
  • Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator)
  • Prototyping tools (e.g., Principle, InVision, ProtoPie, or Figma's built-in capabilities)

• AI Integration Tools: Candidates are encouraged to have experience with AI tools that can assist in design tasks, such as generative AI for ideation, pattern expansion, or workflow automation. Specific tools might include

Midjourney, DALL-E, or AI-powered design assistants.

• Collaboration Tools: Experience with tools for remote collaboration, project management, and communication is essential. Examples include:

  • Slack

  • Zoom/Google Meet

  • Jira/Asana/Trello

  • Miro/Mural (for workshops and brainstorming) Analytics & Reporting:

• User Research Platforms: Tools for conducting user interviews, surveys, and usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Maze, SurveyMonkey).

• Data Visualization Tools: Familiarity with presenting data clearly, potentially using tools integrated into design or specific BI platforms if relevant to past projects.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a CRM role, understanding how designs integrate into broader product ecosystems and client workflows is beneficial. Experience with design systems can bridge the gap between design and development automation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core technical requirement is proficiency in design and prototyping tools, with a strong emphasis on the candidate's willingness and ability to integrate AI into their workflow. Familiarity with remote collaboration and user research tools is also key.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Client Obsessed: A paramount value, emphasizing that the client's success is the primary driver for all technical and design decisions. This means focusing on business impact and delivering solutions that truly benefit the client.

• Clear Communicator: Value placed on effective communication with all stakeholders, both technical and non-technical. This includes active listening, clear articulation of ideas, and facilitating productive discussions.

• Quality-Driven: Holding high standards for the quality of the delivered work, ensuring reliability, usability, and aesthetic integrity in the final product.

• Ownership Mindset: Taking full responsibility for the work, from conception to delivery, and ensuring solutions are robust and performant in real-world conditions. This includes proactive problem-solving and accountability.

• Problem Solver: A core ethos of tackling complex challenges and finding innovative solutions, even when faced with ambiguity or evolving requirements.

• Embracing AI: A forward-thinking approach that sees AI as a tool to augment human creativity and efficiency, rather than a threat. Eagerness to explore and integrate AI into design practices.

Collaboration Style:

• Tight-knit and Collaborative: Despite being a distributed team, Very fosters a close working environment where team members support each other.

• Client-Centric: Collaboration is heavily geared towards client needs and outcomes, involving direct interaction and partnership.

• Cross-functional Integration: Close partnership with engineering teams is essential for successful product launches, requiring a collaborative approach between design and development.

• Outcome-Focused: The collaborative effort is directed towards achieving specific, measurable results and launching products effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is built around a strong work ethic, client dedication, and a problem-solving mentality. The emphasis on "doing hard things well" suggests a team that thrives on challenging projects and values high performance.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Ambiguity: The role requires comfort and proficiency in situations where project requirements are undefined or constantly shifting. Candidates must be adept at clarifying goals and driving progress independently.

• Short Contract Duration: Delivering a full product design arc within a 9-week timeframe is a significant challenge, demanding efficient workflows and rapid decision-making.

• Client Expectations Management: Balancing client desires with technical feasibility and user needs, especially under tight deadlines, requires strong negotiation and communication skills.

• AI Integration Learning Curve: For candidates new to integrating AI into their design process, there might be an initial learning curve to optimize its use effectively within the project scope.

• Remote Collaboration Dynamics: Maintaining strong team cohesion and client engagement in a fully remote setting requires proactive communication and a disciplined approach to virtual interaction.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Exposure to Diverse Clients & Industries: Working on various client projects provides broad experience and learning opportunities across different business sectors.

• Mastering AI in Design: The opportunity to actively experiment with and integrate AI tools into a professional design workflow offers significant learning in cutting-edge practices.

• End-to-End Product Ownership: Gaining experience in managing the entire design lifecycle from discovery to launch within a compressed timeframe is invaluable for career growth.

• Client-Facing Consulting Skills: Developing and refining skills in client communication, workshop facilitation, and strategic consultation.

• Rapid Prototyping & Iteration: The short contract duration will push for highly efficient design, prototyping, and feedback loops, honing rapid iteration skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenges revolve around the intense nature of the short-term contract and the need to manage ambiguity effectively. Growth opportunities are substantial due to the exposure to diverse projects and advanced design methodologies like AI integration.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you took a project from a vague client brief to a successfully launched product. What was your process, and how did you handle the ambiguity?" (Focus on discovery, strategy, iteration, and outcome.)

• "How do you approach integrating AI into your design workflow? Can you provide an example of how you've used AI to enhance your design process or outcomes?" (Be specific about tools, problems solved, and benefits.)

• "Tell me about a situation where you had to manage conflicting client expectations or push back on a request. How did you navigate it, and what was the result?" (Demonstrate client obsession and communication skills.)

• "How do you ensure design quality assurance, especially when partnering closely with engineering teams?" (Highlight your process for design handoff, QA, and collaboration.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Very LLC and our approach to client work, particularly our focus on 'doing hard things well'?" (Research Very's mission and values.)

• "How do you see yourself fitting into a fully distributed, collaborative team environment? How do you maintain strong communication and ownership remotely?" (Emphasize your remote work experience and communication style.)

• "How do you stay current with emerging technologies like AI in design, and how do you evaluate their practical application?" (Showcase your proactive learning and critical thinking.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly outline the problem, your role, the project goals, your process (discovery, research, ideation, design, testing), the challenges, your solutions, and the final outcomes/impact.

• Highlight Ambiguity & AI: Select projects that specifically showcase your ability to handle ambiguity and any instances of AI integration.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., improved conversion rates, user satisfaction scores, successful launch).

• Focus on "Why": Be prepared to articulate the rationale behind your design decisions. Explain why you chose a particular approach, tool, or solution.

• Concise Delivery: Given the contract nature, be prepared to present your most relevant work efficiently and engage in focused Q&A.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to showcase their ability to deliver tangible results under pressure, manage client relationships, and leverage modern design tools, including AI. The interview will likely be a blend of portfolio review, behavioral questions, and strategic discussions.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features case studies of successfully launched products, emphasizing your end-to-end design process, ability to handle ambiguity, and any experience with AI integration. Tailor your presentation to highlight your client-obsessed and results-driven approach.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly articulate your 5-7+ years of relevant experience, focusing on quantifiable achievements and the specific skills mentioned in the job description (e.g., client communication, ownership, design systems, AI).

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, decision-making rationale, and project outcomes. Prepare specific examples for behavioral questions related to ambiguity, client management, and collaboration.

• Company Research: Understand Very LLC's mission, values, and client-focused methodology. Be ready to discuss why their approach and this specific role appeal to you, and how you can contribute to their clients' success.

⚠️ 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.