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Product Designer Jobs in Reston, VA (NOW HIRING)

Air

Forward Deployed Product Designer

Arlington, VA

We are looking for a highly experienced Forward Deployed Product Designer to continue growing our Design team and help shape the future of the Air Enterprise Readiness platform. This role is highly ...

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Zero21

Senior Product Designer - DC Metro

Washington, DC · On-site +1

We're seeking a UI/UX Designer to be a hands-on collaborator; helping to define, design and implement the user experience across all of our products. You will play an important role at every stage of ...

Zero21

Senior Product Designer - DC Metro

Washington, DC · On-site +1

We're seeking a UI/UX Designer to be a hands-on collaborator; helping to define, design and implement the user experience across all of our products. You will play an important role at every stage of ...

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Showing results 1-20

All JobsProduct Designer JobsProduct Designer Jobs in Reston, VA

Product Designer information

See Reston, VA salary details

$52.1K

$150.5K

$214.7K

How much do product designer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 2, 2026, the average yearly pay for product designer in Reston, VA is $150,462.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $136,500.00 and $161,600.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

Is 40 too old to become a UX designer?

Product design is a field that values skills, portfolio, and experience over age. Many designers start or transition into the role later in life, and having diverse perspectives can be an advantage. Continuous learning of tools like Figma or Adobe XD and building a strong portfolio are key steps regardless of age.

What do you do as a product designer?

A product designer is responsible for creating the overall look, feel, and user experience of a product, often combining skills in design, user research, and prototyping. They collaborate with cross-functional teams, use tools like Sketch or Figma, and focus on making products intuitive and visually appealing throughout the development process.

What Do Product Designers Do?

A product designer creates products for companies based on marketability and customer need. As a product designer, your responsibilities go far beyond aesthetics. You must consider all aspects of behavioral economics that can influence consumer choices. That includes any factors that can affect sales and future development. Your duties include meeting with your client to discuss what they want, conducting market research to determine what the end user wants, and creating a product design that a customer is easily able to use and likely to buy. This process can be time-consuming, as it takes excellent analytical skills to balance marketable aesthetics with functional usability.

How does a Product Designer typically collaborate with engineers and product managers during the development process?

Product Designers work closely with engineers and product managers throughout the development lifecycle. They participate in cross-functional meetings to ensure design feasibility, communicate user needs, and iterate on feedback. Designers often create prototypes and user flows, which are shared with engineers for technical input and with product managers to align on business goals. This collaborative approach ensures that the final product is both user-friendly and technically viable, while also meeting project timelines and objectives.

What is the difference between Product Designer vs UX Designer?

AspectProduct DesignerUX Designer
FocusHolistic approach including user experience, visual design, and product strategyPrimarily focuses on user experience and usability
SkillsDesign, prototyping, user research, product thinkingUser research, wireframing, usability testing
Work EnvironmentCollaborates with product managers, developers, and stakeholdersWorks closely with UX researchers and developers
Common UsageUsed across tech companies, startups, and product teamsPrimarily in UX/UI design roles within similar environments

Product Designers have a broader scope, combining user experience with visual design and product strategy, while UX Designers focus mainly on optimizing user experience and usability. Both roles collaborate closely but differ in their overall responsibilities and skill sets.

Are product designers in high demand?

Product designers are in high demand across various industries due to the increasing focus on user experience and digital products. Companies seek skilled designers proficient in tools like Figma and Adobe XD, often requiring a strong portfolio and knowledge of user-centered design principles. The role offers growth opportunities as organizations prioritize innovative and user-friendly solutions.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Product Designer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Product Designer, you need a strong foundation in user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design, visual communication, and problem-solving, typically supported by a degree in design or a related field. Proficiency with design tools like Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, and prototyping software is essential, along with familiarity with user research methods. Strong collaboration, empathy, and communication skills help Product Designers gather user feedback and work effectively with cross-functional teams. These skills and qualities are crucial for creating user-centered products that are both functional and visually appealing, ensuring a positive impact on business goals.

Is AI replacing designers?

Product designers use AI tools to enhance their workflows, automate repetitive tasks, and generate design options. However, AI currently serves as a complement to human creativity and problem-solving, and the role of a designer involves critical thinking, user empathy, and strategic decision-making that AI cannot replicate. AI is a tool that supports, not replaces, the core skills of product designers.

What are Product Designers?

Product Designers are professionals who create and improve products by focusing on both their functionality and user experience. They work at the intersection of design, technology, and business to develop products that are visually appealing, user-friendly, and meet market needs. Their responsibilities typically include conducting user research, creating prototypes, collaborating with engineers, and iterating designs based on feedback. Product Designers often work on digital products like apps and websites, but their skills can extend to physical products as well.
More about Product Designer jobs
What are the most commonly searched types of Product Designer jobs in Reston, VA? The most popular types of Product Designer jobs in Reston, VA are:
What are popular job titles related to Product Designer jobs in Reston, VA? For Product Designer jobs in Reston, VA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Product Designer jobs in Reston, VA look for? The top searched job categories for Product Designer jobs in Reston, VA are:
What cities near Reston, VA are hiring for Product Designer jobs? Cities near Reston, VA with the most Product Designer job openings:
Product Designer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Product Designer job openings in Reston, VA as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 89% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $150,462 per year, or $72.3 per hour.
Forward Deployed Product Designer

Forward Deployed Product Designer

Air

Arlington, VA

Full-time

Posted 13 days ago

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Job description

Company Description
Air is the leader in Enterprise Readiness. Our mission is to establish readiness as a real-time condition that is continuously achieved. Today, a dangerous Readiness Gap exists between what the front line needs and what is delivered. Our AI-native platform, Air Enterprise Readiness, aligns development, production, delivery, and sustainment into one coordinated execution system for government agencies and industrial suppliers. By revealing true capacity, exposing real constraints, coordinating resources, and executing at the speed of operational demands, the front line gets what it needs to succeed.
Job Description

We are looking for a highly experienced Forward Deployed Product Designer to continue growing our Design team and help shape the future of the Air Enterprise Readiness platform. This role is highly embedded: you will work directly alongside our forward-deployed engineers and end-users, requiring a designer who values speed of delivery over perfection and rapid iteration. You must be a critical thinker and problem solver who can take ownership of feature strategy and development. A strong candidate can not only convert ambiguous objectives into empowering and enjoyable experiences but also helps facilitate all parts of the process, including rapid, low-fidelity prototyping, interaction design, and on-site client engagement to drive continuous UX research and ensure we are building for user needs.

Our forward-deployed product team is a collaborative group of product managers, implementation, and engineers. We operate within integrated deployment, each of which focuses on key user workflows and needs that we have identified in the defense space. You will join a deployment depending on your background and take charge of the tasks for that track.
In a typical week, the individual who fills this position could expect to:
  • Collaborate directly with end-users and forward-deployed engineers to understand mission-critical workflows.
  • Gather real-time feedback and iterate rapidly on design solutions within the operational environment.
  • Collaborate with product managers and engineers to scope, architect, and deliver 0-to-1 product initiatives and prototypes.
  • Assess, prioritize, and address the most critical gaps in prototype solutions under development, based on user feedback and in partnership with product managers.
  • Fail often, iterate quickly, and try again.

This role is a full-time position located out of our offices in Pittsburgh, PA, or Arlington, VA.

This role may require up to 50% travel.
Scope of Responsibilities
  • Act as an embedded UX expert, collaborating closely with forward-deployed engineers, data analysts, and go-to-market teams to rapidly understand user needs and apply UX best practices to translate them into validated product features and user experiences.
  • Execute rapid prototyping cycles by quickly designing and documenting user flows, wireframes, and interactive prototypes, prioritizing speed and iterative testing to optimize data visualization and facilitate data exploration.
  • Collaborate directly with embedded product and engineering teams to support design implementation, engaging in productive cost-benefit discussions that balance speed and delivery with design integrity for future iteration.
  • Present designs and key milestones to clients, peers, and executive-level stakeholders, grounding all decisions in UX research best practices and validated user needs.
  • Contribute to the development and maintenance of an established design system and UI component library.
  • Become an expert on Air.ai itself and the commercial and publicly sourced data it contains.
Qualifications
  • U.S. Citizenship is required
Required Skills:
  • Bachelor's degree in HCD, HCI, Graphic Design, Interaction Design, or related field.
  • 3-5+ years of experience designing and shipping complex, intuitive, and successful web-based products - ideally with a data component.
  • Proven experience working in a highly agile, embedded development process, demonstrating an ability to prioritize speed of delivery and rapid iteration while ensuring quality.
  • Portfolio with revenue-generating case studies.
  • Interest in defense tech, analysis, and data visualization.
  • Ability to work independently with little supervision.
  • Ability to solve problems creatively, effectively, and at multiple fidelities.

Desired Skills:

  • Current possession of a U.S. security clearance at the Top Secret level, or the ability to obtain one with our sponsorship
  • Experience in or exposure to the nuances of a startup or other entrepreneurial environment
  • Master's in HCD, HCI, Graphic Design, Interaction Design, or related field.
  • Experience working in a customer-facing or consulting role.
We firmly believe that past performance is the best indicator of future performance. If you thrive while building solutions to complex problems, are a self-starter, and are passionate about making an impact in global security, we're eager to hear from you.
Air is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability and protected veterans status or any other characteristic protected by law.