UX/UI Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX/UI Product Designer

Company: Daimler Truck North America (DTNA)

Location: Portland, OR, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: June 01, 2026

Experience Level: 0-2 Years (Junior)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Design high-fidelity, pixel-perfect user interfaces (UI) and user experiences (UX) for in-vehicle digital systems and Human-Machine Interfaces (HMI) across leading commercial truck brands like Freightliner and Western Star.

• Execute design concepts from ideation through to implementation-ready specifications, contributing to a global design system with reusable components.

• Translate complex product requirements, user needs, and brand intent into intuitive, visually compelling, and functional digital experiences for professional drivers.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including engineering, product strategy, and truck technology specialists, both domestically and internationally.

• Own specific workstreams and feature development from initial concept through to final handoff, demonstrating strong execution-driven capabilities with minimal day-to-day supervision.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "UX/UI Product Designer," the emphasis on in-vehicle systems, HMI, and tangible product output within the commercial truck industry positions this role within a unique intersection of product design and specialized user experience engineering. The "Junior" aspect (0-2 years) suggests a focus on design craft and execution rather than strategic product definition, with significant mentorship expected.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and refine visual design elements, including typography, color palettes, layout, and motion graphics, ensuring a consistent and high-quality aesthetic across global brands.

• Create detailed design specifications, assets, and reusable components aligned with the company's global design system to facilitate efficient implementation by engineering teams.

• Build and present high-fidelity prototypes to effectively communicate visual design, interaction patterns, and motion intent to stakeholders and development teams.

• Design clear, hierarchical, and intuitive glance-based interfaces that provide immediate feedback and support efficient operation by professional drivers.

• Apply user research insights and understand system constraints to inform design decisions, ensuring solutions are grounded in practical context and technical feasibility.

• Proactively communicate design rationale, share work in progress, solicit feedback, and iterate on designs based on input from cross-functional partners.

• Take ownership of assigned design workstreams, managing the process from concept to handoff with a high degree of autonomy and accountability.

• Contribute to the evolution of automotive HMI design by exploring and implementing innovative UX/UI solutions for next-generation vehicle concepts.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a hands-on approach to design execution, emphasizing "pixel-perfect" delivery and component creation. The "own workstreams" aspect suggests increasing responsibility for defined feature sets, which is typical for a junior role transitioning into mid-level ownership.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Internship experience or 1-2 years of professional experience in UX/UI design or product design roles.

Required Skills:

• Portfolio: A strong portfolio is mandatory, clearly demonstrating ownership of work, robust visual design skills, effective interaction design, and problem-solving capabilities.

• Visual Design Fundamentals: Proficient understanding and application of typography, color theory, layout principles, and motion design.

• Design Software Proficiency: Expertise in Figma for UI/UX design and prototyping, and strong command of the Adobe Creative Suite (e.g., Photoshop, Illustrator) for asset creation and manipulation.

• 3D Modeling & Rendering: Proficiency in 3D modeling and rendering software for conceptualizing and visualizing UI elements within a vehicle context.

• Prototyping & Communication: Ability to build interactive prototypes and articulate design decisions clearly and persuasively to diverse audiences.

• Systems Thinking: Capacity to design holistically across various features, system states, and user flows, ensuring consistency and coherence.

• Work Ethic: Proactive, curious, execution-driven mindset with a genuine passion for design craft and a commitment to elevating quality standards.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with automotive HMI systems, including instrument clusters, infotainment systems, Head-Up Displays (HUDs), and embedded vehicle software.

• Familiarity with specialized automotive HMI and prototyping tools such as Kanzi, Unreal Engine, Unity, or ProtoPie.

• Exposure to designing for emerging interface types like Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), or other spatial computing environments.

• Experience integrating or exploring the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within design workflows or product features.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "academic focus in automotive UX/UI, HMI, or in-vehicle interaction design" strongly suggests that candidates with a specific passion and foundational knowledge in this niche will be highly prioritized over general UX/UI designers. The portfolio is explicitly called out as a critical requirement.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Visual Design Craft: Showcase high-fidelity UI mockups with impeccable attention to typography, color, spacing, and visual hierarchy.

• Interaction Design Examples: Include case studies or examples that clearly illustrate user flows, interaction patterns, and micro-interactions.

• Problem-Solving Case Studies: Present detailed case studies that outline a design challenge, your approach, the solutions you developed, and the impact of your work.

• System Component Design: Demonstrate experience designing or contributing to design systems, showing reusable UI components and their application.

• Prototyping Capabilities: Provide links to interactive prototypes or video demonstrations showcasing the user experience and key interactions.

Process Documentation:

• Demonstrate a structured design process, from user research and ideation through to wireframing, prototyping, usability testing (if applicable), and final design handoff.

• Clearly articulate how you translate product requirements and user needs into tangible design solutions.

• Show evidence of iterative design based on feedback, whether from user testing, peer reviews, or cross-functional collaboration.

• Illustrate how you consider technical constraints and collaborate with engineering teams during the design process.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a junior role, the portfolio should emphasize the candidate's design execution skills, understanding of design principles, and ability to follow a structured design process. Demonstrating how they've applied these skills to automotive or complex system design challenges will be key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Estimated Range: $71,000 - $91,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Performance-Based: Annual bonus program.

• Retirement Savings: 401k plan with a generous company contribution (match up to 6% and non-elective contribution of 3-7% based on age).

• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation starting at 4 weeks annually, plus 13+ calendar holidays.

• Family Support: 8 weeks of paid parental leave.

• Wellness & Support: Employee Assistance Program (EAP), comprehensive healthcare plans, and extensive wellness programs.

• Professional Development: Tuition assistance programs.

• Additional Perks: Volunteer paid time off, onsite fitness facilities (at select locations), short-term and long-term disability plans.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time work schedule, typically 40 hours per week.

📝 Enhancement Note: The stated salary range is explicitly provided in the job description. The benefits package is comprehensive, with notable offerings like paid parental leave and strong retirement contributions, which are attractive to professionals at any career stage. The "Onsite" work arrangement implies a standard 5-day work week unless otherwise specified by team norms.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Automotive Manufacturing & Technology, Commercial Transportation. DTNA is a leader in the development, production, and sale of medium to heavy-duty trucks.

Company Size: Large enterprise (Daimler Truck is a global corporation with tens of thousands of employees). This implies structured processes, established career paths, and significant resources.

Founded: Daimler Truck North America is part of the historic Daimler AG legacy, with a strong foundation in engineering and innovation dating back decades.

Team Structure:

• Design Center: The role is within a dedicated Design Center, suggesting a concentrated group of creative and technical talent.

• Global Collaboration: The team is described as "globally distributed," indicating interaction with designers and engineers across different time zones and regions.

• Cross-functional Integration: Close collaboration with engineering, product strategy, and truck technology teams is a core aspect of the role, highlighting a matrixed or integrated project team structure.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: The emphasis on translating "product requirements" and "user needs" suggests a data-informed approach to design.

• Iterative Development: The expectation to "share work early, gather feedback, and iterate" points to an agile or iterative design methodology.

• Craftsmanship & Excellence: The company culture is driven by "Respect, Tenacity, and Excellence," with a strong emphasis on design quality ("UI craft matters").

Company Website: https://www.daimlertruck.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: DTNA's position as a major player in the commercial vehicle industry means that design decisions have a direct and substantial impact on critical infrastructure and professional livelihoods. The culture values "Respect, Tenacity, and Excellence," suggesting a demanding yet rewarding environment focused on high performance and continuous improvement.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Junior Product Designer (0-2 years experience). This level is characterized by a focus on design execution, learning core processes, and contributing to defined feature sets under guidance.

Reporting Structure: The role reports into the Design Center and will likely have a direct manager who oversees design projects and individual development. Collaboration will extend to product managers and engineering leads.

Operations Impact: The designs created will directly influence the daily operational efficiency, safety, and user experience of professional truck drivers. This role has a tangible impact on the usability and functionality of critical commercial vehicles that keep the global economy moving.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in automotive HMI design, advanced prototyping tools (Kanzi, Unreal), and emerging interface technologies (AR/VR).

• Design System Contribution: Grow to become a key contributor or owner of specific modules within the global design system.

• Project Ownership: Progress from feature-level ownership to leading design for larger product areas or next-generation concepts.

• Cross-functional Leadership: Develop strong stakeholder management and communication skills, potentially leading design initiatives across different departments.

• Mentorship: Gain experience working with senior designers and engineers, fostering a strong understanding of product development lifecycles in a complex industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a junior designer, the primary growth path involves mastering the craft, understanding the unique constraints and opportunities of automotive HMI, and developing strong collaboration skills. The potential to work on "real production vehicles and next-generation HMI concepts from day one" offers significant learning opportunities.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site at the Portland Corp HQ - DTNA. This indicates a traditional office setting designed for in-person collaboration.

Office Location(s): Portland, Oregon, USA. Relocation assistance is not available for this position.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The office environment likely includes collaborative areas, meeting rooms, and potentially design studios conducive to team discussions and critiques.

• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design software (Figma, Adobe Suite) and potentially specialized HMI tools will be available.

• Team Interaction: Daily interaction with fellow designers, product strategists, and engineers will be a core part of the work experience, fostering a dynamic and interactive team environment.

Work Schedule: The role is listed as "Onsite" with a standard full-time schedule (implied 40 hours/week). While flexibility may exist within teams, the expectation is for regular in-office presence.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Onsite" requirement means candidates must be willing and able to commute to the Portland, OR headquarters. This structure is chosen to facilitate close teamwork, spontaneous collaboration, and direct interaction with other departments crucial for product development in a complex industry.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio to assess foundational skills, relevant experience, and cultural fit.

• Design Challenge/Exercise: A practical assessment, potentially involving a design problem related to HMI or in-vehicle interfaces, to evaluate problem-solving skills, design thinking, and execution capabilities. This may be a take-home assignment or an in-person/virtual timed exercise.

• Portfolio Presentation: A dedicated session where the candidate walks through their portfolio, explaining their design process, rationale, and contributions to specific projects.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Discussions with engineering, product management, or other stakeholders to assess collaboration skills, communication clarity, and understanding of technical constraints.

• Hiring Manager/Team Lead Interview: Final discussion to gauge overall fit, career aspirations, and suitability for the team's culture and working style.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for Relevance: Prioritize projects that showcase automotive HMI, complex system design, and strong visual/interaction design skills. If automotive projects are limited, highlight transferable skills from other complex digital product designs.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Clearly articulate the problem, your role, your process, your design decisions, and the outcome/impact of your work. Use visuals effectively.

• Demonstrate Process: Detail your steps from understanding requirements to delivering final assets. Highlight how you incorporated feedback and iterated.

• Highlight Ownership: Clearly indicate which parts of a project were your direct contribution, especially in team-based projects.

• Prototype Demonstration: Ensure any interactive prototypes are functional and clearly presented, ideally with a brief walkthrough.

Challenge Preparation:

• Familiarize yourself with common automotive HMI paradigms (instrument clusters, infotainment, driver assistance displays).

• Practice articulating design decisions concisely and defending your choices with user-centered principles and business objectives.

• Be prepared to discuss trade-offs between ideal UX and technical feasibility or business constraints.

• Research Daimler Truck's brands (Freightliner, Western Star) and their current in-vehicle digital experiences to understand their design language and user base.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio review and potential design challenge indicates that practical design skills and problem-solving abilities are paramount. Candidates should prepare to defend their design choices rigorously and demonstrate a clear, structured approach to design.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for UI design, wireframing, prototyping, and collaborating on design systems.

• Adobe Creative Suite: Necessary for asset creation, image manipulation, and potentially motion graphics (e.g., Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects).

• 3D Modeling & Rendering Software: Tools like Blender, 3ds Max, Maya, or similar for conceptualizing and visualizing UI elements in a 3D vehicle environment.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

Specialized HMI/Prototyping Tools (Preferred):

• Kanzi: A leading HMI design tool for automotive embedded systems.

• Unreal Engine / Unity: Game engines often used for high-fidelity automotive visualization and interactive prototyping.

• ProtoPie: Advanced prototyping tool for complex interactions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma and Adobe Creative Suite is a stated requirement. Experience with 3D modeling is also mandatory. Familiarity with specialized automotive HMI tools like Kanzi is a significant plus, indicating that candidates with this specific experience will stand out.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Excellence: A drive for high-quality design, meticulous attention to detail, and continuous improvement in UI craft.

• Tenacity: Persistence in problem-solving and overcoming technical or design challenges within a complex product environment.

• Respect: Valuing diverse perspectives, fostering open communication, and collaborating effectively with a global team.

• Impact-Driven: A focus on creating designs that have a meaningful positive impact on the daily lives and work of professional drivers.

• Innovation: Curiosity and a proactive approach to exploring new design methods, technologies, and concepts for future mobility.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Working closely with engineering and product strategy is fundamental. This requires clear communication, empathy for different disciplines, and a willingness to compromise and find mutual solutions.

• Feedback-Oriented: An environment where sharing work early and often is encouraged, with constructive feedback loops to refine designs.

• Global Teamwork: Adapting to working with colleagues across different time zones and cultural contexts, utilizing digital collaboration tools effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated values of "Respect, Tenacity, and Excellence" are directly applicable to the design team's ethos. The collaborative style emphasizes integration with technical teams, suggesting that designers need to be pragmatic and technically aware.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complexity of Automotive HMI: Designing for the unique constraints and safety-critical nature of in-vehicle interfaces, including glanceability, legibility, and minimizing driver distraction.

• Global Brand Consistency: Maintaining a cohesive design language and user experience across multiple distinct truck brands (Freightliner, Western Star) while catering to specific market needs.

• Bridging Design and Engineering: Effectively translating sophisticated design concepts into feasible, production-ready implementations with engineering teams, managing technical limitations and trade-offs.

• Rapid Technological Evolution: Staying abreast of advancements in automotive technology, HMI development tools, and user expectations in a rapidly changing industry.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Tool Mastery: Gaining expertise in industry-standard automotive HMI tools like Kanzi, Unreal Engine, or Unity.

• Deep Dive into Automotive UX: Developing a profound understanding of professional driver workflows, vehicle operation, and the specific user needs within the commercial transportation sector.

• Design System Growth: Contributing to and potentially owning components of a large-scale, global design system for automotive applications.

• Cross-functional Acumen: Enhancing skills in collaborating with hardware engineers, software developers, product managers, and market specialists.

• Exposure to Future Mobility: Working on concepts for next-generation vehicles, including electric and autonomous technologies, providing insight into the future of transportation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are directly tied to the specific domain of commercial vehicle HMI design. The growth opportunities are geared towards developing deep expertise within this niche, which can lead to significant career advancement within the automotive technology sector.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a challenging automotive HMI design problem you've encountered (academically or professionally) and how you approached solving it. What was the outcome?"

• "How do you ensure your UI designs are not only visually appealing but also safe and intuitive for a driver operating a commercial vehicle?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you specifically about designing for commercial trucks at Daimler Truck North America, as opposed to other industries?"

• "How do you approach collaborating with engineers who may have different priorities or technical constraints than designers?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Process: For each project, clearly articulate the problem statement, your role, the design process you followed, your key design decisions, and the final outcome or learnings.

• Visual Clarity: Use high-quality visuals and ensure any interactive prototypes are smoothly presented. Be prepared to explain specific UI elements and interaction patterns.

• Automotive Relevance: If you have automotive projects, highlight them. If not, focus on transferable skills from complex systems, emphasizing how you'd adapt your approach to the automotive context.

• Conciseness: Be mindful of time. Focus on the most impactful projects and key takeaways.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should heavily emphasize the automotive context and the unique challenges of HMI design. Candidates should be ready to discuss their process, defend their design decisions with user-centered reasoning, and demonstrate an understanding of the commercial vehicle industry.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX/UI Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Daimler Truck North America careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects demonstrating strong visual design, interaction design, and problem-solving skills, with a preference for automotive or complex system design examples. Ensure clear articulation of your design process and ownership for each project.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly list your Bachelor's degree, relevant experience (including internships), and proficiencies in Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, and any 3D modeling software. Emphasize any academic or practical experience in automotive UX/UI or HMI.

• Interview Preparation: Practice walking through your portfolio projects, focusing on explaining your design rationale, process, and the impact of your work. Prepare to discuss your understanding of automotive HMI challenges and your approach to user-centered design in a safety-critical environment.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Daimler Truck North America, its brands (Freightliner, Western Star), and the current landscape of commercial vehicle technology and user experience. Understand their values of "Respect, Tenacity, and Excellence."

⚠️ 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.