STEM OPT Product Designer Jobs
Product Designer roles qualify for STEM OPT when your degree falls under an eligible CIP code in computer science, engineering, or a related STEM field. The 24-month extension gives you up to 36 months total to work for any employer enrolled in E-Verify, with a signed I-983 training plan on file.
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Assists in creating wireframes and prototypes of the graphical user interface (GUI), design interaction, and user experience (UX) for in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) systems, safety systems, and the connected car ecosystem. Contributes to research primarily in the North American market, including customer demand and the future automotive market, while developing an understanding of Subaru Corporation's (SBR's) (parent company) strategy and the product development plan.
Under the guidance of senior and lead designers, supports the improvement of current and future products by participating in evaluations of Subaru vehicles and competitor cars, and assists in developing proposals or target performance goals for SBR. Participates in cooperative efforts with other department teams as directed, supporting information sharing and contributing to collaborative development activities.
Essential job functions include:
- Assisting in the creation of designs and mock-ups of user interface (UI)/UX with the team, as well as small prototypes of GUI for initial evaluation.
- Learning to design IVI systems as human-machine interface (HMI) across the connected car ecosystem, with the goal of improving UX.
- Supporting UX design trend research and user research activities — including competitive benchmarking, user surveys, and usability studies — under the direction of senior team members, and contributing to the team's research documentation and findings repository.
Primary Responsibilities
Next-Generation Human-Machine Interface (HMI) & Graphical User Interface (GUI) Design (40%)
- Learns dedicated GUI design and user experience (UX) tools, with guidance from senior and lead designers.
- Cooperates with team designers to create materials for GUI under direction.
- Assists in creating wireframes, mock-ups, and GUI prototypes using dedicated tools for the development of next generation in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) systems, safety systems, and connected car ecosystem touchpoints.
- Supports the design of interaction and UX concepts for IVI systems and the broader connected car ecosystem.
- Participates actively in design reviews and team critiques, presenting work in progress, receiving feedback openly, and incorporating direction constructively across subsequent iterations.
Next-Generation GUI Screen Transition & Interaction Flow Production
- Assists in creating interactive animated screens in order to test screen transitions and usability.
- Supports the use of the latest prototyping tools to help share multiple flows of the GUI with collaborators and stakeholders for feedback, ideas, testing, and design iterations, under the direction of senior team members.
UX Design Trend & User Research
- Participates in trend exploration of IVI and market research from a future-focused perspective, contributing to the reflection of findings in next-generation product improvement initiatives.
- Assists in preparing reports, analyses, and research information, including in-house rapid-prototyping, and contributes to data analysis under the direction of senior team members.
- Assists in identifying Subaru’s strengths and weaknesses and competitor strengths and weaknesses as part of team benchmarking and competitive intelligence activities.
- Assists in the design, distribution, and analysis of user surveys, ensuring questions are clear and aligned with the research objective, under the direction of senior team members.
- Supports the planning and execution of user research activities such as usability tests, interviews, or observational studies as directed; collects and organizes findings into accessible summaries.
- Maintains organized records of all assigned research activities, participants, findings, and source materials in a consistent and retrievable format.
- Contributes to the team’s research documentation repository as directed, supporting the long-term ability to retrieve and act on research findings.
- Participates in research programs and driving tests as assigned; assists in gathering research and intelligence on competitive products.
- Actively learns to understand automotive systems and how consumers interact with vehicle technology.
Miscellaneous
- Reports all irregular issues and problems to supervisor for resolution.
- Maintains a clean and safe working area.
- Gets to know new people and information by attending meetings and conferences and reading industry journals as well as talking to contacts in other companies.
- Researches competitive fleet vehicles for Japan and North America use.
- Observes and maintains all safety regulations and procedures as needed.
- Maintains good communication both inside and outside the company.
- Performs special projects and other miscellaneous duties as assigned by management.
Participate in Team Development
- Researches new design tools and their capabilities.
- Participates in training to develop new skills and shares relevant knowledge and observations with the broader team.
- Performs job functions to a high level, serving as a quality and professionalism reference for junior design staff.
- Pursues continuous professional development, actively applying new skills, tools, and knowledge to direct benefit of the team.
Job Requirements
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Education
- Bachelor's Degree in graphic design, user design, web design, technical illustration, or similar field – Required Or
- H.S. Diploma plus equivalent combination of education and experience in lieu of degree – Required
Work Experience
- Up to 2 years – Required
Skills
- Skills necessary to complete daily tasks.
- Basic understanding of general interests/trends in U.S. market.
- General knowledge and understanding of design topics. Ability to learn new design information related to new projects.
- Basic proficiency with design tools including Figma, Adobe Creative Cloud (CC), artificial intelligence (AI) tools, and human-machine interface (HMI) toolchain.
- Basic proficiency in in-vehicle infotainment (IVI)/HMI conventions.
- Automotive experience – Preferred
- Strong interpersonal and written communication skills.
- Analytical and Conceptual Thinking: Using logic and reason, as well as being creative and strategic.
- Ability to learn a new system and understand how a consumer will use the technology.
- Ability to manage, balance, and prioritize multiple tasks.
- Ability to understand and work efficiently in a multicultural/multilingual environment.
Work Environment
• Office Location: Van Buren, MI
• Compensation: The recruiting base salary range for this full-time position is $75,000– $80,000 / year. Individual pay is determined based on job-related skills, experience, and education. This role is bonus-eligible (Internal Job Grade: P1).
WHY JOIN US?
Total Rewards & Benefits
- Medical, Dental, Vision Plans
- Pension, Profit Sharing, and 401K Match Offerings
- 15 Vacation days, 5 Floating Holidays, 5 Sick days, and 9 Company Holidays
- Tuition Reimbursement Program: $15,000 yearly benefit
- Vehicle Discount Programs
Learning & Development
- Professional growth and development opportunities
- Direct partnership with senior leadership
- Formal Mentorship Program
- LinkedIn Learning License
Visit our careers landing page for additional information about compensation and benefit programs.
About Subaru
Love. It’s what makes Subaru, Subaru®. Subaru strives to be More Than a Car Company® through community engagement and our Subaru Love Promise®. Subaru is a globally renowned automobile manufacturer known for innovation, safety, and sustainability since 1953. Subaru’s culture is built on collaboration, diversity, and passion for our products. Employees are encouraged to contribute their unique talents to create exceptional vehicles that inspire our customers.
Summary
Assists in creating wireframes and prototypes of the graphical user interface (GUI), design interaction, and user experience (UX) for in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) systems, safety systems, and the connected car ecosystem. Contributes to research primarily in the North American market, including customer demand and the future automotive market, while developing an understanding of Subaru Corporation's (SBR's) (parent company) strategy and the product development plan.
Under the guidance of senior and lead designers, supports the improvement of current and future products by participating in evaluations of Subaru vehicles and competitor cars, and assists in developing proposals or target performance goals for SBR. Participates in cooperative efforts with other department teams as directed, supporting information sharing and contributing to collaborative development activities.
Essential job functions include:
- Assisting in the creation of designs and mock-ups of user interface (UI)/UX with the team, as well as small prototypes of GUI for initial evaluation.
- Learning to design IVI systems as human-machine interface (HMI) across the connected car ecosystem, with the goal of improving UX.
- Supporting UX design trend research and user research activities — including competitive benchmarking, user surveys, and usability studies — under the direction of senior team members, and contributing to the team's research documentation and findings repository.
Primary Responsibilities
Next-Generation Human-Machine Interface (HMI) & Graphical User Interface (GUI) Design (40%)
- Learns dedicated GUI design and user experience (UX) tools, with guidance from senior and lead designers.
- Cooperates with team designers to create materials for GUI under direction.
- Assists in creating wireframes, mock-ups, and GUI prototypes using dedicated tools for the development of next generation in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) systems, safety systems, and connected car ecosystem touchpoints.
- Supports the design of interaction and UX concepts for IVI systems and the broader connected car ecosystem.
- Participates actively in design reviews and team critiques, presenting work in progress, receiving feedback openly, and incorporating direction constructively across subsequent iterations.
Next-Generation GUI Screen Transition & Interaction Flow Production
- Assists in creating interactive animated screens in order to test screen transitions and usability.
- Supports the use of the latest prototyping tools to help share multiple flows of the GUI with collaborators and stakeholders for feedback, ideas, testing, and design iterations, under the direction of senior team members.
UX Design Trend & User Research
- Participates in trend exploration of IVI and market research from a future-focused perspective, contributing to the reflection of findings in next-generation product improvement initiatives.
- Assists in preparing reports, analyses, and research information, including in-house rapid-prototyping, and contributes to data analysis under the direction of senior team members.
- Assists in identifying Subaru’s strengths and weaknesses and competitor strengths and weaknesses as part of team benchmarking and competitive intelligence activities.
- Assists in the design, distribution, and analysis of user surveys, ensuring questions are clear and aligned with the research objective, under the direction of senior team members.
- Supports the planning and execution of user research activities such as usability tests, interviews, or observational studies as directed; collects and organizes findings into accessible summaries.
- Maintains organized records of all assigned research activities, participants, findings, and source materials in a consistent and retrievable format.
- Contributes to the team’s research documentation repository as directed, supporting the long-term ability to retrieve and act on research findings.
- Participates in research programs and driving tests as assigned; assists in gathering research and intelligence on competitive products.
- Actively learns to understand automotive systems and how consumers interact with vehicle technology.
Miscellaneous
- Reports all irregular issues and problems to supervisor for resolution.
- Maintains a clean and safe working area.
- Gets to know new people and information by attending meetings and conferences and reading industry journals as well as talking to contacts in other companies.
- Researches competitive fleet vehicles for Japan and North America use.
- Observes and maintains all safety regulations and procedures as needed.
- Maintains good communication both inside and outside the company.
- Performs special projects and other miscellaneous duties as assigned by management.
Participate in Team Development
- Researches new design tools and their capabilities.
- Participates in training to develop new skills and shares relevant knowledge and observations with the broader team.
- Performs job functions to a high level, serving as a quality and professionalism reference for junior design staff.
- Pursues continuous professional development, actively applying new skills, tools, and knowledge to direct benefit of the team.
Job Requirements
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Education
- Bachelor's Degree in graphic design, user design, web design, technical illustration, or similar field – Required Or
- H.S. Diploma plus equivalent combination of education and experience in lieu of degree – Required
Work Experience
- Up to 2 years – Required
Skills
- Skills necessary to complete daily tasks.
- Basic understanding of general interests/trends in U.S. market.
- General knowledge and understanding of design topics. Ability to learn new design information related to new projects.
- Basic proficiency with design tools including Figma, Adobe Creative Cloud (CC), artificial intelligence (AI) tools, and human-machine interface (HMI) toolchain.
- Basic proficiency in in-vehicle infotainment (IVI)/HMI conventions.
- Automotive experience – Preferred
- Strong interpersonal and written communication skills.
- Analytical and Conceptual Thinking: Using logic and reason, as well as being creative and strategic.
- Ability to learn a new system and understand how a consumer will use the technology.
- Ability to manage, balance, and prioritize multiple tasks.
- Ability to understand and work efficiently in a multicultural/multilingual environment.
Work Environment
• Office Location: Van Buren, MI
• Compensation: The recruiting base salary range for this full-time position is $75,000– $80,000 / year. Individual pay is determined based on job-related skills, experience, and education. This role is bonus-eligible (Internal Job Grade: P1).
WHY JOIN US?
Total Rewards & Benefits
- Medical, Dental, Vision Plans
- Pension, Profit Sharing, and 401K Match Offerings
- 15 Vacation days, 5 Floating Holidays, 5 Sick days, and 9 Company Holidays
- Tuition Reimbursement Program: $15,000 yearly benefit
- Vehicle Discount Programs
Learning & Development
- Professional growth and development opportunities
- Direct partnership with senior leadership
- Formal Mentorship Program
- LinkedIn Learning License
Visit our careers landing page for additional information about compensation and benefit programs.
About Subaru
Love. It’s what makes Subaru, Subaru®. Subaru strives to be More Than a Car Company® through community engagement and our Subaru Love Promise®. Subaru is a globally renowned automobile manufacturer known for innovation, safety, and sustainability since 1953. Subaru’s culture is built on collaboration, diversity, and passion for our products. Employees are encouraged to contribute their unique talents to create exceptional vehicles that inspire our customers.
See all 70+ STEM OPT Product Designer Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a Product Designer
Verify your CIP code before applying
Check your diploma's Classification of Instructional Programs code against the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List. Human-Computer Interaction, Cognitive Science, and Computer Science degrees commonly qualify, but not all design programs do.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before accepting offers
Ask the recruiter for the company's E-Verify Company ID during final-round interviews. An employer who isn't enrolled cannot legally hire you on STEM OPT, and switching after signing an offer wastes your 60-day grace period.
Map portfolio projects to your training plan objectives
Your I-983 must show a direct connection between your STEM degree and your Product Designer duties. Document UX research methods, data-driven design decisions, and prototyping systems in a way that maps back to your degree's technical skills.
Use O*NET to frame your role as STEM-adjacent
The O*NET occupation profile for User Experience Designer (SOC 15-1255) lists quantitative research, systems analysis, and human factors as core tasks. Referencing these skill categories strengthens your I-983 training plan narrative significantly.
Search Migrate Mate to filter for E-Verify employers
Migrate Mate surfaces Product Designer roles at employers with verified E-Verify enrollment, so you skip the manual confirmation step entirely. Filter by role and authorization type to build a targeted list before outreach begins.
File your STEM OPT extension application 90 days early
USCIS requires your extension application to be submitted no earlier than 90 days before your initial OPT end date. Missing this window means a gap in work authorization, which disqualifies you from the cap-gap protection if you're transitioning to H-1B visa.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Product Designer role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
It depends on your degree, not your job title. If your diploma is in a DHS-designated STEM field such as Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction, or Cognitive Science, and your employer can document that your Product Designer duties apply those technical skills, the role qualifies. USCIS evaluates the connection between your degree and your day-to-day work through the I-983 training plan your employer signs.
How do I know if a Product Designer employer is enrolled in E-Verify?
You can ask the recruiter directly for the company's E-Verify Company ID, which is a public identifier. Employers are required by regulation to be enrolled before you start work on STEM OPT, not after. Migrate Mate filters Product Designer listings by E-Verify enrollment status so you can prioritize employers who already meet this requirement before reaching out.
What goes into the I-983 training plan for a Product Designer?
The I-983 must explain how your daily Product Designer work applies your STEM degree in a practical setting. For design roles, this typically includes user research methodologies, data analysis from usability testing, information architecture decisions, and any prototyping or systems work tied to engineering or cognitive science concepts. Your employer signs the form and both parties keep a copy on file throughout your authorization period.
What happens to my STEM OPT if my Product Designer employer loses E-Verify status?
If your employer's E-Verify enrollment lapses or is terminated, your STEM OPT authorization is no longer valid at that employer. You'd need to find a new E-Verify-enrolled employer and update your I-983 with your DSO. USCIS requires employers to remain actively enrolled for the full duration of your STEM OPT period, so it's worth confirming enrollment status at each annual self-evaluation checkpoint.
Does cap-gap protection apply if I'm on STEM OPT and selected in the H-1B lottery?
Yes. If your STEM OPT is active when your H-1B petition is filed with USCIS and you're selected in the lottery, cap-gap protection automatically extends your work authorization through September 30 of that fiscal year. You don't need to file anything separately. Your EAD card will show an expiration date before October 1, but cap-gap keeps you authorized to work continuously as long as your H-1B petition remains pending or approved.