Visual Designer
๐ Job Overview
Job Title: Visual Designer
Company: Bjak
Location: New York, New York, United States
Job Type: FULL_TIME
Category: Product Design / UX/UI Design
Date Posted: 2026-05-19
Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years)
Remote Status: Remote (within the United States)
๐ Role Summary
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Lead end-to-end design for AI product surfaces, shaping user experience from concept to production.
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Design core user flows and interaction models for an AI chat app, focusing on reliability and real-world task completion.
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Collaborate closely with product, engineering, and ML teams to rapidly iterate on AI-driven features and user journeys.
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Develop wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity UI for both web and mobile platforms, contributing to a scalable design system.
๐ Enhancement Note: While the title is "Visual Designer," the description heavily emphasizes Product Design and UX, particularly in the context of AI. The role requires a strong blend of visual aesthetics, interaction design, and user-centric problem-solving for a novel AI product. The focus on "systems and journeys" suggests a need for strategic design thinking beyond just visual execution.
๐ Primary Responsibilities
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Spearhead the complete design lifecycle for key AI product features, from initial concept exploration to final implementation in a production environment.
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Craft intuitive and engaging user flows that simplify complex AI functionalities, making them accessible and natural for everyday users.
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Foster strong collaborative relationships with Product Managers, Engineers, and Machine Learning specialists to rapidly prototype, test hypotheses, and expedite product releases.
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Produce comprehensive design artifacts, including detailed wireframes, user journey maps, interactive prototypes, and polished high-fidelity UI designs for both web and mobile applications.
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Engage in rapid prototyping and iterative design processes to explore and refine novel interaction models, specifically tailored for AI-driven user experiences.
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Conduct and synthesize insights from usability testing sessions to inform and guide product strategy and design iterations.
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Contribute to the definition, expansion, and maintenance of A1's design system, ensuring consistency, scalability, and design velocity.
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Act as a strong advocate for user experience principles while effectively balancing the demands of product velocity and technical feasibility.
๐ Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a "zero-to-one" design ownership, common in early-stage startups. The emphasis on rapid iteration and collaboration with ML teams points to a dynamic environment where design directly influences core product capabilities.
๐ Skills & Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
Experience: Minimum of 2-5 years of proven experience in product design, UX design, or a similar role, with a strong track record of shipping successful web and mobile products.
Required Skills:
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Demonstrated expertise in end-to-end product design, from conceptualization to launch.
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Advanced proficiency in design and rapid prototyping tools, with a strong emphasis on Figma.
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Solid understanding of core design principles including interaction design, information architecture, visual hierarchy, and the creation of cohesive visual systems.
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Proven ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including product management and engineering, in fast-paced, agile environments.
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Aptitude for designing with incomplete information and adapting to evolving requirements in a nascent product space.
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Skill in translating complex, multi-step workflows into clear, intuitive, and user-friendly experiences.
Preferred Skills:
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Prior experience designing for AI-powered products, data-intensive applications, or intelligent systems.
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Familiarity with user research methodologies, including usability testing, A/B testing, and qualitative research techniques.
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Experience working in a "zero-to-one" product development environment or on early-stage startup teams.
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A keen interest in emerging UX patterns and best practices for AI, automation, and intelligent system interfaces.
๐ Enhancement Note: The "Nice to have" section is crucial for candidates aiming to stand out. Experience with AI products and early-stage environments directly aligns with the company's mission and stage, suggesting these are highly valued attributes.
๐ Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements
Portfolio Essentials:
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Showcase a minimum of 2-3 significant product design projects that demonstrate end-to-end ownership from problem identification to shipped solution.
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Projects should highlight expertise in both web and mobile platforms, with a clear articulation of the design process undertaken.
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Include examples of user flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity visual designs.
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For AI-related projects, clearly explain the interaction models designed and the rationale behind them.
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Demonstrate proficiency in Figma, providing interactive prototypes where possible.
Process Documentation:
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For each project, detail the discovery phase, including problem definition and user research insights.
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Explain the iterative design process, including how feedback and testing informed design iterations.
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Describe collaboration with engineering and product teams, and how technical constraints were addressed.
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Illustrate the application of design systems or the development of new UI components.
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Outline how usability testing or other research methods were used to validate design decisions.
๐ Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is paramount for this role. The emphasis on end-to-end ownership, AI interaction design, and quantifiable impact will be critical for success. Candidates should prepare to walk through their process and design decisions in detail during interviews.
๐ต Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Mid-Level Visual/Product Designer in New York City with 2-5 years of experience in a tech startup environment, the estimated annual salary range is $100,000 - $140,000 USD. This estimate accounts for the competitive market in New York, the specialized nature of AI product design, and the early-stage company context.
Benefits:
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Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.
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Generous paid time off (PTO) and company holidays.
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Stock options or equity in a rapidly growing startup.
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Professional development budget for conferences, courses, and workshops.
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Opportunities for significant career growth and impact in an early-stage company.
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Remote work flexibility, allowing for a healthy work-life balance.
Working Hours: Standard full-time work week of approximately 40 hours, with flexibility for remote work. Expectations lean towards results and impact rather than strict adherence to hours, within reasonable professional boundaries.
๐ Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimation based on typical compensation for similar roles in New York City, considering the company's early-stage startup nature and the specialized skills in AI product design. Actual compensation will depend on experience, interview performance, and final negotiations.
๐ฏ Team & Company Context
๐ข Company Culture
Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI) / Software Development / Chat Applications. Bjak is operating in a rapidly evolving sector, aiming to integrate AI into everyday user conversations and tasks, focusing on reliability and real-world utility.
Company Size: Early-stage startup, likely with a small, highly focused team (fewer than 50 employees). This signifies a dynamic, hands-on environment where individual contributions have a significant impact.
Founded: The company is likely recently founded, reflected in its "zero-to-one" product development approach and emphasis on building foundational systems and user experiences.
Team Structure:
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The design team is likely small, consisting of a few designers who work very closely with product managers and engineering leads.
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Reporting structure is likely flat, with designers reporting directly to a Head of Product, Design Lead, or a co-founder.
Methodology:
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Data-driven decision-making, leveraging user analytics, A/B testing, and usability feedback to refine product direction.
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Agile development methodologies emphasizing rapid iteration, quick feedback loops, and continuous improvement.
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A strong focus on user-centric design, ensuring that all product development is grounded in solving real user problems and delivering tangible value.
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Emphasis on building robust and reliable systems, a key differentiator for A1's AI chat app.
Company Website: https://bjak.my/en/about-us
๐ Enhancement Note: The company culture is described as "high talent density" and "hands-on." This implies a demanding but rewarding environment where individuals are expected to be self-starters, possess strong judgment, and execute independently. The goal is to build a "truly magical product."
๐ Career & Growth Analysis
Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Mid-Level Designer, requiring significant hands-on contribution and ownership. It's a crucial early hire that will shape the product's user experience and design foundation.
Reporting Structure: The designer will likely report directly to a senior design leader or a co-founder, working in close alignment with product and engineering teams. This structure offers high visibility and direct influence on product strategy.
Operations Impact: The designer's work will have a direct and substantial impact on user adoption, engagement, and trust in the AI product. By simplifying complex AI interactions and ensuring a delightful user experience, the designer will be instrumental in achieving product-market fit and driving the company's mission to bring practical AI benefits to billions.
Growth Opportunities:
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Design Leadership: As the company scales, there will be opportunities to grow into a Senior Designer, Lead Designer, or even Head of Design role, mentoring junior designers and defining the design vision.
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Specialization: Deepen expertise in AI interaction design, becoming a go-to specialist in this cutting-edge field.
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Product Strategy: Contribute significantly to product strategy discussions, leveraging design insights to identify new opportunities and refine the product roadmap.
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System Building: Play a key role in evolving and scaling the company's design system, impacting product consistency and development efficiency across the organization.
๐ Enhancement Note: This is an opportunity to join an early-stage company with significant potential for impact and career advancement. The growth trajectory is tied to the company's success and the individual's ability to drive results.
๐ Work Environment
Office Type: The role is designated as "TELECOMMUTE" with the primary requirement being presence within the United States. This indicates a fully remote or a hybrid model where the employee is expected to work from home, though occasional team meetups or onsite requirements at a physical office (if one exists) cannot be entirely ruled out for hybrid scenarios.
Office Location(s): While the job is remote, the requirement to be based in the United States suggests the company may have a primary operational hub or corporate presence within the US, potentially in or near New York, given the derived location.
Workspace Context:
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Remote work environment requiring strong self-discipline, effective time management, and reliable home office setup.
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Access to collaborative digital tools for communication, design, and project management is essential.
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Opportunities for virtual team building and informal interactions to foster camaraderie among remote team members.
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The emphasis on "high talent density" and "hands-on" teams suggests a culture that values direct communication and collaboration, even when remote.
Work Schedule: A standard 40-hour work week is expected, with inherent flexibility due to the remote nature of the role. Focus is placed on achieving defined outcomes and meeting deadlines rather than strict adherence to office hours. Collaboration across different time zones within the US may be a factor.
๐ Enhancement Note: The "TELECOMMUTE" designation, combined with the US-based requirement, strongly suggests a remote-first or remote-friendly culture. Candidates should be comfortable and effective working autonomously from a home office.
๐ Application & Portfolio Review Process
Interview Process:
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Initial Screening: Application review focusing on resume and portfolio alignment with the role's requirements.
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Technical Interview (1-2 rounds): This will likely involve a deep dive into your portfolio, discussing specific projects, design decisions, challenges faced, and how you approached them. Expect questions about your process, Figma proficiency, and experience with AI/complex systems. You might be asked to present specific case studies.
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Cross-functional Interview: Meeting with Product and/or Engineering leads to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and understanding of technical constraints and product velocity.
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Final Interview: Potentially with a co-founder or senior leadership to assess cultural fit, strategic thinking, and overall alignment with the company's vision.
Portfolio Review Tips:
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Curate Selectively: Choose 2-3 of your strongest projects that best showcase your end-to-end product design skills, especially those involving complex workflows or AI.
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Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the design process, key decisions, challenges, and the final outcome/impact. Use visuals effectively to support your narrative.
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Highlight AI/Complexity: If you have experience with AI, data-heavy products, or simplifying complex systems, make this a focal point. Explain your approach to designing for these unique challenges.
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Showcase Figma Skills: Be prepared to demonstrate your Figma expertise, including prototyping capabilities.
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Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, provide metrics or user feedback that demonstrate the success of your designs.
Challenge Preparation:
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Be ready for a design exercise or a take-home challenge that assesses your problem-solving skills, design process, and ability to work within constraints.
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Prepare to articulate your design rationale clearly and concisely.
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Understand the company's product vision and target audience as much as possible to tailor any challenge responses.
๐ Enhancement Note: The interview process is described as efficient ("3, but no more than 4 interviews"). The emphasis on prompt decisions suggests a streamlined hiring approach. Candidates should be prepared to articulate their value proposition clearly and demonstrate a strong understanding of the company's mission.
๐ Tools & Technology Stack
Primary Tools:
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Figma: Essential for UI design, wireframing, prototyping, and collaboration. Candidates must demonstrate strong proficiency.
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Prototyping Tools: Proficiency in Figma's prototyping features is expected. Experience with other tools like Principle, ProtoPie, or similar for advanced interactions may be beneficial.
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Design System Tools: Experience with creating, maintaining, or contributing to design systems.
Analytics & Reporting:
- While not a primary design tool, familiarity with analytics platforms (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics) and understanding how design impacts key metrics (e.g., activation, retention, task completion) is highly advantageous.
CRM & Automation:
- Not directly applicable to the designer role, but an understanding of how design integrates with the overall user journey managed by CRM and automation platforms can provide valuable context.
๐ Enhancement Note: Figma is explicitly called out as a required skill. The company's focus on AI and complex workflows suggests that designers who can conceptualize and prototype advanced interaction patterns will be highly valued.
๐ฅ Team Culture & Values
Operations Values:
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High Talent Density & Hands-On Approach: Expect a team composed of highly skilled individuals who are deeply involved in their work and contribute directly to product development.
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Collective Decision-Making & Rapid Speed: Decisions are made collaboratively, but the pace of execution is high, balancing quality with learning.
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Structure, Judgment, and Independent Execution: Team members are expected to bring organization, make sound decisions, and operate autonomously.
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User-Centricity: A core value is to deliver a truly "magical product" that provides practical benefits to users, implying a deep focus on user needs and experience.
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Innovation in AI: A commitment to exploring and defining new UX patterns for AI and intelligent systems.
Collaboration Style:
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Integrated Cross-Functional Teams: Designers work intimately with Product Managers and Engineers, often embedded within development teams.
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Open Communication: A culture that likely encourages direct feedback and open discussion to foster rapid learning and iteration.
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Shared Ownership: Engineers, Product, and Design share responsibility for product success, working towards common goals.
๐ Enhancement Note: The "How We Work" section provides a strong indication of the company's culture. It's a startup environment that values individual contribution, speed, and a collective drive to create an exceptional AI product.
โก Challenges & Growth Opportunities
Challenges:
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Designing for Novelty: Creating intuitive user experiences for AI capabilities that are still emerging and may not have established UX patterns.
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Balancing Innovation with Reliability: Ensuring advanced AI features are not only innovative but also reliable, predictable, and trustworthy for users.
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Rapid Iteration in an Early-Stage Environment: The need to design, test, and iterate quickly while maintaining high quality and a cohesive product vision.
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Simplifying Complexity: Translating sophisticated AI logic and multi-step workflows into easily understandable and usable interfaces.
Learning & Development Opportunities:
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AI UX Specialization: Gain deep expertise in designing for cutting-edge AI applications, a highly sought-after skill.
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Product Strategy Influence: Directly contribute to the strategic direction of a new AI product, gaining experience beyond traditional design execution.
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Building from Scratch: Experience the full lifecycle of building a product and design system from its foundational stages.
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Mentorship: Potential to learn from experienced founders and engineers, and later, to mentor new hires as the team grows.
๐ Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are inherent to working on a "zero-to-one" AI product. Successfully navigating these challenges will offer significant growth and learning opportunities for ambitious designers.
๐ก Interview Preparation
Strategy Questions:
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"Describe a time you had to design a complex workflow for a new technology. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on process, user-centricity, and AI/tech relevance)
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"How would you approach designing the initial onboarding experience for an AI chat app that aims to help users organize their daily tasks?" (Assess product thinking, user flow design, and AI interaction concepts)
Company & Culture Questions:
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"What excites you about Bjak's mission to bring AI to everyday users?" (Show genuine interest in the company's vision)
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"How do you approach collaborating with engineers and product managers, especially when there are differing opinions on design direction?" (Demonstrate teamwork and communication skills)
Portfolio Presentation Strategy:
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Structure: For each project, clearly state the problem, your role, the solution, and the impact. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) as a framework.
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Focus on Process: Detail your design thinking, research methods, iteration cycles, and how you arrived at your final solution.
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Highlight AI/Complexity: Specifically call out how you handled the unique challenges of designing for AI or complex systems.
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Showcase Figma & Prototyping: Be prepared to walk through interactive prototypes in Figma and explain your design choices dynamically.
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Be Concise and Engaging: Practice your presentation to be clear, engaging, and within the allotted time.
๐ Enhancement Note: Prepare specific examples for each question, drawing directly from your portfolio and experience. The interviewers will be looking for not just what you did, but why you did it and how you collaborated.
๐ Application Steps
To apply for this Visual Designer position at Bjak:
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Submit your application through the provided Ashby link.
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Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your most impactful projects that best demonstrate your end-to-end product design skills, particularly those involving complex systems, AI, or mobile/web applications. Ensure your portfolio clearly articulates your process and design rationale.
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Tailor Your Resume: Highlight experience in product design, UX/UI, Figma proficiency, and any relevant experience with AI, rapid prototyping, or early-stage product development. Quantify achievements where possible.
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Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio projects, focusing on storytelling, your design process, and the impact of your work. Be ready to discuss your approach to AI interaction design.
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Research Bjak: Understand the company's mission, product vision, and target audience. Prepare thoughtful questions about their approach to AI product development and user experience.
โ ๏ธ 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.
Application Requirements
Proven experience as a product or UX designer with a strong portfolio in Figma and rapid prototyping. Ability to simplify complex workflows and a willingness to take ownership in a fast-paced, early-stage environment.