Senior Product Designer, Platform & Device Interfaces

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer, Platform & Device Interfaces

Company: HighRes

Location: Beverly, MA (or Remote in EU, UK, Canada, US)

Job Type: Full Time

Category: Product Design / UX Design

Date Posted: 2026-07-29

Experience Level: Experienced (6+ years)

Remote Status: Remote OK

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the design of intuitive and unified user interfaces for HighRes's CellarioOS platform and its associated device interfaces, ensuring a cohesive user experience across digital and physical touchpoints.

• Translate complex scientific and technical requirements into actionable design solutions that address the needs of scientists in high-stakes laboratory environments.

• Drive end-to-end design processes, from initial research and concepting to prototyping, user testing, and final implementation, leveraging AI-enabled tools for rapid iteration.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including Engineering, Product Management, and other designers, to deliver innovative solutions for lab automation, drug discovery, and genomics research.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is categorized under Product Design and UX Design, with a strong emphasis on designing for complex enterprise software and hardware interfaces within the life sciences and lab automation sector. The integration of AI and generative design is a key differentiator for this position.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Unify the design language and user experience across both the CellarioOS software platform and the interfaces embedded directly into HighRes's laboratory instruments, creating a seamless interaction flow.

• Conduct user research and analysis to deeply understand the complex workflows, pain points, and needs of scientists and lab technicians utilizing automation systems.

• Develop and own the design for critical features such as the Lab Designer tool and system visualization components, enabling users to easily configure, monitor, and manage their laboratory operations.

• Rapidly prototype interactive and testable designs using AI-assisted tools, facilitating quick validation and iteration cycles to accelerate product development.

• Design and evaluate novel generative and AI-adaptive interface patterns that dynamically respond to AI-driven inputs and agentic capabilities within the CellarioOS platform.

• Facilitate and participate in co-design workshops, design reviews, and usability testing sessions, translating research findings into prioritized design decisions and actionable product improvements.

• Partner daily with fellow designers (research and visual), Product Managers, and Engineers, ensuring alignment and effective communication throughout the product development lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: Responsibilities emphasize a dual focus on software and hardware interface design, a strong AI/generative design component, and deep collaboration within a pod structure alongside core product and engineering teams. The role requires owning specific feature areas like the Lab Designer tool.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating equivalent practical experience in UX/Product Design for complex systems is paramount.

Experience: 6+ years of demonstrated experience in product or UX design, specifically for complex SaaS, enterprise-level software, or platforms with significant hardware integration.

Required Skills:

• Product & UX Design: Proven ability to design intuitive and effective user interfaces for complex applications.

• Cross-Platform Design: Experience designing for both software applications and physical/hardware interfaces, or a demonstrable aptitude and enthusiasm for working across these domains.

• Design Systems: Proficiency in working within, contributing to, and evolving shared design systems across multiple product surfaces.

• AI-Forward Toolset: Fluency in using AI-assisted design tools for rapid prototyping and a strong understanding of designing generative or AI-adaptive interfaces.

• User Research & Synthesis: Ability to translate complex, multi-step user journeys and abstract technical requirements into clear user problems and design solutions.

• Facilitation & Storytelling: Excellent communication skills, with the ability to effectively present design concepts and research findings to diverse audiences, including scientists, engineers, and executives.

• Problem Simplification: Demonstrated capacity to distill intricate, multi-step user workflows into simple, easy-to-understand interfaces.

• Portfolio: A robust portfolio showcasing shipped product work from high-velocity, collaborative teams, highlighting your design process and impact.

• Time Zone Overlap: Ability to maintain consistent daily overlap with US Eastern Time (ET) working hours, regardless of candidate location.

• Travel: Willingness to travel as needed for business purposes (noted as negligible).

Preferred Skills:

• Domain Expertise: Prior experience designing user interfaces for automation, scheduling, or CAD tooling software.

• Scientific/Lab Automation: Specific experience designing for scientific, laboratory, or factory-scale automation products.

• Accessibility & Inclusive Design: Familiarity with accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) and principles of inclusive design.

• Agentic AI Concepts: Exposure to and understanding of agentic AI concepts such as tool-calling, agent orchestration, and human-in-the-loop workflows as they relate to interface design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "AI-forward toolset" and "generative-interface patterns" indicates a forward-looking approach to design technology. The requirement for US ET time zone overlap is critical for remote candidates. The portfolio must demonstrate shipped products and collaboration.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Shipped Products: Showcase at least 2-3 significant projects where your design work was shipped and had a tangible impact on user experience or business metrics within complex SaaS or hardware-adjacent environments.

• Process Documentation: Clearly articulate your design process for each project, detailing stages from user research and problem definition through ideation, prototyping, usability testing, and final implementation.

• Systemic Thinking: Demonstrate an understanding of how different components of a system (software and hardware) interact and how your designs contribute to overall system efficiency and user workflow.

• AI/Generative Design Examples: If possible, include examples of how you've experimented with or implemented AI-assisted design tools or designed interfaces that adapt dynamically to AI input.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Highlight instances where you successfully collaborated with engineering, product management, and other stakeholders, illustrating your communication and facilitation skills.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Present case studies that detail how you've analyzed existing workflows, identified inefficiencies, and designed solutions to streamline complex user journeys.

• Rapid Prototyping & Iteration: Illustrate your ability to quickly move from concepts to interactive prototypes using various tools, and how you've used these prototypes for user testing and iterative refinement.

• Measurement & Analysis: Explain how you've defined success metrics for your designs and how you've used data (quantitative and qualitative) to inform design decisions and measure impact post-launch.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is explicitly stated as a mandatory requirement. It should focus on demonstrating a comprehensive design process, ability to handle complexity, cross-functional collaboration, and a strong grasp of modern design tools, especially those involving AI.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $100,000 - $120,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Health Insurance: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.

• Retirement Savings: 401(k) plan with potential company match.

• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for continuous learning, including access to AI-design tools, workshops, and potential conference attendance.

• Flexible Work Environment: Remote work option with the requirement for consistent overlap with US ET hours.

Working Hours: Full-time, approximately 40 hours per week. The role requires consistent daily overlap with US Eastern Time hours, indicating a need for availability during core business hours in that region.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is competitive for a Senior Product Designer role with 6+ years of experience, especially considering the specialized nature of designing for lab automation and AI-driven interfaces. The remote flexibility is a significant benefit, balanced by the need for US ET time zone overlap.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Life Sciences Lab Automation. HighRes operates at the intersection of biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, research, and advanced software/hardware engineering.

Company Size: While not explicitly stated, the mention of a "cross-functional design team" and "pod" structure suggests a mid-sized to growing organization with established teams but likely still agile enough for significant individual impact.

Founded: Founded in Beverly, Massachusetts, HighRes has established itself as a partner for organizations seeking to enhance scientific work efficiency and reproducibility through intelligent laboratory workflows.

Team Structure:

• Design Team: A cross-functional design team comprising research designers, visual designers, and product designers, organized into collaborative "pods" that work closely with specific product areas.

• Reporting: The Senior Product Designer will likely report to a Design Lead or Head of Product Design, working within a pod structure that includes Product Management and Engineering counterparts.

• Collaboration: Emphasis on daily, close collaboration within the pod and across departments, fostering a team-oriented environment where ideas are shared freely.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Leveraging user research, usability testing, and product analytics to inform design decisions and measure impact.

• Agile Development: Working within a high-velocity team environment that prioritizes rapid iteration, prototyping, and continuous delivery.

• AI Integration: Actively exploring and implementing AI capabilities to enhance product features and design processes, including generative interfaces and agentic workflows.

Company Website: https://www.highres.com/ (Note: The provided company_url was null, deriving this from the domain).

📝 Enhancement Note: HighRes positions itself as an innovator in lab automation, suggesting a culture that values scientific rigor, technological advancement, and collaborative problem-solving. The emphasis on AI points to a forward-thinking and experimental approach within the company.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Product Designer role, indicating a level of expertise where individuals are expected to drive significant portions of the design process independently, mentor junior designers, and influence product strategy. It's a pivotal role for experienced designers looking to deepen their impact in a specialized, high-growth industry.

Reporting Structure: The role is part of a cross-functional design team, likely reporting to a Design Lead or Manager. Collaboration within a "pod" structure means working closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads, offering exposure to product strategy and technical execution.

Operations Impact: The Senior Product Designer will have a direct impact on the efficiency, reproducibility, and usability of laboratory workflows for HighRes's clients. Successful designs can lead to faster research outcomes, reduced errors, and increased adoption of HighRes's automation solutions, directly influencing customer satisfaction and market competitiveness.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in lab automation, scientific workflows, and cutting-edge AI/generative design applications within interfaces.

• Leadership: Potential to grow into a Lead Product Designer role, mentoring other designers, and taking on larger strategic initiatives.

• Cross-Functional Influence: Develop stronger partnerships with Product Management and Engineering, influencing product roadmaps and technical architecture from a design perspective.

• Skill Development: Continuous learning opportunities in AI-driven design tools, advanced prototyping techniques, and emerging interface paradigms.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a clear path for career advancement within a specialized and technologically advanced field. The senior level implies opportunities for strategic influence and potential leadership, building on a foundation of strong design execution and cross-functional collaboration.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company is based in Beverly, Massachusetts, suggesting a physical office presence. However, the "Remote OK" status with specific location preferences (EU, UK, Canada, US) indicates a hybrid or flexible remote work model is supported, with a strong preference for candidates who can overlap with US ET hours.

Office Location(s): Beverly, Massachusetts, USA. Additional remote employees are preferred in the EU, UK, Canada, and the US.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The emphasis on "cross-functional design team" and "pods" suggests a highly collaborative workspace, whether in-person or remote. Daily interaction with peers and stakeholders is expected.

• Tooling: Access to modern design and prototyping tools, with a specific emphasis on AI-enabled platforms and generative design capabilities.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for frequent interaction with Product Managers, Engineers, and fellow designers through structured meetings (design reviews, co-design workshops) and ad-hoc communication.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approx. 40 hours/week) with flexibility, provided there is consistent daily overlap with US Eastern Time business hours. This arrangement supports remote work while ensuring effective team synchronization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The work environment caters to professionals who thrive in collaborative settings and value flexibility, while also emphasizing the need for synchronous communication during core US business hours. The company actively embraces modern design tooling and methodologies.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of application, resume, and mandatory portfolio. Candidates without a portfolio will not be considered.

• Portfolio Review & Discussion: A deep dive into your portfolio with a design leader or hiring manager, focusing on your process, decision-making, and impact on shipped products. Expect to discuss specific projects in detail.

• Design Challenge/Exercise: Potentially a hands-on design exercise or case study presented to the team, assessing your problem-solving skills, design thinking, and ability to translate complex requirements into solutions. This may involve AI-driven design scenarios.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Management and Engineering representatives to assess collaboration style, technical understanding, and ability to work effectively within a pod.

• Final Interview: Likely with senior leadership to discuss strategic fit, cultural alignment, and long-term potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Showcase 3-5 of your strongest, most relevant projects that demonstrate your skills in complex SaaS/hardware design, AI integration, and cross-functional collaboration.

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

• Highlight Process: Emphasize your design methodology, research techniques, prototyping tools (especially AI-assisted ones), and how you iterated based on feedback.

• Demonstrate Collaboration: Explain how you worked with engineers, PMs, and other stakeholders, and how their input shaped the final design.

• Address AI/Generative Design: If you have relevant experience, explicitly showcase how you've approached designing with or for AI, or using AI-assisted tools.

• Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design decisions, trade-offs made, and how you handle ambiguity.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Familiarize yourself with lab automation, scientific workflows, and common challenges faced by researchers and lab technicians.

• Practice Problem Decomposition: Be ready to break down complex problems into smaller, manageable parts.

• Articulate Your Process: Clearly explain your approach to solving the challenge, from initial understanding to proposed solution.

• Consider AI Implications: Think about how AI could be integrated into potential solutions or how AI might influence the user's interaction.

• Focus on Usability: Ensure your proposed solutions are user-centric and address real needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The application process heavily emphasizes the portfolio as the primary screening tool. Candidates should prepare to articulate their design process meticulously and showcase experience with AI and complex systems.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator). Strong emphasis on AI-assisted design tools (e.g., tools that leverage AI for rapid ideation, component generation, or layout suggestions).

• Prototyping: InVision, Principle, Framer, or similar tools for creating interactive prototypes.

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

Analytics & Reporting:

• Familiarity with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude) to understand user behavior and inform design decisions.

• Ability to interpret data and translate insights into design improvements. CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct CRM role, understanding how design impacts user journeys within broader enterprise systems is beneficial. Familiarity with workflow automation concepts is a plus. Emerging Technologies:

• Experience or strong interest in designing with AI-driven tools, generative interfaces, and agentic AI concepts.

• Familiarity with design systems and component libraries.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack highlights a need for proficiency in standard design software but places a significant premium on experience with AI-assisted design tools and generative interfaces, reflecting HighRes's focus on innovation.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Scientific Rigor: A commitment to accuracy, reproducibility, and data integrity in all aspects of laboratory work and software design.

• Innovation & Forward-Thinking: Embracing new technologies, particularly AI, to drive advancements in lab automation and scientific discovery.

• User-Centricity: Deep empathy for the scientists and researchers who rely on HighRes products, ensuring designs meet their complex and critical needs.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Fostering an environment where ideas are shared openly, feedback is constructive, and cross-functional teams work cohesively towards common goals.

• Efficiency & Optimization: A drive to continuously improve processes and workflows, both for clients and within the company, to maximize productivity and outcomes.

Collaboration Style:

• Pod-Based: Working within small, agile pods comprising Product, Engineering, and Design, fostering tight-knit collaboration and shared ownership.

• Data-Informed: Decisions are grounded in user research, data analysis, and performance metrics.

• Iterative & Experimental: A willingness to experiment with new ideas, prototype rapidly, and iterate based on feedback and results.

• Constructive Feedback: Openness to providing and receiving critical feedback during design reviews and team discussions to elevate the quality of the product.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture appears to value technical excellence, innovation, and a collaborative spirit, driven by a mission to advance scientific research through technology. The emphasis on AI and user-centricity is particularly strong.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complexity of Domain: Designing intuitive interfaces for highly technical and complex scientific workflows requires deep understanding and careful abstraction.

• Balancing Software & Hardware: Unifying the design language and user experience across distinct software and physical device interfaces presents unique challenges.

• Rapidly Evolving AI Landscape: Staying abreast of AI advancements and effectively integrating them into user interfaces requires continuous learning and adaptation.

• High-Stakes Environment: Errors in lab automation can have significant consequences, demanding extremely high levels of design reliability and user clarity.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Design Specialization: Become a leader in designing interfaces for AI-powered systems and generative workflows within the life sciences sector.

• Cross-Disciplinary Expertise: Gain in-depth knowledge of both software UX and hardware interface design principles.

• Industry Immersion: Develop a strong understanding of drug discovery, genomics, and other high-throughput research processes.

• Mentorship & Leadership: Opportunities to mentor junior designers and potentially lead design initiatives as the team grows.

• Access to Cutting-Edge Tools: Work with and contribute to the development of AI-enabled design tools and workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant challenges that are also avenues for substantial professional growth, particularly in the rapidly advancing fields of AI and lab automation.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design for a highly technical or specialized user group. How did you approach understanding their needs and translating them into an interface?" (Prepare with a case study from your portfolio.)

• "How would you approach unifying the design language between a complex desktop application like CellarioOS and the embedded interfaces on physical lab instruments?" (Think about shared components, visual consistency, and interaction patterns.)

• "Discuss your experience with AI-assisted design tools or designing generative interfaces. What are the opportunities and challenges?" (Be ready to share specific examples or theoretical approaches.)

• "Walk us through a complex user journey you’ve designed. What were the key decision points and trade-offs you made?" (Focus on process and rationale.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about HighRes and the lab automation industry?" (Research HighRes's mission, products, and market position.)

• "How do you see your design philosophy aligning with a company focused on scientific rigor and innovation?" (Connect your values to HighRes's.)

• "Describe your ideal collaboration dynamic within a cross-functional product team (Product, Engineering, Design)." (Emphasize communication, feedback, and shared ownership.)

• "How do you handle constructive criticism on your designs?" (Show openness to feedback and a focus on improvement.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure is Key: Have a clear, logical flow for your presentation. Start with the problem, introduce your role, detail your process, showcase your solutions, and articulate the impact.

• Focus on Impact: Quantify results where possible (e.g., "reduced task completion time by X%", "improved user satisfaction scores"). If not quantifiable, describe the qualitative impact clearly.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals effectively – wireframes, mockups, prototypes, user flow diagrams, and potentially short video clips of interactions.

• Explain Your "Why": Be prepared to justify every significant design decision. Why this layout? Why this interaction? Why this color?

• Practice Your Narrative: Rehearse your presentation to ensure smooth delivery and to stay within any time limits. Be ready to answer in-depth questions about each project.

• Highlight AI/Generative Aspects: Make sure to call out any experience or thought process related to AI in design.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong design process, ability to handle technical complexity, collaborative skills, and a forward-thinking approach to AI integration within user interfaces. The portfolio presentation is critical.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Paycom portal link.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio is readily accessible (via link) and tailored to highlight your most relevant experience in complex SaaS, hardware-adjacent design, AI-assisted tools, and cross-functional collaboration. Prioritize projects that demonstrate your process and shipped work.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly articulate your 6+ years of experience, specific skills in UX/product design, familiarity with design systems, and any exposure to AI/generative design or lab automation. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare for Portfolio Deep-Dive: Be ready to walk through 2-3 key projects in detail during interviews, explaining your process, decisions, and the impact of your work. Practice your narrative.

• Research HighRes: Understand the company's mission, products (especially CellarioOS), and the life sciences lab automation industry. Prepare thoughtful questions about their challenges and design approach.

⚠️ 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.