Technical Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Technical Product Designer

Company: CurbWaste

Location: New York, New York, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / Engineering

Date Posted: 2026-08-18

Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Own end-to-end product design initiatives, from initial concept and discovery through to final implementation and shipping within designated product pods.

• Act as a key design-side technical partner, bridging the gap between design vision and engineering execution, particularly in the development and enhancement of the company's design system.

• Collaborate closely with Product and Engineering teams to explore and implement innovative design infrastructure, including AI-enabled workflows and advanced design-to-code processes.

• Contribute to frontend-adjacent tasks such as UI polish, minor fixes, and code-based prototyping, ensuring a seamless and high-quality user experience.

• Participate actively in customer calls and user research to gather insights that inform design decisions and product strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a "Technical Product Designer," indicating a blend of traditional product design responsibilities with a significant emphasis on technical execution and collaboration with engineering. The "hybrid" nature suggests a need for on-site presence for collaboration, balanced with remote flexibility. The company's early-stage, venture-backed status implies a fast-paced, high-impact environment where individual contributions are highly visible.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the product design lifecycle for assigned product pods, from user research and ideation to wireframing, prototyping, user testing, and final design handoff.

• Partner with Product Managers and Engineers to define feature requirements, user flows, and technical specifications for new product development.

• Contribute to the expansion and refinement of CurbWaste's design system, including the creation and potential implementation of new components in React.

• Explore and advocate for advanced design infrastructure solutions, such as AI-assisted design tools and streamlined design-to-code workflows, in collaboration with the Head of Design.

• Take ownership of small UI fixes and polish tasks that often fall between design and engineering, ensuring a consistent and high-quality user interface across the platform.

• Conduct user research, including customer interviews and usability testing, to gather qualitative and quantitative data to inform design decisions.

• Assist in prototyping in code to demonstrate complex interactions or to provide engineering with more refined implementation examples.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure design alignment and successful product launches.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a dual focus on user-centered design and technical contribution. The emphasis on "design system" and "design-to-code workflows" is crucial, suggesting that candidates with experience in building or extending component libraries and understanding frontend implementation will be highly valued. The role involves direct customer interaction, underscoring the importance of user empathy and research skills.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. Experience:

• 3+ years of professional experience in product design, UX design, or a design engineering role, with a demonstrable track record of shipping real products. Required Skills:

• Portfolio: A strong portfolio showcasing shipped product work, demonstrating end-to-end design ownership and impact.

• Front-end Code Proficiency: Comfort in reading and writing basic front-end code, including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, with a preference for React. This is essential for contributing to the design system and collaborating effectively with engineers.

• Craft Fundamentals: Excellent command of interaction design, visual design principles, and the ability to apply them judiciously based on project needs and user context.

• Design System Experience: Proven experience working directly with a design system or component library, understanding its principles and best practices for contribution and extension.

• Prototyping: Skilled in creating interactive prototypes to effectively communicate design concepts and user flows.

• Collaboration: Ability to work effectively in a small, agile team environment, demonstrating self-sufficiency and a willingness to wear multiple hats.

• Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to address complex design challenges.

Preferred Skills:

• AI-Assisted Design Tools: Experience with AI tools that enhance design or developer workflows.

• B2B SaaS Experience: Prior experience working in a B2B Software-as-a-Service or vertical software environment.

• User Research: Experience conducting or participating in user and customer research activities.

• Design Infrastructure: Familiarity with exploring and implementing design infrastructure that improves collaboration between Design, Product, and Engineering.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "reading and writing basic front-end code" is a key differentiator for this role. Candidates should be prepared to showcase how they've used code to enhance their design process or contribute to engineering efforts, particularly within a design system context. The portfolio should explicitly highlight shipped features and the impact of the candidate's design work.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Shipped Product Work: A significant portion of the portfolio must feature completed products or features that have been launched to users, demonstrating real-world impact and execution.

• End-to-End Ownership: Case studies should clearly illustrate the candidate's involvement across the entire design process, from initial discovery and user research to final implementation.

• Design System Contribution: Examples of contributions to or collaborations with design system teams, including the design and potential implementation of components.

• Technical Collaboration: Evidence of close partnership with engineering teams, showcasing how technical understanding (e.g., front-end code) facilitated design-to-code workflows and successful implementation.

• Problem/Solution Framing: Clear articulation of the problem being solved, the design process followed, and the measurable outcomes or impact of the design solutions.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Demonstrate experience in mapping, analyzing, and optimizing user workflows and internal operational processes through design.

• System Implementation: Showcase understanding of how design integrates with technical systems, particularly in the context of component-based architectures and design systems.

• Measurement & Analysis: Ability to define and track key design metrics, and to use data analysis to inform design iterations and demonstrate ROI.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is critical for this role and must go beyond conceptual work. Candidates should be prepared to discuss the technical aspects of their designs, their contributions to design systems, and how they've collaborated with engineering to bring products to life. Quantifiable results and impact should be a central theme in portfolio case studies.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Given the location (New York, NY), experience level (Mid-Level, 2-5 years), and the technical nature of the role, a competitive salary range is estimated between $110,000 - $150,000 annually. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for Technical Product Designers and UX Designers in major tech hubs, considering the early-stage but well-funded nature of CurbWaste. Benefits:

• Health Care Plan: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance to support employee well-being.

• Retirement Plan: Options for 401(k) and IRA to facilitate long-term financial planning.

• Life Insurance: Basic and voluntary life insurance, including Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) coverage.

• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation days, sick leave, and paid public holidays to ensure work-life balance.

• Training & Development: Opportunities for professional growth, skill enhancement, and continuous learning.

• Work From Home: Flexibility to work remotely, supporting a hybrid work model.

• Free Food & Snacks: On-site amenities to enhance the daily work experience.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours, approximately 40 hours per week, with flexibility inherent in a hybrid and early-stage company environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimation. New York City has a high cost of living, and the demand for technically proficient designers is significant. The benefits package is robust, aligning with typical offerings for well-funded startups aiming to attract top talent.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Vertical SaaS for the Waste and Recycling Industry. This is a critical, underserved sector undergoing modernization, presenting unique challenges and opportunities for innovation.

Company Size: Early-stage, venture-backed, serving over 150 customers. This implies a dynamic, agile environment where individual impact is substantial.

Founded: CurbWaste is an early-stage company, suggesting a culture that values rapid iteration, experimentation, and adaptability.

Team Structure:

• Design Team: Small, high-impact team, likely reporting to the Head of Design. This role will be a key contributor within this focused group.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Close partnerships with Product Management and Engineering are fundamental, especially given the technical nature of this role.

• Pod Structure: The company utilizes a "pod" structure, suggesting small, cross-functional teams focused on specific product areas, fostering focused collaboration and ownership.

Methodology:

• Customer-Centricity: A strong emphasis on serving customers and the industry, with direct customer interaction and research being integral to the design process.

• Iterative Development: The early-stage nature and "Do the 1% more" value suggest a culture of continuous improvement and iterative design and development.

• Resourcefulness: A core value of "Resourcefulness over resources" indicates a pragmatic approach to problem-solving and innovation, often finding creative solutions with available means.

Company Website: CurbWaste.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is defined by its values: serving customers, curiosity, resourcefulness, teamwork, and a commitment to incremental improvement. This environment is ideal for individuals who are proactive, adaptable, and thrive in a collaborative, mission-driven setting. The "pod" structure implies a need for strong communication and alignment across small, focused teams.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is classified as Mid-Level (2-5 years of experience), suitable for designers who have moved beyond entry-level tasks and can own significant feature work. It offers a path towards senior or lead design roles, especially with the technical specialization.

Reporting Structure: The Technical Product Designer will likely report to the Head of Design, working within a small, collaborative design team and closely alongside Product Managers and Engineering leads within their assigned product pod.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct impact on CurbWaste's core product offering, influencing user experience, operational efficiency for waste management clients, and the technical foundation of the design system. Success here directly contributes to customer satisfaction, adoption, and the company's mission to modernize the industry.

Growth Opportunities:

• Technical Specialization: Deepen expertise in design-to-code workflows, component-based systems, and potentially AI-assisted design tools, becoming a go-to expert in this niche.

• Product Ownership: Expand ownership to larger product areas or lead design initiatives for new product lines.

• Leadership Potential: As the design team grows, opportunities for mentoring junior designers or taking on more strategic design leadership roles may emerge.

• Cross-functional Expertise: Develop a strong understanding of SaaS product development, engineering processes, and the waste management industry, broadening skill sets beyond pure design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The unique blend of design and technical skills positions this role for significant growth within a company like CurbWaste, which values resourcefulness and cross-functional capabilities. Opportunities to influence the product roadmap and technical design strategy are likely high.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The job listing indicates "TELECOMMUTE" with a "Hybrid" work arrangement, and the company offers "Work From Home" as a benefit. This suggests a flexible environment that likely includes a physical office space in New York City for collaborative work, with the option for remote work days.

Office Location(s): New York, New York, United States. Specific office details are not provided but can be assumed to be in a central, accessible location within NYC.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Expect a dynamic workspace designed to foster collaboration between Design, Product, and Engineering teams, particularly within the "pod" structure.

• Tools & Technology: Access to modern design and development tools, including a robust design system and potential AI-assisted tooling, will be central to the workflow.

• Team Interaction: Frequent interaction with team members, both in person and virtually, is expected, emphasizing open communication and knowledge sharing.

Work Schedule:

• Standard full-time hours (approx. 40 hours/week) are expected, with the flexibility inherent in a hybrid model. This allows for focused individual work and dedicated collaborative sessions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role means candidates should be comfortable working both independently from a remote location and collaboratively in an office setting. The emphasis on "Work From Home" as a benefit suggests a strong commitment to flexibility.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Application Submission: Submit resume and portfolio highlighting relevant experience.

• Initial Screening: A brief call with a recruiter or hiring manager to assess general fit, experience, and interest.

• Portfolio Review & Technical Discussion: A dedicated session with the Head of Design and potentially other designers or engineers to deep-dive into portfolio case studies, focusing on your design process, technical contributions, and collaboration.

• Design Challenge/Exercise: You may be asked to complete a small design exercise or a take-home challenge, potentially involving a technical component or a design system-related task.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers and Engineering leads to assess your ability to collaborate, understand technical constraints, and contribute to product strategy.

• Final Interview: A meeting with senior leadership to discuss company culture, long-term vision, and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Shipped Work: Clearly distinguish between conceptual projects and actual shipped features. For shipped work, focus on your specific contributions and the impact achieved.

• Showcase Technical Integration: Explicitly detail how your design work integrated with front-end code, design systems, or design-to-code workflows. Provide examples of components you designed or implemented.

• Structure Case Studies: For each case study, clearly outline: the problem, your role and responsibilities, the process you followed (discovery, ideation, design, testing, implementation), the technical considerations, and the measurable outcomes/impact.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., conversion rates, user satisfaction scores, efficiency gains).

• Be Prepared to Discuss Code: Have a clear explanation of your front-end coding skills (HTML, CSS, JS, React) and how you leverage them in your design process.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Product: Research CurbWaste's current product offering, target market, and business model.

• Design System Thinking: Prepare to discuss your understanding of design systems, component libraries, and best practices for building and maintaining them.

• Technical Communication: Practice articulating technical concepts related to design and front-end development to both designers and engineers.

• Problem-Solving Scenarios: Be ready to tackle hypothetical design challenges that require both creative solutions and an understanding of technical feasibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize both design craft and technical aptitude. Candidates should prepare to demonstrate their ability to bridge the gap between design and engineering, using their portfolio as concrete evidence.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly likely), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (for specific tasks).

• Design System Management: Tools that facilitate component libraries and style guides within Figma or other platforms.

• Front-end Development: React, HTML, CSS, JavaScript. Candidates are expected to be comfortable with these technologies.

• Collaboration & Project Management: Jira, Asana, Trello, or similar tools for task tracking and workflow management.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics: Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel, or similar tools for tracking user behavior and product performance.

• Data Visualization: Tableau, Power BI, Looker, or internal dashboarding tools for reporting on key metrics.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM: Salesforce, HubSpot, or a specialized CRM relevant to B2B SaaS.

• Integration Tools: Experience with tools that connect different software systems (e.g., Zapier, Workato) may be beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in design tools like Figma is expected, but the emphasis on React, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript means candidates should be prepared to discuss their technical stack and how they integrate design with development. Experience with design systems is paramount.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Serve our customers, serve our industry: A deep commitment to understanding and meeting the needs of waste management operators, driving value through their software.

• Be infinitely curious: Encourages a proactive approach to learning, problem-solving, and exploring new technologies and design approaches.

• Resourcefulness over resources: Fosters an environment where creative problem-solving and efficient use of available tools and time are highly valued.

• Win as a team, learn as a team: Promotes strong collaboration, knowledge sharing, and mutual support within and across teams.

• Do the 1% more: Cultivates a dedication to continuous improvement, attention to detail, and going the extra mile to deliver high-quality results.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Expect a highly collaborative style where designers, product managers, and engineers work in lockstep within product pods.

• Open Communication: A culture that encourages direct and transparent communication, feedback, and constructive debate.

• Knowledge Sharing: Active participation in sharing insights, best practices, and learnings across the design and broader product teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's values are deeply embedded in its culture and likely influence decision-making and daily interactions. Candidates should demonstrate alignment with these values, particularly curiosity, resourcefulness, and a team-oriented approach.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Bridging Design & Code: The primary challenge is effectively translating design concepts into production-ready code and maintaining a cohesive design system that spans both design and engineering.

• Early-Stage Dynamics: Navigating the fast-paced, evolving nature of an early-stage startup, which can involve shifting priorities and a need for rapid adaptation.

• Niche Industry: Understanding the unique workflows and challenges of the waste and recycling industry to design effective solutions.

• Balancing Speed and Quality: Ensuring high design quality and technical robustness while maintaining the agility required in a startup environment.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Technical Design Expertise: Develop deep skills in design-to-code workflows, component-based architecture, and potentially AI integration in design.

• Product Strategy: Gain exposure to product strategy development and contribute to the roadmap of a growing SaaS platform.

• Industry Knowledge: Become an expert in the waste and recycling sector, a valuable niche skill.

• Mentorship: Opportunities to learn from experienced leaders in design and engineering, and potentially mentor future team members.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant opportunities for professional development by tackling unique challenges at the intersection of design and development in a growing SaaS company.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to bridge a significant gap between a design you created and its actual implementation by engineering. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your front-end knowledge and collaboration skills).

• "How would you approach designing a new component for our design system, considering both its visual design and its technical implementation in React?" (Demonstrate design system thinking and technical understanding).

• "Imagine we need to implement a new feature that requires complex interaction. How would you prototype this, and what role would code play in your process?" (Showcase prototyping skills and technical contribution). Company & Culture Questions:

• "Our value is 'Resourcefulness over resources.' Can you give an example from your past work where you had to achieve a great outcome with limited resources?" (Relate to the company's core values).

• "How do you approach learning about a new industry or user base, especially one as specific as waste management?" (Highlight your curiosity and research methods).

• "Describe your ideal collaboration dynamic with product managers and engineers. How do you ensure alignment and shared understanding?" (Assess teamwork and communication skills). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Technical Integration Focus: For each case study, explicitly call out your technical contributions. If you wrote code, show it or explain its role. If you contributed to a design system, detail your process.

• Impact Metrics: Clearly present the business or user impact of your work using quantifiable data.

• Design-to-Code Workflow: Explain how your designs translate into code, highlighting efficiency gains or reduced friction for engineers.

• Interactive Demos: Be prepared to walk through interactive prototypes and discuss the technical considerations behind them.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interviewers will be looking for evidence of your ability to execute on complex design challenges, collaborate effectively with technical teams, and contribute to the company's mission and values. Your portfolio and your ability to articulate your thought process are key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Technical Product Designer position:

• Submit your application: Complete the application form via the provided link, ensuring all sections are filled accurately.

• Tailor your resume: Highlight your 3+ years of product/UX design experience, front-end coding skills (React, HTML, CSS, JS), design system contributions, and experience with shipped products. Use keywords like "Technical Product Designer," "UX Design," "React," "Design Systems," and "Prototyping."

• Curate your portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest case studies that best showcase end-to-end ownership, technical collaboration, shipped product impact, and design system contributions. Ensure clear explanations of your role, process, and quantifiable results.

• Prepare for technical discussions: Be ready to discuss your front-end coding capabilities and how you leverage them in your design process, as well as your experience with design systems and design-to-code workflows.

• Research CurbWaste: Understand their mission, industry, product, and company values. Prepare thoughtful questions to demonstrate your engagement and interest.

⚠️ 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.