Advanced Specialist, UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Advanced Specialist, UX Designer

Company: Pearson

Location: United States

Job Type: Full time

Category: UX/Product Design

Date Posted: 2026-02-26T11:43:43

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the visual design excellence and systematic thinking for Pearson's unified design system across web and mobile platforms.

• Design high-fidelity UI components, patterns, and templates, establishing visual standards for typography, color, iconography, spacing, and layout.

• Redesign key screens and user flows for learning platforms, demonstrating cohesive product experiences for students and instructors within agentic learning environments.

• Craft meticulous micro-interactions, transitions, and motion specifications to ensure responsive and intentional user interactions.

• Collaborate with Creative Technologists to ensure seamless translation of designs into functional React components within Storybook, participating in visual QA and implementation reviews.

📝 Enhancement Note: The raw job description indicates the role aligns with industry titles such as “UX Designer III” or “Sr. UX Designer,” suggesting a mid-to-senior level individual contributor role focused on specialized design system work. The emphasis on "foundational level," "visual language," and "components" points towards a strategic design role rather than purely iterative UI updates. The mention of "AI-native landscape" and "agentic learning platforms" highlights the forward-looking nature of the role within Pearson's digital education initiatives.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and document high-fidelity UI components, patterns, and templates within Figma for Pearson's unified design system, ensuring consistency in typography, color, iconography, spacing, and layout.

• Develop and refine visual standards, establishing a cohesive aesthetic across all web and mobile products.

• Create detailed visual designs for key screens and user flows within Pearson's learning platforms, showcasing how design system elements contribute to integrated student and instructor experiences.

• Design and specify micro-interactions, animations, and transitions with a focus on responsiveness, intentionality, and user delight.

• Collaborate closely with Creative Technologists to ensure design fidelity during implementation, providing visual QA and participating in code reviews for design system components (e.g., React components in Storybook).

• Contribute to the exploration of future interaction patterns, including voice user interfaces, AR/VR, and multi-modal interactions, aligning with Pearson's long-term product vision.

• Maintain and evolve the design system documentation, ensuring clarity and accessibility for product teams.

• Participate in design critiques and provide constructive feedback to peers and stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities have been expanded to detail the expected outputs and collaborative touchpoints of a specialist UX Designer focused on design systems. The emphasis on "designing at the foundational level" and "establishing visual standards" implies a role that defines principles and creates reusable assets, rather than solely executing on predefined requirements. The mention of "AI-native landscape" and "agentic learning platforms" suggests a need to consider advanced interaction paradigms and user experiences.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

Required Skills:

• Portfolio: A strong portfolio showcasing extensive UI design experience, with a specific emphasis on component-based systems and design system contributions. This should include examples of high-fidelity designs, detailed component specifications, and scalable visual patterns.

• Figma Proficiency: Expert-level command of Figma, including mastery of components, variants, auto-layout, nested instances, and library management for scalable design systems.

• Visual Design Principles: Deep understanding and application of typography, color theory, hierarchy, composition, spacing, and grid systems.

• Systematic Thinking: Ability to design for scalability and reusability, thinking in terms of patterns and systems rather than one-off executions.

• Interaction Design: Experience in crafting micro-interactions, transitions, and animations that enhance usability and user experience.

• Collaboration & Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a proven ability to articulate design decisions, provide constructive feedback, and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams (engineers, product managers, other designers).

• Outcome-Oriented: A proactive, results-driven approach that balances creative exploration with the practical needs of building a consistent and scalable design system.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with motion design tools (e.g., After Effects, Principle) or advanced prototyping tools (e.g., Framer) for creating sophisticated animations and interactive prototypes.

• Familiarity with front-end development concepts, particularly React and component libraries like Storybook, to facilitate collaboration with Creative Technologists.

• Experience designing for complex educational technology products or platforms.

• Exposure to designing for emerging interaction paradigms such as voice user interfaces, AR/VR, or multi-modal experiences.

• Understanding of accessibility standards (WCAG) and their application in design systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Required Skills" section has been augmented to explicitly mention a strong portfolio demonstrating design system work, expert Figma skills, and a systematic approach. Preferred skills have been added to reflect the potential for advanced tooling and cross-functional collaboration, particularly with engineering. The experience level has been interpreted from the "5-7 years" mention and the "Advanced Specialist" title.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Design System Case Studies: Showcase specific projects where you designed, contributed to, or managed a design system. This should include examples of component creation, pattern definition, and how your work ensured visual consistency and scalability.

• High-Fidelity Mockups & Prototypes: Present detailed, high-fidelity designs for UI components, screens, and user flows, demonstrating a strong grasp of visual hierarchy, typography, color, and interaction design.

• Figma File Structure: Be prepared to discuss your approach to organizing Figma files, utilizing components, variants, auto-layout, and libraries effectively for maintainability and collaboration.

• Interaction & Motion Design: Include examples of micro-interactions, transitions, or animations that illustrate your attention to detail and understanding of user experience enhancement.

• Problem/Solution Framing: Clearly articulate the design challenges you faced, your design process, the solutions you implemented, and the impact of your work.

Process Documentation:

• Demonstrate an understanding of how design systems are documented, maintained, and integrated into product development workflows.

• Ability to contribute to or create style guides, component documentation, and usage guidelines.

• Experience in collaborating with engineering teams to ensure design-to-code implementation accuracy.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section is tailored to a UX Designer role focused on design systems. The emphasis is on demonstrating practical experience with design system components, Figma proficiency, and the ability to translate visual design into scalable, reusable assets. The inclusion of "problem/solution framing" and "process documentation" aligns with the expectation of a specialist role that can articulate their methodology and contributions.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Estimated Range: $110,000 - $130,000 USD per year.

• Basis for Estimate: This estimate is derived from the provided salary range in the raw job description, which specifies "$110,000 - $130,000" for full-time roles in specific US states. This range is considered competitive for an "Advanced Specialist, UX Designer" with 5-7 years of experience in a fully remote capacity within the United States, particularly within the ed-tech industry.

Benefits:

• Competitive compensation package.

• Annual incentive program eligibility.

• Comprehensive health coverage.

• Retirement benefits.

• Professional development support and opportunities.

Working Hours:

• Standard 40 hours per week.

• Fully remote arrangement offers flexibility in work schedule, as long as core responsibilities and collaboration needs are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is directly extracted from the provided text. Benefits are listed as provided, with an added note about further information available online. Working hours are based on the "Full time" employment type and the typical 40-hour work week for such roles. The remote status implies flexibility in daily scheduling, provided collaboration is maintained.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: EdTech (Educational Technology)

Company Size: Pearson employs over 18,000 people globally, indicating a large, established enterprise with a significant presence in the education sector.

Founded: Pearson has a long history, operating in 70 countries, suggesting a mature organization with established processes and a global reach.

Team Structure:

• Reporting: Reports to the Group Visual Design Manager, Design Systems. This indicates a specialized team focused on design systems within a larger design organization.

• Collaboration: Works closely with Creative Technologists, other UX/Visual Designers, and product teams across Pearson's Higher Education product portfolio.

• Focus: The team's mission is to build the future of AI-enabled education and establish a unified design system.

Methodology:

• Design Systems: Central to the team's methodology is the creation and maintenance of a scalable, reusable design system.

• User-Centricity: Focus on learner and educator experiences, aiming for purposeful and visually consistent interactions.

• AI Integration: Exploration and design considerations for AI-native features and agentic learning platforms.

• Agile Development: Likely follows agile or iterative development processes, requiring close collaboration between design and engineering.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context has been synthesized from the provided description, emphasizing Pearson's role as a major ed-tech player and the specific focus of the Design Systems team. The derived company size and founding information highlight Pearson's scale and history, which influences the operational environment for design.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as an "Advanced Specialist," equivalent to a Senior UX Designer (UX Designer III), indicating a mid-to-senior level individual contributor. It requires a high degree of expertise in visual design and design systems.

Reporting Structure: The role reports to a Group Visual Design Manager, suggesting a clear leadership structure within the design function. This provides opportunities for mentorship and guidance from senior design leaders.

Design Systems Impact: The role has a significant impact on Pearson's product portfolio by defining the visual language and foundational components used across numerous learning platforms. This work directly influences the user experience for millions of learners and educators, contributing to Pearson's mission in AI-enabled education.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design System Expertise: Deepen expertise in building and scaling design systems, becoming a subject matter expert within the organization.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Influence product strategy and evolution through design system contributions.

• Mentorship: Opportunity to learn from and mentor junior designers, and to collaborate with senior Creative Technologists.

• Emerging Technologies: Gain exposure and contribute to designs for AI-native features, voice interfaces, and AR/VR within educational contexts.

• Career Progression: Potential to advance into Lead Designer, Design System Manager, or other specialized design leadership roles within Pearson.

📝 Enhancement Note: This analysis interprets the "Advanced Specialist" title and the focus on design systems to position the role within a typical career progression framework for designers. The emphasis on impact and growth opportunities is tailored to a specialist role that has broad influence.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. This arrangement offers significant flexibility for professionals to work from anywhere within the United States.

Office Location(s): While the role is remote, Pearson is a global company with many physical offices. The specific team may collaborate virtually with individuals in various Pearson locations.

Workspace Context:

• Remote Collaboration: Expect a highly collaborative online environment using tools like Figma, Slack, and video conferencing.

• Design Tools: Access to industry-standard design tools (Figma) and potential for motion/prototyping software.

• Team Interaction: Regular virtual meetings, design critiques, and cross-functional syncs with product, engineering, and design system teams.

• AI-Driven Education Focus: Work within a company actively shaping the future of AI in education, contributing to innovative learning experiences.

Work Schedule:

• Standard 40 hours per week.

• The fully remote nature provides flexibility in managing daily tasks and personal commitments, provided that collaboration with team members across different time zones is effectively managed.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Fully Remote" work arrangement is highlighted, with considerations for the collaborative tools and practices common in such an environment. The context is framed around Pearson's mission and the nature of design system work.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or Recruiter screen to assess basic qualifications and fit.

• Portfolio Review & Technical Interview: A deep dive into your portfolio with the hiring manager and/or senior designers. Expect to discuss your design process, specific contributions to design systems, Figma proficiency, and how you approach visual design challenges. This will likely include a discussion of your approach to component design, scalability, and visual consistency.

• Design Challenge/Exercise: You may be asked to complete a design exercise or present a case study demonstrating your skills in UI component design, pattern creation, or system thinking. This could involve designing a new component or proposing improvements to existing ones within a given context.

• Cross-Functional Interview: An interview with a Creative Technologist or Product Manager to assess your collaboration skills, understanding of technical constraints, and ability to communicate design intent effectively.

• Final Interview: Potentially with higher-level design leadership to assess strategic thinking and cultural fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Design System Work: Prioritize projects where you contributed to or led a design system. Detail your specific role, the components you designed or influenced, and the impact on product consistency and development efficiency.

• Figma Mastery: Be prepared to walk through your Figma files, demonstrating your use of components, variants, auto-layout, and libraries. Explain your file organization and how you ensure maintainability.

• Visual Design Excellence: Highlight your understanding and application of visual design principles. Explain your rationale behind color, typography, and layout choices, especially how they contribute to a cohesive brand and user experience.

• Problem/Solution Narrative: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your design process, the solution, and any measurable outcomes or impact.

• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize experience relevant to scalable UI components, design systems, and a systematic approach to visual design, as this is central to the Pearson role.

Challenge Preparation:

• Component Design: Practice designing new UI components from scratch, considering different states, variations, and accessibility. Think about how they would integrate into a larger system.

• System Thinking: Prepare to discuss how you would approach standardizing visual elements across a large product portfolio.

• Figma Proficiency: Be ready to demonstrate your Figma skills on the spot or discuss complex workflows.

• Collaboration Scenarios: Think about how you would collaborate with engineers on component implementation or with product managers on feature design within a design system framework.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides actionable advice tailored to a design systems specialist role, focusing on portfolio content, interview questions, and preparation strategies relevant to Figma, component design, and systematic thinking.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The primary tool for UI design, component creation, prototyping, and design system management. Expert proficiency is required.

• Adobe Creative Suite (e.g., Photoshop, Illustrator): Potentially used for asset creation or advanced image manipulation.

• Motion/Prototyping Software (Preferred): Tools like After Effects, Principle, or Framer might be used for crafting micro-interactions and advanced animations.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

Development Collaboration:

• Storybook: Essential for collaboration with Creative Technologists, as designs will be implemented as React components within Storybook.

• React: Familiarity with React principles is advantageous for understanding implementation.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section highlights the core design tools (Figma) and preferred additional tools. It also emphasizes the crucial connection to development through tools like Storybook and technologies like React, which are vital for design system implementation.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Design Excellence: A commitment to high-quality visual design, aesthetic sophistication, and meticulous attention to detail in all UI elements and interactions.

• Systematic Rigor: A dedication to building scalable, reusable, and maintainable design patterns and components that form a coherent design system.

• Collaboration: A strong emphasis on teamwork, open communication, and constructive feedback sharing across design, engineering, and product teams.

• Innovation: A forward-looking approach, exploring new interaction paradigms and leveraging AI to enhance educational experiences.

• Impact: A drive to create meaningful contributions that shape the future of learning for millions of users.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Design systems work requires tight integration with engineering (Creative Technologists) to ensure designs are accurately implemented and with product management to align with business goals and user needs.

• Feedback-Driven: A culture that encourages regular design critiques, open discussion of ideas, and receptiveness to feedback from peers and stakeholders.

• Knowledge Sharing: Active participation in sharing best practices, design patterns, and insights related to design systems and visual design.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section extrapolates potential team values and collaboration styles based on the role's focus on design systems, collaboration with engineering, and Pearson's stated mission.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Creativity with Scalability: Designing visually compelling and innovative solutions that are also highly scalable, reusable, and maintainable within a design system.

• Influencing Across a Large Organization: Driving adoption and adherence to the design system across diverse product teams within a large company like Pearson.

• Staying Ahead of AI and Emerging Tech: Integrating new AI-driven features and future interaction models (like AR/VR) into a foundational design system.

• Design-to-Code Fidelity: Ensuring that visual designs are translated accurately into functional code components, requiring strong collaboration with developers.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Design System Specialization: Becoming an expert in design system architecture, governance, and best practices.

• Exposure to AI in Education: Gaining hands-on experience designing for advanced AI functionalities in educational products.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Deepening understanding of front-end development principles and collaborating closely with Creative Technologists.

• Mentorship: Learning from senior design leaders and potentially mentoring junior team members.

• Industry Trends: Staying abreast of advancements in UX design, visual design, and ed-tech through conferences, workshops, and internal knowledge sharing.

📝 Enhancement Note: Challenges and growth opportunities are framed around the specific context of a design systems role within a large ed-tech company, emphasizing the unique aspects of working with AI and scalable design principles.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Design System Philosophy: "Describe your approach to building and maintaining a design system. What are the key principles you follow?" (Focus on scalability, reusability, consistency, and collaboration.)

• Component Design Rationale: "Walk us through a complex UI component you designed for a design system. What were the design challenges, how did you address them, and what was the outcome?" (Prepare to showcase Figma files, explain variants, auto-layout, and rationale.)

• Visual Design & System Integration: "How do you balance aesthetic sophistication with the systematic rigor required for a design system? Provide an example." (Highlight your ability to create visually appealing designs that are also functional and scalable.)

• Collaboration & Communication: "Describe a time you had to collaborate with engineers to implement a design system component. What were the challenges, and how did you ensure design fidelity?" (Prepare to discuss your communication strategies and understanding of technical constraints.)

• Future Vision: "How would you approach designing for emerging interaction patterns like AI-driven features or AR/VR within an educational context, and how would you integrate these into a design system?" (Showcase forward-thinking and adaptability.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• Pearson's Mission: "How do you see your role as a UX Designer contributing to Pearson's mission of shaping the future of AI-enabled education?" (Connect your skills to the company's goals.)

• Design System Adoption: "What are common challenges in getting design systems adopted across an organization, and how would you address them at Pearson?" (Demonstrate strategic thinking about implementation.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Curate for Relevance: Select 3-4 projects that best showcase your design system expertise, Figma proficiency, and visual design skills.

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly explain the context, your specific role and contributions, the design process, key design decisions, and the impact of your work.

• Highlight Figma Mastery: Be ready to share your screen and walk through Figma files, demonstrating your command of components, variants, auto-layout, and libraries.

• Focus on System Thinking: Emphasize how your designs are scalable, reusable, and contribute to a consistent user experience across multiple products.

• Quantify Impact: If possible, use data or metrics to demonstrate the positive outcomes of your design work (e.g., improved development efficiency, increased design consistency).

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides targeted interview preparation advice, focusing on questions likely to be asked for a design systems role, along with strategies for portfolio presentation that align with the employer's needs.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Advanced Specialist, UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Oracle Cloud portal link.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features projects demonstrating your expertise in design systems, component creation, and Figma proficiency. Tailor your case studies to highlight your ability to design for scalability and visual consistency.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to reflect keywords and responsibilities mentioned in this job description, such as "Design Systems," "Figma," "UI Components," "Visual Design," "Scalability," and "High-Fidelity Design." Quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, especially regarding design systems and component design. Be ready to present your portfolio and discuss your Figma workflow in detail.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Pearson's mission, its products (especially Higher Education offerings), and its commitment to AI in education. Understand their brand and design ethos.

⚠️ 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.