Senior UX Designer, Google Photos, Google One

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Designer, Google Photos, Google One Company: Google Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Job Type: Full-time Category: UX Design / Product Design Operations Date Posted: 2025-11-24 Experience Level: 5-10 years Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This Senior UX Designer role focuses on driving user experience (UX) design for critical Google products like Google Photos and Google One, emphasizing a user-centered approach.
• The position requires a strong command of interaction design principles, translating complex user needs into intuitive and engaging digital experiences across multiple platforms.
• Key responsibilities include collaborating with cross-functional teams (Product Management, Engineering, User Research) to define and execute design strategy, ensuring product excellence.
• Candidates will be expected to manage multiple projects concurrently, from conceptualization through to detailed interaction specifications and prototypes, demonstrating a high level of design leadership and strategic thinking.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the primary focus is UX Design, the operational aspects of managing design projects, collaborating with engineering and product management, and contributing to product strategy align it closely with GTM and product operations, especially in how design impacts product adoption and user retention. The emphasis on "operationalizing strategy" suggests a need for process-minded individuals.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Drive UX design initiatives for Google Photos and Google One, managing multiple, fluid projects simultaneously from concept to completion.
• Articulate comprehensive user journeys through scenarios, storyboards, presentations, and detailed interaction specifications for both low and high-fidelity mock-ups and prototypes.
• Contribute significantly to UX direction and product design strategy, ensuring buy-in from stakeholders and operationalizing these strategies across diverse teams and timelines.
• Collaborate closely with product managers, engineers, and cross-functional stakeholders to thoroughly understand product requirements and deliver effective, user-centric design solutions.
• Partner with User Experience Researchers (UXR) on research hypotheses, actively participate in user research activities, and use insights to iteratively drive UX design improvements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for a designer who can not only create compelling user interfaces but also influence product strategy and manage the design process operationally. The emphasis on "operationalizing strategy" and "managing multiple, fluid projects" points to a need for strong project management and process execution skills within the design function.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, a related field, or equivalent practical experience is required.
• An advanced degree in a relevant field is preferred, indicating a deeper theoretical and applied understanding of design principles.

Experience:

• A minimum of 6 years of direct experience in interaction design, product design, or UX design is mandatory.
• Candidates with 2 years of experience leading design projects, demonstrating leadership in design strategy and execution, are highly desirable.

Required Skills:

• Proficiency in Interaction Design, with a proven ability to create intuitive and engaging user experiences.
• Expertise in Product Design and UX Design methodologies, including user-centered design principles.
• Skilled in developing User Flows, Wireframes, User Interface Mock-ups, and interactive Prototypes.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with technical and design teams to define user flows and build UI assets.
• Strong problem-solving skills, with a keen understanding of technical constraints and limitations across desktop and mobile platforms.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with Figma and other industry-standard design tools for efficient workflow and collaboration.
• Familiarity with emerging Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities and their application in product design.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, essential for working with diverse, cross-functional teams and influencing product design strategy.
• Experience in leading design projects, demonstrating leadership potential and strategic product design thinking.
• Knowledge of the Google Design Language and its application in creating consistent, high-quality user experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Preferred Qualifications" emphasize skills that contribute to operational efficiency and strategic impact, such as leadership in design projects, proficiency in specific tools like Figma, and understanding AI. This suggests the role values not just creative output but also the ability to integrate design into the broader product development and operations lifecycle.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a range of UX design projects, demonstrating a strong grasp of user-centered design principles across multiple platforms.
• Inclusion of detailed case studies that illustrate the candidate's process, from problem definition and user research to ideation, prototyping, and final design solutions.
• Demonstration of how design decisions were informed by user insights, technical feasibility, and business objectives, highlighting an understanding of product operations.
• Examples of work that showcase the ability to translate complex requirements into simple, intuitive user interfaces, with a focus on user flows and interaction design.

Process Documentation:

• Evidence of experience in documenting design processes, including the creation of user flows, wireframes, and detailed interaction specifications.
• Demonstration of how design strategies were operationalized and implemented across teams, including collaboration with engineering and product management.
• Ability to articulate the impact of design decisions through clear communication of research findings, design rationale, and user testing results.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role like this at Google, the portfolio isn't just a showcase of visuals; it's a demonstration of process, strategic thinking, and operational execution. Applicants should be prepared to detail how they managed projects, collaborated with engineering, and integrated user research into their design workflows, effectively proving their ability to operate within a product development lifecycle.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Based on Google's typical compensation structures in Sydney, Australia, for a Senior UX Designer with 6-10 years of experience, the estimated annual salary range is AUD $130,000 - $190,000. This range can vary based on specific experience, performance, and the overall compensation package which may include equity and bonuses.
• This estimate is derived from industry benchmarks for senior design roles in major tech companies in Australia, considering the cost of living in Sydney and Google's reputation for competitive compensation.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health insurance, including medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Generous paid time off (PTO), including vacation, sick leave, and public holidays.
• Retirement savings plan (superannuation) with employer contributions.
• Professional development opportunities, including training, conferences, and access to online learning resources.
• On-site amenities such as cafeterias, fitness centers, and collaborative workspaces.
• Employee stock purchase programs and potential for performance-based bonuses and equity grants.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time working hours are typically 40 hours per week. While the role is on-site, Google often offers flexibility in scheduling to accommodate project needs and work-life balance, provided operational requirements and collaboration with global teams are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimates are based on publicly available data for senior UX Designer roles at similar tech companies in Sydney, Australia. Google's compensation is typically highly competitive and often includes a significant equity component, which is not fully quantifiable without a specific offer. Benefits are standard for large tech companies and are designed to support employee well-being and professional growth.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology (Software & Internet Services) Company Size: Large (10,000+ employees) Founded: 1998. Google, now a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., has grown from a search engine to a global technology leader, consistently innovating across a vast array of products and services.

Team Structure:

• The UX team at Google is a multidisciplinary unit comprising UX Designers, UX Researchers, Writers, Content Strategists, Program Managers, and Engineers, fostering a collaborative environment.
• Designers typically report to a Design Lead or Manager, working within product-specific teams that often include Product Managers and Engineering leads, creating a matrixed reporting structure.
• Cross-functional collaboration is a cornerstone, with designers working closely with product management to define requirements and with engineering to ensure feasibility and seamless implementation of designs.

Methodology:

• Google's design process is deeply rooted in user-centered design, emphasizing rigorous user research, data analysis, and iterative prototyping.
• Workflow planning involves agile methodologies, with designers contributing to sprint planning, backlog refinement, and continuous integration of feedback.
• Automation and efficiency are key, with a focus on leveraging design systems, reusable components, and efficient toolchains (like Figma) to accelerate the design and development lifecycle.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Google's culture is known for its innovation, data-driven decision-making, and emphasis on user experience. For operations professionals (including those in design operations or product operations), this means a highly analytical environment where process efficiency, data integrity, and cross-functional alignment are critical for successful product launches and ongoing product management.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Individual Contributor. This role represents a mid-to-senior level position within the UX discipline, requiring significant autonomy, strategic input, and the ability to mentor junior designers. It involves not just execution but also contributing to the strategic direction of product design.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Designer will likely report to a Design Manager or Group Design Manager. They will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads within the Google Photos and Google One product areas, forming a core project team.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is significant, directly influencing user adoption, engagement, and satisfaction for Google Photos and Google One, two flagship products. Effective UX design is crucial for driving user retention, feature adoption, and ultimately, the success of Google's subscription services and photo management offerings, contributing directly to business objectives and revenue generation.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Progression: Opportunities to move into leadership roles such as Design Lead, Group Design Manager, or even Director of UX, overseeing larger teams and broader product portfolios.
• Specialization: Deepen expertise in areas like AI-driven design, accessibility, or specific product domains within Google's ecosystem.
• Cross-functional Roles: Transition into Product Management, Program Management, or even roles within GTM operations where design thinking and user advocacy are highly valued.
• Mentorship: Formal and informal opportunities to mentor junior designers, contributing to the growth of the UX community within Google.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title implies expectations of leadership, strategic contribution, and mentorship. For operations-minded individuals, this role offers a path to influence product strategy and process from a design perspective, with clear avenues for career advancement into more strategic or managerial roles within the broader tech operations landscape.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Modern, collaborative office space designed for innovation and teamwork. Google offices are known for their amenities and focus on employee well-being. Office Location(s): Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. This location offers a vibrant urban environment with access to talent and industry networks.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace is designed to foster collaboration, with open areas, meeting rooms, and dedicated project spaces. This environment encourages spontaneous interactions and cross-pollination of ideas critical for complex design challenges.
• Operations tools and technology are state-of-the-art, with high-performance workstations, access to advanced design software (like Figma), and robust internal collaboration platforms.
• Interaction with the operations team and other functions is frequent, facilitated by the open-plan layout and regular cross-functional meetings, ensuring design is integrated into the entire product development lifecycle.

Work Schedule: While the role is on-site and full-time (approx. 40 hours/week), Google generally promotes a culture of flexibility. This allows for work-life balance, provided project deadlines and collaborative needs are met. Some flexibility in start/end times may be possible, subject to team and project requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in Sydney suggests a focus on in-person collaboration and team cohesion, which is often prioritized for complex, strategic roles. The environment is geared towards productivity and innovation, supporting the need for efficient workflow and design execution.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screen: A recruiter or hiring manager will conduct an initial phone screen to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.
• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: Candidates will likely present their portfolio, walking through 1-2 key case studies. A design challenge (either take-home or on-site) may be administered to assess problem-solving skills, design thinking, and proficiency with tools.
• On-site/Virtual Interviews: A series of interviews with Design peers, Product Managers, and Engineering Leads. These sessions will delve deeper into design process, collaboration skills, strategic thinking, and technical understanding.
• Final Round: Typically with a senior leader (e.g., Director of UX or VP), focusing on overall impact, leadership potential, and alignment with Google's values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 projects that best showcase your interaction design skills, problem-solving abilities, and impact on user experience and business goals.
• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed (research, ideation, prototyping, testing), the challenges faced, and the final outcome with measurable results. Emphasize your contributions.
• Highlight Process & Collaboration: Detail how you collaborated with PMs, engineers, and researchers. Show your understanding of technical constraints and how you operationalized design solutions.
• Focus on Impact: Quantify results whenever possible (e.g., increased conversion rates, improved user satisfaction scores, reduced task completion times).

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If a take-home challenge is given, thoroughly research Google Photos and Google One to understand their current state, user base, and potential areas for improvement.
• Structure Your Approach: For on-site challenges, think aloud. Clearly define the problem, brainstorm solutions, outline a user flow, and articulate your design rationale. Focus on demonstrating your thought process and problem-solving methodology.
• Be Prepared for "Why": Be ready to justify every design decision, linking it back to user needs, business goals, or technical feasibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is critical. For this role, it's about demonstrating not just aesthetic skill but also a robust design process, strong collaboration capabilities, and the ability to drive impactful design solutions—all elements that are key to successful product operations.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Expected proficiency for UI design, prototyping, and collaborative workflows. This is a critical tool for efficient design system management and real-time collaboration.
• Sketch / Adobe XD: Familiarity with other industry-standard design tools may be beneficial, though Figma is often the primary platform.
• Prototyping Tools: InVision, Principle, or built-in Figma prototyping for creating interactive mock-ups.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Google Analytics / Internal Tools: Understanding how to interpret user data and analytics to inform design decisions and measure the impact of UX changes.
• Data Visualization Tools: Familiarity with tools used for presenting data insights effectively to stakeholders.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct CRM role, understanding how user data flows from marketing and product usage into systems that inform product strategy and development is valuable.
• Familiarity with project management and collaboration tools such as Jira, Asana, or internal Google equivalents for tracking design tasks and progress.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is explicitly mentioned and is a cornerstone of modern UX operations. The ability to use these tools effectively contributes to the speed and quality of design output, directly impacting product development timelines and efficiency.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User Focus: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the user, ensuring all design decisions are user-centric.
• Data-Driven Innovation: Utilizing data and research to fuel creative solutions and drive product improvements.
• Collaboration & Inclusion: Fostering an environment where diverse perspectives are valued, and teamwork is paramount for achieving shared goals.
• Excellence & Impact: Striving for high-quality design that delivers significant value to users and the business.
• Iteration & Adaptability: Embracing a continuous improvement mindset, iterating on designs based on feedback and evolving user needs.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly collaborative, with frequent interaction across design, product management, engineering, and research teams.
• Emphasis on open communication, constructive feedback, and shared ownership of product outcomes.
• Knowledge sharing is encouraged through design critiques, internal presentations, and documentation, promoting a culture of collective learning and process improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: Google's values emphasize a strong operational ethos of continuous improvement, data integrity, and collaborative execution. For a Senior UX Designer, this means being comfortable with iterative processes, data analysis, and working within a structured yet agile framework to deliver high-impact product experiences.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing User Needs with Technical Constraints: Effectively navigating the complexities of integrating advanced features (like AI) into user-friendly interfaces while adhering to platform limitations and engineering feasibility.
• Managing Ambiguity and Fluid Projects: Thriving in a fast-paced environment where project scopes and priorities can shift, requiring strong adaptability and strategic prioritization skills.
• Influencing Cross-functional Stakeholders: Communicating design vision and rationale persuasively to diverse teams and leadership to gain buy-in and drive alignment on design strategy.
• Scaling Design Solutions: Designing for billions of users globally requires a deep understanding of diverse user behaviors, languages, and cultural contexts, demanding scalable and inclusive design approaches.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Access to cutting-edge AI research and tools: Opportunities to explore and implement AI-driven features in user experiences.
• Industry Conferences and Workshops: Support for attending leading UX and technology conferences to stay abreast of industry trends and best practices.
• Internal Training Programs: Extensive internal resources for skill development in areas like leadership, specialized design techniques, and new technologies.
• Mentorship Programs: Opportunities to be mentored by or to mentor senior leaders within Google's extensive design and engineering organizations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the need for sophisticated problem-solving and strategic thinking, common in senior operations roles. Growth opportunities focus on deepening expertise in emerging tech and leadership, aligning with career progression in the tech industry.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to influence product strategy with your design insights. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on data-driven arguments, user research, and stakeholder management.)
• "How do you balance user needs with technical feasibility and business objectives? Provide an example from your portfolio." (Demonstrate your understanding of trade-offs and your process for finding optimal solutions.)
• "Walk us through a complex user journey you designed. What were the key decision points, and how did you ensure a seamless experience?" (Highlight your user flow mapping skills and attention to detail.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Google Photos and Google One, and how do you see UX contributing to their future success?" (Show your research and genuine interest in the products.)
• "How do you collaborate with engineers and product managers to bring a design to life?" (Emphasize communication, empathy, and a shared goal orientation.)
• "Describe a situation where your design faced significant pushback. How did you handle it?" (Showcase your resilience, problem-solving skills, and ability to adapt.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Begin with a high-level overview of the project, then dive into the problem statement, your specific role and contributions, the user research and ideation phases, key design decisions and prototypes, and finally, the results and impact.
• Focus on Process: Emphasize your methodology, how you used data and user feedback, and your collaboration with cross-functional teams.
• Visuals: Use clear, high-fidelity mock-ups and interactive prototypes to illustrate your design solutions. Keep text concise and let your visuals and narrative do the talking.
• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, present metrics that demonstrate the success of your designs, linking them to business objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not just design talent, but also strategic thinking, operational execution, and strong collaborative skills, mirroring the qualities sought in high-performing operations professionals.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Google Careers portal via the provided URL.
• Customize your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your 6+ years of interaction design experience, specific achievements in product design, and proficiency in tools like Figma. Use keywords from the job description such as "user flows," "wireframes," "prototypes," and "design strategy."
• Prepare Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date, easily accessible via a provided link, and features 2-3 strong case studies detailing your process, contributions, and the impact of your UX designs. Be ready to articulate your role and decisions clearly.
• Research Google Photos and Google One: Familiarize yourself with the products, their current features, user base, and potential areas for UX enhancement. Understand Google's user-centered design philosophy.
• Practice Your Presentation: Rehearse walking through your portfolio case studies, focusing on storytelling, clarity, and demonstrating your problem-solving and collaboration skills. Prepare to discuss your approach to design challenges and cross-functional teamwork.

⚠️ 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.