Design Strategist, Devices and Services

Google
Full-time$151k-222kundefined (USD)Mountain View, California, United States
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📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Design Strategist, Devices and Services

Company: Google

Location: Mountain View, CA

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Design Strategy, UI/UX Design, Visual Design, Product Design

Date Posted: 2025-06-16

Experience Level: 6+ years

Remote Status: On-site

🎨 Role Summary

  • Identify and synthesize emerging design, technology, and cultural trends to inform radical, future-forward product visions for Google's Devices & Services.
  • Translate complex trend analysis and research insights into actionable design strategies and roadmaps for hardware and software experiences.
  • Collaborate deeply with cross-functional design disciplines (Interaction, Visual, Industrial) to conceptualize and develop innovative new product categories and interaction methods.
  • Champion a user-centered design approach, leveraging research and strategic thinking to ensure that product concepts deliver meaningful value and solve real user problems.
📝 Enhancement Note: Based on the title "Design Strategist" and the context of "Devices and Services," the role combines strategic foresight with practical design application, focusing on identifying future opportunities and translating them into tangible product concepts within Google's hardware ecosystem.

🖼️ Primary Responsibilities

  • Conduct in-depth research and analysis of emerging trends across design, technology, culture, and consumer behavior, with a specific focus on their implications for hardware products and integrated services.
  • Collaborate closely with Interaction Designers, Visual Designers, and Industrial Designers to explore, define, and develop forward-thinking design concepts for new devices and services.
  • Facilitate dynamic workshops, brainstorming sessions, and strategic planning meetings to generate innovative ideas and build alignment among diverse stakeholders, including engineering and product management teams.
  • Translate abstract ideas and strategic visions into compelling, tangible deliverables, such as sketches, storyboards, interaction models, prototypes, and strategic frameworks.
  • Develop and articulate impactful narratives that communicate design strategies, research findings, and future product visions clearly and persuasively to influence collaborators, leadership, and executive stakeholders.
📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight the need for both analytical rigor in trend forecasting and creative synthesis in developing design concepts, emphasizing collaboration across multiple design disciplines and the ability to communicate complex ideas effectively to a broad audience.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience in a relevant design field such as Visual Design, Product Design, Interaction Design, or a related discipline. A strong portfolio demonstrating strategic thinking and visual design expertise is highly valued.

Experience: Minimum of 6 years of hands-on visual design experience in product design or UX/UI design. Experience should include a track record of synthesizing emerging trends, contributing to strategic design initiatives, and working on complex product development cycles, ideally involving hardware.

Required Skills:

  • Proficiency in visual design principles, typography, color theory, layout, and information hierarchy, with the ability to apply them effectively to product interfaces and experiences.
  • Demonstrated experience synthesizing emerging trends from various sources (design, technology, culture, market research) into actionable insights and strategic design recommendations.
  • Strong understanding of the product design and UX/UI design process, including user research, ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration.
  • Proficiency with industry-standard design tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator), and prototyping tools.
  • Ability to visualize and communicate complex ideas through sketches, storyboards, wireframes, interaction flows, and high-fidelity mockups.
  • Excellent communication, presentation, and storytelling skills, with the ability to articulate design rationale and strategic thinking clearly and persuasively to both design and non-design audiences.
  • Experience collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams, including Interaction Designers, Industrial Designers, UX Researchers, Engineers, Product Managers, and Marketing.

Preferred Skills:

  • Experience working in future-focused roles, R&D environments, or roles involving trend forecasting and scenario planning.
  • Applied research experience, including conducting or collaborating on ethnographic research, market analysis, competitive benchmarking, and trend analysis.
  • Experience working on hardware products or projects that involve the intersection of physical and digital experiences, including understanding the unique challenges and opportunities of industrial design.
  • Ability to provide and receive constructive creative direction across different design disciplines (Visual, Interaction, Industrial).
  • Experience crafting compelling strategic narratives that demonstrate a blend of creative vision and business acumen.
📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize a blend of visual design expertise, strategic thinking, and cross-functional collaboration. The preferred skills highlight the value of future-oriented experience, research capabilities, and a background in hardware, which is highly relevant to the Devices & Services team.

🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

  • Your portfolio should showcase your visual design expertise and strategic thinking, demonstrating your ability to translate complex ideas and research insights into compelling product concepts and user experiences.
  • Include detailed case studies that walk through your design process, highlighting your approach to problem-solving, trend analysis, strategic framing, and collaboration with other disciplines.
  • Present high-fidelity visuals, mockups, and prototypes that showcase your visual design skills and the intended user interaction.
  • If applicable, include examples of work that demonstrates your experience with hardware products or projects that involve the integration of physical and digital design.

Process Documentation:

  • Clearly articulate your process for identifying and synthesizing emerging trends, including your research methodologies and frameworks for analysis.
  • Document your ideation process, showing how you explored different concepts and iterated based on feedback and strategic considerations.
  • Explain your approach to validating design concepts, including any user testing or research involvement.
📝 Enhancement Note: For a Design Strategist role, the portfolio needs to go beyond just visual execution. It must demonstrate strategic thinking, the ability to synthesize complex information, and a clear process for translating insights into design opportunities, particularly within the context of future-oriented product development.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: The US base salary range for this full-time position is $151,000 - $222,000 USD. This range is determined by role, level, and location. Individual pay within this range is influenced by work location and additional factors such as job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. The recruiter can provide more specific salary details for your preferred location during the hiring process.

Benefits:

  • Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans designed to support employee well-being.
  • Generous paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and company holidays, allowing for work-life balance.
  • Participation in Google's compensation package, which includes base salary, performance-based bonuses, and equity (stock options or restricted stock units), aligning employee success with company performance.
  • Access to various wellness programs, employee assistance programs, and resources focused on physical and mental health.
  • Opportunities for professional development, learning, and growth through internal training programs, conferences, and educational resources.
  • Retirement savings plans with company match, providing financial security for the future.
  • Additional perks such as employee discounts, commuter benefits, and potential access to on-site amenities (depending on location and office policies).

Working Hours: This is a full-time position, typically requiring approximately 40 hours per week. While the role is on-site, Google generally offers flexibility to support creative workflows and collaboration across time zones when necessary.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is specific to the US location and aligns with industry standards for a Design Strategist role at a major technology company like Google with the specified experience level. The benefits listed are typical of a company of Google's size and reputation, offering comprehensive support for employees.

🎯Team & Company Context

🏢 Company & Design Culture

Industry: Technology, Software Development, Consumer Electronics, Artificial Intelligence, Hardware.

Company Size: 10,001+ employees (over 300,000 globally).

Founded: 1998.

Team Structure:

  • The UX team at Google is multidisciplinary, comprising UX Designers, Researchers, Writers, Content Strategists, Program Managers, and Engineers.
  • This role is specifically within the Devices & Services team, which focuses on developing new technologies and hardware products.
  • You will collaborate closely with other design disciplines (Interaction, Visual, Industrial Design) and cross-functional partners (Engineering, Product Management) within the Devices & Services organization.
  • The team values deep collaboration and leverages insights from research to inform design decisions.

Methodology:

  • Google's design philosophy is rooted in a user-centered approach, focusing on understanding user needs and behaviors to create impactful products.
  • The team utilizes a blend of design thinking methodologies, iterative design processes, and data-driven decision-making.
  • Emphasis is placed on rapid prototyping, testing, and continuous refinement based on user feedback and strategic objectives.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Google's size and focus on "Devices & Services" indicates a complex design ecosystem where strategy is crucial for aligning disparate product initiatives. The emphasis on a user-centered, multidisciplinary approach reflects the company's established design culture.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Design Career Level: This role appears to be a mid-to-senior level position, requiring significant experience (6+ years) and the ability to operate with a high degree of autonomy and strategic contribution. It involves identifying future opportunities and influencing product roadmaps.

Reporting Structure: While not explicitly stated, Design Strategists at this level typically report to a Design Lead, Design Manager, or a Head of UX within the Devices & Services organization. They likely work closely with leadership to shape strategic direction.

Design Impact: As a Design Strategist on the Devices & Services team, your work will have a significant impact on the future direction and innovation of Google's hardware products and integrated services. You will influence not only the design of individual products but also the strategic vision for new categories.

Growth Opportunities:

  • Potential for advancement to a Lead Design Strategist role, overseeing strategic initiatives and mentoring junior strategists.
  • Opportunities to specialize in specific areas of trend forecasting, strategic foresight, or a particular product category within Devices & Services.
  • Development of leadership skills through facilitating workshops, influencing stakeholders, and driving strategic alignment across teams.
  • Exposure to cutting-edge technologies and the chance to contribute to the development of entirely new product experiences.
📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirement and the strategic nature of the role suggest a mid-to-senior career level. Growth paths likely involve increasing strategic scope, leadership responsibilities, and deeper specialization within the Devices & Services domain, aligning with Google's large-scale product development.

🌐 Work Environment

Studio Type: This role is on-site at Google's Mountain View campus, suggesting a traditional office environment with dedicated workspaces and collaborative areas. Google's campuses are known for their extensive amenities and focus on fostering innovation.

Office Location(s): The primary location is Mountain View, CA. Google has numerous buildings and design studios on its campus, providing various creative environments.

Design Workspace Context:

  • Access to dedicated design studios and collaborative spaces equipped with tools and technology to support creative work, brainstorming, and prototyping.
  • Opportunities for in-person collaboration with cross-functional team members, facilitating spontaneous idea exchange and rapid iteration.
  • Potential access to labs and facilities for working with hardware prototypes and conducting user research in a physical setting.