UX Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Product Designer Company: Microsoft Location: Multiple Locations, United States Job Type: Full-Time Category: User Experience (UX) Design / Product Design Date Posted: October 31, 2025 Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years) Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Shape AI-driven products, solutions, and assets through a user-centered design methodology, focusing on delivering value at speed and scale.
• Translate complex business requirements, technical constraints, and user feedback into intuitive, engaging, and functional user experiences.
• Drive innovation by integrating emerging AI technologies into user interfaces and workflows, ensuring products remain competitive and delightful.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including engineers, data scientists, and product managers to bring creative visions to life from concept to production.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is embedded within Microsoft's Scale AI Solutioning team, indicating a focus on creating repeatable, high-impact AI solutions that accelerate adoption across the Microsoft platform. The emphasis on "agentic automation" and "measurable outcomes" suggests a need for designers who can not only create user-friendly interfaces but also understand and contribute to the efficiency and effectiveness of AI-driven processes.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct user research to understand user needs, pain points, and behaviors related to AI technologies and solutions.
• Develop user flows, wireframes, mockups, and interactive prototypes at various fidelity levels to communicate design concepts.
• Design intuitive and visually appealing user interfaces (UI) that align with Microsoft's design system and brand guidelines.
• Iterate on designs based on user feedback, usability testing results, and input from engineering and data science teams.
• Craft compelling narratives and documentation that articulate the user experience vision and design rationale for AI solutions.
• Ensure the functionality and usability of designed experiences, bridging the gap between creative vision and technical feasibility.
• Contribute to the development of AI transformation assets that empower Microsoft sellers and customers.
• Stay abreast of the latest AI technologies and design trends to inform and inspire innovative solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core responsibility of translating "business requirements, technical constraints, and user feedback" into user experiences, combined with working "iteratively—from low-fidelity concepts to production-ready deliverables," highlights the need for a designer proficient in the full product design lifecycle. The mention of "agentic automation" implies a potential focus on designing for autonomous or semi-autonomous AI agents, requiring a nuanced understanding of human-AI interaction.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

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

Experience: 2-5 years of professional experience in UX Product Design, with a demonstrated track record of designing and shipping digital products, preferably in areas involving AI or complex technical solutions.

Required Skills:

• User-Centered Design: Deep understanding and application of user-centered design principles and methodologies.
• Prototyping & Wireframing: Proficiency in creating low-to-high fidelity prototypes and wireframes using tools like Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, or similar.
• User Research: Experience planning and conducting various forms of user research (e.g., interviews, surveys, usability testing) to gather actionable insights.
• Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively in a cross-functional team environment with engineers, data scientists, product managers, and other stakeholders.
• Interface Design (UI): Strong visual design skills with an understanding of typography, color theory, layout, and interaction patterns.
• AI Technologies: Familiarity with current AI technologies and their potential applications, with an interest in how users interact with AI.
• Iterative Design: Experience working in an agile or iterative development process, incorporating feedback throughout the design cycle.
• Problem-Solving: Ability to analyze complex problems and translate them into elegant design solutions.
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills for presenting design concepts and rationale.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing for AI-powered products, machine learning platforms, or data-intensive applications.
• Familiarity with Microsoft's design system (Fluent Design System) and brand guidelines.
• Experience with animation or motion design to enhance user interactions.
• Understanding of data science principles and how they influence user experience.
• Portfolio showcasing a strong understanding of designing for complex systems and innovative technologies.
• Experience with agentic automation concepts and their UX implications.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "2-5 years" experience level suggests this is a mid-level role, requiring a solid foundation in core UX skills but also the ability to work with some autonomy and contribute meaningfully to complex projects. The emphasis on AI technologies and "agentic automation" as preferred skills indicates a growing specialization within UX design that this role aims to leverage.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 distinct projects demonstrating the full product design lifecycle, from user research and ideation to final UI and interaction design.
• Include case studies that clearly articulate the problem statement, your role, the design process followed, key decisions made, and the final solution.
• Highlight projects involving complex systems, data visualization, or technology integration, ideally with an AI component, if available.
• Demonstrate how you translated user needs and business requirements into tangible design outcomes.
• Present evidence of iterative design processes, including how user feedback and testing informed design refinements.

Process Documentation:

• Clearly outline the user research methodologies employed and the insights derived.
• Detail the wireframing, prototyping, and user testing processes used for specific projects.
• Illustrate the collaboration process with engineering and data science teams, showing how technical constraints were navigated.
• Provide examples of how you documented design specifications and ensured design fidelity during development handoff.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a UX Product Designer role, especially one focusing on AI, a portfolio is critical. It should not just display final visuals but the thought process, problem-solving, and user-centric approach. Highlighting projects that involved iterative development and collaboration with technical teams will be particularly valuable.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on Microsoft's compensation structure for UX Product Designers in the United States with 2-5 years of experience, the estimated annual base salary range is typically between $90,000 and $130,000. This range can vary based on specific location (e.g., cost of living in different Microsoft office hubs), the candidate's exact experience, and performance during the interview process. Total compensation may also include bonuses and stock awards.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Generous paid time off (PTO), holidays, and sick leave.
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match.
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP).
• Professional development opportunities, including training, conferences, and access to internal learning resources.
• Wellness programs and resources.
• Parental leave.
• Access to Microsoft's extensive product suite and employee discounts.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours, typically 40 hours per week. While the role is on-site, Microsoft often offers flexibility in work schedules to accommodate personal needs, provided business objectives and team collaboration are maintained.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary ranges for tech roles at Microsoft can vary significantly by location within the US. The provided range is a general estimate for a mid-level UX designer. The emphasis on "AI transformation assets" and "measurable outcomes" suggests that demonstrating ROI or impact in your portfolio could positively influence compensation discussions.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software Development, Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence, Consumer Electronics, and Gaming. Microsoft operates across a broad spectrum of the technology industry, known for its innovation and global reach. Company Size: Large Enterprise (10,000+ employees). Microsoft is one of the largest technology companies worldwide, offering vast opportunities for career growth and diverse project involvement. Founded: 1975. Microsoft has a long-standing history of innovation, evolving from personal computing to cloud, AI, and beyond, fostering a culture that embraces change and continuous learning.

Team Structure:

• The Scale AI Solutioning team is likely a specialized unit focused on developing and deploying AI-driven solutions and assets.
• It comprises individuals with diverse technical and creative backgrounds, including engineers, data scientists, solution architects, and UX designers.
• The team operates with a focus on rapid development, iterative improvement, and delivering tangible value to Microsoft's sales teams and customers.
• Collaboration is key, with designers working closely with technical experts to ensure AI capabilities are translated into user-friendly and impactful experiences.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Leveraging data analytics and user insights to inform design decisions and measure product effectiveness.
• Agile Development: Employing iterative cycles for design and development to ensure flexibility and responsiveness to evolving requirements.
• User-Centricity: Placing the user at the forefront of all design and development efforts to ensure solutions are intuitive and valuable.
• AI Integration: Focusing on practical applications of AI to solve real-world problems and enhance user productivity.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Microsoft's culture emphasizes a "growth mindset," aiming to empower individuals and organizations. For a UX designer on the Scale AI team, this means being adaptable, eager to learn about new AI advancements, and focused on enabling others (sellers and customers) through effective design.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a mid-level (2-5 years of experience) within the UX Product Design discipline. It represents a significant step beyond entry-level design roles, requiring independent contribution to project phases and the ability to influence design direction. Reporting Structure: The UX Product Designer will likely report to a Design Lead or Manager within the Scale AI Solutioning team. They will work closely with Product Managers, Engineering Leads, and Data Science Leads, fostering a matrixed reporting environment common in large tech organizations. Operations Impact: The impact of this role is significant, directly influencing how AI technologies are perceived and adopted by Microsoft's sales force and its customers. By creating intuitive and effective AI-driven solutions, the designer contributes to increased productivity, faster value realization, and ultimately, the achievement of Microsoft's mission to empower every person and organization.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in UX for AI, focusing on areas like human-AI interaction, agentic systems, or ethical AI design.
• Leadership Development: Progress into senior design roles, potentially leading design initiatives or managing junior designers.
• Cross-Team Mobility: Opportunities to move into different product groups or design disciplines within Microsoft, leveraging acquired AI and design expertise.
• Continuous Learning: Access to Microsoft's extensive internal training programs, external conferences, and research initiatives in AI and UX.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role's focus on "AI transformation assets" and "measurable outcomes" suggests that career progression will be tied to the successful deployment and impact of these assets. Demonstrating how your designs contribute to seller productivity or customer value will be key for advancement.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site. This role requires the employee to work from a Microsoft office location. Office Location(s): Multiple Locations, United States. This indicates that the position may be available at various Microsoft campus locations across the country, offering candidates flexibility in choosing a preferred hub.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: Microsoft offices are designed with a mix of open-plan areas, private offices, and collaborative meeting rooms to support diverse work styles.
• Technology-Rich Environment: Access to cutting-edge hardware, software, and internal tools necessary for design, development, and AI research.
• Team Integration: Frequent opportunities for in-person interaction with engineering, data science, and product management teams, fostering a dynamic and integrated work environment.
• Innovation Hubs: Offices often feature spaces dedicated to innovation, brainstorming, and showcasing new technologies.

Work Schedule: Standard 40-hour work week, with the expectation of being present on-site. While core hours are likely, there may be flexibility to adjust start and end times, subject to team and manager agreement, to ensure effective collaboration and project delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement suggests that in-person collaboration and team cohesion are highly valued for this role, especially given the complex and rapidly evolving nature of AI product development.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter will review your application and resume, followed by a brief introductory call to assess your qualifications and interest.
• Portfolio Review & Technical Screen: A hiring manager or senior designer will review your portfolio. This is often followed by a technical interview focusing on your design process, problem-solving abilities, and experience with AI concepts.
• Design Challenge: You may be given a take-home design challenge or a live design exercise to assess your skills in a practical scenario. This often involves problem-solving related to AI products or user flows.
• On-site/Virtual Interviews: Multiple interviews with various team members, including engineers, data scientists, and other designers. These interviews will delve deeper into your experience, collaboration style, and how you approach complex design problems.
• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader to discuss career aspirations, cultural fit, and overall suitability for the role and Microsoft.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process, your contributions, the challenges faced, and the final outcome (quantified if possible).
• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (wireframes, mockups, prototypes, user flows) to illustrate your design thinking and execution.
• Highlight AI Relevance: Emphasize any experience or understanding of AI technologies, user-AI interaction, or data-driven design within your projects.
• Focus on Process: Demonstrate your iterative design process, showing how you incorporated feedback and testing to refine your solutions.
• Tailor to Microsoft: Reference Microsoft's design principles or products where relevant, showing you've done your research.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Brief: Carefully read and understand any design challenge prompt. Ask clarifying questions if needed.
• Think Aloud: If it's a live exercise, articulate your thought process, assumptions, and design decisions clearly.
• Prioritize: Focus on the core problem and deliver a viable solution within the given time, rather than trying to perfect every detail.
• Consider AI: Think about how AI could be leveraged or how users would interact with AI within the context of the challenge.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is the most critical component for a UX designer. For this AI-focused role at Microsoft, demonstrating an understanding of how to design for complex, data-driven, and potentially agentic systems will be highly advantageous.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision, Axure RP.
• User Research & Testing: UserTesting.com, Maze, Lookback, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey.
• Collaboration & Project Management: Microsoft Teams, Jira, Confluence, Asana.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics.
• Product Analytics: Mixpanel, Amplitude.
• Data Visualization: Tableau, Power BI (familiarity is a plus).

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct responsibility for a UX Designer, familiarity with CRM systems (like Microsoft Dynamics 365) and workflow automation tools can provide context for designing user experiences that integrate with business processes.
• Understanding of APIs and system integration concepts is beneficial for designing seamless user journeys.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in industry-standard design tools like Figma or Sketch is essential. Experience with Microsoft's own collaboration tools (Teams) and data visualization tools (Power BI) would be a significant advantage, given the company's ecosystem.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Empowerment: A core Microsoft value focused on enabling individuals and organizations through technology. For UX designers, this means creating tools and experiences that enhance productivity and achieve goals.
• Growth Mindset: Embracing challenges, learning from mistakes, and seeking continuous improvement. This is crucial for navigating the fast-evolving AI landscape.
• Diversity & Inclusion: Creating an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are valued and contribute to innovation.
• Integrity & Accountability: Upholding ethical standards in design and development, particularly important when working with AI, and taking responsibility for outcomes.
• Customer Focus: Deeply understanding customer needs and striving to deliver solutions that provide exceptional value and delight.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional: Designers work hand-in-hand with engineers, data scientists, and product managers, fostering a highly collaborative and integrated approach.
• Data-Informed: Design decisions are often informed by user research, A/B testing results, and product analytics.
• Iterative Feedback: A culture of constructive feedback is encouraged throughout the design and development process.
• Knowledge Sharing: Teams actively share learnings, best practices, and insights through various internal channels and meetings.

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding and embodying Microsoft's core values, especially the "growth mindset" and "customer focus," will be critical for success and integration into the team culture. The collaborative style emphasizes open communication and shared ownership.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Rapidly Evolving AI Landscape: Keeping pace with advancements in AI and understanding how to apply them effectively and ethically in user-facing products.
• Translating Complex Concepts: Simplifying highly technical AI concepts and functionalities into intuitive and user-friendly experiences.
• Balancing Innovation with Usability: Ensuring that cutting-edge AI features are accessible and valuable to a broad user base, not just early adopters.
• Designing for Agentic Systems: Developing effective and trustworthy user interactions with AI that can operate autonomously or semi-autonomously.
• Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Effectively communicating design vision and rationale to technical experts with different backgrounds and priorities.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI & ML Courses: Access to internal Microsoft training on AI, machine learning, and related technologies.
• Design Conferences & Workshops: Opportunities to attend industry events and specialized UX workshops.
• Mentorship Programs: Participation in formal or informal mentorship programs with senior designers or AI experts within Microsoft.
• Internal Research Groups: Engagement with Microsoft's extensive research divisions focusing on HCI, AI, and user experience.
• Design System Evolution: Contributing to and learning from the evolution of Microsoft's Fluent Design System.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge is navigating the intersection of complex AI technology and user experience. Growth opportunities are abundant, driven by Microsoft's investment in both AI research and employee development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design a user experience for a complex technical product or feature. What was your process, and what were the key challenges?" (Focus on your systematic approach, user research, and problem-solving.)
• "How would you approach designing an interface for an AI agent that needs to perform tasks autonomously? What are the key considerations for user trust and control?" (Demonstrate understanding of human-AI interaction principles, ethical design, and transparency.)
• "Tell me about a project where you had to collaborate closely with engineers and data scientists. How did you ensure alignment and effectively communicate your design decisions?" (Highlight your communication skills, ability to understand technical constraints, and collaborative problem-solving.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Microsoft's mission and its role in AI innovation?" (Show genuine interest and alignment with the company's vision.)
• "How do you embody a 'growth mindset' in your professional work?" (Provide specific examples of learning from challenges or seeking new knowledge.)
• "How would you contribute to an inclusive and diverse team environment?" (Discuss your approach to collaboration and valuing different perspectives.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your presentation logically, typically project by project, following a clear narrative arc (Problem -> Process -> Solution -> Outcome).
• Highlight Your Role: Be explicit about your contributions, especially in team projects. Use "I" when describing your actions and "we" when discussing team efforts.
• Visuals: Ensure your visuals are clean, clear, and effectively communicate your design decisions. Use annotations to explain specific choices.
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success or impact of your designs (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced task completion time, positive user feedback scores).
• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Prepare to answer in-depth questions about any aspect of your portfolio, including specific design choices, research findings, or technical challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interviewers will be looking for a blend of strong UX fundamentals, an understanding of AI's implications for design, and the ability to thrive in Microsoft's collaborative, fast-paced environment. Prepare specific examples for behavioral questions that showcase your problem-solving, collaboration, and adaptability.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Product Designer position:

• Visit the Microsoft Careers website and search for Job ID [If available, insert Job ID here, otherwise omit] or use the provided URL: https://jobs.careers.microsoft.com/global/en/job/1902739.
• Tailor Your Resume: Ensure your resume highlights keywords and experiences directly relevant to UX design, AI technologies, user research, prototyping, and collaboration, using ATS-friendly language.
• Curate Your Portfolio: Select your strongest projects that best demonstrate your skills and experience relevant to this role, particularly those involving complex systems, AI, or innovative technology. Ensure it is easily accessible (e.g., a personal website or PDF).
• Craft a Compelling Cover Letter (Optional but Recommended): Briefly articulate your interest in Microsoft, the Scale AI Solutioning team, and how your skills align with the role's requirements, referencing specific aspects of the job description.
• Prepare for the Interview Process: Familiarize yourself with Microsoft's design principles, research the company's recent AI advancements, and practice articulating your design process and portfolio projects.

⚠️ 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.