Who We Are

STEAMe is a workforce technology company turning fragmented systems into engines of economic advancement. Our roots in NowPow—a nationally recognized social care referral platform that connected 13 million people to vital care services—taught us how to deliver multi-sided platforms that power complex ecosystems. We channel that expertise into STEAMe, with purpose-built workforce solutions that close data and process gaps, connect stakeholders, and accelerate job placement and prosperity at scale.

Overview

The Product Designer plays an essential role in the creation and continuous improvement of STEAMe products. You'll own end-to-end user experiences — from user research through rapid prototyping — providing day-to-day design across our four products and working closely with product managers and engineers to bring new solutions to market. This role reports to the Chief Product Officer (CPO) and partners closely with our UX Lead.

Responsibilities

Own knowledge of our user personas, their pain points, and use cases to create valuable and delightful solutions
Plan and lead user research to inform problem definition and prioritization
Design end-to-end experiences using a design-thinking approach — observational studies, customer interviews, usability testing, and other qualitative and quantitative methods — to learn about user behavior and validate concepts
Create rapid iterations of mockups and prototypes for discovery and validation
Organize, recruit, and lead user testing sessions on new functionality
Analyze findings and communicate key insights to drive team decisions
Work within and extend our robust design system (in place from day one) to keep our four products consistent and efficient to build
Create high-quality design materials — wireframes, mockups, and style guides
Collaborate with engineering to ensure design specs are implemented
Contribute to product roadmap development and help define requirements
Use AI-powered design and research tools to work faster, and bring a point of view on where AI can improve our design process and products
Partner with the UX Lead to refine processes and best practices for product design

Requirements

3+ years of relevant experience across user research and UI/UX design — or 2+ years with a completed UX/UI design program or related degree
A portfolio (include the password if applicable) with examples where you led both the research and the product design of the resulting solution
Solid grasp of the user-centered design process, UX best practices, and methodologies
Proficiency with design and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma) and user testing platforms
Experience in an agile software environment, guiding product decisions through research and iterative feedback alongside product managers
Experience creating responsive designs across desktop, tablet, and mobile web that meet accessibility standards (WCAG)
Comfort with AI tooling in a design workflow
Strong communication skills to present and explain design decisions to teammates, users, and stakeholders, and to advocate for our users
Demonstrated passion for social entrepreneurship or using technology to address social challenges

Preferred Experience

Previous work on a social-impact solution or in B2B/B2B2C
0-to-1 design experience
Fast-paced startup environment working with multiple PMs and engineering teams
Experience working within and contributing to an established design system

Environmental Job Requirements & Working Conditions

This position is based in Chicago, IL
STEAMe is a Hybrid work environment, with 3 days work from home and 2 days in-office work
The pay range for this role is: $90,000 - 110,000. This salary range represents our target hiring range. Final compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors, including experience, skill set, and alignment to the role’s scope and level.

STEAMe is committed to building a diverse team and fostering an inclusive culture, and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We embrace and encourage our employees' differences in race, religion, color, national origin, gender, family status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, veteran status, disability, pregnancy, medical conditions, and other characteristics.

About the company

STEAMe is a playful, informal creative collective that brings together friends and colleagues from around the world to collaborate on arts, science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math (STEAM) projects. The group operates as a network rather than a single product, sharing ideas, skills, and resources to develop collaborative, cross-disciplinary work. Their projects are carried out through partnerships and joint efforts among a global roster of creatives, with Adorkable HQ based in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, New York, serving as a local hub. Compared with more traditional, single-brand companies, STEAMe emphasizes open collaboration, a flexible team structure, and a shared culture rather than a fixed lineup of offerings. The group’s goal is to inspire curiosity and creativity by organizing and producing collaborative STEAM-based projects that unite people across borders and disciplines.

Company Size

1-10

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

New York City, New York

Founded

2010

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

2026 website shows active selling to government, educators, industry, and workforce intermediaries.
Northwestern's July 2026 launch expands proof points with a flagship university-backed deployment.
Chicago community college use case shows traction in early-childhood talent pipelines and placement reporting.

What critics are saying

STEAMe depends on public-sector and foundation budgets that reset each fiscal year.
Lightcast, Guild, and existing state workforce systems already crowd STEAMe's buyer shortlist.
If the Evanston pilot misses placements, STEAMe loses its strongest reference and sales engine.

What makes STEAMe unique

STEAMe bundles coordination, job portal, analytics, and automated engagements into one workforce stack.
Northwestern and Ryan Family Foundation launched All Evanston Hiring Hub with STEAMe in July 2026.
STEAMe refreshes labor intelligence daily, giving users faster signals than stale state datasets.

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Benefits

Hybrid Work Options
Remote Work Options

STEAMe

Product Designer

About the job