Staff Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Staff Product Designer

Company: Black Airplane

Location: United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / Digital Product Agency

Date Posted: May 29, 2026

Experience Level: 5-8 years (Staff Level)

Remote Status: Fully Remote (US Only)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead complex, end-to-end digital product design engagements for a diverse range of clients, encompassing strategy, information architecture, user interface (UI), and user experience (UX) design.

• Drive the evolution and adoption of AI-native design workflows, including experimentation with AI tooling for prototyping, ideation, and research, to enhance efficiency and innovation.

• Develop and maintain robust design systems, including tokens, components, and documentation, to ensure consistency and scalability across client projects and internal practices.

• Act as a key contributor in pre-sales activities, providing expertise in scoping work, estimating complex projects, and identifying potential design and technical risks.

• Mentor and elevate the skills of fellow designers, fostering a culture of high craft, continuous learning, and adoption of new tools and methodologies within the design practice.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a "Staff" level, indicating a senior individual contributor with significant leadership and strategic influence. The emphasis on "AI-native design workflows" and "digital product agency" context suggests a fast-paced, client-focused environment where innovation and practical application of new technologies are paramount. The role requires not just design execution but also strategic partnership, mentorship, and a proactive approach to process improvement.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead Client Engagements: Take full ownership of client projects from initial discovery and strategy formulation through information architecture, UI/UX design, interactive prototyping, and final engineering handoff. Proactively identify and mitigate potential issues that could impact project timelines or quality.

• Advance AI Design Practice: Spearhead the integration and advancement of AI tools within the design process. Conduct experiments, share learnings, and contribute to establishing best practices for an AI-native design team, ensuring AI is used as a leverage for judgment, not a replacement.

• Design System Development: Create and manage comprehensive design systems for client projects, including defining design tokens, building reusable components, developing clear documentation, and establishing conventions that ensure consistency and scalability.

• Pre-Sales Support and Scoping: Actively participate in client discovery and pre-sales processes. Contribute to defining project scope, accurately estimating timelines and resources for complex engagements, and identifying upfront design and technical risks.

• Team Mentorship and Development: Mentor junior and mid-level designers, setting a high standard for design craft and quality. Facilitate the adoption of new design tools, technologies, and efficient working methodologies within the team.

• Process Improvement and Problem Solving: Identify and articulate inefficiencies or broken processes within the design team or client engagements. Propose and implement solutions that enhance productivity, quality, and collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly delineate a senior role focused on both client delivery and internal practice improvement. The emphasis on "end-to-end" ownership and "anticipating issues" points to a need for strong project management and foresight. The specific mention of AI integration and design systems highlights key areas of focus for this agency.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Formal degree is optional; hiring is based on demonstrated work and portfolio.

Experience: 5–8 years of experience in product design, with a proven track record of leading complex engagements and shipping products across web and mobile platforms.

Required Skills:

• Expert-level Figma Proficiency: Mastery of Figma for design systems, tokens, interactive prototyping, and engineering handoff.

• AI Tooling Expertise: Demonstrable experience and a strong point of view on utilizing AI tools (e.g., Claude Code, Codex, Cursor) for prototyping, ideation, research, and AI-assisted design workflows.

• Systems Thinking: Ability to deconstruct ambiguous problems into clear requirements, define effective plans, and articulate trade-offs with well-reasoned positions.

• End-to-End Design Leadership: Proven ability to lead design initiatives from initial strategy and IA through to final handoff, ensuring quality and feasibility.

• Design System Development: Experience in building and maintaining robust design systems, including tokens, components, and documentation.

• Client Communication & Stakeholder Management: Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to effectively communicate and defend design decisions to clients and internal teams, even under pressure.

• Estimation & Risk Assessment: Ability to accurately estimate complex projects and proactively identify design and technical risks.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in a Digital Product Agency: Familiarity with client-service models, diverse project types, and fast-paced delivery environments.

• Pre-sales Experience: Direct involvement in client discovery and proposal development.

• Collaboration with Engineering: Comfort working closely with engineering teams and understanding technical constraints and opportunities.

• AI-Native Design Philosophy: A strong, articulated point of view on the future of AI in design and its practical application.

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize practical, hands-on skills with core design tools like Figma, combined with cutting-edge experience in AI tooling. The "5-8 years" experience level for a "Staff" role is typical, suggesting a need for seasoned professionals who can operate autonomously and mentor others. The preference for agency experience and pre-sales involvement indicates the client-facing nature of the role.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Shipped Products: A portfolio showcasing a range of successfully launched web and mobile products, demonstrating end-to-end design ownership.

• Design Systems: Clear examples of design systems developed, including tokens, component libraries, and usage guidelines. Showcase the structure and scalability of these systems.

• AI Integration Case Studies: Specific projects where AI tooling was leveraged to accelerate the design process, improve outcomes, or enable new capabilities. Detail the tools used, the problem solved, and the measurable impact.

• Systems Thinking in Practice: Examples illustrating how complex problems were broken down, strategic decisions were made, and trade-offs were managed effectively.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Showcase examples of how you've designed or refined design workflows to improve efficiency, collaboration, or quality.

• Implementation & Automation: Demonstrate experience in implementing design processes, including leveraging tools (like Figma's advanced features or AI tools) for automation and faster iteration.

• Measurement & Performance Analysis: Illustrate how you've measured the success of design initiatives, design systems, or AI integrations, focusing on quantifiable outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Staff Product Designer role, especially in an agency setting with an AI focus, the portfolio is critical. It needs to go beyond static mockups to demonstrate strategic thinking, system design, and the practical application of AI. Applicants should be prepared to discuss the "why" and "how" behind their design decisions and process improvements, not just the final output.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $108,000 – $131,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Full-time Employment: Standard benefits package associated with full-time employment.

• Remote Work Flexibility: Opportunity to work remotely within the United States, offering flexibility in location.

• Investment in People: The company states "real investment in the people doing the work," suggesting a commitment to employee development and well-being.

• AI Tooling Access: Potential access to and support for utilizing cutting-edge AI design tools.

• Diverse Client Engagements: Exposure to a wide array of client projects and industries, fostering continuous learning and skill development.

Working Hours: The role is full-time, typically implying around 40 hours per week, with flexibility inherent in a remote work arrangement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided aligns with senior/staff-level product design roles in the US tech industry, particularly for remote positions. While specific benefits are not itemized beyond "full-time employment" and "investment in people," the emphasis on remote work and AI tooling suggests a modern benefits package. The exclusion of certain states from remote work is a common regulatory consideration for US-based remote roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Digital Product Agency, Software Design & Development, Technology Consulting.

Company Size: While not explicitly stated, the mention of "mentoring the team" and "raising the ceiling of our design practice" suggests a medium-sized agency, likely with dedicated design, engineering, and client management teams.

Founded: Not specified, but the description implies an established agency with a focus on innovation and adapting to new technologies like AI.

Team Structure:

• Design Practice: A dedicated team of designers responsible for client engagements, with a focus on craft and leadership.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Close collaboration is expected with engineers, project managers, and client stakeholders. The agency model necessitates strong teamwork across disciplines.

• Client-Centric Approach: The agency's model revolves around serving a "wide range of organizations," indicating a strong client focus in all aspects of work.

Methodology:

• Agile & Iterative: The emphasis on "move fast," "test new approaches," and "ship the first version Friday" points to an agile and iterative design and development methodology.

• AI-Native Integration: A core methodology is the thoughtful integration of AI into the design process to enhance efficiency and output quality.

• Systems Design: A strong emphasis on building durable design systems and applying systems thinking to problem-solving.

Company Website: https://blackairplane.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Black Airplane positions itself as a modern, agile digital product agency that embraces innovation. The culture appears to value speed, autonomy, collaboration, and practical application of new technologies, especially AI. The agency structure means exposure to diverse challenges and a need for adaptable, client-focused professionals.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Staff Product Designer is a senior individual contributor role. It implies a deep level of expertise, leadership in design craft, strategic thinking, and the ability to mentor others. It sits above mid-level or senior designers and often precedes or runs parallel to management tracks.

Reporting Structure: While not explicitly stated, a Staff Product Designer typically reports to a Design Lead, Director of Design, or Head of Product. They will likely lead specific client engagements and mentor a small group of designers assigned to those projects.

Operations Impact: This role directly impacts client success by delivering high-quality digital products. It influences the agency's reputation, its ability to win new business (through pre-sales contributions), and its internal design capabilities (through practice development and mentorship). The strategic application of AI and design systems contributes to long-term efficiency and competitive advantage for both the agency and its clients.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership in AI Design: Become a recognized expert and leader in AI-driven product design within the agency and potentially the broader industry.

• Client Strategy Influence: Grow influence in shaping client product strategy and business outcomes through design leadership.

• Mentorship and Team Building: Develop leadership skills by guiding and growing the design team, potentially leading to formal management roles if desired.

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas like design systems, AI integration, or complex enterprise software design.

• Agency Growth Contribution: Play a significant role in the agency's growth by contributing to pre-sales, client success, and the evolution of its service offerings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The Staff level is a significant career milestone. Growth will likely involve increasing complexity of engagements, greater strategic input, and potentially more formal leadership responsibilities within the agency's design practice. The focus on AI presents a unique opportunity for cutting-edge skill development.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. This implies a distributed team environment where collaboration occurs primarily through digital tools.

Office Location(s): United States. While remote, certain states are excluded for regulatory reasons (AK, CA, HI, MA, NY, OR, PA, WA).

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Digital Environment: Work will involve extensive use of collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Zoom, Miro, Figma) for communication, brainstorming, and design reviews.

• Technology Stack: Access to industry-standard design software (Figma) and cutting-edge AI tools will be essential. The agency likely provides necessary software licenses.

• Team Interaction: Regular virtual meetings, design critiques, and knowledge-sharing sessions will be key to staying connected and aligned.

Work Schedule: Full-time, with flexibility inherent in a remote role. This allows for better work-life integration, but also requires strong self-discipline and time management to meet client deadlines and team collaboration needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote nature of the role requires strong self-management and communication skills. The "digital product agency" context suggests a dynamic environment where adapting to client needs and project timelines is paramount, even within a flexible schedule.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

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

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A deep dive into the candidate's portfolio, focusing on case studies, design systems, AI integration examples, and strategic decision-making. Expect to discuss trade-offs, challenges, and outcomes.

• Skills-Based Assessments: Potential exercises or case studies to evaluate systems thinking, problem-solving, and application of AI tools in a design context.

• Team/Culture Fit Interviews: Conversations with team members and leadership to assess collaboration style, communication effectiveness, and cultural alignment with Black Airplane's values.

• Pre-Sales/Client Scenario Discussion: Discussion around how the candidate would approach client interactions, scope work, and manage expectations.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight AI Impact: Clearly articulate how AI tools were used, the specific benefits (speed, creativity, efficiency), and the results achieved. Quantify where possible.

• Showcase Systems Thinking: Present projects that demonstrate complex problem decomposition, strategic planning, and the creation of scalable solutions.

• Demonstrate End-to-End Ownership: Walk through the entire design process for key projects, from discovery to handoff, explaining your role and decisions.

• Design System Depth: Provide detailed examples of design systems, explaining their architecture, governance, and impact on development efficiency.

• Storytelling: Frame your portfolio pieces as compelling narratives that showcase your problem-solving abilities, design process, and impact.

Challenge Preparation:

• AI Tool Application: Be ready to discuss specific AI tools you've used, your workflow, and your vision for their role in future design.

• Systems Design Scenarios: Prepare to tackle hypothetical design challenges that require breaking down a complex system or problem into manageable parts.

• Client Negotiation & Scoping: Practice articulating project scope, estimating effort, and managing client expectations regarding timelines and deliverables.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a Staff Product Designer will be rigorous, focusing heavily on practical experience, strategic thinking, and leadership potential. The portfolio is the primary tool for demonstrating these capabilities, and candidates should be prepared to discuss every aspect of it in detail, especially concerning AI and design systems.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Expert proficiency required for UI/UX design, prototyping, design systems, and collaboration.

• AI Design Tools: Demonstrated experience with tools such as Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, or other AI-assisted ideation, research, and prototyping platforms.

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma, familiarity with other advanced prototyping methods may be beneficial.

• Collaboration Platforms: Slack, Zoom, Miro, or similar for team communication and virtual whiteboarding.

Analytics & Reporting:

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

CRM & Automation:

• Understanding of how design integrates with CRM and other business systems, although direct CRM management is likely not a primary responsibility.

• Awareness of automation principles and how design systems can streamline development and deployment.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is non-negotiable. The critical differentiator for this role will be practical, hands-on experience with AI tooling and a clear understanding of how these tools can be integrated into a professional design workflow to deliver tangible results.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Craftsmanship & Quality: A high standard for design execution and attention to detail.

• Pragmatism & Speed: A bias towards action and shipping functional products quickly, valuing iteration over perfection in early stages.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: A belief that the best work comes from diverse perspectives and collaborative effort.

• Innovation & Learning: A commitment to exploring new technologies (like AI) and continuously improving design practices.

• Client Partnership: A focus on building strong relationships with clients and delivering value that drives their business forward.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Seamless collaboration with engineers, product managers, and client stakeholders, ensuring alignment and shared understanding.

• Open Communication: Encouragement of direct, honest feedback and transparent communication regarding project status, challenges, and opportunities.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture that promotes sharing best practices, learnings from AI experiments, and insights from client engagements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture values a blend of high-quality craft and agile execution. The emphasis on AI suggests a forward-thinking and experimental mindset. The agency model implies a strong focus on client relationships and collaborative problem-solving across disciplines.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Speed and Quality: Navigating the agency's need for rapid delivery against maintaining high design standards and building robust systems.

• Integrating AI Effectively: Moving beyond novelty to truly leverage AI in a way that enhances design quality and efficiency without compromising core design principles.

• Managing Diverse Client Needs: Adapting design strategies and solutions to meet the unique requirements and constraints of a wide range of clients.

• Leading Without Direct Authority: Mentoring and influencing team members and driving practice improvements without necessarily having formal management titles.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Design Leadership: Opportunity to become a leading voice in AI-driven product design, shaping the agency's future capabilities.

• Complex Project Experience: Gaining experience on high-impact, technically challenging projects for diverse clients.

• Mentorship and Coaching: Developing leadership and coaching skills through guiding junior designers.

• Industry Best Practices: Staying at the forefront of digital product design, AI, and design system methodologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for a senior role in a dynamic agency environment, particularly with the added layer of integrating new technologies like AI. The growth opportunities are substantial for someone looking to lead in a cutting-edge field and influence an agency's strategic direction.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• AI Integration Vision: "How do you see AI fundamentally changing the product design process in the next 3-5 years, and how would you implement that vision at Black Airplane?"

• Design System Governance: "Describe your approach to building and maintaining a design system that scales across multiple complex client projects, including how you handle component evolution and adoption."

• Client Scoping & Trade-offs: "Imagine a client wants a feature that's technically challenging and might delay launch. How would you approach scoping this, presenting options, and managing client expectations?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• Agency vs. In-House: "What attracts you to working in a digital product agency environment compared to an in-house role, and how do you adapt your design approach accordingly?"

• Mentorship Philosophy: "How do you approach mentoring other designers, and what methods do you use to elevate their craft and encourage adoption of new tools or processes?"

• AI Tooling Philosophy: "Beyond the tools themselves, what are the core principles you believe are essential for using AI responsibly and effectively in design?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your portfolio around key projects, dedicating significant time to 2-3 comprehensive case studies that showcase your end-to-end process, AI integration, and design system work.

• Narrative: Tell a story for each project: the problem, your approach, the challenges, your solutions (highlighting AI and systems), and the measurable outcomes.

• AI Deep Dive: Be prepared to present a specific example of using AI, detailing the prompt engineering, the output, your critical evaluation, and how you refined it into a usable design artifact.

• Systems Showcase: For design systems, demonstrate not just the components but also the underlying structure, token system, and documentation. Explain how it benefits development and consistency.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, practical application of advanced design skills (AI, systems), and strong communication. Candidates should be ready to articulate their process, decisions, and impact with confidence, particularly in the context of client delivery and agency growth.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Staff Product Designer position:

• Submit Your Application: Apply through the provided link on Breezy HR.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your 5-8 years of product design experience, expertise in Figma, and specific examples of using AI tooling in your workflow. Quantify achievements whenever possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate end-to-end leadership, complex problem-solving, design system development, and impactful AI integration. Ensure it is easily accessible (e.g., a link to a personal website or a well-organized PDF).

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice walking through your portfolio case studies, focusing on your role, process, strategic decisions, and the outcomes achieved, especially concerning AI and design systems.

• Research Black Airplane: Understand their work, client types, and their stated approach to AI and design. Prepare thoughtful questions about their culture, team structure, and the challenges of the role.

⚠️ 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.