Product Designer Job at Semicolon

Semicolon - We are a social enterprise creating employment and economic opportunities by training software engineers and techpreneurs. Technology has the power to transform entire industries and the lives of everyday Nigerians. However, companies and entrepreneurs seeking to develop innovative solutions are faced with the same issue: they struggle to find employees with the skills required to design and develop their technology. Across industries, from finance to agriculture to education, companies are searching for Nigerians skilled in software engineering, design, and project management, and too often are not able to find what they need. We are addressing this gap and building a thriving technology sector in Nigeria by developing talent and fostering innovation.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Position: Product Designer

Job Location: Lagos
Job Type: Fulltime 

Organizational Brief

• Teaching - Our core focus is to develop technical skills in young people through a one-year intensive program that includes classroom learning, hands-on project experience, and internships.
• Incubation - for innovative technology. All students work on technology projects, either based on student ideas or partner companies’ initiatives. We identify the most viable solutions and bring them to reality by providing early support on technology and business development, and connecting entrepreneurs with funding sources, mentors, etc.
• Building Community - We are an “Innovation Hub,” bringing together innovative minds to develop new solutions. We connect our students with mentors and partners from around the globe.
• Project Delivery - We work with corporate partners in implementing projects.

Scope:

• A product designer plays an important role during all stages of product development. S/he should be skilled at translating the goal of the product into a functional user experience and nurturing that experience as the product matures through different stages of the product life cycle.
• Our Ideal Product Designer is a tech-driven individual with strength in UI/UX design, product design and graphic design, alongside interaction design, and information architecture, etc.
• You will work on various products we develop for our users, tech founders and clients. You will work with other designers and cross-functional team members and will rely heavily on both qualitative and quantitative data to make informed decisions.
• You will be focused on the needs of the users. You will be responsible for defining product specifications, creating digital and print designs/drawings and designing fully functional products. You should have an eye for color and shape and be able to translate requirements into practical product features.
• Ultimately, you will help us build products that address pain point, are easy to use and visually appealing to our potential customers.

Responsibilities

• By partnering with cross-functional teams and customers, you will turn your insights into delightful products in a creative environment that requires proven leadership skills and the ability to execute a creative vision.

Your Responsibilities in detail:

• Identify opportunities for new products
• Analyze how a new product ties in with market needs and consumer preference
• Prototype and design fully functional products.
• Test functionality of new products.
• Execute day-to-day tasks around Information Architecture, Interaction design, Visual Design, Branding, Illustration.
• Create digital and print designs; for branding, brand awareness and product positioning on both traditional and digital media/platforms.
• Analyse briefs from internal teams and external partners and factor them in when setting design requirements.
• Improve the design of existing products
• Gather feedback from product users
• Provide assistance to product engineers when needed.
• Research and recommend new tools and technologies by staying abreast of the latest trends and techniques
• Other Design duties as assigned. 

Requirements

• BSc/MSc in any discipline, preferably Product Design, Manufacturing Design Engineering or a relevant field.
• 5 years + industry-standard experience as a Product Designer or in a similar role
• Ability to use a variety of design tools including but not limited to; Figma, Sketch, Illustrator, Photoshop, Coreldraw, etc and prototyping software.
• Knowledge of and ability to use modeling software.
• Proven experience in the various phases of the product life cycle, design process, including user research, copywriting, wireframing, prototyping, Illustration, visual design, branding, interaction design, and usability testing. 
• Knowledge of industrial design. 
• A well-rounded portfolio of client work, demonstrating a strong understanding of client objectives.
• Ability to effectively communicate and persuade around design concepts.
• Passion for design; not satisfied with the status quo and always thinking of ways to improve
• Creative problem-solving skills
• Dynamic, creative personality, effective at engaging and influencing a various audience
• Time-management and adaptability
• An intuitive eye for customer needs beyond the obvious
• Excellent attention to detail
• Ability to collaborate with cross-functional team members
• Ability to collect and interpret both qualitative and quantitative feedback
• Other requirements as specific to the organizational model