Senior UX Designer, Fitness and Core at Google

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Designer, Fitness and Core

Company: Google

Location: London, England, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design (UX/Interaction Design)

Date Posted: June 10, 2025

Experience Level: Senior (6+ years)

Remote Status: On-site

🎨 Role Summary

Lead the design of core experiences within a fitness product, focusing on information architecture and foundational interactions.
Drive user-centered design processes to create intuitive and easy-to-use products for a global audience.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Product Management and Engineering to translate user needs into innovative design solutions.
Utilize prototyping as a key tool for exploration, validation, and communication of design concepts.
Contribute to and evolve the Google design language, ensuring consistency and high-quality visual design across platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: Based on the title "Fitness and Core," this role likely focuses on the central user flows and key features of a Google product related to health, wellness, or fitness tracking. The emphasis on "core experience" suggests a foundational, strategic design role.

🖼️ Primary Responsibilities

Design the end-to-end user experience for the core fitness product, including overall information architecture, key screens (like the Home screen), and fundamental user interactions.
Define and implement design strategies to encourage personalized behavior change that leads to measurable health improvements for users.
Take ownership of the product's user experience direction, from initial strategic goals to the creation of detailed UX artifacts such as user flows, wireframes, mockups, and prototypes.
Collaborate effectively with a global UX organization and various cross-functional partners (Product, Engineering, Research, etc.) to execute on the product roadmap, gather insights, and iterate on designs.
Actively contribute to the continuous learning and improvement of the design team's craft and toolkit, embracing new technologies and design methodologies.
Champion the use of prototyping throughout the design process as a method for exploring design ideas, validating concepts with users, and effectively communicating design solutions to stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong focus on behavior change design within the fitness context, indicating a need for understanding motivational design principles and potentially health psychology. The emphasis on "driving the overall product direction" suggests a strategic leadership component beyond just execution.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Computer Science, or a related field is required. Equivalent practical experience demonstrating a strong foundation in design principles and user-centered methodologies will also be considered.

Experience: A minimum of 6 years of professional experience in product design or user experience (UX) is required. This experience should include designing products across multiple platforms (e.g., mobile, web, wearable) and a proven track record of working effectively with technical and design teams. A strong portfolio showcasing visual design work is essential for demonstrating the required experience.

Required Skills:

Extensive experience in product design and user experience (UX).
Proficiency in creating user flows, wireframes, user interface mockups, and interactive prototypes.
Experience designing across various platforms (e.g., mobile, web).
Strong visual design skills as demonstrated through a portfolio.
Ability to effectively collaborate with technical and other design team members.

Preferred Skills:

Experience working within and contributing to established design systems, ensuring consistency and scalability.
Proven experience in designing accessible products that meet diverse user needs and relevant standards.
Hands-on experience with user research methodologies and integrating research findings into the design process.
Strong skills in interaction design, focusing on intuitive and engaging user flows and interactions.
Excellent product thinking skills, understanding the business context and user needs to inform design decisions.
Ability to articulate design decisions and the underlying rationale through compelling storytelling and clear communication.
Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality design deliverables and follow structured design processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The preferred qualifications strongly lean into areas crucial for a senior designer at a large tech company: working with design systems, accessibility, and strong communication/storytelling skills. The emphasis on "product thinking" is key for senior roles, showing an understanding of the broader business and user context.

🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

Your portfolio must include examples of your visual design work, showcasing your aesthetic sensibility and attention to detail.
Present case studies that clearly document your design process from initial problem definition and research through ideation, iteration, and final solution.
Highlight projects where you designed across multiple platforms, demonstrating your ability to adapt designs for different form factors and user contexts.
Include examples of user flows, wireframes, and high-fidelity mockups to illustrate your approach to structuring information and designing interfaces.

Process Documentation:

Clearly articulate the research and discovery methods you employed to understand user needs and define the problem space for each project.
Showcase your ideation and iteration methods, including sketching, brainstorming, and how you explored different design solutions.
Document your approach to validation and testing, including how you gathered user feedback and iterated on your designs based on insights.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior UX Designer role at Google, the portfolio is paramount. They will be looking for depth in process documentation, strategic thinking demonstrated through case studies, and the ability to handle complexity across platforms, especially within a large design system context.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: £70,000 - £110,000 per year. This range is an estimate based on typical Senior UX Designer salaries in London, United Kingdom, at large tech companies like Google, considering the required experience level (6+ years) and the competitive nature of the London tech market. This estimate is informed by publicly available salary data and industry benchmarks for similar roles in this region.

Benefits:

Comprehensive health insurance coverage for employees and dependents.
Generous paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and company holidays.
Retirement savings plans with employer matching contributions.
Access to employee assistance programs and mental health resources.
Opportunities for professional development, including training programs and conference attendance.
Potential access to on-site amenities (depending on office location and current policies) such as fitness centers, cafes, and employee events.
Equity or stock options as part of the compensation package.

Working Hours: This is a full-time position, typically requiring approximately 40 hours per week. While standard business hours are expected, there may be some flexibility depending on project needs and team collaboration requirements, common in design roles that need focus time for creative work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is an estimate based on London's cost of living and tech industry salary standards for senior roles. Specific compensation will vary based on individual experience, skills, and negotiation. Google's benefits package is generally considered competitive and comprehensive.

🎯Team & Company Context

🏢 Company & Design Culture

Industry: Software Development / Technology. Google operates across numerous sectors within the tech industry, with this role specifically contributing to the development of consumer fitness products. The industry is highly competitive and rapidly evolving, demanding innovative and user-centric design solutions.

Company Size: 10,001+ employees (specifically, over 310,000 LinkedIn employees). As a large global organization, Google offers extensive resources, opportunities for collaboration with diverse teams, and the potential to impact billions of users worldwide. Working within a large company means navigating complex structures and influencing decisions at scale.

Founded: Founded in 1998. Google has a long history of innovation and a strong engineering culture, with a significant focus on data-driven decision-making and user-centricity as a core principle guiding product development and design.

Team Structure:

The UX team at Google is multi-disciplinary, including UX Designers, Researchers, Writers, Content Strategists, Program Managers, and Engineers.
Designers typically collaborate closely within their product area teams.
Reporting structures often involve reporting to Design Managers or Leads within the specific product vertical.
High degree of cross-functional collaboration with Product Management, Engineering, and Marketing teams is standard.

Methodology:

Strong emphasis on user-centered design (UCD) methodologies, starting with understanding user needs and behaviors through research.
Iterative design process involving sketching, wireframing, prototyping, and testing.
Utilizes design thinking approaches to solve complex problems and generate innovative solutions.
Data and research insights play a crucial role in informing design decisions and validating solutions.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Working at Google means operating within a mature design organization with established processes and a focus on scale. The "Focus on the user" philosophy is deeply ingrained, influencing design methodologies and team collaboration. The size of the company implies working within specific product areas and contributing to larger initiatives.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Design Career Level: This is a Senior UX Designer role, indicating a position for experienced design professionals who can work autonomously, lead design initiatives within their scope, and mentor less experienced designers. Senior designers at Google are expected to have a deep understanding of the design process, strong technical skills, and the ability to influence product strategy.

Reporting Structure: Typically reports to a Design Manager or UX Lead within the Fitness and Core product team. Collaboration is frequent with other Senior Designers, UX Researchers, Product Managers, and Engineering Leads.

Design Impact: Senior UX Designers at Google have significant influence on product direction and user experience. Their work directly impacts millions, if not billions, of users globally. They are expected to drive key design decisions and advocate for the user throughout the product development lifecycle.

Growth Opportunities:

Potential for advancement to Lead UX Designer, Manager, or Director roles within the UX organization.
Opportunities to specialize in areas like interaction design, visual design, or UX strategy.
Growth through contributing to design systems, mentoring junior designers, and leading complex projects.
Learning opportunities through internal training programs, access to cutting-edge research, and collaboration with industry experts.

📝 Enhancement Note: The Senior level at Google signifies a role with significant responsibility and expectation of leadership within the design domain. Growth paths can be either managerial or through increased technical/domain expertise as a Principal Designer, reflecting a dual-track career progression model.

🌐 Work Environment

Studio Type: On-site office environment in London. Google's offices are known for their modern design, collaborative spaces, and amenities designed to foster creativity and productivity.

Office Location(s): London, England. Google has multiple office locations in London known for vibrant work environments.

Design Workspace Context:

Access to well-equipped design studios and collaborative workspaces.
Opportunities for in-person collaboration and spontaneous ideation with design and cross-functional teams.
Access to tools and resources for prototyping, user testing, and design documentation.

Work Schedule: Full-time, on-site role based in London. While core hours are likely, there may be some flexibility depending on team needs and project deadlines, allowing for focused work and creative flow.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in London suggests a strong emphasis on close team collaboration and leveraging the physical workspace for creative activities like whiteboarding, workshops, and quick feedback loops which are crucial for design teams working on core product experiences.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Design Interview Process:

Initial recruiter screen to assess basic qualifications and experience.
Hiring manager screen focusing on experience, team fit, and understanding of the role. Prepare to discuss your experience with fitness products or similar domains.
Portfolio review with design team members, where you will present case studies showcasing your process, problem-solving skills, and impact. Focus on 2-3 strong projects relevant to the role.
Design challenge or whiteboard session to assess your on-the-spot problem-solving and collaboration skills. Be prepared to walk through your thinking process.
Panel interviews with cross-functional partners (Product Management, Engineering, Research) and potentially other design leaders to assess collaboration, influence, and strategic thinking.

Portfolio Review Tips:

Curate your portfolio to highlight projects that demonstrate experience in designing for complex systems, behavior change, and multiple platforms, ideally within the health or fitness domain.
Structure your case studies to clearly articulate the problem, your role, your process (research, ideation, testing), key design decisions and rationale, and the impact of your work.
Focus on storytelling – guide the reviewers through your projects, explaining the "why" behind your design choices and how you addressed user needs and business goals.
Be prepared to discuss technical constraints or challenges you faced and how you collaborated with engineering to overcome them.
Showcase your visual design skills with high-fidelity mockups and prototypes, but also include evidence of your foundational UX work (wireframes, flows).

Challenge Preparation:

Practice whiteboard challenges or design exercises. Focus on understanding the problem, asking clarifying questions, exploring different solutions, and clearly articulating your design process and rationale.
For take-home challenges, manage your time effectively and focus on demonstrating your core design skills and thinking process, rather than delivering a fully polished final product.
Be prepared to explain your design decisions, trade-offs, and how you would iterate on your solution based on feedback.

ATS Keywords: User Experience Design, UX Design, Product Design, Interaction Design, Visual Design, Prototyping, User Research, Design Systems, Information Architecture, User Flows, Wireframes, Mockups, Usability Testing, Accessibility, Design Thinking, Agile, Cross-functional Collaboration, Behavioral Design, Fitness Tech, Health Tech, Mobile Design, Web Design, Sketch, Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, InVision, Principle, After Effects, Storytelling, Design Strategy, Problem Solving, Iteration, User-Centered Design, Design Critique, Stakeholder Management, Google Material Design.

📝 Enhancement Note: Google's design interview process is known for being rigorous, emphasizing both design craft and strategic thinking. The portfolio review and design challenge are critical components. Candidates should be prepared to articulate their process and rationale clearly, demonstrating how they think through complex design problems.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Design Tools:

Likely proficiency in industry-standard tools such as Figma or Sketch for UI design and collaboration.
Experience with prototyping tools like InVision, Principle, or similar software for creating interactive prototypes to test and communicate design solutions.
Knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator) may be beneficial for visual asset creation and manipulation.

Collaboration & Handoff:

Experience with collaboration platforms like Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides) for documentation and sharing.
Familiarity with handoff tools (often integrated into design tools like Figma or Zeplin) to provide clear specifications for engineering teams.
Experience with project management and issue tracking tools like JIRA or similar platforms.

Research & Testing:

Familiarity with tools used for user research, such as user interview platforms or survey tools.
Experience with usability testing platforms for remote or in-person testing.
Understanding of analytics tools to measure design impact and inform iterations.

📝 Enhancement Note: While specific tools may vary by team, proficiency in modern UI/prototyping tools like Figma or Sketch is almost certainly required. Experience with design systems and collaboration tools is also essential for working within a large organization like Google.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Design Values:

Focus on the User: Deep commitment to understanding user needs, behaviors, and emotions to inform design decisions.
Innovation: Encouraging exploration of new ideas and approaches to solve complex design challenges.
Collaboration: Valuing teamwork and close partnership with cross-functional colleagues.
Craftsmanship: Striving for high-quality design deliverables and attention to detail.
Impact: Designing products that make a meaningful difference in users' lives and contribute to business goals.
Accessibility: Commitment to designing inclusive products that are usable by people of all abilities.

Collaboration Style:

Highly collaborative environment with frequent interaction between designers, researchers, product managers, and engineers.
Emphasis on open communication, constructive feedback, and design critiques.
Cross-functional teams work together from the early stages of product development.
Knowledge sharing and contribution to shared resources like design systems are encouraged.

📝 Enhancement Note: Google's design culture is likely characterized by a strong emphasis on user research, data-informed design, and close collaboration within multi-disciplinary teams. The "Focus on the user" principle drives many of their design values and processes.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Design Challenges:

Designing for a global user base with diverse needs, contexts, and levels of technical proficiency. Mitigation requires strong user research and localization considerations.
Balancing user needs with business goals and technical constraints. Preparation involves understanding product strategy and collaborating closely with stakeholders.
Navigating complex product ecosystems and ensuring consistency across multiple platforms and products. Requires strong system thinking and attention to detail.
Designing for behavior change in the fitness domain, which involves understanding human psychology and motivational principles. Skill development in behavioral science and persuasive design is beneficial.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

Access to internal training programs and resources for skill development in various design disciplines, research methodologies, and technical areas.
Opportunities to attend industry conferences and workshops to stay updated on design trends and best practices.
Mentorship opportunities with experienced designers and leaders within Google.
Opportunities to work on cutting-edge projects and contribute to innovative product development.

📝 Enhancement Note: Senior designers at Google face challenges related to scale, complexity, and influencing product direction. The focus on fitness and behavior change adds a unique domain-specific challenge. Growth opportunities are abundant within such a large organization, offering paths for specialization or leadership.

💡 Interview Preparation

Design Process Questions:

"Walk me through a project where you designed for behavior change. What was your approach and how did you measure success?" Prepare a relevant case study focusing on user motivation and outcomes.
"Describe a time you had to make a difficult design decision with competing constraints (e.g., user needs vs. technical limitations). How did you approach it?" Focus on your problem-solving process and stakeholder communication.
"Explain your process for collaborating with engineers and product managers. How do you ensure design intent is maintained during implementation?" Provide specific examples of successful collaboration and handoff.

Company Culture Questions:

"What aspects of Google's design philosophy resonate with you and why?" Research Google's design principles and values.
"How do you approach receiving and giving design critique?" Discuss your experience with design reviews and collaborative feedback.
"Tell me about a time you advocated for the user when faced with resistance. How did you build consensus?" Highlight your ability to influence and communicate the value of UX.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

Select 2-3 portfolio projects that best showcase your skills relevant to this role, particularly in complex product design, behavior change, and multi-platform design.
For each project, clearly articulate the problem you were solving, your design process (including research, ideation, and testing), your key design decisions and the rationale behind them, and the impact of your work.
Be prepared to discuss the challenges you faced and how you overcame them, as well as how you collaborated with cross-functional teams.
Practice presenting your portfolio concisely and engagingly, focusing on storytelling rather than just showing deliverables.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interviewers at Google will assess not only your design skills but also your ability to think strategically, collaborate effectively, and fit within their culture. Be prepared to articulate your process, rationale, and impact clearly, using the STAR method for behavioral questions.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this design position:

Submit your application through this link.
Ensure your resume clearly highlights your 6+ years of experience in product design or UX, relevant skills (prototyping, user research, interaction design), and mentions your portfolio. Optimize your resume with relevant ATS keywords from the list provided.
Prepare a compelling portfolio showcasing your visual design skills and in-depth case studies that illustrate your design process, problem-solving abilities, and impact, particularly on projects involving complex systems, behavior change, or multi-platform design. Ensure the portfolio link is easily accessible.
Research Google, the Fitness and Core product area (if publicly available), and the design team's work to tailor your application and prepare for interviews.

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

Senior UX Designer, Fitness and Core