Senior UX Writer and Content Designer, Google Play
π Job Overview
Job Title: Senior UX Writer and Content Designer, Google Play Company: Google Location: Mountain View, California, United States Job Type: Full-Time Category: UX Writing & Content Design (GTM Operations Support) Date Posted: October 13, 2025 Experience Level: Mid-Senior (5-10 years inferred) Remote Status: On-site
π Role Summary
- This role focuses on shaping user experiences through precise and meaningful language within the Google Play ecosystem, acting as a critical bridge between user needs and product functionality.
- It involves defining and executing content strategy, ensuring cohesive product narratives, and establishing best practices for language across multiple platforms and touchpoints.
- The position requires deep collaboration with cross-functional teams, including Product Management, UX Design, Research, Engineering, and Marketing, to influence product direction and ensure a unified voice.
- Successful candidates will demonstrate a strong portfolio showcasing their ability to simplify complex information, enhance user journeys, and drive measurable improvements in user engagement and task completion through content design.
π Enhancement Note: While the primary function is UX Writing and Content Design, its strategic impact on user acquisition, retention, and overall customer journey places it firmly within the GTM (Go-To-Market) Operations support structure. The role's emphasis on product strategy, user insights, and cross-functional influence directly supports Go-To-Market objectives by ensuring the product experience is intuitive and drives desired user actions.
π Primary Responsibilities
- Craft clear, concise, and compelling UI text for user navigation, onboarding flows, promotional materials, error messages, and instructional content to enhance the overall user experience within Google Play.
- Develop and champion product language, content strategies, and cohesive narratives across the Google Play platform, documenting these strategies through comprehensive guidelines and best practices.
- Manage end-to-end content design projects, from initial needs assessment and opportunity identification to implementation, resource allocation, and stakeholder management.
- Collaborate effectively with diverse teams including designers, researchers, legal, marketing, product managers, and engineers, adeptly influencing and adapting to stakeholder feedback and technical constraints.
- Provide leadership, direction, and mentorship to other UX writers, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement within the content design team.
- Educate cross-functional partners on the strategic value and application of UX writing and content strategy throughout the product development lifecycle, ensuring content is a primary consideration, not an afterthought.
- Leverage user experience research principles and data-driven insights to inform content decisions, ensuring language is empathetic, logical, and aligned with user needs and business objectives.
- Contribute to the development of information architecture for documentation sets and product suites, incorporating localization and accessibility best practices to ensure global reach and inclusivity.
π Enhancement Note: The responsibility to "Manage projects from needs assessment to implementation" and "secure resources, and manage stakeholders" indicates a significant project management component often found in operations roles, requiring a structured approach to workflow and resource allocation.
π Skills & Qualifications
Education:
- Bachelorβs degree in English, Communications, HCI, Design, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
Experience:
- Minimum of 6 years of progressive experience in UX writing, content design, technical writing, editorial, marketing, or a closely related field.
- Demonstrated experience leading content strategy projects from conception through execution.
- Proven track record of shaping content for complex, multi-disciplinary product initiatives, with a focus on user-centric design principles.
Required Skills:
- UX Writing & Content Design: Expertise in crafting user interface text, microcopy, and longer-form content that guides users and enhances product usability.
- Content Strategy: Ability to define product goals, develop cohesive narratives, and establish content guidelines and best practices.
- Information Architecture: Skill in organizing and structuring content logically to support user navigation and comprehension.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively with designers, product managers, engineers, researchers, and marketing teams, influencing decisions and integrating feedback.
- Project Management: Experience managing complex projects, including scoping, prioritization, resource allocation, and stakeholder management.
- Portfolio: A strong portfolio showcasing a breadth of UX writing and content design work, demonstrating simplification, user focus, and impact.
Preferred Skills:
- Executive Engagement: 3 years of experience presenting to and collaborating with executive leadership.
- Agency Experience: 2 years of experience in UX writing, content design, or marketing within an agency setting, demonstrating adaptability and client-focused solutions.
- Complex Tech Environments: 2 years of experience working within a large, cross-functional technology organization, understanding nuanced stakeholder dynamics and product development cycles.
- Localization & Accessibility: Deep understanding of localization best practices and accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) for global product deployment.
- UX Research & Data Analysis: Familiarity with user experience research methodologies and the ability to use data (quantitative and qualitative) to inform content decisions and demonstrate impact.
- Technology & Product Knowledge: Familiarity with online technology, web and mobile user interface design principles, and common development tools.
π Enhancement Note: The requirement for a portfolio is paramount for UX Writing roles, serving as a direct demonstration of skills in process, problem-solving, and impactful content creation, akin to a process portfolio in operations. The preference for experience in complex tech organizations and with executive leadership highlights the strategic and influential nature of this senior role, requiring sophisticated stakeholder management.
π Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements
Portfolio Essentials:
- Case Studies: Detailed case studies that illustrate the end-to-end process of content design and UX writing for specific product features or initiatives. Each case study should clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process followed, content solutions proposed, and the measurable outcomes.
- UX Writing Samples: A diverse range of examples demonstrating proficiency in UI text, microcopy, error messages, onboarding flows, and other user-facing content.
- Content Strategy Artifacts: Examples of content strategy documents, style guides, voice and tone guidelines, or content frameworks you have developed.
- Process Documentation: Portfolios should include documentation of your workflow, including how you conduct user research, collaborate with stakeholders, iterate on content, and ensure consistency and quality.
- Impact Metrics: Quantifiable results demonstrating the impact of your content decisions, such as improvements in task completion rates, user satisfaction scores, adoption metrics, or reductions in support tickets.
Process Documentation:
- Demonstrate how you approach content audits and gap analyses to identify areas for improvement.
- Showcase your methods for creating and refining content hierarchies, information architecture, and user flows.
- Provide examples of how you incorporate feedback from user research, A/B testing, and stakeholder reviews into your content development process.
- Illustrate your approach to ensuring content adheres to brand voice, tone, and style guidelines, as well as localization and accessibility requirements.
π Enhancement Note: For this role, the portfolio is not just a collection of work but a demonstration of a systematic approach to content design. It should highlight a structured process for problem-solving, stakeholder alignment, and measurement of impact, mirroring the rigor expected in operations roles when presenting process improvements or project outcomes.
π΅ Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range:
- The US base salary range for this full-time position is $138,000 - $202,000 per year.
- This range is determined by factors including role, level, and location. Individual pay decisions within this range are influenced by work location and additional factors such as job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.
Benefits:
- Bonus: Potential for annual performance-based bonuses.
- Equity: Stock options or grants as part of the overall compensation package.
- Comprehensive Benefits: Access to a robust benefits package, which typically includes:
- Health, dental, and vision insurance.
- Retirement savings plans (e.g., 401(k) with company match).
- Paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
- Parental leave policies.
- Wellness programs and resources.
- Employee assistance programs.
- Opportunities for professional development and tuition reimbursement.
Working Hours:
- This is a full-time position, typically requiring around 40 hours per week.
- While core business hours are expected for collaboration, Google often offers flexibility in scheduling, allowing for work-life balance, especially for on-site roles where productivity and output are prioritized.
π Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is a US base salary only and does not include bonus, equity, or benefits. This is a common practice for large tech companies to provide a transparent base range while acknowledging the significant additional compensation components. The estimated value of bonus and equity can significantly increase the total compensation package, often by 15-30% or more depending on performance and company growth.
π― Team & Company Context
π’ Company Culture
Industry: Technology (Software & Digital Content Distribution) Company Size: Large Enterprise (Google is a global tech giant with hundreds of thousands of employees worldwide). Founded: 1998 (Google's extensive history is marked by innovation, a data-driven culture, and a focus on user-centric products).
Team Structure:
- Operations within Google Play: The Google Play team operates as a significant division within Google, focusing on content acquisition, platform development, developer relations, user experience, and business operations.
- Reporting Structure: This role will likely report into a UX Design or Product Management leadership, with close alignment to Content Strategy and Product Marketing functions. The Senior UX Writer will also mentor and guide junior writers.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: The role is inherently collaborative, requiring constant interaction with UX Designers, Product Managers, Researchers, Engineers, Legal, Marketing, and Customer Operations teams to ensure cohesive product narratives and user experiences.
Methodology:
- Data-Driven Decision Making: Google emphasizes a strong data-driven approach. Content decisions are informed by user research, A/B testing, analytics, and performance metrics to validate effectiveness and drive continuous improvement.
- User-Centric Design: The core philosophy is to design products and experiences around the user, ensuring utility, meaning, and delight. Content plays a pivotal role in achieving this by making products intuitive and accessible.
- Agile Development: Projects are typically managed using agile methodologies, requiring adaptability, iterative development, and close collaboration within sprints.
Company Website: https://www.google.com
π Enhancement Note: Google's culture is renowned for its emphasis on innovation, data, and user focus. For an operations-aligned role like this, understanding the "data-driven" aspect is crucial; it means that content decisions are not just about aesthetics but about measurable impact on user behavior and business goals. The "large enterprise" context suggests established processes but also opportunities for significant impact due to scale.
π Career & Growth Analysis
Operations Career Level:
- This is a Senior Individual Contributor role, indicating a high level of expertise and autonomy. It signifies the ability to lead complex projects, influence strategy, and mentor others, operating at a level equivalent to a mid-to-senior manager in terms of responsibility scope and strategic impact, but without direct people management of a large team.
Reporting Structure:
- The Senior UX Writer will likely report to a Group UX Designer, UX Manager, or Product Lead. They will work closely with Product Managers, UX Researchers, and Engineering leads on a day-to-day basis, acting as a key voice in product development discussions.
Operations Impact:
- The impact of this role is significant, directly influencing user acquisition, engagement, retention, and satisfaction within the Google Play ecosystem. Effective content design and UX writing can:
- Reduce user friction and support costs by providing clear instructions and error handling.
- Increase conversion rates for app downloads, purchases, and subscriptions through persuasive and informative copy.
- Enhance brand perception and user loyalty by creating delightful and trustworthy product experiences.
- Support global expansion through effective localization strategies.
Growth Opportunities:
- Leadership & Mentorship: Opportunity to mentor junior UX writers and content designers, leading by example and contributing to team skill development.
- Strategic Influence: Potential to influence product roadmaps and content strategy at a higher level, impacting the direction of Google Play.
- Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas such as information architecture, accessibility, localization, or content strategy for complex product suites.
- Cross-Functional Mobility: Develop strong relationships and understanding across various product domains within Google, potentially opening doors to other roles or projects.
- Executive Visibility: Gain experience presenting to and influencing executive leadership, a key skill for career advancement.
π Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title implies a significant degree of autonomy and strategic contribution. The growth opportunities highlight a clear path for advancing into lead roles, strategic content leadership, or even product management, leveraging the deep understanding of user behavior and product development gained in this position.
π Work Environment
Office Type: On-site (Mountain View, CA) Office Location(s): Google's main campus in Mountain View, California, is a hub for innovation, collaboration, and employee well-being, featuring state-of-the-art facilities.
Workspace Context:
- Collaborative Spaces: The environment is designed to foster collaboration, with numerous meeting rooms, open-plan areas, and informal gathering spots equipped with the latest communication and presentation technology.
- Tools & Technology: Access to a comprehensive suite of internal Google tools, design software, research platforms, and hardware for testing across various devices.
- Team Interaction: Frequent opportunities for informal and formal interactions with colleagues from diverse disciplines, encouraging knowledge sharing and cross-pollination of ideas. The culture promotes "googliness," a blend of high performance, collaboration, and a passion for innovation.
Work Schedule:
- While the role is on-site in Mountain View, Google is known for offering a degree of flexibility in daily schedules to support work-life balance. Core hours are typically expected to ensure team collaboration and meeting availability, but the exact daily structure can often be managed by the individual and their team lead.
π Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in Mountain View suggests an environment rich in resources and direct collaboration opportunities. For operations-minded individuals, this means immediate access to subject matter experts, streamlined approval processes, and a palpable sense of team momentum.
π Application & Portfolio Review Process
Interview Process:
- Initial Screening: A recruiter will review your application, focusing on your resume and portfolio link for relevant experience and qualifications.
- Hiring Manager Interview: An interview with the hiring manager to assess your experience, approach to UX writing and content strategy, and cultural fit.
- Portfolio Review & Design Exercise: A dedicated session where you present your portfolio, discussing specific case studies and demonstrating your process, impact, and strategic thinking. This may include a take-home or live design exercise focused on a typical UX writing challenge.
- Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with team members from design, product management, and engineering to evaluate your collaboration skills, ability to influence, and understanding of the product development lifecycle.
- Executive/Senior Leadership Interview: A final interview with senior leadership to assess strategic thinking, leadership potential, and overall fit within Google's culture and goals.
Portfolio Review Tips:
- Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest, most relevant projects that showcase your breadth of skills (UI text, content strategy, information architecture). Prioritize projects with clear, measurable outcomes.
- Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your specific role and contributions, the process you followed (including research, ideation, iteration), the solutions you designed, and the impact achieved (quantified wherever possible).
- Focus on Process: Emphasize your thought process, how you made decisions, how you incorporated feedback, and how you collaborated with stakeholders. This is where your operations-like structured thinking shines.
- Highlight Impact: Quantify your achievements. Use metrics like increased conversion rates, improved user satisfaction scores, reduced error rates, or decreased support tickets.
- Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your choices, challenges, and how you would approach similar problems in the Google Play context.
Challenge Preparation:
- Understand the Product: Familiarize yourself with Google Playβs current user experience, its key features, and its target audience.
- Anticipate Scenarios: Be prepared for exercises that might involve refining existing UI copy, writing copy for a new feature, or developing a content strategy for a specific user journey.
- Think Aloud: For live exercises, articulate your thought process clearly. Explain your assumptions, the trade-offs you're considering, and how you're arriving at your solution.
- Focus on User & Business Goals: Ensure your proposed solutions align with both user needs and Google Play's business objectives.
π Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio review and design exercise is critical. Candidates should treat this as an opportunity to demonstrate their structured problem-solving approach, akin to presenting a business case or process improvement plan in an operations context. Clearly articulating the 'why' behind their content choices and the measurable 'so what' will be key.
π Tools & Technology Stack
Primary Tools:
- UX Writing/Content Design Tools: Proficiency with industry-standard design and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD) for reviewing designs and contributing to UI elements.
- Content Management Systems (CMS): Familiarity with CMS platforms used for managing and publishing content across digital products.
- Collaboration Platforms: Extensive use of Google Workspace tools (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Meet, Chat) for communication, documentation, and collaboration.
Analytics & Reporting:
- Data Analysis Tools: Experience with tools for analyzing user behavior, product performance, and A/B test results (e.g., Google Analytics, internal Google data analysis platforms).
- Reporting Dashboards: Ability to interpret and leverage data from dashboards to inform content strategy and demonstrate impact.
CRM & Automation:
- While not a primary CRM/automation role, understanding how content impacts user journeys within CRM and marketing automation systems (e.g., Salesforce, Marketo) can be beneficial for GTM alignment.
π Enhancement Note: While the role is not directly hands-on with CRM or automation implementation, understanding how content design influences user journeys that are tracked by these systems is valuable. Proficiency in data analysis tools and the ability to interpret metrics are critical for demonstrating the operational impact of UX writing.
π₯ Team Culture & Values
Operations Values:
- User Focus: A relentless dedication to understanding and serving the user, ensuring products are intuitive, helpful, and delightful.
- Data-Driven: Decisions are grounded in data and evidence, with a commitment to measuring impact and iterating based on insights.
- Collaboration: A belief in the power of diverse perspectives, encouraging open communication and teamwork across disciplines.
- Innovation: A drive to push boundaries, experiment with new ideas, and continuously improve products and processes.
- Excellence: A commitment to high standards in craft, execution, and problem-solving, striving for the best possible outcomes.
Collaboration Style:
- Proactive & Consultative: Actively engaging with cross-functional partners early in the product development process, offering expertise and seeking input.
- Iterative & Feedback-Oriented: Willingness to share work early and often, embracing constructive feedback to refine content and strategy.
- Empathetic & Respectful: Understanding and valuing the perspectives of team members from different disciplines, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment.
- Goal-Oriented: Focusing efforts on achieving shared product and business objectives, ensuring content work directly contributes to team success.
π Enhancement Note: The "Data-Driven" and "Excellence" values align closely with operational principles of efficiency, measurement, and continuous improvement. The emphasis on proactive collaboration is key for ensuring that content design is integrated seamlessly into the broader GTM strategy, rather than being an isolated function.
β‘ Challenges & Growth Opportunities
Challenges:
- Balancing User Needs with Business Goals: Navigating the complexities of aligning user experience with Google Play's commercial objectives, ensuring content is both helpful to users and drives desired business outcomes.
- Scale and Complexity: Managing content strategy and execution across a vast and evolving product suite like Google Play, which serves millions of users globally.
- Stakeholder Alignment: Influencing and gaining consensus from diverse stakeholders with potentially competing priorities and perspectives.
- Maintaining Consistency: Ensuring a unified voice, tone, and user experience across all touchpoints and features within Google Play, especially with rapid product development.
- Measuring Content Impact: Developing and demonstrating clear, quantifiable metrics for the impact of UX writing and content design on user behavior and business KPIs.
Learning & Development Opportunities:
- Advanced Content Strategy: Opportunities to deepen expertise in large-scale content strategy, information architecture, and product narrative development.
- Leadership Development: Formal and informal training programs for leadership, mentorship, and influencing skills.
- Industry Best Practices: Exposure to cutting-edge UX research, design methodologies, and content trends through internal knowledge sharing and external conferences.
- Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Gaining in-depth knowledge of product management, UX research, engineering processes, and marketing strategies within a leading tech company.
- Mentorship: Access to experienced mentors within Google, providing guidance on career growth, skill development, and navigating organizational dynamics.
π Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical of senior roles in large tech organizations and offer significant opportunities for skill development. Overcoming these challenges effectively will require a blend of strategic thinking, robust process execution, and strong interpersonal skills, all of which are highly valued in operations.
π‘ Interview Preparation
Strategy Questions:
- "Describe a time you developed a content strategy for a complex product. What were the key considerations, how did you align stakeholders, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your strategic thinking, process, and ability to measure impact.)
- "How do you balance user needs with business objectives when crafting product copy? Provide an example." (Demonstrate your user-centric approach and understanding of GTM goals.)
- "Walk us through your process for creating UI text for a new feature. What steps do you take from initial brief to final implementation?" (Highlight your structured workflow, research methods, and iteration process.)
Company & Culture Questions:
- "What interests you about Google Play specifically, and how do you see your UX writing skills contributing to its success?" (Show research into the product and a clear understanding of its mission.)
- "How do you handle constructive criticism or disagreement from stakeholders on your content recommendations?" (Illustrate your collaboration and influence skills, emphasizing empathy and data.)
- "Describe a time you had to adapt your content strategy due to new data or user insights." (Show your ability to be data-informed and flexible.)
Portfolio Presentation Strategy:
- Structure for Impact: For each case study, use a clear narrative arc: Problem -> Your Role & Process -> Solution -> Results.
- Visual Aids: Use mockups, wireframes, or screenshots to illustrate your work and provide context.
- Focus on Metrics: Clearly present the quantitative impact of your work. If exact metrics aren't available, discuss the qualitative impact and how you would measure it.
- Demonstrate Collaboration: Explain how you worked with designers, PMs, and engineers, and how their input shaped your content.
- Be Ready for a Design Exercise: Prepare for a short, on-the-spot exercise to test your ability to write concise, user-focused copy for a given scenario.
π Enhancement Note: When preparing for this interview, think like an operations professional: how can you demonstrate efficiency, measurable outcomes, and a structured approach to problem-solving? Your portfolio presentation should be akin to a project review or business case presentation.
π Application Steps
To apply for this Senior UX Writer and Content Designer position:
- Submit Application: Navigate to the Google Careers portal and submit your application through the provided link.
- Portfolio Optimization: Ensure your resume includes a clear, accessible link to your online portfolio. Curate your portfolio to highlight 2-3 of your most impactful UX writing and content strategy projects, focusing on case studies with quantifiable results.
- Resume Tailoring: Tailor your resume to emphasize your experience in UX writing, content strategy, cross-functional collaboration, and project management, using keywords from the job description. Quantify achievements where possible.
- Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Google Playβs current features, user experience, and recent news. Understand Google's broader mission and values, particularly its focus on user experience and data-driven decision-making.
- Interview Practice: Prepare to discuss your portfolio in detail, articulate your content design process, and answer questions about stakeholder management, problem-solving, and strategic thinking. Practice presenting your case studies concisely and impactfully.
β οΈ 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.
Application Requirements
Candidates must have a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience and at least 6 years in UX writing or related fields. Preferred qualifications include experience with executive leadership and working in complex technology organizations.