Design Technologist II, Elevated Shopping Experience

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Design Technologist II, Elevated Shopping Experience

Company: Amazon

Location: New York, New York, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Design Technology & Operations

Date Posted: August 18, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Level (5+ years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive innovation at the intersection of design, engineering, and creative systems to build and evolve AI-enabled tools and intelligent workflows for creative production and shopping experiences.

• Develop functional prototypes, node-based workflows, and scalable AI pipelines, ensuring integration with architecture, data access, security, performance, and approved technologies.

• Create Generative AI (GenAI) workflows for imagery, video, 3D, motion, templates, content production, and customer experiences, building custom GenAI tools, APIs, and platforms.

• Partner with UX, Science, Product, Engineering, and Creative leadership to align AI capabilities with customer and business needs, and build design-to-production systems that reduce manual handoffs.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a "Design Technologist II," indicating a mid-level position requiring significant hands-on experience and the ability to own projects from inception to production. The focus on "Elevated Shopping Experience" and "éShop Innovation" within Amazon suggests a critical role in shaping how products are presented to customers globally, leveraging cutting-edge AI and design technology. This is not a traditional operations role but requires strong operational thinking for workflow design, efficiency, and scalability.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own AI-enabled design technology projects from problem definition through prototyping, production integration, launch, and iteration, ensuring successful delivery and adoption.

• Build functional prototypes, node-based workflows, and scalable AI pipelines within real constraints, including architecture, data access, security, performance, and approved technologies.

• Create GenAI workflows for imagery, video, 3D, motion, templates, content production, and customer experiences, focusing on efficiency and quality.

• Build custom GenAI tools, APIs, and platforms that support creative teams at scale, enabling them to produce high-quality content efficiently.

• Partner with UX, science, product, engineering, and creative leadership to test workflows, gather feedback, and align AI capabilities with customer and business needs.

• Design and implement design-to-production systems that reduce manual handoffs and move creative work reliably into production, optimizing the entire content lifecycle.

• Utilize model APIs, production data, and automation to solve complex creative and operational problems, driving efficiency and innovation.

• Design agentic systems that coordinate models, tools, data, automation, memory, and human review across creative workflows, enhancing autonomy and intelligence.

• Rapidly prototype and compare multiple approaches, identify technical and UX risks, and recommend a clear, data-driven path forward.

• Lead multiple projects in parallel, managing dependencies, milestones, technical decisions, and stakeholder expectations to ensure timely and effective delivery.

• Establish quality gates, evaluation methods, review mechanisms, and standards for prompting, data, benchmarking, and output quality to ensure high standards.

• Turn successful experiments into reliable, reusable, and maintainable tools that integrate seamlessly with eShop production platforms, ensuring long-term value.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a blend of technical execution, strategic thinking, and cross-functional collaboration. The role requires not just building tools but also understanding their operational impact on creative production workflows and the overall customer shopping experience. The emphasis on "design-to-production systems," "quality gates," and "integration with eShop production platforms" points to a strong need for operational efficiency and process optimization.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree required.

Experience: Minimum of 5+ years of experience in front-end technologist, engineer, or UX prototyper roles.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated experience in front-end development (e.g., JavaScript/NodeJS, HTML/CSS).

• Proven experience with UI design for complex workflows and end-users, focusing on usability and efficiency.

• Coding samples in front-end programming languages are essential.

• Experience with web, mobile web, or mobile app front-end development, demonstrating a broad understanding of user interfaces across platforms.

• Systems thinking and practical problem-solving skills to address complex creative and operational challenges.

• Proficiency in using generative AI tools to enhance workflow efficiency, including effective prompting and evaluation practices.

• Ability to recognize opportunities where generative AI could enhance products, workflows, or customer experiences. Preferred Skills:

• Knowledge of Python and source control systems such as Git.

• Experience working in a collaborative team environment and direct collaboration with developers for design implementation.

• Experience designing and building enterprise-level tools, demonstrating scalability and robust functionality.

• Understanding of Machine Learning (ML) and Large Language Model (LLM) fundamentals, including architecture, training/inference lifecycles, and optimization of model execution, or experience in computer architecture.

• Familiarity with responsive and adaptive design principles.

• Experience with node-based workflows and agentic systems.

• Knowledge of data access, security, and performance optimization techniques.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements highlight a strong technical foundation in front-end development, coupled with a forward-looking understanding of AI and ML. The emphasis on "coding samples" and "prototyper experience" suggests that candidates will be evaluated on their ability to demonstrate practical application of their skills. The blend of design thinking and technical execution is critical for this role.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate examples of building and evolving AI-enabled tools and intelligent workflows, showcasing the impact on creative production or shopping experiences.

• Include case studies of functional prototypes, node-based workflows, or scalable AI pipelines, detailing the problem, solution, and outcomes.

• Showcase experience with GenAI workflows for imagery, video, 3D, motion, or content production, highlighting custom tool or API development.

• Present examples of design-to-production systems that reduced manual handoffs and improved workflow efficiency, with measurable results. Process Documentation:

• Evidence of defining technical approaches and prototyping with model APIs and production data, illustrating problem-solving methodology.

• Examples of building agent-based and node-based systems, detailing the architecture and integration points.

• Documentation or case studies demonstrating the process of testing GenAI workflows against quality and production constraints, including evaluation methods.

• Showcase experience in establishing quality gates, evaluation methods, and standards for output quality.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is crucial for this role. Candidates should be prepared to showcase projects that demonstrate their ability to translate complex creative and operational needs into functional, AI-driven solutions. The portfolio should highlight not just the technical implementation but also the process, problem-solving, and measurable impact on efficiency and user experience.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $145,000 - $196,100 USD annually (for New York, NY)

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health insurance package including medical, dental, and vision.

• Prescription insurance coverage.

• Basic life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, with options for supplemental life plans.

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Mental Health Support.

• Medical Advice Line for health guidance.

• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) for healthcare and dependent care.

• Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage.

• 401(k) retirement plan with company matching.

• Generous paid time off (PTO) and parental leave policies.

• Sign-on payments and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) as part of the overall compensation package.

Working Hours: Standard 40-hour work week.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is specific to New York, NY, and reflects a mid-level position in a high-cost-of-living area. The comprehensive benefits package, including sign-on bonuses and RSUs, is typical for large tech companies like Amazon, emphasizing long-term incentives and employee well-being. The "40-hour work week" is standard, but the nature of the role may require flexibility during critical project phases.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: E-commerce, Technology, Cloud Computing, Digital Content Creation, Retail. Amazon operates across a vast array of industries, with a significant focus on innovation and customer obsession. The éShop team specifically operates within the digital product content and shopping experience domain.

Company Size: Amazon is a global corporation with over 1.5 million employees worldwide, placing it in the "Mega-cap" category. This scale offers immense opportunities for impact, resource access, and career development.

Founded: Amazon was founded in 1994 by Jeff Bezos, initially as an online bookstore. Its growth into a diversified global technology and e-commerce giant is a testament to its continuous innovation and expansion into new markets and services.

Team Structure:

• The éShop Innovation team is part of the broader éShop organization, responsible for creating elevated product content and shopping experiences across Amazon's global marketplaces.

• This team likely comprises a mix of designers, technologists, AI/ML specialists, product managers, and operations professionals, fostering a highly collaborative and interdisciplinary environment.

• The reporting structure will likely involve a manager focused on design technology or innovation, with close collaboration across UX Design, Applied Science, Product Management, and Engineering teams. Methodology:

• Data Analysis & Insights: Heavy reliance on data to understand customer behavior, content performance, and workflow bottlenecks to drive informed decisions and improvements.

• Workflow Planning & Optimization: Designing, building, and refining complex workflows, particularly those involving AI and automation, to enhance efficiency, quality, and scalability.

• Automation & Efficiency Practices: Proactively seeking opportunities to automate manual processes, leverage AI, and implement intelligent systems to reduce operational overhead and accelerate content delivery.

Company Website: https://www.amazon.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Amazon's culture is known for its fast-paced, data-driven, and customer-centric approach. For operations professionals, this means a focus on measurable impact, continuous improvement, and a willingness to experiment and innovate. The éShop team's specific mandate indicates a high degree of collaboration between creative, technical, and operational functions to deliver best-in-class customer experiences.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Design Technologist II signifies a mid-level role. This position requires an individual who can independently manage projects, demonstrate advanced technical proficiency, and contribute strategically to team goals. It involves taking ownership of complex problems and driving solutions from concept to production integration.

Reporting Structure: The role reports into a manager within the éShop Innovation or broader éShop organization. This manager will likely oversee a team of design technologists, engineers, and potentially UX designers, focusing on developing and implementing advanced creative technologies. Collaboration will be extensive with peers in UX Design, Applied Science, Product Management, and core Engineering teams.

Operations Impact: This role's impact is significant, influencing how millions of customers interact with products on Amazon. By building AI-enabled tools and optimizing design-to-production workflows, the Design Technologist directly contributes to:

• Enhanced Customer Experience: Delivering more engaging, informative, and visually appealing product content.

• Operational Efficiency: Reducing the cost and time required to produce high-quality product content at scale.

• Innovation Leadership: Pushing the boundaries of what's possible in e-commerce content creation and user experience through AI and advanced technology.

• Scalability: Ensuring that content production processes can meet the demands of Amazon's global marketplaces.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization in AI & Design Tech: Deepen expertise in Generative AI, LLMs, agentic systems, and their application in creative workflows, becoming a subject matter expert.

• Leadership Track: Progress to Senior Design Technologist or Technical Program Manager roles, leading larger initiatives, mentoring junior team members, and influencing strategic direction.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Opportunity to move into related roles within Product Management, Applied Science, or Engineering within Amazon's vast ecosystem.

• Advanced Technology Exploration: Exposure to cutting-edge AI research and development, with the chance to integrate novel technologies into production systems.

• Impact at Scale: Contribute to high-visibility projects that affect millions of customers worldwide, offering significant professional recognition and learning.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Design Technologist II" title suggests a clear progression path within Amazon's technical and design innovation tracks. The role is designed for individuals who can not only execute but also innovate and lead technical initiatives, offering substantial growth potential within a leading technology company.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is an on-site role, indicating a traditional office-based work environment within Amazon's New York City offices. This setting is conducive to in-person collaboration, spontaneous problem-solving, and team cohesion.

Office Location(s): New York, New York. Amazon has significant office presences in NYC, likely offering modern facilities designed to foster collaboration and innovation.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The office space is expected to be designed to encourage interaction, with common areas, meeting rooms, and potentially open-plan workspaces that facilitate cross-functional team communication.

• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to Amazon's robust internal technology infrastructure, including high-performance computing, cloud services (AWS), and specialized software for design, development, and AI/ML tasks.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular face-to-face interaction with peers in design, engineering, science, and product management, fostering a dynamic and synergistic work environment.

Work Schedule: While a standard 40-hour work week is expected, the demands of project deadlines and innovation cycles may occasionally require flexibility. The on-site nature facilitates seamless collaboration during core business hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in a major tech hub like New York City suggests an environment geared towards intensive collaboration and rapid development. Candidates should anticipate a dynamic workspace where teamwork and direct communication are paramount for driving complex projects forward.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter will likely conduct an initial phone screen to assess basic qualifications, interest, and cultural fit.

• Technical Phone Interview: Candidates will undergo one or more technical interviews focusing on front-end development, problem-solving, and potentially AI/ML concepts. Expect coding challenges and system design questions.

• On-site/Virtual Loop: This typically involves several interviews with team members, including engineers, designers, and managers. Expect to discuss past projects in detail, present your portfolio, and tackle design and implementation challenges.

• Portfolio Presentation: A dedicated session where you will walk through selected projects from your portfolio, explaining your role, the technical approach, challenges faced, and the impact of your work.

• Behavioral Interviews: Questions designed to assess your alignment with Amazon's Leadership Principles, focusing on collaboration, ownership, innovation, and problem-solving.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-4 projects that best showcase your skills in AI-driven workflow design, front-end development, prototyping, and problem-solving.

Prioritize projects with measurable impact.

• Structure Your Case Studies: For each project, clearly articulate:

  • The problem you were solving (creative, operational, or user-centric).
  • Your specific role and contributions.
  • The technical approach and tools used (highlighting AI/ML, GenAI, front-end tech).
  • Challenges encountered and how you overcame them.
  • The outcome and impact (quantify results with metrics like efficiency gains, reduced handoffs, improved quality).

• Demonstrate Process: Show your thought process, how you approached ambiguity, and how you iterated on solutions. Explain your system design thinking and architectural considerations.

• Highlight AI/GenAI Integration: Specifically detail how you incorporated AI or GenAI, including prompting strategies, model integration, and evaluation methods.

• Prepare for Technical Depth: Be ready to dive deep into the technical implementation details, code architecture, and API integrations.

Challenge Preparation:

• Coding Practice: Brush up on JavaScript/NodeJS, Python, and general algorithm/data structure concepts.

• System Design: Prepare for questions related to designing scalable systems, especially those involving AI models, data pipelines, and user interfaces.

• Problem Solving: Practice breaking down complex problems into smaller, manageable components and proposing solutions that consider technical feasibility, user experience, and operational efficiency.

• Amazon Leadership Principles: Familiarize yourself with all of Amazon's Leadership Principles and prepare specific examples from your experience that demonstrate each one.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process at Amazon is rigorous and designed to assess a candidate's technical depth, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit. A strong, well-documented portfolio that highlights AI/GenAI applications and demonstrable impact is critical for success. Candidates should prepare to articulate their technical decisions and their alignment with Amazon's customer-centric and innovative culture.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Front-end Development Frameworks/Libraries: Experience with modern JavaScript frameworks (e.g., React, Vue, Angular) and core web technologies (HTML5, CSS3) is essential.

• Node.js: Crucial for server-side JavaScript development, API creation, and backend services.

• Python: Widely used for scripting, data analysis, machine learning, and backend development, especially within AI/ML contexts.

• Source Control: Proficiency with Git is a standard requirement for collaborative development.

• Generative AI Tools & Platforms: Experience with or ability to quickly learn and leverage platforms and APIs for image, text, video, and 3D content generation.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Analysis Tools: Familiarity with tools for data exploration and analysis (e.g., SQL, Python libraries like Pandas, potentially specialized internal Amazon tools).

• Visualization Tools: Ability to create and interpret data visualizations to communicate workflow performance and impact.

CRM & Automation:

• API Integration: Experience integrating various services and tools via APIs to create seamless workflows.

• Workflow Automation Tools: Familiarity with concepts and tools for automating complex processes, potentially including node-based systems or scripting.

• Cloud Platforms: While not explicitly stated, experience with cloud environments like AWS (Amazon Web Services) is highly beneficial given Amazon's ecosystem.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack emphasizes modern web development, server-side logic, and a strong focus on AI/ML and automation technologies. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate proficiency in these areas and a willingness to adapt to Amazon's specific internal tools and platforms, which may include AWS services and proprietary systems.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Obsession: A deep focus on understanding and exceeding customer expectations, applying this lens to the design and functionality of tools and workflows that impact the shopping experience.

• Bias for Action: A proactive approach to problem-solving and execution, driving projects forward with speed and agility, and embracing calculated risks.

• Invent and Simplify: A commitment to continuous innovation, developing new solutions and simplifying complex processes to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

• Ownership: Taking full responsibility for projects and outcomes, from conception to production, ensuring quality and successful integration.

• High Standards: Maintaining a relentless pursuit of excellence in all aspects of work, from code quality to user experience and operational efficiency.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The team operates by tightly integrating with UX Design, Applied Science, Product Management, and Engineering. Collaboration is essential for aligning technical solutions with business needs and user experience goals.

• Process Review & Feedback: A culture of constructive feedback and iterative improvement, where workflows and solutions are continuously reviewed and refined based on performance data and stakeholder input.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of best practices, learnings from experiments, and technical insights across the team and wider organization to foster collective growth and innovation.

📝 Enhancement Note: Amazon's culture is defined by its Leadership Principles, which guide decision-making and behavior. For this role, principles like Customer Obsession, Bias for Action, Invent and Simplify, and Ownership are particularly relevant. Candidates should demonstrate how their approach to design technology and workflow optimization aligns with these core values.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Ambiguity: Translating complex, often undefined creative and operational needs into concrete, functional AI-enabled solutions.

• Scalability and Performance: Ensuring that AI tools and workflows perform reliably and efficiently at Amazon's massive scale, integrating seamlessly with existing production platforms.

• Rapid Technological Evolution: Keeping pace with the fast-moving field of AI and Generative AI, and continuously adapting tools and strategies to leverage new advancements.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Effectively managing dependencies and stakeholder expectations across diverse teams (Design, Engineering, Science, Product, Operations) to drive consensus and project success.

• Balancing Innovation and Production: Successfully moving prototypes and experiments from proof-of-concept to robust, maintainable production systems within defined constraints.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into AI/ML: Gain hands-on experience with state-of-the-art AI models, LLMs, and agentic systems, becoming an expert in their application for creative workflows.

• Advanced Workflow Design: Master the design and implementation of complex, automated, and AI-driven production pipelines for digital content.

• Industry Conferences & Certifications: Opportunities to attend relevant industry events, workshops, and pursue certifications in AI, machine learning, or design technology.

• Mentorship & Leadership: Benefit from mentorship from senior technologists and leaders, with potential pathways to lead projects and teams.

• Exposure to Global E-commerce: Gain unparalleled insight into the operational and technological complexities of a leading global e-commerce platform.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents significant technical and operational challenges due to the scale and innovative nature of Amazon's business. However, these challenges are directly tied to substantial growth opportunities, allowing professionals to become leaders in the rapidly evolving fields of AI, design technology, and e-commerce innovation.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Operations Strategy: "Describe a complex creative production workflow you've optimized. How did you identify inefficiencies, what AI or automation solutions did you implement, and what were the quantifiable results?" (Focus on process mapping, root cause analysis, solution design, and ROI).

• Collaboration & Stakeholder Management: "Tell me about a time you had to align multiple stakeholders (e.g., designers, engineers, product managers) on a technical approach for a new tool or workflow. How did you manage differing opinions and ensure buy-in?" (Highlight communication skills, negotiation, and ability to translate technical concepts for non-technical audiences).

• Problem-Solving: "Imagine we need to automate the generation of product descriptions for a new category of items. What would be your approach, considering data availability, model selection, quality control, and integration into our existing systems?" (Demonstrate structured thinking, consideration of constraints, and practical application of AI/ML principles).

Company & Culture Questions:

• Company Operations Culture: "How do you see Generative AI transforming the e-commerce shopping experience, and how would you approach implementing such innovations at Amazon's scale?" (Showcase understanding of Amazon's customer obsession and innovation drive).

• Operations Team Dynamics: "Describe your ideal collaborative environment when working on complex design technology projects. How do you ensure effective communication and knowledge sharing with peers and cross-functional teams?" (Align with Amazon's emphasis on teamwork and invention).

• Operations Impact Measurement: "How would you measure the success and impact of a new AI-powered tool designed to streamline image creation for product listings?" (Focus on defining KPIs, data collection, and demonstrating ROI).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Arc: Structure your presentation with a clear beginning (problem), middle (solution/process), and end (impact/results).

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals, demos (if possible), and code snippets to illustrate your work. For AI/GenAI projects, show examples of prompts, outputs, and how they were integrated.

• Quantify Everything: Whenever possible, use numbers and metrics to demonstrate the value and impact of your projects (e.g., "reduced production time by X%", "increased content output by Y%", "improved user satisfaction by Z%").

• Highlight Your Role: Be specific about your contributions, especially in team projects. Clearly distinguish your work from that of others.

• Focus on "Why": Explain the rationale behind your technical decisions and how they align with business objectives and user needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not only technical competence but also a strategic understanding of operations, process optimization, and the ability to drive innovation within a large, complex organization like Amazon. The portfolio is your primary tool to showcase this capability.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the Amazon Jobs portal via the provided link.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your experience in front-end development, AI/GenAI application, workflow automation, and prototyping. Select portfolio projects that best align with the responsibilities of a Design Technologist, emphasizing your impact on creative production and user experience.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly outlines your years of experience, specific technical skills (JavaScript, Python, Node.js, Git, AI/ML fundamentals), and quantifiable achievements in previous roles. Use keywords from the job description naturally.

• Interview Preparation: Practice answering behavioral questions based on Amazon's Leadership Principles. Prepare detailed explanations of your portfolio projects, focusing on the problem, your solution, technical details, and measurable outcomes. Rehearse coding and system design scenarios.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Amazon's mission, values, and recent innovations, particularly within e-commerce and AI. Understand the éShop organization's goals and how this role contributes to them. Research common Amazon interview formats and questions.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.