Staff Product Designer, Conversational AI Platform (Copy)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Staff Product Designer, Conversational AI Platform

Company: Felix Technologies, Inc.

Location: San Francisco, California, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX / AI

Date Posted: October 02, 2026

Experience Level: 8+ Years (with 2+ years in Conversational AI/Generative UI)

Remote Status: Hybrid (Future Transition)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the design strategy and execution for Felix's conversational AI platform, focusing on both generative and declarative UI patterns.

• Drive user research and translate insights into actionable design direction across multiple product squads and surfaces, including WhatsApp, iOS, and Android.

• Define and refine the core conversational experience, ensuring seamless integration of products, context, and user intent within a chat interface.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers, engineers, and squad designers to ship high-craft consumer products, particularly in the fintech space.

• Champion a design-first approach to compliance and risk management, integrating disclosures and consent directly into the user experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: While this role is titled "Product Designer," its emphasis on defining platform-level conversational AI design patterns, leading cross-squad initiatives, and hands-on strategic work aligns with a Staff-level individual contributor role that significantly impacts product strategy and execution. The focus on "writing the rules" for generative and declarative UI suggests a high degree of autonomy and influence.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead user discovery initiatives to understand user drop-off points and friction within the conversational flow, utilizing qualitative and quantitative data.

• Define and document design patterns for generative and declarative UI within the AI platform, specifying what the model can compose and what remains fixed.

• Lead the design for the initial v1 product launch on WhatsApp, working collaboratively with squad designers on applied use cases.

• Develop and evolve design patterns for native iOS and Android applications as the platform expands.

• Establish the overall direction for the conversational experience, ensuring clear communication of Félix's actions, context carrying, and product coexistence within a single thread.

• Provide design critique and direction to squad designers, integrating their constraints and learnings into the broader platform design strategy.

• Design effective and compliant user experiences for disclosures, consent, and risk management, working closely with legal and risk teams.

• Prototype and iterate on concepts rapidly, balancing strategic vision with the practical constraints of AI models, compliance, and engineering realities.

• Act as a design advocate, translating complex technical and user needs into compelling product experiences for diverse stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a significant emphasis on defining foundational design principles for a novel conversational AI interface. The role requires not just execution but also the creation of design systems and best practices for emergent AI-driven UI, a critical aspect for any Staff-level designer in this domain.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Not explicitly specified, but a strong portfolio and proven experience in consumer product design, particularly with conversational or AI-native products, are paramount.

Experience:

• 8+ years of experience designing consumer products with a high bar for craft.

• Minimum of 2 years leading design on a conversational or AI-native product.

• Proven track record of leading cross-product discovery and influencing product direction based on user research.

• Hands-on experience with declarative UI (component-based design specs) is required.

• Bonus: Experience with generative UI frameworks or concepts (e.g., json-render.dev, A2UI).

• Experience shipping at least two mobile products end-to-end.

• Experience utilizing AI as a creative partner (e.g., Cursor, Claude Code, Claude Design, Codex) to enhance design craft.

• Experience in fintech or other regulated domains is a plus.

• Experience with WhatsApp Business Platform or similar messaging surfaces is a plus. Required Skills:

• Advanced proficiency in Figma for design and prototyping.

• Strong skills in prototyping, with comfort in code-based prototyping being a significant advantage.

• Deep understanding of user research methodologies and the ability to translate findings into design strategy.

• Expertise in designing for mobile platforms (iOS and Android).

• Ability to operate across multiple levels of design: pixel-level craft, pattern definition, and strategic trade-off defense.

• High tolerance for constraints imposed by legal, risk, model behavior, and system limitations.

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to share work early and invite critique.

• Experience designing within a fast-paced, async-first, lightweight process environment. Preferred Skills:

• Fluency in Spanish (native or near-native) is highly desirable for engaging with the user base.

• Experience in fintech or regulated industries.

• Familiarity with messaging platforms like WhatsApp Business.

• Experience with generative UI tools and concepts.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "prototyping in code" and "generative UI" suggests a need for designers who can bridge the gap between traditional UX design and more technical implementation, especially in an AI-driven environment. The "high tolerance for constraint" is a critical indicator for roles in regulated industries like fintech.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio link is mandatory, with password protection if necessary.

• Must include at least one significant project focused on conversational or generative UI.

• The portfolio should clearly articulate your reasoning, design process, and the impact of your work, especially within AI-driven or messaging contexts.

• Showcase examples of user research that directly informed design decisions and led to product changes.

• Demonstrate experience with declarative UI principles, perhaps through a component library or design system example.

• Highlight your ability to prototype and iterate rapidly. Process Documentation:

• Showcase your approach to leading discovery across multiple product teams and synthesizing findings into actionable design direction.

• Provide examples of how you've defined and implemented design patterns for novel interfaces, particularly for AI-generated or conversational UIs.

• Illustrate your experience in shipping consumer products from concept to launch, detailing the process and your role.

• Detail how you've collaborated with engineering and product management to bring complex designs to fruition.

• Include case studies demonstrating how you've integrated compliance and risk considerations into the user experience design.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Staff-level designer, the portfolio should not just display finished products but also demonstrate strategic thinking, leadership in defining new design paradigms (especially for AI and conversational interfaces), and the ability to influence cross-functional teams. The inclusion of "reasoning visible" is key for understanding the candidate's thought process.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Given the Staff level, San Francisco location, and the highly specialized nature of Conversational AI and Generative UI design in a well-funded Series C fintech company, a competitive salary range can be estimated.

• Estimated Annual Salary Range: $180,000 - $250,000 USD

• Explanation: This range is based on industry benchmarks for Staff Product Designers in major tech hubs like San Francisco, particularly those with expertise in cutting-edge areas like AI and fintech. Factors considered include the company's Series C funding, its mission-driven approach, and the demand for specialized design skills. The higher end reflects exceptional candidates with extensive experience in generative UI and regulated environments.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary

• Initial stock options grant

• Annual performance bonus

• Comprehensive Health, Dental, and Vision insurance plans

• Continuous learning opportunities (e.g., conferences, workshops, courses)

• Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO)

• Paid parental leave

• Opportunities for growth and development within a dynamic entrepreneurial environment Working Hours:

• The role is listed as Full-Time, typically implying around 40 hours per week.

• The company emphasizes an async-first, lightweight process, suggesting a focus on output and flexibility rather than strict adherence to traditional office hours, provided work is completed effectively and collaboratively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, and industry compensation reports for Staff Product Designers in San Francisco in late 2026, adjusted for the specific domain (AI, Fintech) and company stage (Series C). The benefits package is standard for well-funded tech startups, with Unlimited PTO and stock options being key attractions.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Fintech (specifically focused on financial services for Latinos in the US, remittances, credit, savings, and wallet services).

Company Size: Hyper-growth Series C company, backed by over $300 million in funding. This indicates a rapidly scaling organization with a significant employee base, likely ranging from 200-500+ employees and growing.

Founded: The founding date is not specified, but the Series C funding suggests it's a mature startup, likely founded within the last 5-10 years.

Team Structure:

• The design team includes squad designers who own specific product areas (Credit, Core Send, Payments, Geos, Activations).

• The Staff Product Designer role reports to the Head of Product Design and works across these squads.

• Collaboration is expected to be cross-functional, involving Product Managers, Engineers, Legal, and Risk teams.

• The culture emphasizes urgency, focus, extreme ownership, collaboration without ego, radical transparency, and fierce loyalty. Methodology:

• Data Analysis & Insights: Driven by user research, transcript analysis, and analytics to understand user behavior and inform design.

• Workflow Planning & Optimization: Focus on async-first, lightweight processes with fast decision-making. Emphasis on iterative design and continuous improvement.

• Automation & Efficiency: Leveraging AI and conversational interfaces to create efficient and simple financial experiences.

Company Website: https://felixpago.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture description ("obsessed with our customers," "get things done with urgency and focus," "extreme ownership," "collaborate without ego," "aim for insanely great," "stay insatiably curious") is highly characteristic of ambitious Silicon Valley startups aiming for significant market disruption. The fintech focus and specific mission to serve the Latino community provide a unique cultural context.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Staff Product Designer. This level signifies a senior individual contributor role with significant influence over product strategy, design direction, and team practices. It involves setting technical and design standards, mentoring junior designers, and tackling complex, ambiguous problems that span multiple product areas. The role is expected to drive innovation and establish best practices.

Reporting Structure: The role reports directly to the Head of Product Design, indicating a close working relationship and direct mentorship opportunities. The Staff Designer will work collaboratively with Product Managers and engineers within various squads.

Operations Impact: The Staff Product Designer will have a profound impact on the core user experience of Félix's AI-powered financial platform. By defining how users interact with financial services through conversation, they directly influence user adoption, engagement, trust, and the overall success of the company's mission to serve the underserved Latino community. Their work on generative and declarative UI will shape the future of financial interactions for millions.

Growth Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in conversational AI design, generative UI, and AI-assisted design tools. Develop advanced skills in user research for complex, regulated domains.

• Leadership Development: Opportunity to mentor squad designers, influence design team strategy, and potentially grow into a Design Lead or Manager role as the team scales.

• Strategic Influence: Contribute significantly to product strategy, shaping the direction of the company's core AI platform and its expansion into new financial services.

• Industry Expertise: Gain specialized experience in fintech and regulated environments, becoming a sought-after expert in designing for AI-driven financial products.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Staff" title implies a level of technical leadership and strategic contribution that goes beyond typical senior roles. Growth opportunities are likely to focus on deepening specialized expertise and potentially moving into leadership or principal-level individual contributor tracks. The "operations" context here refers to the operationalization of design within the product development lifecycle.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company is transitioning from fully remote to a hybrid model. This suggests a planned return to a physical office space, likely designed to foster collaboration and innovation, while still offering flexibility.

Office Location(s): San Francisco, California. This location is a major tech hub, offering access to talent and industry networks. Specific office details are not provided, but a hybrid model implies a central office location within the city.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The move to hybrid work and emphasis on "collaboration without ego" suggests an environment where open communication, feedback, and shared problem-solving are encouraged.

• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design tools (Figma), AI-assisted design tools (Cursor, Claude), and potentially specialized fintech platforms. Engineers will be building the runtime for the AI platform.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for in-person collaboration with squad designers, PMs, and engineers, alongside robust remote collaboration tools and practices. The Head of Product Design stays close to the work, indicating accessible leadership.

Work Schedule: While full-time (approx. 40 hours/week) is standard, the async-first approach suggests flexibility. The focus is on delivering results and collaborating effectively, rather than strict adherence to a 9-to-5 schedule. This can be beneficial for deep work and managing cross-time zone collaborations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model indicates a company balancing the benefits of remote work with the advantages of in-person collaboration, a common trend post-pandemic. The emphasis on async-first communication is crucial for successful hybrid and remote operations.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review applications, focusing on portfolio relevance and core experience.

2. Portfolio Presentation & Design Deep Dive: Candidates will likely present their portfolio, focusing on relevant projects (conversational AI, generative UI). This will involve discussing design decisions, user research, trade-offs, and impact. Expect deep dives into specific project details and design methodologies.

3. Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers and Engineers to assess collaboration style, technical understanding, and ability to work within constraints.

4. Staff-Level Design Challenge/Workshop: A practical exercise, potentially involving problem-solving for a specific conversational AI scenario, defining UI patterns, or critiquing an existing interaction. This might be a take-home assignment or a live workshop.

5. Leadership/Head of Design Interview: A final discussion with the Head of Product Design to assess strategic thinking, cultural fit, leadership potential, and alignment with the company's mission and values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Conversational/Generative UI: Prioritize projects that showcase your expertise in these specific areas. Clearly articulate the challenges, your approach, and the outcomes.

• Showcase Reasoning: For each project, explain why you made certain design decisions. What user problems were you solving? What were the constraints? What trade-offs did you make?

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data (analytics, user feedback, conversion rates) to demonstrate the impact of your design work.

• Demonstrate Craft & Strategy: Balance showing polished UI work with demonstrating your ability to think strategically about product direction and user experience at a platform level.

• Address Compliance: If applicable, show how you've incorporated legal, risk, or compliance requirements into your designs.

• Prepare for Code Prototyping Discussion: Be ready to discuss your comfort level with code-based prototyping and how you've used it.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Medium: Familiarize yourself with WhatsApp as a messaging surface and the nuances of conversational interfaces.

• Think Generative & Declarative: Practice thinking about how AI can generate UI elements and how to structure components for programmatic rendering. Consider error states and recovery mechanisms.

• Fintech Context: Research common fintech user journeys, regulatory considerations, and the specific challenges of building trust in financial applications.

• User-Centricity: Always anchor your solutions in user needs and research insights, even when dealing with complex AI or technical constraints.

• Communication: Prepare to articulate your thought process clearly and concisely, especially when presenting solutions or defending design choices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a "portfolio link (with password, if needed)" and "conversational or generative UI project with your reasoning visible" indicates that the portfolio is a