Principal UX Designer, Amazon.com, North American Stores Design

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Principal UX Designer, Amazon.com, North American Stores Design Company: Amazon Location: Seattle, Washington, United States Job Type: Full-Time Category: User Experience (UX) Design / Product Design Date Posted: 2026-01-23 Experience Level: 10+ Years Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the design of complex, high-impact customer experiences within Amazon's North American Stores (NAS) portfolio, focusing on strategic initiatives and innovation.
• Drive design excellence and execution across critical e-commerce platforms, including premium/luxury experiences, brand stores, and design system integration.
• Serve as a key individual contributor, expertly navigating ambiguity and cross-organizational dependencies to deliver user-centered solutions at speed.
• Act as a design advocate and bar-raiser, mentoring junior designers and influencing design quality across multifaceted teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a highly influential individual contributor with significant leadership responsibilities in design strategy and execution. The emphasis on "executing at speed" and "putting pen to paper" indicates a hands-on role that requires rapid prototyping and delivery, rather than purely advisory functions. The "Troubleshooter/Smokejumper" description highlights the need for proactive problem-solving and the ability to drive solutions in ambiguous, high-priority situations across various business units within North American Stores.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Analyze complex customer problems within the e-commerce landscape and design innovative, delightful solutions that achieve measurable business objectives.
• Lead the end-to-end design process for strategic initiatives, from concept development and user research to high-fidelity prototyping and final execution, ensuring adherence to design systems and visual languages.
• Collaborate closely with Product Management, Engineering, Research, and other design verticals to define use cases, high-level requirements, and detailed interaction behaviors.
• Develop and present compelling design artifacts, including process flows, wireframes, and visual design mockups, to diverse stakeholder groups, including executive leadership, for review and feedback.
• Champion user-centered design principles by integrating market analysis, customer feedback, site metrics, and usability findings into all design decisions.
• Standardize and educate teams on design systems, visual languages, and best practices to ensure consistency and quality across the NAS portfolio.
• Mentor and provide design guidance to less experienced designers, fostering a culture of design excellence and continuous improvement within the team.
• Partner effectively with development teams to ensure accurate implementation of designs, providing detailed specifications, assets, and interface reviews.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core responsibilities emphasize a blend of strategic leadership and hands-on execution. The role requires not only creating user-centered designs but also actively driving them through complex organizational structures, which is typical for senior roles within large e-commerce environments like Amazon. The "bar raiser" responsibility implies a critical role in maintaining and elevating the overall quality of design output for the North American Stores division.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Interaction Design, Graphic Design, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience:

• Minimum of 10+ years of professional experience in User Interface Design, Interaction Design, or Information Architecture, with a proven track record of delivering successful digital products.
• Extensive experience in leading the full lifecycle of design projects, from initial design strategy and conceptualization through to final execution and launch.

Required Skills:

• Deep expertise in User Interface (UI) Design, Information Architecture (IA), and Interaction Design (IxD) principles and best practices.
• Proven ability to navigate complex, ambiguous organizational structures and drive alignment across multiple cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience in designing and delivering high-quality user experiences for large-scale, consumer-facing e-commerce platforms or similar high-velocity digital environments.
• Proficiency in industry-standard design and prototyping tools, including but not limited to Figma, Sketch, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Illustrator.
• Strong understanding of design systems, their implementation, and how to leverage them to drive consistency and efficiency.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design rationale and present complex ideas clearly to executive-level audiences.
• Proven ability to act as an individual contributor who "puts pen to paper" and delivers tangible design solutions at speed.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in designing for premium, luxury, or specialized customer experiences.
• Familiarity with AI-driven customer experiences and emerging technologies.
• Experience in mentoring and guiding junior designers, fostering their professional growth and design capabilities.
• Ability to leverage data (customer feedback, site metrics, usability findings) to inform design decisions and communicate strategic recommendations effectively.
• Experience with rapid prototyping tools such as Axure or InVision for quick concept validation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements strongly emphasize hands-on execution and leadership in a fast-paced, complex environment. The explicit mention of "executing at speed" and "putting pen to paper" distinguishes this role from more strategic or advisory-only principal designer positions. The need to navigate ambiguity and influence senior leaders is also a critical differentiator for this Principal level.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a minimum of 10 years of relevant UX design experience, with a strong emphasis on e-commerce and large-scale digital platforms.
• Detailed case studies demonstrating the ability to analyze complex customer problems and translate them into user-centered design solutions that have achieved measurable business goals.
• Examples of leading design strategy and execution for significant, high-priority initiatives, including premium or luxury experiences, and cross-functional projects.
• Evidence of working within and contributing to design systems, showcasing an understanding of their impact on consistency, scalability, and efficiency.
• Demonstrations of rapid prototyping and iterative design processes, highlighting the ability to move quickly from concept to execution.

Process Documentation:

• Case studies should clearly articulate the design process followed, including problem definition, user research methodologies, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, user testing, and final visual design.
• Portfolios should illustrate the ability to collaborate effectively with Product Managers, Engineers, and Researchers, detailing how these partnerships influenced the design outcomes.
• Examples of how data (customer feedback, site metrics, usability findings) was used to inform design decisions and iterate on solutions.
• Documentation of presenting design work to diverse stakeholders, including executive leadership, and effectively incorporating feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Principal UX Designer role at Amazon, the portfolio is paramount and must clearly demonstrate not just design skills but also leadership, strategic thinking, and the ability to execute rapidly in a complex, fast-paced environment. The emphasis should be on impact, problem-solving, and navigating organizational complexities.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• The base salary range for this position in Seattle, Washington is $164,000 - $221,800 USD annually. This range reflects the Principal level experience and the high cost of living in the Seattle area.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Insurance: Includes medical, dental, and vision coverage, prescription drug plans, and Basic Life & AD&D insurance with the option for supplemental life plans.
• Mental Health & Wellness Support: Access to Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and dedicated mental health support services.
• Additional Health Resources: Medical Advice Line for consultations.
• Financial Wellness: Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) for healthcare and dependent care, and 401(k) matching program.
• Family Support: Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage, and comprehensive Parental Leave.
• Paid Time Off (PTO): Generous paid time off to support work-life balance.
• Equity: Includes sign-on payments and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), a significant component of Amazon's total compensation for principal roles.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time working hours are expected, typically around 40 hours per week. However, given the fast-paced nature of the role and the need for rapid execution, flexibility and a willingness to adapt to project demands and deadlines are implied.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is based on the specified location (Seattle, WA) and the "Principal" job title, aligning with industry benchmarks for senior design roles in major tech hubs. The benefits listed are standard for Amazon and are highly comprehensive, reflecting the company's commitment to employee well-being and financial security. The inclusion of RSUs and sign-on bonuses is typical for Principal level positions at Amazon, indicating a significant total compensation package beyond base salary.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: E-commerce, Cloud Computing, Digital Streaming, Artificial Intelligence, Retail Technology. Amazon operates at the forefront of multiple technology-driven industries, influencing global commerce and digital interaction. Company Size: Amazon is a massive, multinational technology company with hundreds of thousands of employees worldwide, operating in a highly competitive and innovative market. Founded: 1994. Founded by Jeff Bezos, Amazon began as an online bookstore and has since expanded into a vast array of products and services, driven by a relentless focus on customer obsession and long-term innovation.

Team Structure:

• The North American Stores (NAS) Design organization is part of Amazon's broader UX and design ecosystem.
• This Principal UX Designer role reports directly to a Design Director, indicating a senior leadership presence within the design hierarchy.
• The role involves significant cross-functional collaboration with Product Management, Engineering, Research, and other design teams (Shopping Design, Search, DEX, Ads, WW Prime) across the NAS portfolio.
• The team is described as "eclectic," comprising design, research, writing, and design technology professionals who value shared experiences, collaboration, and diversity.

Methodology:

• Customer Obsession: A core Amazon leadership principle, driving all design decisions with a focus on customer needs and goals.
• Data-Driven Design: Utilizing customer feedback, site metrics, and usability findings to inform and validate design solutions.
• Rapid Execution & Iteration: A fast-paced environment where work is measured in days and weeks, requiring rapid prototyping, concept development, and iterative refinement.
• Innovation & AI Integration: Focus on exploring and implementing new technologies, including AI/LLM, to enhance customer experiences.
• Design Systems: Emphasis on standardizing design across platforms to ensure consistency, efficiency, and scalability.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Amazon's culture is characterized by its leadership principles, particularly customer obsession, bias for action, and ownership. The NAS Design team specifically operates at a faster pace than many other design organizations, emphasizing rapid iteration and problem-solving. The "eclectic" nature of the team suggests a diverse group of professionals who value collaboration and innovation.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Principal UX Designer. This is a senior individual contributor role, often considered equivalent to a senior manager or director in other organizations for its scope of influence and strategic impact. It signifies deep expertise, leadership in executing complex projects, and the ability to mentor others. Reporting Structure: Reports directly to a Design Director. This indicates a clear hierarchy and access to senior design leadership for guidance and advocacy. The role requires influencing peers and stakeholders across various departments, including Product Management and Engineering, as well as other design teams. Operations Impact: This role has a direct and significant impact on the customer experience across the entire North American Stores portfolio. The designs created will influence millions of daily customer interactions, driving engagement, conversion, and overall customer satisfaction for key Amazon initiatives like premium shopping, AI-driven features, and major events like Prime Day. The role contributes to Amazon's overarching business goals by enhancing the usability and desirability of its e-commerce platforms.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership in Strategic Initiatives: Opportunity to lead design on the most critical and innovative projects within NAS, shaping the future of Amazon's retail experiences.
• Mentorship & Skill Development: Actively mentor junior designers, honing leadership and coaching skills, while also learning from experienced peers and leaders within Amazon's vast design community.
• Cross-Functional Expertise: Gain deep experience working across diverse teams and business units (Fashion, Prime, Deals, AI, etc.), broadening expertise and understanding of Amazon's complex ecosystem.
• Influence & Advocacy: Develop strong stakeholder management and executive communication skills, becoming a key design advocate and trusted advisor at senior levels within the organization.
• Specialization: Potential to deepen expertise in specific areas like premium/luxury experiences, AI-driven design, or large-scale design system integration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Principal" title at Amazon signifies a high level of individual contribution and influence. Growth opportunities are less about climbing a traditional management ladder and more about increasing scope, impact, and leadership within complex, strategic projects. The role is ideal for experienced designers who want to remain hands-on while driving significant change and mentoring others.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This role is based in Seattle, Washington, and is designated as "On-site." Amazon's Seattle campus is a large, modern corporate environment designed to foster collaboration and innovation. Office Location(s): Seattle, Washington, USA. Amazon's Seattle headquarters features multiple buildings and a vibrant urban campus designed to support a dynamic workforce.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The office environment is likely to include a variety of collaborative spaces, meeting rooms, and potentially quiet zones, supporting both team interaction and focused individual work.
• Technology & Tools: Employees have access to Amazon's internal tools, robust IT infrastructure, and cutting-edge design software and hardware required for high-fidelity design and prototyping.
• Team Interaction: Frequent opportunities for in-person interaction with design peers, product managers, researchers, and engineers, facilitating rapid communication and problem-solving. The "eclectic creative team" suggests an environment that encourages diverse perspectives and shared learning.

Work Schedule:

• The role is full-time, with standard business hours. However, the "fast-paced," "high-velocity," and "smokejumper" nature of the work implies that flexibility and a commitment to meeting project deadlines, potentially involving extended hours during critical phases, will be necessary. The emphasis is on delivering results quickly, which often requires adaptability in scheduling.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in Seattle indicates a need for the designer to be physically present within Amazon's primary corporate hub, facilitating the high level of collaboration and rapid iteration expected in this role. The work environment is designed to support quick decision-making and cross-functional synergy.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter will likely conduct an initial phone screen to assess basic qualifications, experience, and alignment with the role's core requirements, particularly regarding speed of execution and leadership potential.
• Portfolio Review: Candidates will be asked to present their portfolio, focusing on 2-3 key projects that best demonstrate their ability to solve complex problems, lead initiatives, and deliver results in a fast-paced e-commerce environment. Expect to discuss your process, decisions, and impact in detail.
• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the Design Director to delve deeper into experience, design philosophy, leadership style, and how you handle ambiguity and drive execution.
• Design Team Interviews: Multiple interviews with peers, potentially including other Principal Designers, Senior UX Designers, Researchers, and Product Managers. These will assess your design craft, collaboration skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit. Expect design exercises or whiteboarding sessions.
• Bar Raiser Interview: A common Amazon practice where an interviewer from outside the immediate hiring team assesses the candidate's potential to "raise the bar" for talent within Amazon. This interview focuses on leadership principles and overall capability.
• Executive/Director Level Interview: A final interview, potentially with a senior director or VP, to confirm strategic alignment and overall fit for high-impact initiatives.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Execution: Clearly demonstrate your hands-on contributions. Use phrases like "I designed," "I prototyped," "I led the execution of." Highlight your role in "putting pen to paper."
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data (e.g., conversion rate improvements, engagement metrics, time saved) to showcase the business impact of your designs.
• Showcase Problem-Solving: For each project, articulate the complex customer problem, your strategic approach, and the innovative solutions you designed.
• Address Ambiguity: Be prepared to discuss how you navigated unclear requirements, organizational challenges, or competing priorities.
• Highlight Speed & Iteration: Provide examples of how you worked quickly, iterated based on feedback, and delivered solutions within tight timelines.
• Demonstrate Leadership: Showcase instances where you mentored others, influenced stakeholders, or championed design best practices.
• Tailor to Amazon: Research Amazon's design principles, leadership principles, and recent product launches to align your presentation with their strategic goals.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Exercises: Be prepared for practical design challenges, potentially involving a short timeframe (e.g., 24-48 hours) to design a solution for a given problem statement. Focus on a rapid, iterative process, clear documentation, and concise presentation of your approach and rationale.
• Whiteboarding: Practice sketching user flows, wireframes, and system diagrams on a whiteboard or digital equivalent to articulate ideas quickly and collaboratively.
• Behavioral Questions: Prepare for questions assessing your alignment with Amazon's Leadership Principles (e.g., Customer Obsession, Bias for Action, Ownership, Dive Deep). Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process at Amazon, especially for Principal roles, is rigorous and designed to assess not only design skills but also leadership, strategic thinking, and cultural fit. The emphasis on "bar raising" and leadership principles is critical. The portfolio review and any design challenges will heavily weigh the ability to execute rapidly and solve complex problems.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (primary), Sketch, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator. Proficiency with these tools is essential for creating wireframes, mockups, and high-fidelity designs.
• Prototyping Tools (Secondary): Axure, Keynote, InVision – these may be used for specific types of prototyping or presentations.
• Collaboration Platforms: Amazon's internal suite of tools, likely including tools for project management, communication (e.g., Chime, Slack equivalents), and document sharing.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not directly a design tool, understanding how to interpret and utilize site metrics, customer feedback, and usability findings is critical. Familiarity with data analysis tools or dashboards used by Product and Engineering teams (e.g., internal Amazon analytics platforms, Tableau, Power BI) would be beneficial for informing design decisions.

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the UX Designer role, but an understanding of how design impacts user journeys within CRM and marketing automation systems can be advantageous in certain contexts.

📝 Enhancement Note: The specified tools (Figma, Sketch, Photoshop, Illustrator) are industry standards for UX/UI designers. The emphasis on Figma suggests it's a primary tool within Amazon's design ecosystem. The ability to use these tools for rapid prototyping and high-fidelity design is key, as is the ability to interpret data from various sources to drive those designs.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Obsession: The paramount value, ensuring all design decisions are rooted in understanding and serving customer needs and goals.
• Bias for Action: A strong emphasis on moving quickly, making decisions, and delivering results, even with incomplete information. This translates to rapid prototyping and iterative development.
• Ownership: Taking responsibility for outcomes, driving projects to completion, and proactively identifying and solving problems.
• Invent and Simplify: Encouraging innovative solutions and finding ways to make complex processes and experiences simpler for the customer.
• Dive Deep: A commitment to understanding issues thoroughly, using data and critical thinking to inform decisions.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Highly collaborative, working closely with Product Management, Engineering, Research, and other design teams to achieve shared goals. This involves constant communication and alignment.
• Data-Informed Discourse: Design discussions are often informed by data, customer feedback, and business metrics, leading to robust and objective decision-making.
• Mentorship and Knowledge Sharing: A culture where experienced designers are encouraged to mentor junior team members and share best practices to elevate the collective design capability.
• Fast-Paced Iteration: Collaboration occurs within a rapid cycle of ideation, prototyping, testing, and refinement, requiring agility and flexibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: Amazon's culture is heavily influenced by its Leadership Principles. For a designer, understanding and embodying principles like Customer Obsession, Bias for Action, and Ownership is crucial for success and integration into the team. The collaborative style is pragmatic and results-oriented, driven by data and a shared commitment to customer experience.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Ambiguity and Complexity: The role requires tackling ill-defined problems within a vast, intricate organizational structure, demanding strong problem-solving and strategic thinking skills.
• High-Velocity Environment: Adapting to and thriving in an extremely fast-paced work environment where decisions and execution happen rapidly, often on daily or weekly cycles.
• Cross-Organizational Alignment: Driving consensus and execution across numerous teams and stakeholders with potentially competing priorities, requiring exceptional influencing and communication skills.
• Balancing Speed with Quality: Maintaining high design standards for user experience and visual fidelity while operating under aggressive timelines.
• Executive Influence: Effectively communicating and advocating for design decisions to senior leaders who may have limited design backgrounds.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into E-commerce Strategy: Gain unparalleled insight into the strategy and operations of one of the world's largest e-commerce platforms.
• Exposure to Cutting-Edge Tech: Work with emerging technologies like advanced AI/LLMs and their application in customer-facing experiences.
• Leadership Development: Hone leadership skills through mentoring, project leadership, and influencing senior stakeholders.
• Industry Best Practices: Learn and implement Amazon's unique approach to design, innovation, and rapid execution, which sets industry standards.
• Networking: Build a strong professional network within Amazon's extensive design and product organizations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to a Principal role at a company like Amazon. The key is to frame these challenges as opportunities for growth, demonstrating resilience, strategic thinking, and a proactive approach to problem-solving.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Tell me about a time you had to design for a complex problem with ambiguous requirements. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?"
  • Preparation: Be ready to articulate your process for defining the problem, gathering information, identifying key stakeholders, and driving towards a solution despite uncertainty. Focus on your problem-solving methodology and how you managed risks.
• "Describe a situation where you had to influence senior stakeholders (Directors/VPs) to adopt your design recommendation. How did you build your case?"
  • Preparation: Prepare examples showcasing your ability to communicate design rationale effectively, using data, user insights, and business objectives to build a compelling argument. Highlight your presentation skills and how you handled pushback.
• "How do you balance the need for rapid execution with maintaining high design quality? Provide an example."
  • Preparation: Discuss strategies for efficient design processes, iterative development, and pragmatic decision-making without compromising core user experience principles. Emphasize your "bias for action" while ensuring quality.

Company & Culture Questions:

• "How do you embody Amazon's Leadership Principles, particularly Customer Obsession and Bias for Action, in your design work?"
  • Preparation: Research all of Amazon's Leadership Principles and prepare specific examples from your experience that demonstrate how you've applied them.
• "What excites you about working on Amazon's North American Stores and contributing to its design system?"
  • Preparation: Show genuine interest in Amazon's mission and the specific challenges of the NAS portfolio. Align your passion with the role's responsibilities and the company's strategic goals.
• "How do you approach mentoring junior designers and raising the bar for design quality within a team?"
  • Preparation: Describe your philosophy on mentorship, feedback, and fostering a culture of design excellence. Highlight instances where you've successfully guided others.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your presentation logically, ideally by case study. For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role and responsibilities, the process you followed, your key design decisions and rationale, and the measurable impact of your work.
• Highlight Execution: Emphasize your hands-on contributions and the speed at which you delivered solutions. Use phrases that convey action and tangible output.
• Showcase Complexity: Select projects that demonstrate your ability to handle complex user flows, cross-functional dependencies, and large-scale systems.
• Data & Metrics: Quantify results wherever possible. If exact numbers are unavailable, discuss the intended impact and how success would be measured.
• Conciseness: Be mindful of time. Focus on the most critical aspects of each project and be prepared to go deeper on specific areas if asked.
• Storytelling: Weave a narrative that clearly communicates the journey from problem to solution, highlighting your critical thinking and decision-making at each stage.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation for Amazon Principal roles requires a deep understanding of their Leadership Principles, a strong portfolio showcasing execution and impact, and the ability to articulate complex design challenges and solutions clearly and concisely. The emphasis is on practical application and demonstrated leadership.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Principal UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the official Amazon Jobs portal using the provided link.
• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight 2-3 of your most impactful projects that best demonstrate your experience in e-commerce, rapid execution, complex problem-solving, and leadership. Ensure these projects clearly showcase your hands-on contributions and measurable results.
• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to prominently feature keywords relevant to UX Design, Information Architecture, Interaction Design, E-commerce, Design Systems, rapid prototyping, and leadership. Quantify your achievements and clearly state your years of experience and proficiency with key design tools.
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, decision-making rationale, and project outcomes using the STAR method for behavioral questions. Prepare to present your portfolio confidently, focusing on your role in execution and impact. Research Amazon's Leadership Principles thoroughly.
• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Amazon's North American Stores business, its key initiatives (e.g., premium experiences, AI integration), and its design philosophy. Understand the fast-paced, customer-obsessed culture.

⚠️ 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.