Staff UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Staff UX Designer Company: The Trade Desk Location: New York, NY, United States Job Type: Full-Time Category: User Experience (UX) Design / Product Design Date Posted: October 21, 2025 Experience Level: 8+ Years Professional Experience Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and own UX initiatives for The Trade Desk's inventory products and services, focusing on creating intuitive and best-in-class interactive interfaces for sellers.
• Drive the evolution of platforms like Deal Desk, enabling seamless deal creation and management for sales teams.
• Ensure design consistency and alignment across the ecosystem by collaborating closely with the Buy Side team and other cross-functional partners.
• Champion a user-centered design approach, translating complex ideas into user-friendly experiences that deliver business value.
• Contribute to strategic planning and product vision through close collaboration with product managers, engineers, and researchers, leveraging user insights to shape product direction.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is specifically for a Staff UX Designer, indicating a senior-level position requiring significant autonomy, strategic thinking, and the ability to mentor or guide less experienced designers. The focus on "inventory products" and "Deal Desk" suggests a role within the sales enablement or platform operations side of The Trade Desk's advertising technology ecosystem.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Champion a user-centered design approach, deeply understanding and advocating for the needs and preferences of users, particularly sellers.
• Lead the end-to-end design process for complex features within Sell Side platforms, encompassing concept development, user flows, interaction design, and visual design.
• Own the design and continued evolution of platforms like Deal Desk, focusing on streamlining deal creation and management workflows for sales representatives.
• Leverage and contribute to The Trade Desk's design system, ensuring design consistency across products while proactively identifying and addressing gaps or opportunities for enhancement.
• Develop and implement innovative design concepts through user flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity mockups that align with industry best practices and business objectives.
• Transform ambiguous ideas into well-defined, user-friendly experiences that seamlessly integrate functionality and ease of use.
• Collaborate closely with product managers, engineers, and researchers to define product strategy, plan roadmaps, and ensure design vision is integrated from concept to execution.
• Plan and execute usability testing sessions, effectively gathering user feedback and iterating on designs based on actionable insights.
• Provide clear implementation guidance to engineering teams, ensuring the final product aligns with design specifications and maintains high quality standards.
• Stay abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies, and competitive landscapes within AdTech to ensure designs are innovative and maintain a competitive edge.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize ownership, leadership in design process, and strategic collaboration, consistent with a Staff-level UX Designer role. The mention of "Sell Side platforms" and "Deal Desk" points to a focus on internal tools for sales teams, requiring a deep understanding of sales workflows and business objectives.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

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

Experience:

• 8+ years of professional UX Design experience, with a proven track record of leading significant design initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience in designing complex enterprise-level applications, ideally within the AdTech or related technology sectors.
• Experience working with and contributing to established design systems.

Required Skills:

• Expert proficiency in Figma for wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity design.
• Strong understanding and application of user-centered design principles and methodologies.
• Proven ability to conduct user research, including usability testing, and translate findings into actionable design improvements.
• Expertise in creating user flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and detailed visual designs.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to articulate complex design decisions to diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated experience collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams, including product management, engineering, and research.
• Ability to manage multiple projects concurrently in a deadline-driven environment, prioritizing tasks efficiently.
• Capacity to work independently and take ownership of design initiatives from conception to completion.
• Skills in rationalizing design decisions and articulating their strategic value to stakeholders.

Preferred Skills:

• Prior experience in the AdTech industry.
• Familiarity with enterprise SaaS product design.
• Experience with design thinking methodologies.
• Ability to mentor or guide junior designers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "8+ years" and "expert proficiency in Figma" strongly indicates a senior, Staff-level UX Designer role. The emphasis on collaboration with "product managers, engineers and researchers" highlights the cross-functional nature of the role. AdTech experience is listed as advantageous but not mandatory, suggesting the company values strong core UX skills.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A robust portfolio showcasing a range of UX design projects, with a strong emphasis on complex enterprise applications and B2B products.
• Detailed case studies demonstrating your process from problem definition through to final solution, highlighting your role and contributions.
• Examples of how you have applied user-centered design principles to solve complex problems and drive user engagement.
• Evidence of your ability to create intuitive and efficient user interfaces for intricate workflows, particularly in areas relevant to sales or platform operations.
• Demonstrations of your experience with design systems, including contributions to or utilization of a comprehensive system.

Process Documentation:

• Showcase your end-to-end design process, including user research methodologies, ideation techniques, prototyping, and iterative design based on feedback.
• Illustrate your approach to collaborating with product management and engineering, detailing how you align design with business goals and technical constraints.
• Include examples of how you have leveraged or contributed to design systems to ensure consistency and scalability.
• Present case studies that clearly articulate the problem, your proposed solution, the design rationale, and the impact of your work, ideally with quantifiable results.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Staff UX Designer role, the portfolio is critical. It should not only showcase visual design skills but, more importantly, the strategic thinking, problem-solving process, and cross-functional collaboration capabilities. Case studies demonstrating impact on user efficiency and business outcomes within complex B2B environments will be highly valued.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• $124,900 - $228,900 USD per year

Benefits:

• Comprehensive healthcare coverage (medical, dental, and vision) with premiums paid in full for employees and dependents.
• Retirement benefits, including a 401k plan with company match.
• Short-term and long-term disability coverage.
• Basic life insurance.
• Well-being benefits.
• Reimbursement for certain tuition expenses.
• Paid parental leave.
• Sick time: 1 hour per 30 hours worked.
• Vacation time: Up to 120 hours in the first year, increasing to 160 hours thereafter for full-time employees.
• Approximately 13 paid holidays per year.
• Eligibility for stock-based compensation grants, awarded based on company and individual performance.
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) allowing employees to purchase The Trade Desk stock at a discount.
• Potential for other compensation depending on the role, such as sales-based incentives and commissions (though less likely for a UX Designer role, it's mentioned as a possibility for other roles).

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours, estimated at 40 hours per week. The role is on-site, implying typical office hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is specific to CO, CA, IL, NY, WA, and Washington DC residents, and reflects the company's reasonable estimate for this Staff-level UX Designer position. The comprehensive benefits package is a significant draw, particularly the full premium coverage for healthcare and the stock-based compensation opportunities.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology / Digital Advertising / AdTech Company Size: Large (The Trade Desk is a publicly traded company with thousands of employees globally). Founded: 2009

Team Structure:

• The UX team at The Trade Desk is composed of skilled UX Designers, Researchers, and Writers, working collaboratively.
• This Staff UX Designer role is within the "Inventory" team, which focuses on products and services related to advertising inventory.
• The role requires close collaboration with product management, engineering, and the "Buy Side" team to ensure cohesive user experiences across the platform ecosystem.
• The team operates with a strong emphasis on user-centered design and contributing to the company's overall success.

Methodology:

• User-centered design is paramount, with a focus on understanding user behaviors and shaping products accordingly.
• Collaboration with engineering and product management is key to crafting effective products.
• Design thinking and iterative design processes are likely employed, informed by user research and testing.
• Contribution to and utilization of a robust design system is expected for consistency and efficiency.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The Trade Desk is a major player in the AdTech space, known for its transparency and data-driven approach. Its culture emphasizes inclusivity, valuing diverse experiences. The UX team is integral to product development, working closely with other departments to create impactful solutions.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Staff UX Designer

• This is a senior individual contributor role, indicating a high level of expertise and autonomy.
• Staff designers are expected to lead complex projects, influence product strategy, and potentially mentor junior team members.
• The role demands strategic thinking, problem-solving for ambiguous challenges, and ownership of significant design areas.

Reporting Structure:

• While not explicitly stated, a Staff UX Designer typically reports to a UX Manager, Director of UX, or Head of Product Design.
• They will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads within the Inventory team.

Operations Impact:

• This role has a direct impact on the effectiveness and efficiency of The Trade Desk's sellers by improving their tools and workflows (e.g., Deal Desk).
• By crafting intuitive interfaces, the designer contributes to increased user adoption, productivity, and ultimately, revenue generation through more effective deal management and inventory utilization.
• The role also influences the overall user experience of The Trade Desk's platform, contributing to brand perception and customer satisfaction.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise within the AdTech domain or specific product areas like inventory management.
• Leadership: Transition into management roles (e.g., UX Manager) or technical leadership paths (e.g., Principal UX Designer), guiding larger initiatives and teams.
• Skill Development: Further refine skills in areas like strategic design leadership, cross-functional influence, and advanced user research techniques.
• Mentorship: Opportunity to mentor and guide junior designers, contributing to the growth of the UX team.
• Cross-functional Mobility: Potential to move into product management or other strategic roles within the company, leveraging design expertise.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Staff" designation signifies a significant level of responsibility and potential for impact. Growth opportunities at this level often involve broadening influence, deepening technical/strategic expertise, or moving into leadership. The AdTech context provides a unique environment for specialized career development.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site

• The role is based in New York, NY, and requires working from the company's physical office.

Office Location(s):

• New York City, NY.

Workspace Context:

• The Trade Desk fosters an inclusive and collaborative environment.
• As a Staff UX Designer, you can expect access to modern design tools and technologies, including expert-level Figma licenses.
• Opportunities for close collaboration with product managers, engineers, researchers, and other designers.
• The office environment likely supports a dynamic and fast-paced work culture, typical of a leading tech company in New York.

Work Schedule:

• Standard full-time hours, likely Monday to Friday, within the New York time zone.
• While the role is on-site, professional flexibility may be expected to meet project deadlines or collaborate with global teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in New York suggests a preference for in-person collaboration and team integration. The environment is likely designed to foster innovation and productivity within a large tech organization.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter will review your application and resume, focusing on relevant experience and qualifications.
• Portfolio Review: You will likely be asked to present your portfolio, detailing your process, problem-solving approach, and impact on key projects. Expect to discuss specific case studies in depth.
• Hiring Manager/Team Interviews: Interviews with the hiring manager and potentially other senior UX designers, product managers, and engineers. These will assess your design skills, strategic thinking, collaboration style, and cultural fit.
• Design Challenge (Potentially): You may be given a design exercise or a take-home challenge to assess your problem-solving abilities, design process, and execution skills.
• Final Round: Interviews with senior leadership to discuss your experience, strategic vision, and potential impact on the team and company.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate your skills for this specific role, focusing on enterprise applications, complex workflows, and B2B scenarios.
• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem statement, your role and responsibilities, the design process you followed (research, ideation, prototyping, testing), your design rationale, and the measurable outcomes or impact.
• Highlight Process: Emphasize your thinking and decision-making process, not just the final visuals. Show how you arrived at your solutions.
• Showcase Figma Proficiency: Be ready to discuss your use of Figma, including advanced features, component libraries, and how it facilitated your workflow.
• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased conversion rates, reduced task completion time, improved user satisfaction).
• Address Ambiguity: Be prepared to discuss how you handle ambiguous problems and translate them into clear design solutions.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Research The Trade Desk, its products (especially in the AdTech space), its target users (sellers, buyers), and common challenges in AdTech UX.
• Practice Problem Solving: Prepare to tackle design problems related to advertising platforms, sales workflows, data visualization, or complex B2B interfaces.
• Articulate Your Process: Be ready to walk through your thought process, design decisions, and potential solutions clearly and concisely.
• Focus on User Needs: Ensure your solutions are grounded in user needs and business objectives.
• Consider Constraints: Think about potential technical, business, and time constraints.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a Staff UX Designer will be rigorous, focusing heavily on portfolio quality, strategic thinking, and the ability to lead and influence. Expect deep dives into specific projects and problem-solving scenarios.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Expert proficiency required for UI design, wireframing, prototyping, and collaboration.
• Design Systems Tools: Experience with maintaining, contributing to, or leveraging design systems.
• Prototyping Tools: Proficiency in creating interactive prototypes within Figma or other relevant tools.

Analytics & Reporting:

• User Research Platforms: Experience with tools for conducting usability testing, surveys, and user interviews (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Qualtrics).
• Analytics Tools (Familiarity): While not a direct responsibility, understanding how to interpret data from product analytics tools (e.g., Amplitude, Google Analytics) to inform design decisions is valuable.

CRM & Automation:

• Salesforce (Familiarity): Understanding of CRM systems and sales workflows, as the role involves designing for sales enablement tools like Deal Desk, which likely integrates with or mirrors CRM functionalities.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is explicitly called out as a requirement. The other tools listed are common in UX roles and would be beneficial for a candidate to be familiar with, especially those related to user research and understanding product performance.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for user needs and preferences as the foundation for all design decisions.
• Collaboration: A strong emphasis on working effectively with cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, Research) to achieve shared goals.
• Innovation: A drive to create cutting-edge, intuitive, and high-quality user experiences that push industry standards.
• Transparency: A value for clear communication, honest feedback, and openness in processes and decision-making, aligning with The Trade Desk's broader company ethos.
• Impact-Driven: A focus on designing solutions that deliver tangible value to users and contribute directly to the company's business objectives and success.

Collaboration Style:

• Partnership: Close working relationships with Product Managers to define strategy and roadmaps, and with Engineers to ensure feasibility and high-quality implementation.
• Cross-functional Integration: Seamless integration with researchers to gather insights and validate designs, and with writers for clear and effective UX copy.
• Design System Advocacy: Working within and contributing to the design system to maintain consistency and efficiency across the product suite.
• Feedback Exchange: An open culture of providing and receiving constructive feedback to continuously improve designs and processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture emphasizes inclusivity and valuing unique perspectives. For a UX team, this likely translates to an environment that encourages diverse ideas, constructive feedback, and a collective drive towards user satisfaction and business success.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complexity of AdTech: Navigating the intricate and rapidly evolving landscape of digital advertising technology, which involves complex data, multiple stakeholders, and evolving regulations.
• Balancing User Needs and Business Goals: Effectively translating the needs of sellers and buyers within a sophisticated platform while ensuring those solutions align with The Trade Desk's business objectives and revenue goals.
• Designing for Internal Tools: Creating intuitive and efficient user experiences for internal tools like Deal Desk, which can sometimes be overlooked compared to external-facing products, but are critical for operational efficiency.
• Maintaining Design Consistency: Ensuring a cohesive and scalable user experience across a growing portfolio of inventory products, leveraging and contributing to a robust design system.
• Ambiguity in Requirements: Transforming broad, conceptual ideas into actionable design solutions, requiring strong problem-solving and strategic thinking skills.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AdTech Specialization: Gaining deep expertise in the nuances of the digital advertising technology industry.
• Strategic Influence: Developing skills in influencing product strategy and roadmap prioritization through design leadership.
• Mentorship and Leadership: Opportunities to mentor junior designers and lead design initiatives, preparing for potential future leadership roles.
• Industry Trends: Staying at the forefront of UX design best practices and emerging technologies within the AdTech sector.
• Cross-functional Expertise: Deepening understanding of product management, engineering challenges, and sales operations through close collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to a senior role in a complex, fast-paced industry. The growth opportunities are structured around deepening expertise, expanding influence, and developing leadership capabilities.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex B2B product you designed. What was the problem, your approach, and the outcome?" (Focus on your process, user research, design decisions, and impact.)
• "How do you approach designing for internal sales tools versus external-facing products?" (Highlight your understanding of different user needs and business objectives.)
• "How would you contribute to The Trade Desk's design system, and how have you used design systems in the past?" (Showcase your understanding of consistency, scalability, and collaboration.)
• "Walk us through a time you had to translate ambiguous requirements into a clear design solution. What steps did you take?" (Demonstrate your problem-solving and strategic thinking.)
• "How do you balance user needs with business requirements and technical constraints?" (Emphasize your ability to find optimal solutions.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about The Trade Desk and the AdTech industry?" (Research the company's mission, products, and market position.)
• "How do you ensure inclusivity in your design process?" (Relate to The Trade Desk's stated value of inclusivity.)
• "Describe your experience working with product managers and engineers. How do you ensure successful collaboration?" (Highlight your cross-functional partnership skills.)
• "How do you stay updated on industry trends and new design technologies?" (Show your commitment to continuous learning.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure is Key: Organize your presentation logically: Problem -> Your Role -> Process -> Solution -> Impact.
• Focus on the "Why": Clearly articulate the rationale behind your design decisions.
• Showcase Figma: Be prepared to demonstrate your Figma workflow, component usage, and prototyping capabilities.
• Quantify Results: Use data and metrics to support the success of your projects.
• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Expect detailed questions about your process, challenges, and decision-making for each project.
• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize projects that align with enterprise B2B design, sales enablement, or complex workflow optimization if possible.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on showcasing strategic thinking, deep UX process knowledge, collaboration skills, and a clear understanding of The Trade Desk's business and industry. The portfolio presentation is a critical component.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Staff UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through The Trade Desk's careers portal via the provided Greenhouse link.
• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your 8+ years of UX design experience, specific accomplishments in enterprise B2B design, proficiency in Figma, and experience with design systems. Use keywords from the job description.
• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate 3-5 strong case studies focusing on complex problems, your end-to-end process, collaborative efforts, and measurable impact. Ensure it's easily accessible (e.g., PDF or professional website).
• Research The Trade Desk: Understand their business, products, mission, and company culture, especially their commitment to transparency and inclusivity. Familiarize yourself with the AdTech industry.
• Practice Your Pitch: Be ready to clearly articulate your experience, design philosophy, and how your skills align with the requirements of this Staff UX Designer role. Practice presenting your portfolio with a focus on storytelling and demonstrating your strategic thinking.

⚠️ 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.

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