UX Designer II, Amazon Autos

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Designer II, Amazon Autos
Company: Amazon
Location: Arlington, Virginia, United States & New York, New York, United States
Job Type: Full-Time
Category: User Experience (UX) Design / Product Design
Date Posted: January 23, 2026
Experience Level: Mid-Level (5-10 years)
Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This role focuses on designing end-to-end user experiences for complex and ambiguous automotive products and services within Amazon Autos, requiring a strong blend of strategic thinking and visual design craft.
• You will be instrumental in shaping Amazon's automotive strategy by creating innovative solutions that transform how customers discover, purchase, and interact with vehicles, directly impacting business growth and customer satisfaction.
• A key aspect involves enhancing and maintaining design systems, ensuring a consistent and high-quality visual language and interaction patterns across all customer touchpoints.
• The position demands a user-centered approach, leveraging customer data and insights to drive design decisions and deliver exceptional, customer-obsessed experiences for both consumers and a nationwide dealer network.

📝 Enhancement Note: The job title "UX Designer II" along with the 5+ years of experience requirement indicates a mid-level to senior individual contributor role. The emphasis on "complex and ambiguous" products suggests a need for strong problem-solving skills and the ability to define solutions where clear paths are not immediately apparent. The explicit mention of "Amazon Autos" and its vision to "revolutionize how people discover, purchase, and interact with vehicles" positions this role at the forefront of a significant new business initiative within Amazon.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design sophisticated, end-to-end user experiences for complex and often ambiguous automotive products and services, from initial concept through to detailed specifications.
• Develop high-fidelity prototypes, user flows, and vision pieces that effectively communicate design concepts and inspire stakeholders and engineering teams.
• Produce pixel-perfect visual designs and detailed design specifications, ensuring seamless collaboration and precise implementation by engineering teams.
• Champion and enhance the Amazon Design System, ensuring consistency in visual language, interaction patterns, and user experience across all platforms and touchpoints.
• Drive strategic design initiatives that align with Amazon's business objectives, customer needs, and the unique demands of the automotive industry.
• Conduct user research, analyze customer data and insights, and translate findings into actionable design improvements and innovative solutions.
• Collaborate closely with product managers, engineers, and other cross-functional partners to ensure designs are technically feasible, strategically aligned, and meet business goals.
• Define and advocate for user-centered design principles and best practices within the Amazon Autos team and broader Amazon design community.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the core responsibilities are detailed, the emphasis on "complex and ambiguous" suggests that candidates should be prepared to demonstrate how they navigate uncertainty, define problems, and create structured solutions in less defined environments. The dual focus on customer-facing and dealer-facing solutions implies a need to consider B2C and B2B user journeys.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Interaction Design, Graphic Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), or a related field is typically expected for this level of role.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of professional design experience.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience delivering design solutions specifically as a UX designer or interaction designer.
• Proven track record of designing and prototyping with industry-standard tools such as Figma, Adobe Creative Cloud, or similar.

Required Skills:

• Strategic Thinking & Business Acumen: Ability to understand business goals, market dynamics, and translate them into effective design strategies for the automotive sector.
• User-Centered Design: Deep understanding and application of user research methodologies, persona development, and user journey mapping to advocate for customer needs.
• Interaction Design Excellence: Proficiency in designing intuitive and engaging user flows, navigation systems, and interactive elements for complex applications.
• Visual Design Craft: Exceptional ability to create aesthetically pleasing, pixel-perfect visuals that align with brand guidelines and elevate the user experience.
• Prototyping & Wireframing: Skillful creation of low-fidelity wireframes, high-fidelity interactive prototypes, and user flow diagrams to communicate design intent.
• Design System Proficiency: Experience in creating, maintaining, and advocating for the use of design systems to ensure consistency and efficiency.
• Collaboration Skills: Ability to work effectively within cross-functional teams, including product management, engineering, and marketing.
• Storytelling & Presentation Skills: Strong ability to articulate design decisions, rationale, and impact to diverse audiences, including senior leadership.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working directly with developers to ensure accurate and high-quality implementation of designs.
• Experience defining and maintaining UX standards and design patterns that scale across multiple products.
• Familiarity with emerging technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Machine Learning (ML) and their potential applications in automotive experiences.
• Experience within the automotive industry or e-commerce platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "II" in UX Designer II suggests a role with increasing autonomy and impact compared to a junior position. Candidates should highlight instances where they've led design initiatives or significantly influenced product direction. The inclusion of "emerging technologies" as a preferred qualification indicates a forward-thinking team that values innovation and future-proofing.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A robust online portfolio is mandatory, showcasing a range of UX/Product Design projects.
• Projects should demonstrate end-to-end design process, from problem definition and user research to final visual design and outcomes.
• Include case studies that highlight your strategic thinking, user-centered approach, and problem-solving skills.
• Showcase examples of high-fidelity prototypes, user flows, interaction design, and visual design execution.
• Demonstrate experience with design systems, including how you've contributed to or utilized them.

Process Documentation:

• Case studies should clearly articulate the design process followed, including research methodologies, ideation techniques, and iteration cycles.
• Illustrate how data and customer insights were used to inform design decisions and measure success.
• Detail the collaboration process with engineering and product teams, including how design specifications were handed off and implemented.
• Provide examples of how you have enhanced or maintained design systems and established usage guidelines.

📝 Enhancement Note: For this role, the portfolio should heavily emphasize projects that involved complex problem-solving, ambiguity, and a significant impact on user experience and business metrics within a product context. Given Amazon's data-driven culture, demonstrating how quantitative and qualitative data informed design choices will be crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Arlington, Virginia: $117,800 - $160,000 USD annually
• New York, New York: $129,600 - $176,000 USD annually

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Insurance: Includes medical, dental, vision, prescription drug coverage.
• Life & Disability Insurance: Basic Life & AD&D insurance with options for supplemental plans.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) & Mental Health Support: Resources for well-being.
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs): For healthcare and dependent care expenses.
• Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement: Support for family building.
• Stock Options/Restricted Stock Units (RSUs): Amazon's equity compensation package.
• 401(k) Matching: Retirement savings plan with employer contributions.
• Paid Time Off (PTO): Generous leave for vacation, personal days, and sick leave.
• Parental Leave: Support for new parents.
• Medical Advice Line: Access to healthcare guidance.

Working Hours: Standard full-time work is typically 40 hours per week. While the role is on-site, Amazon often offers flexibility within standard business hours, allowing for focused work and collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary ranges provided are specific to the listed locations and reflect Amazon's compensation philosophy which includes base salary, sign-on bonuses, and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). The inclusion of "Stock Options" in the AI benefits list is a slight misinterpretation; Amazon primarily uses RSUs. The benefits package is extensive, reflecting Amazon's commitment to employee well-being and financial security.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: E-commerce, Technology, Automotive Retail, Cloud Computing (AWS). Amazon operates across a vast spectrum of industries, with Amazon Autos focusing on revolutionizing the automotive retail experience. Company Size: Amazon is one of the largest companies globally, with hundreds of thousands of employees worldwide. This scale offers immense resources, opportunities for impact, and exposure to cutting-edge technologies. Founded: 1994 by Jeff Bezos. Amazon's journey from an online bookstore to a global e-commerce and technology giant is a testament to its customer-centric approach, innovation, and willingness to experiment.

Team Structure:

• The Amazon Autos team is a new line of business, indicating a dynamic, fast-paced startup-like environment within a large corporation.
• It involves close collaboration with experienced teams across Amazon, suggesting a blend of established Amazonian practices and the agility of a new venture.
• The team likely includes Product Managers, UX Designers, Engineers, and potentially roles focused on business development and operations specific to the automotive sector.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Amazon heavily relies on data analytics, A/B testing, and customer metrics to inform product development and strategic decisions.
• Customer Obsession: The core principle is to start with the customer and work backward, ensuring all efforts are focused on delivering value and exceptional experiences.
• Bias for Action: Encourages taking calculated risks and moving quickly, iterating based on feedback and results.
• Ownership: Employees are encouraged to take ownership of their work and drive initiatives to completion.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Being part of a "new line of business" within Amazon means this team is likely operating with a degree of autonomy and the opportunity to shape processes and culture from the ground up, while still benefiting from Amazon's vast resources and established operational frameworks.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This UX Designer II role is positioned at a mid-level contributor stage. It requires significant autonomy in design execution and the ability to influence design direction for specific product areas. It serves as a stepping stone towards senior design roles (e.g., Senior UX Designer, Principal UX Designer) where individuals lead larger initiatives, mentor junior designers, and define broader design strategies.

Reporting Structure: Typically, UX Designers at this level report to a UX Design Manager or Lead, who in turn may report to a Director of Design or a Product leader overseeing the Amazon Autos initiative. The role involves frequent collaboration with Product Managers and Engineering Leads.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is significant, directly influencing the customer journey for one of Amazon's major new retail ventures. Successful designs will drive customer acquisition, engagement, and conversion in the automotive market, contributing directly to Amazon's revenue growth and market share in this sector. The role also influences the perception of Amazon's technological capabilities within the automotive industry.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in areas like automotive UX, design systems, or emerging technologies (AR/VR/AI) within the automotive context.
• Leadership Development: Progress to Senior or Principal Designer roles, taking on leadership of design projects, mentoring junior designers, and contributing to design strategy.
• Cross-Functional Mobility: Gain experience working across different Amazon product teams or even transitioning into Product Management or Program Management roles, leveraging deep product understanding.
• Industry Impact: Contribute to shaping the future of online car purchasing, a significant and evolving market, gaining recognition for impactful design work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "II" designation implies a solid foundation and the ability to operate independently on defined projects. Growth opportunities will likely involve taking on more ambiguous problems, leading design efforts for larger features or products, and potentially mentoring.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is an on-site role, indicating a traditional office environment designed for collaboration and focused work. Amazon offices are typically modern, well-equipped, and designed to foster innovation. Office Location(s): The role is available in Arlington, Virginia, and New York, New York. These are major tech hubs offering access to talent, resources, and a vibrant professional community.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: Amazon offices usually feature a variety of work areas, including open-plan desks, private offices, meeting rooms, and collaboration zones to support different work styles and team interactions.
• Technology & Tools: Employees will have access to high-performance computing resources, standard office software, and specialized design tools (Figma, Adobe CC) necessary for their work.
• Team Interaction: Expect frequent face-to-face interactions with team members, product managers, and engineers, facilitating rapid iteration and problem-solving. The environment encourages open communication and knowledge sharing.

Work Schedule: While the role is on-site and full-time (40 hours/week), Amazon often promotes a culture that balances productivity with work-life integration. This might include some flexibility in start/end times, provided core collaboration hours are met and project deliverables are achieved.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement for this role suggests that direct collaboration, spontaneous brainstorming, and in-person mentorship are highly valued for this specific team and initiative. Candidates should be prepared to work within a structured office environment.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screen: A recruiter will likely conduct an initial phone screen to assess basic qualifications, interest, and cultural fit.
• Portfolio Review: A key stage where you will present your online portfolio to a panel of designers and potentially product managers. Be prepared to walk through 2-3 relevant case studies in detail.
• Design Challenge: You may be given a take-home assignment or an on-the-spot design exercise focused on a problem relevant to Amazon Autos. This assesses your problem-solving approach, design thinking, and execution skills.
• Behavioral Interviews: A series of interviews focusing on Amazon's Leadership Principles (e.g., Customer Obsession, Ownership, Bias for Action, Dive Deep, Insist on the Highest Standards). Prepare specific examples from your past experience.
• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with engineers and product managers to assess collaboration skills and ability to work effectively with technical and business stakeholders.
• Final Interview: Often with a senior leader or hiring manager to confirm fit and assess overall potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 projects that best showcase your skills relevant to automotive UX, complex problem-solving, and end-to-end design. Highlight projects where you had significant ownership.
• Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed (research, ideation, design, testing), the challenges faced, your solutions, and the measurable impact or outcomes.
• Focus on "Why": Explain the rationale behind your design decisions. Why this approach? Why this solution? How did it address user needs and business goals?
• Visual Clarity: Ensure your portfolio is well-organized, visually appealing, and easy to navigate. Use high-quality mockups and prototypes.
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased conversion rates, improved user satisfaction scores, reduced task completion times).

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a take-home challenge, thoroughly research Amazon Autos and the automotive industry to inform your approach.
• Structure Your Thinking: For on-the-spot exercises, clearly articulate your thought process. Start by defining the problem, identifying key user needs, brainstorming solutions, and then detailing your proposed design.
• Focus on Process: Interviewers are often more interested in how you solve problems than just the final solution. Explain your methodology, assumptions, and trade-offs.
• Be Ready to Iterate: Demonstrate flexibility and openness to feedback, showing how you would incorporate suggestions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Amazon's interview process is known for its rigor, particularly its emphasis on behavioral questions tied to Leadership Principles. Candidates should prepare specific, STAR-method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) examples for each principle. The portfolio is critical, and candidates must be ready to defend their design decisions with data and user insights.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for collaborative design, prototyping, and high-fidelity UI creation. Expect advanced usage.
• Adobe Creative Cloud: Suite of tools including Photoshop, Illustrator, and potentially Adobe XD for various design tasks, asset creation, and visual refinement.
• Prototyping Tools: Proficiency in tools like Figma, InVision, or similar for creating interactive prototypes to test user flows and gather feedback.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not a primary design tool, familiarity with how user data is collected and analyzed is beneficial. Understanding tools like Amplitude, Google Analytics, or internal Amazon analytics platforms can help inform design decisions.
• Ability to interpret A/B test results and user feedback reports.

CRM & Automation:

• Understanding of how CRM systems (like Salesforce, though Amazon may use internal equivalents) and marketing automation tools impact customer journeys can be helpful, especially in understanding the broader ecosystem of customer interaction.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency with Figma is almost certainly a baseline requirement given its widespread adoption in the industry and Amazon's likely emphasis on efficient, collaborative workflows. Understanding how design integrates with data analytics and engineering workflows will be key.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Obsession: Every decision is made with the customer's needs and experience at the forefront. This means deeply understanding automotive buyers and sellers.
• Ownership: Taking full responsibility for design outcomes, from conception to implementation and iteration, driving projects to completion.
• Bias for Action: Moving quickly and decisively, making informed decisions and iterating based on feedback, rather than getting stuck in analysis paralysis.
• Invent and Simplify: Continuously looking for innovative solutions and ways to make complex processes simple and intuitive for users.
• Insist on the Highest Standards: Maintaining a commitment to quality and excellence in all aspects of design, from pixel-perfect execution to strategic thinking.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Expect tight collaboration with product managers, engineers, researchers, and potentially marketing and business teams. Open communication and shared understanding are paramount.
• Data-Informed Discussions: Design reviews and brainstorming sessions are often grounded in data, user feedback, and business objectives.
• Constructive Feedback: The culture encourages giving and receiving direct, constructive feedback to improve designs and processes, fostering a learning environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: Amazon's unique Leadership Principles are deeply embedded in its culture. Candidates should research these principles thoroughly and be ready to demonstrate how their work and interactions align with them. For this role, "Customer Obsession," "Ownership," and "Invent and Simplify" will be particularly relevant.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Ambiguity in a New Business: Navigating the inherent uncertainties of a new venture, defining product scope, and establishing design best practices where none may exist.
• Balancing Customer Needs with Business Goals: Effectively advocating for users while ensuring designs meet Amazon's ambitious business objectives in the competitive automotive market.
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring seamless collaboration and buy-in from diverse teams (engineering, product, legal, marketing) with potentially competing priorities.
• Designing for a Complex Ecosystem: Creating intuitive experiences for a complex purchase journey that involves multiple touchpoints, stakeholders (dealers, manufacturers, customers), and significant financial transactions.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Industry Expertise: Gain deep knowledge of the automotive industry's digital transformation and customer behavior.
• Scale of Impact: Work on a product with the potential to reach millions of customers, offering unparalleled opportunities to see the impact of your designs.
• Advanced Design Skills: Hone skills in complex UX problem-solving, strategic design thinking, and advanced prototyping within a world-class design organization.
• Mentorship: Benefit from working alongside experienced designers and leaders at Amazon, with opportunities for formal and informal mentorship.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are opportunities for growth. Candidates who thrive in dynamic, evolving environments and can demonstrate resilience and adaptability will be well-suited for this role.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design for a complex or ambiguous problem space. How did you define the problem and what was your process?" (Focus on structured problem-solving, hypothesis generation, and iterative design).
• "How do you balance user needs with business requirements and technical constraints? Provide an example." (Demonstrate strategic thinking and ability to find optimal solutions).
• "Walk me through a project where you significantly influenced the product strategy or direction through your design insights." (Highlight your strategic impact and ability to drive change).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why Amazon Autos? What interests you about this specific opportunity and the automotive industry?" (Show genuine interest and research).
• "How do you embody Amazon's Leadership Principles, specifically Customer Obsession and Ownership, in your design work?" (Prepare specific STAR-method examples).
• "Describe your experience working with design systems. How do you ensure consistency and contribute to their evolution?" (Showcase practical experience and understanding of design system value).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: For each case study, clearly outline the Problem, Your Role, The Process, The Solution, and The Impact/Outcome.
• Narrative: Tell a compelling story about the user and the problem you solved. Make it relatable and engaging.
• Visuals: Use high-quality mockups, wireframes, prototypes, and user flow diagrams to illustrate your points. Annotate key design decisions.
• Data & Insights: Weave in user research findings, data points, and A/B test results to support your decisions and demonstrate impact.
• Conciseness: Be mindful of time. Practice your presentation to ensure it's detailed yet efficient, leaving time for Q&A.

📝 Enhancement Note: Amazon's interview process is highly structured and relies heavily on behavioral questions. Candidates must prepare concrete examples that directly map to Amazon's Leadership Principles. The portfolio presentation is a critical component, serving as the primary demonstration of design craft and strategic thinking.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Designer position at Amazon Autos:

• Submit your application through the official Amazon Jobs portal via the provided URL.
• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your online portfolio is up-to-date, easily accessible, and prominently features 2-3 case studies that best align with the requirements of this role, particularly those involving complex problem-solving, user-centered design, and visual execution.
• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight 5+ years of design experience, with specific emphasis on UX/Interaction Design accomplishments, proficiency in Figma and Adobe Creative Cloud, and any experience with design systems or the automotive/e-commerce sectors. Use keywords from the job description.
• Leadership Principles Preparation: Thoroughly research Amazon's Leadership Principles and prepare specific, STAR-method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) examples for each that demonstrate how you've embodied these principles in your past work.
• Company & Role Research: Deeply understand Amazon Autos' mission and vision. Research market trends in automotive e-commerce and prepare thoughtful questions about the team's challenges, goals, and culture.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions tailored for a UX Design role at Amazon. All details, especially regarding salary ranges and specific role expectations, should be verified directly with the hiring organization or recruiter during the application and interview process.