At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and prototype user interfaces for an innovative AI-driven platform.
- Company: Join Proton, a cutting-edge tech company revolutionising wholesale distribution.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, stock options, unlimited PTO, and flexible work schedule.
- Other info: Dynamic team environment with opportunities for growth and creativity.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by creating user-friendly designs that enhance customer experiences.
- Qualifications: Strong design skills, experience with AI tools, and a passion for user-centric design.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
About Us
Proton is building the AI operating system for wholesale distribution, embedded in the workflows that move nearly every physical product on the planet. Distribution is a $9 trillion industry running on software that has been stuck for decades. We unify CRM, PIM, eCommerce AI, and Order & Quote Entry AI into one platform with one data layer and one AI brain, so reps spend their time on customer relationships instead of data entry. We hire people with high agency and high urgency. Everyone here is a builder who owns problems end to end and ships AI-native software faster than anyone else in the category. The median Proton customer reports 3x profit return per dollar spent and an extra day of sales per rep per month. Hundreds of distributors run on Proton, from family-owned shops to publicly-traded enterprises. We're backed by Felicis Ventures and Battery Ventures.
The Role
We're hiring a UI Product Designer to own how Proton looks and works. Reporting to the VP of Product, you'll ship in a squad with PMs and engineers, and you'll be in front of customers constantly, watching reps use what you built and bringing back what you can only learn in person. Our product people know their users by name, not through a research summary. Those users sit in one screen for eight hours a day and have spent their careers with software they merely tolerate. We want them to have something they'd choose: fast, modern, a pleasure to use. That's the hard version of the job, because most of the UI patterns you'd reach for by default were drawn for software that couldn't think. Ours can.
Two things make this role different from a standard product design opening:
- You're an AI-native designer, not just a Figma operator. Everyone here uses Claude Code and similar agentic tools as a first-class collaborator. We expect concepts prototyped in real code, put in front of people, and iterated with heavy AI leverage. Prototype before you polish, and make the calls AI can't. You set the craft bar. This hire decides how Proton looks and feels. Distribution software is famously grim and we intend to be the exception. You'll own the visual language and the design system across all four products.
Location: Cambridge, MA (hybrid, 3 days a week in Harvard Square) or remote in the EU.
Level: Product Designer through Senior Product Designer. Scope and autonomy change across that range.
Compensation: $80k – $100k base depending on experience, plus bonus, equity, and full benefits. EU offers are benchmarked to local market.
What You'll Do
- Prototype in code with Claude Code or Cursor to feel an interaction before we commit.
- Own the design system: components, interactions, documentation, and the harder part, getting every squad to use them.
- Define what AI looks like here. Nobody has settled patterns yet, so you'll decide what it looks like when a rep trusts an agent and when they overrule one.
- Work inside our agentic scrum model. We don't run two-week sprints; cadence follows what a team and its agents can ship, and you'll help work out what design looks like in that.
- Get in front of customers constantly, including onsite. Distributors work in warehouses and on sales floors, and the best design calls come from standing next to a rep.
Requirements
- Craft that is demonstrably yours. Command of typography, layout, color, hierarchy, and iconography, with motion when it earns its place. You pull references from well outside software, and your work looks like someone made it rather than assembled it. We are explicitly not hiring people who let AI make their taste decisions. AI amplifies taste, it doesn't create it.
- Real end-to-end delivery. Shipped products, real users, real ownership, alongside PM and engineering. Hands-on work, not an LLM-generated portfolio.
- Daily, hands-on use of AI in your practice. Claude Code, Cursor, or equivalent, used to ship real work rather than generate comps. You can say concretely how you structure context and check what comes back.
- A portfolio. Products or features you took from concept to launch where you set the visual language yourself. We're most interested in a workflow you found trapped in a legacy system and reimagined: what you kept, what you threw out, and how you got people to move.
- Systems thinking. You can author one beautiful screen and write the rules that let others make fifty consistent ones. You are curious enough to understand what's cheap to build and what isn't.
- Real agile experience, and a pull toward customers. You've worked inside traditional scrum and know what those rituals were for. We've replaced it with an agentic scrum, and knowing the original is what lets you help rebuild it. You'd also rather be in the room with a user than briefed about them.
Big Plus
- Complex B2B, enterprise, or ERP-adjacent software, with high-frequency users and workflows people can't opt out of.
- Agentic products, and the patterns for trust, correction, and handoff between a person and an agent.
- Early-stage SaaS startups.
Benefits
- Competitive salary + company stock options — we want you to feel like an owner.
- Flexible schedule with high autonomy.
- Unlimited PTO + 10 company-paid holidays.
- 12 weeks fully paid parental leave (primary and secondary, including adoption and fostering).
- Annual company-paid offsites.
Proton.ai participates in the E-Verify program: Notice of E-Verify Participation, Right to Work.
UI Product Designer in Cambridge employer: Protonai
Proton is an exceptional employer that fosters a culture of innovation and ownership, where UI Product Designers can thrive in a dynamic environment. With a focus on employee autonomy, competitive compensation, and generous benefits like unlimited PTO and fully paid parental leave, Proton empowers its team to create impactful AI-native software while enjoying a flexible work schedule. Located in the vibrant Harvard Square area of Cambridge, MA, or available for remote work in the EU, Proton offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of distribution software alongside passionate colleagues.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land UI Product Designer in Cambridge
✨Show Off Your Portfolio
In the world of UX/UI design, your portfolio speaks volumes! Make sure it's packed with your best work and showcases your process, not just the final product. We want to see how you tackle design challenges, so consider adding case studies that reflect your thought process and user-centric approach.
✨Get Involved in Design Communities
Jump into local or online design meetups and workshops! Places like UXPA or local design events can be goldmines for networking and learning. Plus, mingling with fellow designers can introduce you to potential job openings that might not be listed elsewhere.
✨Tailor Your Applications
When you find a role that excites you, like the one at Protonai for a UI Product Designer, make your application count! Highlight specific projects and skills that directly relate to the job description. Hiring managers are looking for candidates who fit into their specific team, so show them you’re the one!
✨Leverage Social Media
Don't underestimate the power of social media in finding a UX/UI design job! Follow design leaders on platforms like Twitter or Instagram, share your work, and engage in conversations. It’s a great way to get noticed by recruiters and even catch wind of openings at companies like Protonai before they go live!
We think you need these skills to ace UI Product Designer in Cambridge
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Design Process:When you're applying for a UX/UI Design role like UI Product Designer at Protonai, make sure to include examples that clearly highlight your design process. We want to see not just the final product but also the journey that led you there—wireframes, user personas, and iterations demonstrate your thought process and user-centric approach!
Tailor Your Portfolio:A tailor-made portfolio is crucial for a full-time design role! Curate your best projects that align with the kind of work Protonai does. We suggest including 3-5 case studies that showcase a variety of skills such as wireframing, prototyping, and user testing to really make your application pop.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter should not just be a summary of your CV. Use it to express why you’re excited about UX/UI Design and what draws you specifically to Protonai. Mention any relevant experience, tools you’re proficient in (like Sketch or Figma), and how you can contribute to their projects.
Highlight Collaboration Skills:In the world of UX/UI Design, teamwork is crucial. Make sure to highlight any past experiences where you worked in cross-functional teams. Illustrate how you communicated design decisions and listened to feedback, as this will resonate well with the culture at Protonai.
How to prepare for a job interview at Protonai
✨Show Off Your Portfolio
When you're gunning for a full-time UX/UI design role, your portfolio is your best friend! Make sure you've got a solid selection of your work, showcasing not just the final designs, but the process behind them—think wireframes, user flows, and any user research you've conducted. During the interview with Protonai, be prepared to discuss your design decisions and how they solve specific user problems.
✨Prepare for Design Challenges
Expect to face some practical design tasks during your interview. Protonai might ask you to tackle a quick design challenge or critique an existing interface. Brush up on your problem-solving skills and try to articulate your thought process as you work through these scenarios. Showing how you approach a design problem is just as important as the final output!
✨Know the Tools of the Trade
Familiarise yourself with the tools commonly used in the industry—figma, Adobe XD, or Sketch should be second nature to you. Be ready to discuss your preferred tools during the interview and how they've shaped your design process at previous positions. This knowledge could give you an edge at Protonai!
✨Show Passion for User Experience
In a full-time UX/UI design role, having a genuine passion for improving user interactions can set you apart. Be prepared to share instances when you went above and beyond to ensure a great user experience in your previous projects. This will demonstrate that you’re not just a designer, but a user advocate, which is exactly what Protonai is looking for.
