Product Designer

2 months ago

San Francisco, California, United States Ashby (YC W19) Full time
Welcome to Ashby

In modern SaaS development, product teams often consist of a product manager, a designer, and ~4-5 engineers. The product manager briefs the designer who then designs. After designing, mocks are handed to the engineers.

While that may work for many product teams, Ashby takes a different approach.

Here, engineers are empowered to make their own product & design decisions. We also have design engineers who are fantastic at bridging UI, interaction design, and front-end code. Allowing engineers to also be designers has enabled us to move much faster than our competitors - but we need more help steering their design decisions

Currently, our only full-time designer (Chris) reports to Benji, the CEO. Both Abhik and Benji (our founders) care deeply about design, which at first glance may seem counterintuitive given the number of full-time designers that we employ. The belief is not that design is unimportant, but rather that it should be owned by the product team collectively, not solely by a group of full-time designers who happen to have the job title.

The design department's job at Ashby is not to make every single design decision but to equip our entire product team to make better decisions themselves, as well as edit decisions that PMs/Engineers choose to make. Our engineers are also expected to be self-aware enough to seek consults from design if they're unsure about decisions, and designers will be given the largest, riskiest projects to tackle.
What We're Building

Talent teams aspire to build a hiring process that identifies great candidates, moves them quickly through the interview process, and provides an excellent experience for the candidate. To accomplish this, recruiters perform thousands of daily tasks to coordinate and relay information between candidates, interviewers, and hiring managers. Teams struggle to keep up

Scheduling a final round is an excellent example of our customers' challenges. A recruiter needs to collect availability from the candidate, identify potential interviewers, perform "Calendar Tetris" to find who is available to interview the candidate, schedule on the earliest date possible, and perform any last-minute adjustments as availability changes. They must perform this while considering the interview load on each individual and whether interviewers need to be trained and shadowing others.

Ashby provides talent teams with intelligent and powerful software that provides insights into where they're failing and automates or simplifies many of the tasks they're underwater with. We put a lot of effort into designing products that are approachable to beginners but mastered and extended by power users. In many ways, spreadsheets set the bar here (and are what we often replace).

We have many customers, great revenue growth, years of runway, and amazing investors like YCombinator, Elad Gil, and Lachy Groom. I'll share more once we meet.

Why you should or shouldn't applyYour qualifications:
4+ years of product design experience in desktop SaaS.
Some experience in an early-stage startup.
Able to think from first principles instead of simply applying the "standard" UX processes.
Can break down complex user problems by asking questions that narrow down the solution space.
Enough experience that your intuition can solve many usability problems without having to rely solely on data & metrics or conducting user research.
Curious & resourceful enough to come up with creative solutions and de-risk them appropriately.
Strong skills in layout, navigation, IA, UI, and interaction design.
Strong visual design skills and obsess over craft & details.
As a bonus, you have experience leading design at an early-stage startup or have spent time as a solo designer on a team.

You may want to apply if you're excited about:
The leverage you can create as designer no. 2 and the impact you'll have by attempting to level up the design skills of 25+ engineers through documentation, consulting and coaching. You won't be a cog in the wheel, the wheel is not very big
Getting to work on all parts of a massive product surface area - spanning many user types, JTBDs, usability challenges, etc. Unlike in other organizations, you won't be stuck working on one problem for many years.
Helping reinvent the design model for modern enterprise software - you don't have to build wireframes, user journeys, personas, etc. what matters is you solve a customer's problem; what tools you use is up to you.
Covering all parts of the design process with a focus on design craft. You'll still be doing the occasional user research interview but will be focused on using heuristics & experience to improve our IA, navigation, interactions, UI patterns, and more.
Helping build our design system from (almost) the ground up.

Conversely, you may not want to apply if:
You feel uncomfortable designing independently without much guidance from a PM or design management.
You're uncomfortable having your decisions and process being challenged constantly by engineering & product.
You prefer an in-person role over remote (Ashby operates remotely).
You dislike written documentation.
You want a set structure and rhythm to your projects.
You prefer a narrow job scope - interaction design only, design system only, etc.

On a weekly basis you will find yourself:
Consulting for engineers who need help structuring layout, typography, flows, etc.
Digging into problems by consulting GTM, talking to customers, asking for data requests, and more in order to present confident assumptions about your proposals.
Using Figma to draw out your ideas and create visual artifacts for stakeholder alignment.
Writing specification docs (we call them specs) that detail your design proposals. These documents are meant to get stakeholder alignment on the biggest decisions you want to make and are a core part of how we work at Ashby.
Taking ownership of larger product features and thinking through Jobs-To-Be-Done, navigation, information architecture, layout, interaction, etc.
Consolidating and refining our design system to be functional, aesthetic, and best-in-class.

Interview Process
At Ashby, our team and interview process want to help you show your best self. We'll dive into past projects and simulate working together and talking through decisions. Our interview process is four rounds with some casual Zoom (or in-person) coffee in between to get to know each other:

30-minute introduction call to discuss Ashby and your experience
45-minute portfolio review
90-minute design exercise & portfolio review (45m each). Portfolio review is a repeat but with different team members. The exercise can be a take-home or a live whiteboarding exercise, whichever you're more comfortable with
A virtual on-site of roughly 2 hrs. This will include meeting the team, a product teardown, and more

Your hiring manager will be your main point of contact and prepare you for interviews. You'll meet other engineers and product managers as well (with 15 minutes in each interview to ask them questions). If we don't give an offer, we'll provide feedback if you'd like it
Benefits
Competitive salary and equity.
10-year exercise window for stock options. You shouldn't feel pressure to purchase stock options if you leave Ashby —do it when you feel financially comfortable.
Unlimited PTO with four weeks recommended per year. Expect "Vacation?" in our one-on-one agenda until you start taking it.
Twelve weeks of fully paid family leave in the US. We plan to expand this to employees in other countries as situations arise.
Generous equipment, software, and office furniture budget. Get what you need to be happy and productive
$100/month education budget with more expensive items (like conferences) covered with manager approval.
If you're in the US, top-notch health insurance for you and your dependents with all premiums covered by us.

Ashby's success hinges on hiring great people and creating an environment where we can be happy, feel challenged, and do our best work. We're being deliberate about building that environment from the ground up. I hope that excites you enough to apply.

Ashby provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetics, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce and welcome people from all backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and abilities.

  • Head of Design

    1 month ago

    San Francisco, California, United States Product Hunt Full time

    We're beginning a new era of Product Hunt. As our first designer, you'll be the strategic design voice as we build Product Hunt's next chapter, and also apply your craft to make it happen.Your challenge? Learn our product inside out, learn what our users need and the problems we are trying to solve. Explore and test different ways to leverage design to make...

  • Lead Product Strategist

    6 days ago

    San Francisco, California, United States The Product Folks Full time

    About The Product FolksAt The Product Folks, we are dedicated to enhancing lives through innovative product solutions. Our commitment begins with fostering a diverse, inclusive, and open workplace.We connect users with transformative products that redefine their experiences. We seek product managers who possess outstanding creative, strategic, and analytical...

  • Lead Product Strategist

    5 hours ago

    San Francisco, California, United States The Product Folks Full time

    About The Product FolksAt The Product Folks, we are dedicated to enhancing lives through innovative solutions in the transportation sector. Our commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace is paramount as we strive to connect individuals with transformative transportation options.We are seeking experienced product managers who possess...

  • Lead Product Strategist

    5 days ago

    San Francisco, California, United States The Product Folks Full time

    About The Product FolksAt The Product Folks, we are dedicated to enhancing lives through innovative solutions in the product landscape. Our commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace is at the core of our mission.We are in search of experienced product managers who possess exceptional creative, strategic, and analytical capabilities to propel...

  • Lead Product Strategist

    3 hours ago

    San Francisco, California, United States The Product Folks Full time

    About The Product FolksAt The Product Folks, we are dedicated to enhancing lives through innovative solutions in the transportation sector. Our commitment lies in fostering a culture that is open, inclusive, and diverse.Role OverviewWe are in search of a Senior Product Manager who possesses outstanding creative, strategic, and analytical capabilities to...

  • Lead Product Strategist

    6 days ago

    San Francisco, California, United States The Product Folks Full time

    About The Product FolksAt The Product Folks, we are dedicated to enhancing lives through innovative transportation solutions. Our commitment to fostering an open, inclusive, and diverse workplace is at the core of our mission.We connect individuals to transformative transportation options, aiming to revolutionize how communities engage with mobility. We seek...

  • Lead Product Strategist

    4 hours ago

    San Francisco, California, United States The Product Folks Full time

    About The Product FolksAt The Product Folks, we are dedicated to enhancing lives through innovative transportation solutions. Our commitment begins with fostering a community that values openness, inclusivity, and diversity.Role OverviewWe are in search of experienced product managers who possess outstanding creative, strategic, and analytical capabilities...

  • Product Designer

    2 weeks ago

    San Francisco, California, United States The Athletic Full time

    About UsThe Athletic is a direct-to-consumer digital sports media company committed to helping subscribers experience storytelling in a whole new way. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in San Francisco, The Athletic has more than 575 full-time employees and covers more than 250 professional sports and collegiate teams in the US, Canada and the UK. The...

  • Product Designer

    2 months ago

    San Francisco, California, United States Pallet Full time

    WHO WE AREPallet is a company dedicated to disrupting the logistics industry. Located in San Francisco, CA, we've secured $21 million in funding from investors, including Bain Capital Ventures and Bessemer.Our flagship product is a Transportation Management System (TMS) and Warehouse Management System (WMS) designed to streamline business operations. We've...

  • Head of Product Strategy Summit

    5 days ago

    San Francisco, California, United States Product-Led Alliance Full time

    Product Strategy Summit - Engage in a transformative experience at the Product Strategy Summit, where you will have the opportunity to learn from esteemed industry leaders and connect with fellow senior product strategists. This event fosters a collaborative atmosphere for exchanging insights and best practices.During this summit, you will:Uncover strategies...

  • Production Designer, Design Systems

    2 weeks ago

    San Francisco, California, United States Humane Full time

    Who We AreHumane is a team of proven industry experts who have invented, built, and shipped category-defining hardware and software products to billions of people across the globe. We're known for building the audacious, ambitious, and the impossible, and we're doing it again. Our vision for the next shift between humans and computing requires innovation...

  • Product Design Lead

    7 hours ago

    San Francisco, California, United States CoStar Group, Inc. Full time

    About the RoleWe are seeking a highly skilled Product Design Lead to join our team at CoStar Group, Inc. as a UX Designer. As a Product Designer, you will play a critical role in shaping the user experience of our products and services.Key ResponsibilitiesCollaborate with cross-functional teams, including product managers, engineers, and customer-facing...

  • Product Design Lead

    2 days ago

    San Francisco, California, United States CoStar Group, Inc. Full time

    About the RoleWe are seeking a highly skilled Product Design Lead to join our team at CoStar Group, Inc. as a UX Designer. As a Product Designer, you will play a critical role in shaping the user experience of our products and services.Key ResponsibilitiesCollaborate with cross-functional teams, including product managers, engineers, and customer-facing...

  • Staff Product Designer, Premium Products

    2 weeks ago

    San Francisco, California, United States Academia Full time

    About Us is the world's leading platform for researchers and scholars to share their work, discover research and connect with fellow academics globally. Our bold vision: to democratize and accelerate the world's research, enhancing the speed of scientific discovery and technological progress for the benefit of everyone. We imagine a world where accessing...

  • Sr Product Designer

    2 months ago

    San Francisco, California, United States Uber Full time

    About the RoleUber ignites opportunity and changes the way the world moves for the better. We design for users around the world of all backgrounds and abilities. Our Product Equity team weaves equity into how our customers go and get anything by building inclusive experiences that prioritize the perspectives and needs of historically and systemically...

  • Staff Product Designer

    3 weeks ago

    San Francisco, California, United States Complete Full time

    About CompleteComplete helps candidates, employees and teams navigate the opaqueness of compensation. We've done this by reimagining the offer letter experience (replacing those boring PDFs ), internal rewards tools, and the compensation planning platforms themselves. Today, we work with dozens of companies, including growth-stage companies like Convex and...

  • Staff Product Designer, Design Systems

    2 months ago

    San Francisco, California, United States Hinge Health Full time

    Hinge Health is moving people beyond pain by transforming the way it is treated and prevented. Connecting people digitally and in-person with expert clinical care, we combine advanced technology, AI and a care team of experts to guide people through personalized care directly from their phone. Our approach is proven to reduce pain by 68%, prevent 42% of new...

  • Principal Product Designer

    2 months ago

    San Francisco, California, United States Tatari Full time

    Tatari is on a mission to revolutionize TV advertising. We work with some of your favorite disruptor brands—like Calm, Fiverr, and Rocket Money—to grow their business through linear and streaming TV. We combine a sophisticated media buying platform with proprietary analytics to turn TV advertising into an automated, digital-like experience.Named one of...

  • Sr. Product Designer

    1 month ago

    San Francisco, California, United States Uber Full time

    About the RoleOur Foundation Design Systems Team is hiring a Senior Product Designer specializing in visual design. This role demands a passion for aesthetic excellence and precision, aiming to redefine our user experience by advancing our design system. You will lead the creation of new shared patterns and apply systematic thinking to elevate and harmonize...

  • Senior Product Designer

    2 months ago

    San Francisco, California, United States Sigma Computing Full time

    Sigma's vision is to create an insight-driven world where people and organizations are transformed for the better by access to data and the insights it contains. At Sigma, we are building a cloud-native business intelligence platform that allows users to tap into their biggest databases hosted in the cloud and easily conduct analysis and graph data -- all...