I design products I build
Senior Product Designer & Frontend Developer — connecting design, code, and strategy.
Turning complex problems into clear, fast, and maintainable digital experiences. +9 years, 4 countries, +50 projects.
Product designer who ships real products
I'm Raymond Arias, a Senior Product Designer & Frontend Developer based in Albufeira, Portugal. Over the past 9+ years, I've designed and built digital products for clients across 4 countries — from e-commerce platforms handling thousands of transactions to SaaS tools used by distributed teams in real time.
What sets me apart: I don't stop at Figma. I ship code. Every project I lead goes from discovery and wireframes through to production deployment, SEO strategy, and performance optimization. I speak design, frontend, and business — and I translate between them without friction.
I've worked with startups launching their first MVP, established businesses modernizing legacy WooCommerce stores, and agencies that needed a design-system overhaul to scale their operations. My approach is always the same: understand the user, simplify the problem, and build something that actually works in production — not just in a portfolio mockup.
I'm currently open to senior product design roles, design-engineer hybrid positions, and strategic freelance projects — remote-first, EU timezone. If you need someone who can own the full product lifecycle from research to deployment, let's talk.
My philosophy is straightforward: design is a business tool, not an art project. Every design decision I make is tied to a measurable outcome — whether that's conversion rate, user retention, sprint velocity, or search visibility. I believe in process without bureaucracy: enough structure to keep teams aligned, not so much that it slows down shipping. The best products I've worked on balanced rigorous user research with pragmatic implementation. The worst ones got lost in over-documentation and under-execution. I default to action — prototype, test, build, learn, repeat.
What I Do
Design, code, and strategy. I don't separate disciplines because real problems don't come in silos.
Product Design (UX/UI)
Design systems that scale, prototypes that feel real, and flows built to convert — not just to look pretty. I combine user research, interaction design, and visual craft to create products people actually use.
Frontend Development
Astro, React, Tailwind. Fast-loading, accessible code that doesn't break when the project grows. I write production code — not just prototypes — with semantic HTML, CSS architecture, and component-driven JavaScript.
SEO & Growth
Making sure people actually find you. Information architecture, content built on search intent, and organic strategies that deliver. Technical SEO, on-page optimization, and structured data — all part of the build pipeline.
Interactive & 3D
Experiences beyond the scroll. WebGL, Unity, interactive prototypes. Sometimes a button just isn't enough — and the right interactive moment turns a visitor into a user. I build spatial and temporal interactions that feel native.
From discovery to production
Understand
Every project starts with context. I dig into user research, competitor analysis, analytics data, and stakeholder interviews to map the real problem — not the assumed one. For existing products, I audit the current UX, codebase, and SEO before proposing anything.
Design & Prototype
I design in Figma with real design systems — reusable components, spacing scales, and semantic color tokens. Prototypes are interactive and tested with users before a single line of production code is written. Design decisions are documented, not guessed.
Build & Ship
I build with Astro, React, Tailwind CSS, and modern web standards. Every commit passes accessibility checks, Lighthouse audits, and SEO validation. I deploy to production with confidence because the pipeline is tested — no surprises, no regressions, no silent failures.
Experience across sectors
E-commerce & WooCommerce
Custom WooCommerce stores, ticketing systems, payment integrations, and conversion-optimized product catalogs. I've built stores that process real transactions.
SaaS & Web Applications
Real-time voice platforms, VPN tools, session-based communication apps. Architectures that scale from MVP to production.
B2B & Enterprise
Packaging, solar energy, marketing services. Websites that generate qualified leads for businesses selling to other businesses.
Creative & Interactive
3D experiences, Unity prototypes, interactive storytelling. Projects where design isn't just visual — it's spatial and temporal.
SEO & Digital Growth
SEO strategy, organic content, technical audits. I've ranked small business websites in competitive local markets through content and architecture.
Design Systems
Scalable component libraries, token-based theming, documentation. Design systems that reduce design-to-dev handoff to minutes, not days.
Selected Projects
Tailored digital solutions that drive growth and define brands.
Tarkus Producciones
Ticket sales system with local payments, QR validation, and operational management for events.
Squadar
Own product for creating quick communication sessions between small teams, without unnecessary friction.
VPN Platform
Strategic product in development for communicating privacy, security, trust, and onboarding of a VPN platform.
Payoli
Corporate website for a solar energy company, focused on technical clarity, trust, and B2B communication.
Naturalyst
E-commerce experience for healthy products, focused on catalog, branding, and clear navigation.
Fissol
B2B site for packaging and custom supplies for restaurants and food service businesses.
Mundo Gráfico
Website for marketing, visual production, signage, and booth services targeting B2B clients.
The 3D Lab
Creative lab in Unity for exploring 3D interaction, visual prototypes, and spatial narrative.
Frequently asked questions
What services do you offer as a product designer?
I cover the full product lifecycle: user research, UX strategy, UI design, prototyping, design systems, frontend development (Astro, React, Tailwind), WooCommerce customization, SEO strategy, and performance optimization. I work either embedded in a team or as a solo product designer who can also implement.
Are you available for freelance or contract work?
Yes. I take on select freelance projects — typically product design, frontend development, WooCommerce builds, or SEO strategy. I work remote-first from Portugal (EU timezone) and am available for both short-term consultations and longer product engagements. Reach out on WhatsApp or email to discuss your project.
What is your design and development stack?
Figma for design and prototyping. Astro, React, and Tailwind CSS for frontend. WordPress and WooCommerce for e-commerce. Vercel and Netlify for deployment. I work with design tokens, component libraries, and automated testing pipelines to ensure quality at scale.
Do you work with startups or only established companies?
Both. I've launched MVPs for early-stage startups and modernized digital products for established businesses. The common thread is products that need both strong design thinking and solid technical execution — regardless of company size. I adapt my process to the team's maturity: lightweight for startups, structured for scale-ups.
Where are you based and what timezone do you work in?
I'm based in Albufeira, Portugal, and work in the Western European timezone (WET/WEST, UTC+0/+1). I collaborate regularly with teams across Europe, the UK, and the US East Coast. Remote-first with reliable infrastructure — async communication when needed, real-time when it matters.
Can you work with existing design systems and codebases?
Absolutely. I've inherited and improved existing design systems, refactored legacy frontend codebases, and integrated into established workflows — not just greenfield projects. I prioritize understanding existing conventions before proposing changes, and I document my component and design decisions for handoff and long-term maintenance by other team members.
What types of roles are you looking for?
I'm targeting senior product designer roles, design-engineer hybrid positions, and lead frontend roles — ideally remote-first with EU timezone alignment. I'm open to relocation within Europe for the right opportunity. My sweet spot is a role where design thinking and technical execution are both valued, not siloed. I thrive in small-to-mid-size product teams where ownership is clear and impact is measurable. If you're hiring for a role that needs someone who can go from user research to production code, I'd love to hear about it.
Got a project in mind?
Let's talk. I'm always up for a good challenge.