Senior/Staff Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior/Staff Product Designer

Company: RYZ Labs

Location: Argentina

Job Type: Full Time - Contract

Category: Product Design / GTM Operations

Date Posted: 2026-08-25

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Remote Solely

🚀 Role Summary

• Design and deliver user-centered solutions for complex, data-heavy AI-powered platforms, focusing on B2B SaaS applications within the heavy civil construction industry.

• Act as a systems thinker, creating reusable components and design patterns to ensure scalability and consistency across the product.

• Drive product strategy and execution with a high degree of ownership, speed, and comfort with ambiguity, setting personal performance benchmarks.

• Foster strong collaboration with engineering teams and actively engage with end-users to gather feedback and inform design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as Senior/Staff Product Designer, implying a need for significant autonomy, strategic input, and the ability to mentor or guide less experienced designers. The emphasis on "no PM" and "dig into the product" suggests a highly integrated role with engineering and direct customer interaction, characteristic of advanced operations-adjacent design roles where understanding user workflows and business impact is critical.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end product design process for an AI-powered platform, from problem identification and user research to detailed specification and final delivery.

• Conduct in-depth user research, including customer calls and onboarding sessions, to understand the workflows and pain points of heavy civil contractors.

• Develop and maintain a robust design system, creating reusable components and patterns to ensure consistency and efficiency across the platform.

• Collaborate closely with a dedicated team of 3-4 engineers, embedding design decisions within Linear for seamless workflow integration and rapid iteration.

• Actively participate in daily stand-ups, presenting work-in-progress constantly and engaging in direct feedback loops with the engineering team and founder.

• Utilize AI tools aggressively for design research, content generation, analysis, and even development assistance, setting a high bar for AI-driven design practices.

• Translate complex data analysis and user needs into intuitive and actionable user interfaces for bid package analysis and estimation tools.

• Champion a culture of direct feedback and open communication, sharing progress openly and engaging in constructive debates to drive fast decision-making.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a proactive, self-directed approach to design, emphasizing the need for a candidate who can operate with minimal direct supervision and take full ownership of the design lifecycle. The integration with engineering via Linear and the expectation of constant WIP sharing points towards an agile, iterative design process crucial for fast-paced startups.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: No specific degree is mandated, but a strong portfolio demonstrating practical application of design principles is paramount.

Experience: A minimum of 5-10 years of professional product design experience, with a proven track record of shipping complex, data-heavy tools for real users.

Required Skills:

• Portfolio of Shipped Product Design: Demonstrated experience with real products, real users, and complex, data-heavy tools.

• Systems Thinking: Ability to design and implement reusable components, patterns, and design systems, not just individual screens.

• High Ownership & Speed: Proven ability to take initiative, work autonomously, and deliver results quickly in a fast-paced environment.

• Ambiguity Tolerance: Comfort navigating unclear requirements and proactively defining solutions.

• Strong Written & Verbal English: Excellent communication skills, particularly for asynchronous collaboration.

• User Research: Proficiency in conducting user interviews, observational studies, and synthesizing findings to inform design.

• Prototyping & Wireframing: Skill in creating functional prototypes and detailed wireframes to communicate design intent.

• Collaboration: Ability to work effectively with engineering teams and stakeholders in an agile environment.

Preferred Skills:

• Front-end Development: Proficiency in React and Tailwind CSS to build and iterate on designs.

• B2B SaaS Experience: Prior experience designing for Software-as-a-Service products.

• Industrial Software/Construction Tech: Familiarity with the nuances of software used in construction, bidding, or estimation processes.

• AI Tool Proficiency: Demonstrated experience leveraging AI tools for design and productivity.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Staff" level designation strongly suggests an expectation of expertise in systems thinking and the ability to influence product direction. The preference for front-end skills is a significant plus, indicating a desire for a designer who can bridge the gap between design and development, potentially reducing handoff friction and accelerating iteration cycles.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Shipped Product Examples: Showcase at least 2-3 significant projects involving complex, data-heavy tools with clear demonstration of shipped product design.

• Systems Design: Include case studies that highlight your approach to building and maintaining design systems, component libraries, or pattern-based design.

• Problem-Solving Narratives: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your design process, the trade-offs considered, and the measurable impact of your solutions.

• User-Centricity: Demonstrate how user research and customer feedback directly influenced design decisions and product outcomes.

• Technical Context: If applicable, provide insights into how your designs were implemented and how you collaborated with engineering on technical constraints and possibilities.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design: Illustrate your process for mapping user journeys, defining workflows, and creating detailed specifications that engineers can readily use.

• Iterative Design: Show evidence of how you incorporated feedback from users, engineers, and stakeholders to refine designs over time.

• System Implementation: Detail your approach to designing and implementing scalable design systems and component libraries.

• AI Integration: If possible, showcase how AI tools were integrated into your design workflow to enhance efficiency or outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "systems thinker" and "components and patterns" means the portfolio should not just be a collection of beautiful screens, but a testament to the candidate's ability to build scalable, maintainable design solutions. Demonstrating how the candidate "gets problems, not tickets" through their portfolio is key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Senior/Staff Product Designer with 5-10 years of experience in Argentina, the estimated annual salary range is ARS $15,000,000 - ARS $25,000,000 (approximately USD $17,000 - $28,000 at current exchange rates, subject to significant fluctuation). This estimate considers the complexity of the role, the specialized nature of the B2B SaaS and AI domain, and the remote nature of the position, while factoring in local Argentinian market conditions for contract roles.

Benefits:

• Contract Role: Full-time contract position offering flexibility and potential for long-term engagement.

• Remote Work: Fully remote position, allowing for work from anywhere within Argentina.

• Startup Environment: Opportunity to work in a dynamic startup studio (RYZ Labs) with a focus on innovation and building industry-defining companies.

• Cutting-Edge Technology: Exposure to and utilization of the latest technologies in cloud computing and AI.

• Professional Development: Environment that encourages autonomy, learning, growth, and challenging projects with specialists.

• Direct Customer & Founder Interaction: Regular engagement with end-users and the company founder, providing unique insights and impact opportunities.

Working Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week, with flexibility expected for a contract role operating in a startup environment. Clear async communication is vital, implying a need to be responsive within reasonable working hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on current market data for senior/staff contract roles in Argentina, considering the specialized skills required. Exchange rates are highly volatile and should be monitored. Benefits are inferred from the company description and the nature of a contract role.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Startup Studio / Technology / AI / B2B SaaS / Construction Tech. RYZ Labs operates as a startup studio, building multiple companies. This role supports a client building an AI-powered platform for heavy civil contractors, placing it at the intersection of AI, B2B SaaS, and industrial software. This context suggests a focus on solving complex business problems with technology.

Company Size: RYZ Labs was founded in 2021 and is a startup studio. The specific client team is likely small, with a designer-to-engineer ratio of ~1:3-4. The distributed nature (US & Latam) indicates a modern, global operational model.

Founded: RYZ Labs was founded in 2021 by entrepreneurs with extensive experience in large tech companies and consumer brands, aiming to build industry-defining companies.

Team Structure:

• Client Team: A lean, agile team comprising designers and engineers working closely together. The absence of a dedicated Product Manager means designers are expected to take on significant product strategy and definition responsibilities.

• RYZ Labs Operations: A distributed team across the US and Latam, leveraging cloud computing technologies. The culture emphasizes autonomy, efficiency, and continuous learning.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: High degree of collaboration is expected between design and engineering, with direct interaction with the founder and end-users being a key aspect of the design process.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Decisions are heavily influenced by user observation and data analysis ("defended with 'I watched an estimator do X'").

• Agile & Iterative: Constant iteration, rapid feedback loops, and work-in-progress sharing are core to the process.

• AI-Augmented Workflow: Aggressive use of AI tools is expected across all functions, including design.

• Open Communication: A direct and transparent communication style is encouraged, with work shared openly in team channels.

Company Website: https://ryzlabs.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is characterized by a startup mentality within a larger studio framework. The emphasis on autonomy, direct customer engagement, and rapid iteration is crucial for candidates to understand. The "startup studio" model means the candidate might work on different projects or evolving client needs over time.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at the Senior/Staff level, indicating a need for a designer who can operate with significant independence, influence product direction, and potentially mentor others. It requires a strategic mindset, the ability to tackle complex problems, and a deep understanding of user workflows within a B2B context.

Reporting Structure: While working for a client, the designer will likely report to a lead at RYZ Labs or directly to the client's technical/product lead, if one exists. The direct collaboration with engineers and the founder suggests a flat hierarchy within the project team.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on the core functionality and success of an AI-powered platform critical for heavy civil contractors. By improving estimation accuracy and speed, the designer directly contributes to the client's value proposition and revenue generation potential.

Growth Opportunities:

• Deep Domain Expertise: Develop specialized knowledge in AI-driven B2B SaaS for the construction industry.

• Product Strategy Influence: Contribute significantly to product vision and roadmap due to the absence of a dedicated PM.

• Design System Leadership: Opportunity to build and scale a design system from its early stages.

• Cross-functional Skill Development: Enhance skills in user research, engineering collaboration, and potentially front-end development.

• Entrepreneurial Experience: Gain experience within a startup studio environment, understanding company building from the ground up.

• Leadership Potential: Demonstrated ability to take ownership and drive outcomes could lead to more senior roles or opportunities within RYZ Labs' portfolio companies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Staff" title suggests a path towards technical leadership in design, focusing on complex problem-solving and strategic contributions rather than pure people management. The growth opportunities are tied to becoming a domain expert and a key influencer in product development.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully remote. The company operates a distributed team model across the US and Latin America.

Office Location(s): Primarily focused on Argentina for this role, but the broader RYZ Labs team is distributed. This implies a need for strong remote collaboration tools and practices.

Workspace Context:

• Remote Collaboration: The primary mode of interaction will be through digital tools like Linear, Slack, and video conferencing. A proactive approach to communication and engagement is essential.

• Tools & Technology: Access to modern cloud computing technologies and AI tools is integral to the work environment.

• Team Interaction: While remote, there's an emphasis on constant WIP sharing, daily stand-ups, and direct feedback, fostering a sense of close-knit team collaboration despite geographical distance.

Work Schedule: Approximately 40 hours per week. While flexible due to the remote and contract nature, clear async communication and responsiveness during core working hours are expected to align with engineering sprints and customer interactions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote-first nature requires candidates to be self-disciplined and adept at managing their time and communication effectively without direct physical oversight. The emphasis on "clear async communication" is a critical aspect of this environment.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio to assess experience, skills, and alignment with the role's requirements.

• Portfolio Review & Discussion: A deep dive into the candidate's portfolio, focusing on specific projects, design process, systems thinking, and problem-solving approach. Expect to discuss "how you get problems, not tickets."

• Technical/Design Challenge: Potentially a small design exercise or a discussion around a hypothetical complex problem to assess design thinking, systems approach, and ability to use AI tools.

• Founder/Leadership Interview: Discussion on cultural fit, ownership, speed, ambiguity tolerance, and alignment with RYZ Labs' startup studio vision.

• Engineering Collaboration Discussion: Assess how the candidate collaborates with engineers, their understanding of agile workflows, and their comfort with direct, continuous feedback.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Systems Design: Clearly showcase examples of reusable components, design systems, and pattern-based design.

• Demonstrate Problem-Solving: For each project, articulate the business problem, user needs, your design process, and the tangible outcomes or impact. Use data and user feedback as evidence.

• Showcase Data-Heavy Tools: Emphasize your experience designing for complex datasets and analytical tools.

• Detail User Research & Iteration: Explain how you engaged with users, synthesized feedback, and iterated on designs.

• Explain AI Integration: If you used AI tools in your process, explain how and why.

• Be Concise & Clear: Focus on quality over quantity. Ensure your case studies are easy to understand and highlight your unique contributions.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Familiarize yourself with the challenges faced by heavy civil contractors in bid analysis and estimation.

• Think Systematically: Prepare to break down complex problems into smaller, manageable parts and design scalable solutions.

• Practice Async Communication: Be ready to articulate your thoughts clearly and concisely, as if in an async setting.

• Prepare for Direct Feedback: Understand that the environment values direct, honest feedback. Be open to discussing trade-offs and making quick decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes practical application, systems thinking, and a proactive, autonomous work style. The portfolio is the primary tool for demonstrating these capabilities. Be prepared to discuss your process and decisions in detail, with a focus on real-world impact and collaboration.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD (or similar industry-standard tools).

• Collaboration & Project Management: Linear (highly emphasized), Slack, Jira.

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

• AI Tools: Proficiency in leveraging AI for research, writing, analysis, and design assistance (e.g., ChatGPT, Midjourney, GitHub Copilot for design).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics: Tools for understanding user behavior and product performance (e.g., Mixpanel, Amplitude, Google Analytics).

• Data Visualization: Ability to interpret and potentially contribute to dashboards or reports that visualize key metrics.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a CRM role, understanding how design impacts user adoption and retention within a B2B SaaS context is important. Familiarity with how design integrates with sales and customer success workflows is beneficial.

• Integration Tools: Awareness of how design systems and user interfaces integrate with backend systems and APIs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Linear indicates its central role in the team's workflow. Proficiency with AI tools is not just preferred but expected to be used aggressively. Familiarity with B2B SaaS analytics is a plus for understanding the impact of design.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Ownership & Autonomy: High degree of personal responsibility and the freedom to make decisions.

• Speed & Agility: Prioritizing rapid iteration and quick decision-making to maintain momentum.

• Directness & Transparency: Open, honest, and direct communication is valued, fostering a culture of constructive feedback.

• User-Centricity: Design decisions are grounded in real user needs and observed behaviors.

• Continuous Learning: Embracing new technologies (like AI) and methodologies to improve processes and outcomes.

• Problem-Solving: A focus on tackling complex challenges and delivering impactful solutions rather than just completing tasks.

Collaboration Style:

• Embedded Design: Designers work closely with engineers, functioning as integrated members of development teams.

• Async-First Communication: Emphasis on clear, written communication suitable for a distributed team, supplemented by synchronous meetings for essential discussions.

• Constant Feedback: A culture of sharing work-in-progress frequently and providing/receiving direct, honest feedback.

• Cross-Functional Input: Design decisions are informed by input from engineering, potentially sales, and directly from customers and the founder.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture is fast-paced, demanding, and highly collaborative within a remote setting. Candidates who thrive on autonomy, direct impact, and continuous improvement will be well-suited. The directness of feedback should be seen as a positive driver for growth.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Ambiguity & Lack of PM: Navigating product definition and strategy without a dedicated Product Manager requires strong initiative and strategic foresight.

• Complex Data Visualization: Designing intuitive interfaces for analyzing massive bid packages and complex data sets is inherently challenging.

• Rapid Iteration Cycles: Maintaining design quality while working at high speed and with frequent feedback can be demanding.

• AI Integration at Scale: Effectively integrating AI into the design workflow and product features requires continuous learning and experimentation.

• Remote Collaboration Nuances: Ensuring effective communication, alignment, and team cohesion in a fully remote, distributed environment.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into AI & Construction Tech: Become a specialist in a niche but high-growth area.

• Product Strategy Development: Gain hands-on experience shaping product direction and strategy.

• Design System Mastery: Lead the creation and evolution of a critical design system.

• Agile & Remote Work Best Practices: Hone skills in highly efficient, distributed team collaboration.

• Exposure to Startup Building: Learn the intricacies of building and scaling tech companies from experienced entrepreneurs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are opportunities for growth. Candidates who view these obstacles as chances to develop new skills and demonstrate leadership will be most successful. The company's focus on building multiple startups suggests a dynamic environment where learning is continuous.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design a complex, data-heavy tool with ambiguous requirements. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your process, user research, systems thinking, and how you handled ambiguity.)

• "How would you approach designing a feature for our AI-powered estimation platform, given that we don't have a dedicated PM?" (Highlight your ability to define problems, gather requirements, and propose solutions.)

• "Explain your process for building and maintaining a design system. How do you ensure its adoption and scalability?" (Demonstrate your systems thinking and component-based design approach.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in working with RYZ Labs and our client in the construction tech space?" (Showcase research into the industry and RYZ Labs' mission.)

• "How do you handle direct, critical feedback from colleagues or founders?" (Emphasize your openness to feedback and focus on product improvement.)

• "Describe your experience using AI tools in your design workflow." (Be ready to share specific examples of how AI enhanced your work.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your portfolio to clearly showcase your best work, focusing on 2-3 key projects that demonstrate your ability to handle complex, data-heavy tools and systems thinking.

• Tell a Story: For each project, walk through the problem, your process, your specific contributions, design decisions (and trade-offs), and the measurable impact.

• Highlight Systems: Explicitly point out where you applied systems thinking, created reusable components, or contributed to a design system.

• Demonstrate User Focus: Show how user research and feedback shaped your designs.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Prepare to answer detailed questions about any aspect of your work, from initial concept to final implementation.

📝 Enhancement Note: Prepare specific examples that align with the job description's emphasis on complex data, systems thinking, autonomy, and AI utilization. The interview will likely test your ability to think strategically and operate independently.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided Lever link.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 projects that best showcase your experience with complex, data-heavy tools, systems thinking, and direct user engagement. Ensure each case study clearly outlines the problem, your process, your role, design decisions, and measurable outcomes.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight keywords such as "Product Design," "Systems Thinking," "B2B SaaS," "AI Tools," "User Research," "Prototyping," "React," and "Tailwind," aligning your experience with the job requirements. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice articulating your design process, your ability to handle ambiguity, your experience with AI tools, and your collaborative approach with engineers. Be ready to discuss how you "get problems, not tickets."

• Research RYZ Labs and the Client's Domain: Understand RYZ Labs' mission as a startup studio and familiarize yourself with the challenges in the heavy civil construction bidding and estimation industry.

⚠️ 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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