Senior Product Design Leader — Remote & High Impact in Kirkwall

At Merixstudio, we build digital products that actually work — for users, for businesses, and for the teams that maintain them. Our Product Design practice sits at the heart of how we approach every project: from early discovery through to delivery.

We are looking for a Senior Product Designer Leader to own that practice. Not just contribute to it — lead it.

You will wear two hats, and you will be great at both:

• As a design leader: You will shape how design works at Merixstudio — setting standards, growing designers, and making sure the team delivers work they are proud of.
• As a hands-on practitioner: You will work directly on client projects — running discovery sessions, defining UX strategy, shaping design solutions from concept to polished UI, and making design decisions that have real business impact.

More Specifically:

• Define and evolve our design practice — establish standards, processes, and best practices that scale across the team and reflect where the industry is heading (yes, that includes AI-augmented workflows).
• Lead and develop the design team — you will be the go-to person for your designers: holding regular 1:1s, running quarterly development reviews, helping people set goals that actually matter, and collecting feedback that drives real improvement.
• Run client workshops and discovery sessions — uncover real business needs, align stakeholders, and set projects up for success from day one (occasional business travel may be involved).
• Ensure design quality — review work, raise the bar, and make sure what ships is both useful and beautifully crafted.
• Stay sharp on trends — keep the team ahead of emerging tools, methods, and AI developments reshaping the design profession.

Who you are:

• You bring 6+ years of experience in UX/UI or Product Design, including at least 2 years of proven leadership.
• You lead with UX thinking but possess a deep passion for UI craft.
• Your portfolio shows both design craft and strategic thinking.
• You are experienced in leading workshops and discovery sprints, and you are comfortable navigating stakeholder presentations with ease.
• You feel comfortable working directly with clients — including sales conversations and project scoping.
• You are confident presenting complex ideas to both technical teams and non-technical business partners.
• You find genuine fulfillment in coaching others and helping your teammates level up their skills.
• You do not just follow trends; you are already integrating AI tools into your workflow to evolve the way you design.
• You stay inspired and connected by remaining active in the design world—whether through Dribbble, Behance, or local industry events.
• You are experienced in planning and conducting user research and usability testing, not just interpreting results others gathered.
• You are fluent in English (C1+) and comfortable using it as your primary language for daily client collaboration.

What we would like to see:

• HotJar, Maze, or similar tools for user testing and analytics.
• Low-code/no-code tools — knowing their strengths and limits is a plus.
• Experience designing for IoT, data-rich platforms, or complex data visualisations (dashboards, control panels, real-time interfaces).
• Familiarity with the PropTech or Facility Management space — understanding its users, business models, and design challenges.

Your Toolkit:

• Figma is your second language.
• Mural is your go-to for remote collaboration and discovery.
• AI Tools are already a functional part of your design process.

Your benefits:

• Home office bonus.
• Mentors.
• Internal trainings.
• Flexible working hours.
• Free medical care.
• Work from home.
• Chillout spaces.
• Bike space.

If you want to be a part of our team, apply! If in doubt, feel free to ask a question at jobs@merixstudio.com.