Job Description
About Customer.io
Over 9,000 companies — from scrappy startups to global brands — use our platform to send billions of emails, push notifications, in-app messages, and SMS every day. Customer.io powers automated communication that people actually want to receive. We help teams send smarter, more relevant messages using real-time behavioral data.
About the role
Hi, my name is Matt Wensing, VP Product & Design at Customer.io, and I’m looking for a Senior Product Designer to own the design of a product area end to end — from strategy through shipped pixels.
We’re a lean design team working on a sophisticated B2B platform that millions of messages flow through every day. This role is for designers who insist on owning outcomes, not just deliverables — who see implementation as part of the job, treat the design system as something they contribute to, and have a real point of view on how AI changes interaction design in their area. You’ll shape what we build within your domain, not just how it looks.
What we value
- Design Craft over decoration — we care about interactions that work, flows that don’t lose users, and systems that hold up over time.
- Ownership through implementation — you don’t hand off and walk away. You close the gap between design and shipped product, including in code when that’s the right tool.
- AI as a design factor — we expect a thoughtful perspective on how AI changes interaction models, not just awareness that AI exists.
- Candor in critique — we give and receive honest feedback because it’s the fastest path to better work.
- Systems thinking over one-off solutions — we build patterns, not just screens.
What you’ll do
- Own the design of a product area end to end — strategy, flows, edge cases, and shipped quality.
- Design flows, not just screens — identify where users will get stuck before they do, and treat self-service (onboarding, activation, recovery) as a primary discipline.
- Close the gap between design and shipped product — pair with engineering during implementation, catch regressions, and contribute directly in code: Pluma components, production UI fixes, interaction prototypes.
- Contribute actively to Pluma, our design system — use it well, propose extensions thoughtfully, fix inconsistencies, and step into stewardship of components adjacent to your work.
- Develop a point of view on AI in your product area — prototype the interaction, not just the screen, and treat uncertainty, latency, and reversibility as real design factors.
- Partner with PM and Engineering on roadmap and tradeoffs — bring UX into the conversation early, push back when it shortchanges the user, and own the quality of your area over time.
- Mentor designers earlier in their career through pairing, critique, and the example set by your own work.
What we’re looking for
- 5+ years of product design experience with a portfolio demonstrating craft, ownership, and a clear point of view on shipped work.
- Strong flow literacy — you design end-to-end experiences across states, edge cases, and recovery paths, not isolated screens.
- Closes the design-to-implementation gap — partners tightly with engineering, catches regressions, and contributes directly in code. Code fluency is a real and growing expectation at this level.
- Experienced power user of a design system — you can describe how you’ve extended it thoughtfully, where you’ve pushed back on a pattern, and how you decide when to use a primitive vs. propose a new one.
- Has designed or shipped AI-involved interfaces and can talk specifically about how you handled uncertainty, latency, or reversibility — even at small scale.
- B2B SaaS experience with complex, data-driven interfaces — you understand systems, not just screens.
- Strong communication and critique skills — brings rationale to decisions, gives feedback that improves the work, and can change your mind when you find better evidence.
Compensation & Benefits
We believe in transparency. Starting salary for this role is $171k–$193k USD (or equivalent in local currency) depending on experience and subject to market rate adjustment.
We know our people are what make us great, and we’re committed to taking great care of them. Our inclusive benefits package supports your well-being and growth, including 100% coverage of medical, dental, vision, mental health, and supplemental insurance premiums for you and your family. We also offer 16 weeks paid parental leave, unlimited PTO, stipends for remote work and wellness, a professional development budget, and more.
See full benefits here →
Our Process
No gotchas, no trick questions — just a clear, human process designed to help both of us make an informed decision.
- Recruiter Screen — 30 minutes
- HM Screen — 45 minutes
- Portfolio Review — 45 minutes
- Case & Case Review — 60 minutes
All final candidates will be asked to complete a background check and employment verifications as part of our pre-employment process.
Customer.io recognizes the stifling impact of systemic injustice on diverse communities. We commit to using our influence to increase inclusion and equity within the tech industry. We strive to build an inclusive team culture, implement bias-free hiring practices, and develop community partnerships to expand our global impact.
Zoom is the only video conference platform that we use, virtual interviews will be conducted using the video capability (i.e., not via the chat), and offers will be extended in writing on official Customer.io letterhead. Please be vigilant in all of your job search activity, and if you have any questions please contact [email protected].
Join us!
Check out our careers page for more information about why you should come work with us! We believe in empathy, transparency, responsibility, and, yes, a little awkwardness. If you’re excited by what you read — apply now.
