Product Designer

The Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI) leverages technology to drive opportunity, improve public safety, and help government run better across New York City. From delivering affordable broadband to protecting against cybersecurity threats and building digital government services, OTI is at the forefront of how the city delivers for New Yorkers in the 21st century. OTI offers great benefits and the chance to work on projects that have a meaningful impact on millions of people, collaborating with passionate professionals to make a difference through technology. Senior Product Designer We are hiring a Senior Product Designer to design and ship resident-facing products end-to-end. This hands‑on role spans user research, interaction design, visual design, and content design. You will pair closely with product managers, engineers, other designers, policy teams, and other city employees to move from problem statements to working products and services for New Yorkers. You will lead design across the full process: framing the problem, conducting user research, building prototypes, designing interfaces, and partnering with product managers and engineers through build and launch. You will also lead modern design practices for the team, teach research methods, guide the use of shared design systems, and ensure quality products and services are delivered at pace and scale. Responsibilities Lead end‑to‑end design on resident‑facing products, from concept to launch, owning user research, interaction design, content design, and visual design. Move quickly through rapid prototyping, usability testing, MVP iteration, pilot, and public launch, making pragmatic trade‑offs between scope, quality, and timing. Plan and conduct user research with New Yorkers, including interviews, usability sessions, and field visits, and synthesize findings into actionable choices. Design clear user flows, information architecture, wireframes, and high‑fidelity interfaces, and help build prototypes to test interactions. Practice plain‑language content design, turning complex eligibility rules, legal language, and agency processes into product copy that is clear, accurate, and easy to act on. Partner with product managers, engineers, user researchers, and other OTI employees on day‑to‑day product decisions, and contribute to scoping and prioritization. Work directly with agency staff, policy advisors, and legal counsel to translate complex rules and regulations into accessible experiences. Build accessibility into the design process from the start and partner with engineers to ship products that meet the city’s quality and accessibility standards. Contribute to a shared design system and reusable patterns that speed future product design. Shape the design culture of a small, mission‑driven team, including mentorship and onboarding for future hires. Perform special projects and initiatives as assigned. Hours / Shift Day. Due to the technical duties of this position in a 24/7 operation, the candidate may be required to work various shifts such as weekends and/or nights/evenings. Work Location Brooklyn, NY Minimum Qualifications A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college in computer science, engineering, human‑computer interaction, interactive media, digital and graphics design, data visualization, communication or a related field, and four years of satisfactory full‑time experience related to the area(s) required by the particular position and a specialization in a relevant technology, process, methodology, and/or domain; or An associate degree from an accredited college in computer science, engineering, human‑computer interaction, interactive media, digital and graphics design, data visualization, communication or a related field, and six years of satisfactory full‑time experience related to the area(s) required by the particular position and a specialization in a relevant technology, process, methodology, and/or domain; or A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college, and eight years of satisfactory full‑time experience related to the area(s) required by the particular position and a specialization in a relevant technology, process, methodology, and/or domain; or Education and/or experience which is equivalent to any of the above. Preferred Skills The successful candidate should possess the following skills and experience: • 5+ years of professional product design experience, with a portfolio showing user‑facing digital products you have shipped. • End‑to‑end design experience owning research, interaction design, content design, and visual design, even if you have a stronger affinity for some of them. • Direct, hands‑on experience taking a product from concept through launch, not only iterating on existing flows. • Experience working on small, cross‑functional product teams alongside product managers, engineers, and researchers. • Working fluency with modern design tools (Figma) and practices, including prototyping, design systems, version control for design files, and design handoff to engineering. • Strong written and verbal communication; ability to explain design decisions to non‑designers, write clear documentation, and represent the team in conversations with agency partners and senior stakeholders. • Experience planning and moderating user research, including interviews with members of the public. • Hands‑on experience designing complex, regulated, or legacy environments, where the rules are messy, the data is imperfect, and the constraints are real. • Familiarity with accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 AA, Section 508) and experience shipping products that meet them. • Familiarity designing with localization and internationalization in mind. • Content design and plain‑language experience, especially in contexts where users have low trust, limited time, or limited patience for jargon. • Experience with mobile‑first responsive design and designing for users on low‑end devices and slow connections. • Experience handling user data with appropriate privacy and ethical considerations built into the design. • Experience contributing to or maintaining a shared design system. • Comfort with ambiguity, asking the right questions, and turning loosely defined problems into buildable plans. Public Service Loan Forgiveness As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at Residency Requirement New York City Residency is not required for this position. Additional Information The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy. #J-18808-Ljbffr