Product Designer

About Downstream

Downstream is a marketplace platform transforming the waste and construction industries from the ground up. We're on a mission to bring simplicity, transparency, and sustainability to two of the most essential — but often overlooked — sectors of our economy.

We make it easy for contractors, builders, and businesses to find and book critical services like dumpster rentals, hauling, site services, and equipment — all in a few clicks. No endless calls, no confusing pricing, no waiting around. Our platform connects customers with vetted, reliable providers so they can get what they need, when they need it.

We're not just about convenience — we're about impact. By streamlining logistics and digitizing the supply chain, we're helping reduce waste, cut emissions, and build a cleaner, more sustainable future. Let's build better, together.

About the role

We're hiring an entry-level Product Designer with strong UX instincts and exceptional attention to detail to help shape how Downstream's product is built. This is not a traditional design role and not a product management role. You'll work side by side with frontend engineers while features are being implemented, helping ensure that the experience customers actually use is intuitive, consistent, and polished.

Rather than focusing on static mockups and design handoffs, you'll be involved in the implementation process itself. You'll review working interfaces, think through complete user flows, and collaborate with engineers to refine layout, spacing, hierarchy, and interactions in real time. Think of this as the closest you can get to engineering without writing code. Prior industry experience isn't required if you can demonstrate strong product instincts, curiosity, and a sharp eye for detail.

In many companies, design and engineering operate separately. That separation can create a gap between what was intended during design and what ultimately gets built and shipped.

This role exists to close that gap. By working directly inside the development process, you'll help ensure that Downstream doesn't just ship features that function — we ship experiences that are intuitive, consistent, and thoughtfully polished. Your work will have a direct impact on the quality of the product our customers use every day.

What you'll do

• Work directly with frontend engineers as features are being built, collaborating in the product implementation process
• Review working interfaces during development and provide timely, specific feedback
• Refine UX details such as layout, spacing, visual hierarchy, interaction states, and navigation
• Think through complete user journeys to ensure workflows are intuitive, clear, and easy to follow
• Identify usability issues, inconsistencies, and friction points, then recommend practical improvements
• Help translate product ideas and user needs into clear flows and interaction patterns
• Maintain consistency across the product experience as new features and functionality are introduced
• Continuously raise the quality bar for how Downstream's product looks, feels, and works

How this role works

This role happens inside the implementation process. You'll collaborate closely with frontend engineers while features are being built, reviewing the actual product and iterating together to make the experience clean, intuitive, and well-polished.

The emphasis is on tight feedback loops, clear communication, and high product quality — not long design cycles or static mockups. You'll be expected to notice details, explain what isn't working, and help the team make thoughtful improvements while the work is still in progress.

What this role is not

You will be embedded alongside engineers, helping improve the experience as features are implemented.

• Not a visual design role focused primarily on producing mockups or polished design files
• Not a product management role centered on writing specifications or owning the product roadmap
• Not a traditional design handoff workflow where design work is completed separately and passed to engineering

Who you are

• Extremely detail-oriented and quick to notice when something feels inconsistent, confusing, or unfinished
• Strong intuition for good user experience, and able to explain why an interface or workflow does or doesn't work
• You think in complete user flows, considering what a person is trying to accomplish from beginning to end
• Naturally curious about how software works and how people interact with it
• Comfortable collaborating closely with engineers and giving clear, precise, constructive feedback
• Able to iterate quickly, adapt to feedback, and make practical recommendations without overcomplicating the solution
• You care deeply about product quality and take pride in getting the small details right

Helpful background

Prior professional experience is not required. We're more interested in how you think, what you notice, and your ability to reason through a product experience. The following are helpful, but not required:

• Experience with Figma or similar design and prototyping tools
• A basic understanding of frontend concepts such as HTML, CSS, responsive layouts, and reusable components
• Personal, school, freelance, or extracurricular projects related to software, UX, or product design
• Examples of products or workflows you've evaluated, improved, or thought critically about

Benefits

Downstream is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable law.

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with a company match
• Company equity — be an owner in what we're building
• Paid time off, paid holidays, and floating holidays
• Parental and bereavement leave