Sr. Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Sr. Product Designer

Company: Baselayer

Location: New York City, NY, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / Fintech Operations

Date Posted: 2026-06-01

Experience Level: Mid-Level (3+ years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (4 days in office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive end-to-end product design for a foundational fintech identity layer, focusing on user experience for Know Your Business (KYB), risk, and compliance workflows.

• Contribute to and scale the company's design system and component library, ensuring consistency and usability across the platform.

• Collaborate closely with engineering and product teams to translate complex requirements into intuitive interfaces and ensure seamless design handoffs.

• Leverage AI tools and Figma to accelerate design exploration, prototyping, and design-to-code workflows.

• Identify and resolve UX inconsistencies, playing a key role in maintaining and evolving the product's visual language and user experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within a high-growth fintech startup focused on rebuilding the business identity infrastructure. The "Sr. Product Designer" title, combined with the requirement for 3+ years of experience and the emphasis on design systems, suggests a role that bridges hands-on design execution with strategic system thinking. The focus on KYB, risk, and compliance workflows indicates a need for designers who can simplify complex regulatory processes into user-friendly interfaces, a critical aspect of fintech operations.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own the complete product design lifecycle, from initial problem definition and user research to detailed UI design and final implementation.

• Design and iterate on screens, user flows, and interactive elements for Baselayer's platform, utilizing and contributing to the established design system and component library.

• Transform complex Know Your Business (KYB), risk assessment, and regulatory compliance processes into clear, intuitive, and efficient user interfaces.

• Partner closely with engineering teams to ensure design feasibility, maintain technical consistency, and facilitate smooth design-to-development handoffs.

• Utilize AI-powered design tools and advanced Figma features (Auto Layout, variants, components, tokens) to accelerate design explorations, prototyping, and design-to-code workflows.

• Proactively identify and address UX inconsistencies across the product, proposing and implementing improvements to the design system for enhanced scalability and maintainability.

• Participate actively in user research initiatives and usability testing sessions to gather insights and validate design decisions, ensuring user-centricity.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a blend of strategic system design and tactical execution. The mention of "KYB, risk, and compliance workflows" highlights a specific domain within fintech operations that requires careful user experience design to manage complexity and regulatory adherence. The expectation to "own product design end-to-end" and "contribute improvements to our design system" points to a mid-level to senior individual contributor role with significant autonomy and impact.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a background in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Graphic Design, UX/UI Design, or a related field is implied through the experience requirements.

Experience: 3+ years of hands-on experience in UX/UI design, digital product design, or a closely related field. This can include experience gained through internships, freelance projects, or entry-level positions, demonstrating practical application of design principles.

Required Skills:

• Proficient in UX/UI design principles and best practices for digital product development.

• Strong working knowledge and practical application of Figma, including advanced features like Auto Layout, variants, components, and design tokens.

• Exceptional attention to detail, with a proven ability to maintain consistency across design files, states, and various use cases.

• Demonstrated ability to take direction, iterate rapidly based on feedback, and incorporate constructive criticism effectively into designs.

• Proactive and clear communication skills, with a track record of effective collaboration across product, design, and engineering teams.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing for complex, regulated industries such as FinTech, InsurTech, or RegTech.

• Familiarity with AI tools for design exploration, prototyping, or design-to-code workflows.

• Experience with user research methodologies, usability testing, and translating findings into actionable design improvements.

• Understanding of front-end development principles and how design translates into code.

• Experience contributing to or maintaining a design system.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "3+ years of experience" and the emphasis on taking direction and iterating quickly suggest a mid-level role. The "minimum requirements" are framed to be inclusive of various types of professional experience. The "preferred skills" are inferred based on the company's industry (FinTech) and the role's focus on design systems, indicating areas where a candidate could significantly stand out.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase end-to-end product design case studies that demonstrate problem-solving from research to final UI.

• Highlight specific examples of complex workflows (e.g., onboarding, compliance, data entry) that have been simplified through design.

• Include detailed examples of how you have utilized or contributed to a design system, component library, or established design patterns.

• Demonstrate proficiency in Figma, specifically showcasing the use of Auto Layout, variants, components, and design tokens in your work.

Process Documentation:

• Case studies should clearly articulate the problem statement, your role, the design process undertaken, and the measurable impact of your solutions (even if qualitative).

• For design system contributions, provide examples of new components designed, pattern improvements, or guidelines established, and explain the rationale behind them.

• Illustrate how you handled design handoffs to engineering, including any documentation or collaboration methods used.

• Showcase how you incorporated user feedback or research findings into design iterations.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Product Designer role, especially a "Sr." level, a robust portfolio is critical. The emphasis on "end-to-end," "design systems," and "complex workflows" within a fintech context means candidates must demonstrate not just visual design skills, but also strategic thinking about scalability, consistency, and user problem-solving in a regulated environment.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $100,000 - $162,500 per year. This range is competitive for a Sr. Product Designer role in New York City, reflecting the company's high-growth startup status and the specialized nature of fintech product design.

Benefits:

• Flexible PTO: Encourages work-life balance and allows employees to take time off as needed without strict accrual red tape.

• Equity: Opportunity to own a stake in the company, aligning employee success with company growth.

• Health, Dental, and Vision Premiums: 100% coverage for employee premiums, a significant benefit that reduces out-of-pocket costs.

• 401(k) with Company Match: Supports long-term financial planning with employer contributions.

• HSA Contributions: Additional financial support for healthcare expenses on applicable plans.

• Gym Stipend: A $250 annual stipend to promote employee health and well-being.

• Career Rocket Fuel: Access to experienced founders and team members, offering significant learning and development opportunities within a high-growth startup environment.

• Transparency and Candor: A culture that values open communication and empowers team members.

Working Hours: While not explicitly stated as standard hours, the role is full-time. The hybrid work arrangement (4 days in office) and flexible PTO suggest a focus on results and output rather than strict adherence to a 9-to-5 schedule, though a typical full-time commitment of around 40 hours per week is expected.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is specific and falls within the expected mid-to-senior level for a designer in a major tech hub like NYC, especially within the competitive fintech sector. The benefits package is comprehensive, with a strong emphasis on health coverage and employee ownership (equity), common for startups aiming to attract top talent. The inclusion of a gym stipend and flexible PTO further enhances the appeal.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: FinTech / Identity Verification / Data Infrastructure. Baselayer operates at the intersection of financial technology, data analytics, and identity resolution, aiming to rebuild the foundational identity layer for businesses in America. This means they are dealing with sensitive data, regulatory compliance, and complex financial workflows.

Company Size: The description implies a startup environment that is past the very early stages but still small and agile, likely between 20-100 employees, given the mention of a "small team" and "inflection point" with a significant customer base (20%+ of financial institutions). This size offers opportunities for high impact and broad responsibility.

Founded: Baselayer was founded in 2022. This relatively recent founding means the company is in a high-growth phase, building out its core infrastructure and expanding its market reach. The focus is on rapid development and innovation.

Team Structure:

• The product design team is small, working closely with a Lead Designer and reporting into product/engineering leadership.

• Cross-functional collaboration is a core tenet, with designers working daily alongside engineers and product managers.

Methodology:

• Emphasis on solving complex "entity resolution" and "graph AI" problems at scale.

• Data-driven decision-making is implied by the nature of their business (fusing multiple data sources into a graph).

• Workflow planning and optimization are key, especially for translating complex regulatory processes into user interfaces.

• Automation and efficiency are crucial, evidenced by the mention of AI tools and design-to-code workflows.

Company Website: baselayer.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's mission to rebuild the "identity layer for institutions" is foundational and ambitious. The description emphasizes technical depth, rapid velocity, and ownership, indicative of a culture that values high performers who can thrive in a fast-paced, innovation-driven environment. For a designer, this means working on critical infrastructure that has broad implications across various industries.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This "Sr. Product Designer" role is positioned as a key individual contributor within the product design function. It's a role for someone who has moved beyond foundational design skills to possess a strong command of design systems, can own significant parts of the product lifecycle, and can collaborate effectively with technical teams on complex problems. It offers a path towards becoming a Design Lead or Systems Design specialist within a growing organization.

Reporting Structure: The designer will report to the Lead Designer, indicating a clear reporting line within the design function, and will collaborate closely with engineering and product management teams. This structure allows for mentorship and guidance while also fostering cross-functional teamwork.

Operations Impact: The designer's work will directly impact the usability and efficiency of Baselayer's core platform, which serves as the identity infrastructure for financial institutions and other businesses. By simplifying complex KYB, risk, and compliance workflows, the designer will enhance customer adoption, reduce operational friction for clients, and contribute to the overall trustworthiness and scalability of Baselayer's product. This role is critical in translating complex technical and regulatory requirements into a user-friendly and efficient experience for Baselayer's clients.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design System Mastery: Deepen expertise in building, scaling, and maintaining robust design systems, becoming a go-to person for design consistency and efficiency.

• FinTech & Identity Specialization: Gain specialized knowledge in the complex domain of identity verification, KYB, and risk management within the FinTech industry.

• Leadership Potential: As the design team grows, opportunities for mentorship, leading smaller design efforts, or even moving into a Design Lead role could emerge.

• Cross-Functional Influence: Develop strong collaboration skills with engineering and product, influencing product strategy and technical direction through design expertise.

• Startup Growth Experience: Contribute to building foundational infrastructure in a high-growth startup, offering invaluable experience for future career endeavors.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Sr." title and the company's growth phase suggest that while the role is hands-on, it also offers significant opportunities for professional development and advancement. The emphasis on design systems and fintech complexity means that growth will likely be focused on specialization and strategic contribution rather than broad management initially.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company operates with a hybrid work model, requiring 4 days per week in their New York City office. This indicates a culture that values in-person collaboration and team cohesion, while still offering some flexibility.

Office Location(s): The primary office is located in New York City, a major hub for finance and technology, offering excellent connectivity and access to talent. Specific details about the office amenities or location within NYC are not provided but are implied to be conducive to collaboration.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model and emphasis on cross-functional collaboration suggest an office designed to facilitate team interaction, brainstorming, and spontaneous problem-solving.

• Tools & Technology: Designers will have access to industry-standard tools like Figma, and likely other collaboration and project management software. The company also mentions leveraging AI tools for design, indicating a forward-thinking approach to technology adoption.

• Team Interaction: Expect frequent interaction with engineers, product managers, and the Lead Designer, fostering a dynamic and interactive work environment. The culture of transparency and radical candor suggests open communication channels.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time, with a hybrid in-office expectation. While standard working hours are not detailed, the focus on results and flexible PTO suggests that the company prioritizes output and employee well-being over rigid hour tracking. A typical commitment around 40 hours per week is expected, with the flexibility to manage personal time effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature and NYC location are key aspects for candidates to consider. The emphasis on collaboration within this model suggests that the office space is likely built to support teamwork, and the company culture encourages active participation during in-office days.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a brief call with a recruiter or hiring manager to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Review: A dedicated session where the candidate presents 1-2 key case studies from their portfolio, focusing on their design process, problem-solving approach, and impact. Expect questions about their role, decision-making rationale, and how they handled challenges.

• Design Exercise/Challenge: Potentially a take-home assignment or an in-person/virtual design exercise focused on a specific problem relevant to Baselayer's platform (e.g., designing a part of a KYB flow, improving a system component). This assesses practical design skills and problem-solving abilities under timed conditions.

• Team/Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with engineers, product managers, and potentially other designers to evaluate collaboration style, communication skills, and technical understanding.

• Final Interview: Likely with a founder or senior leadership to discuss vision, career aspirations, and overall alignment with the company's mission and culture.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Select Relevant Case Studies: Prioritize projects that showcase end-to-end design thinking, complex problem-solving, and ideally, experience with design systems or regulated workflows.

• Tell a Story: Structure your case studies to clearly articulate the problem, your process, your specific contributions, the challenges faced, and the outcomes or learnings.

• Showcase Figma Proficiency: Be ready to demonstrate your Figma skills, particularly Auto Layout, components, variants, and design tokens, during the review or a potential design exercise.

• Highlight Impact: Quantify outcomes where possible (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced error rates, increased user satisfaction). If quantitative data isn't available, focus on qualitative impact and user feedback.

• Explain Rationale: Be prepared to defend your design decisions and explain the "why" behind your choices, demonstrating critical thinking.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Research Baselayer's business, its mission (identity layer for businesses), and the FinTech industry, particularly KYB, risk, and compliance.

• Practice Design System Thinking: Be ready to discuss how you would approach designing or contributing to a design system, focusing on scalability, consistency, and reusability.

• Focus on Simplification: Practice translating complex processes into simple, intuitive user flows.

• Communicate Clearly: Ensure your thought process is articulated clearly during any timed exercises.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a "Sr. Product Designer" role in a startup, the interview process is likely to be rigorous, focusing heavily on practical design skills, system thinking, and the ability to collaborate effectively within a fast-paced environment. The portfolio is paramount, serving as the primary tool to demonstrate these capabilities.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core design tool, with a strong emphasis on advanced features like Auto Layout, variants, components, and design tokens for building and scaling design systems.

• AI Tools: Mentioned for accelerating explorations, prototyping, and design-to-code workflows.

Specific tools are not named but indicate a willingness to adopt innovative technologies.

Analytics & Reporting: While not explicitly stated for the design role, designers will likely interact with or utilize data from analytics platforms to understand user behavior and validate design decisions. This could involve tools for:

• User Behavior Analytics: (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel) to track user flows and feature engagement.

• A/B Testing Platforms: (e.g., Optimizely, VWO) to test design variations.

CRM & Automation: Not directly relevant to the primary design tasks but designers may interact with platforms like Salesforce or HubSpot indirectly through product usage or user research.

Other Potential Tools (Inferred):

• Prototyping Tools: While Figma has strong prototyping capabilities, other tools might be used for more advanced or specific prototyping needs.

• User Research Platforms: (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback) for conducting remote usability tests.

• Project Management Tools: (e.g., Jira, Asana, Trello) for managing design tasks and collaborating with engineering.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma and AI tools highlights the company's current tech stack and forward-thinking approach. For a designer, mastery of Figma's advanced features is essential, and an openness to AI tools is a significant plus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Building Foundational Infrastructure: A core value is to create robust, scalable systems that become the backbone for other businesses. This implies a focus on quality, reliability, and long-term vision.

• Data-Driven & Trust-Focused: Operating in identity and finance necessitates a strong emphasis on data accuracy, security, and building trust with clients and users.

• Velocity & Ownership: The culture values moving fast, taking initiative, and owning projects from start to finish ("no layer of process between an idea and shipping it").

• Technical Depth & Research: The company tackles complex technical challenges, suggesting an appreciation for deep problem-solving and continuous learning.

• User-Centricity (via Design): While not explicitly stated as a core value, the emphasis on product design and user research indicates a commitment to creating usable and valuable experiences for their clients.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Designers are expected to work seamlessly with engineering and product teams, fostering a highly collaborative environment.

• Radical Candor & Transparency: Open and honest communication is encouraged, allowing for constructive feedback and a shared understanding of goals and challenges.

• Agile & Iterative: The emphasis on "shipping it" and iterating quickly suggests an agile development