Principal UX Engineer, Ads

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Principal UX Engineer, Ads

Company: [Partner Company of Jobgether]

Location: United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: UX Engineering / Product Development

Date Posted: August 13, 2026

Experience Level: Principal (10+ years)

Remote Status: Remote Eligible (US Based)

🚀 Role Summary

• This Principal UX Engineer role is a strategic, hands-on leadership position focused on shaping advertising product direction through advanced prototyping and technical craft.

• You will leverage code as a design medium, collaborating closely with Design, Research, Product, Engineering, and Data Science to accelerate the journey from concept to polished, user-centric products.

• The role requires establishing reusable tools, components, and workflows while championing high standards for accessibility, performance, and interaction quality across advertising experiences.

• A key aspect involves exploring and integrating AI to transform both user-facing advertising products and internal design and development workflows, driving innovation.

• As a principal-level contributor, you will influence multiple product areas, mentor other UX engineers, and contribute to defining the future of UX Engineering within the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The job description highlights a "Principal UX Engineer, Ads" role, indicating a senior individual contributor position with significant influence and technical depth. The focus on "code as a design medium" and "systems thinking" points towards a role that bridges the gap between design and engineering, emphasizing rapid prototyping, component development, and process optimization within the advertising technology domain.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define and lead the UX Engineering strategy across multiple advertising product areas, significantly influencing product direction beyond individual project scopes.

• Build sophisticated, high-quality prototypes and functional experiences to facilitate concept exploration, assumption validation, and earlier, more informed product decisions.

• Partner with senior leaders in Design, Research, Product, Engineering, and Data Science to clarify complex opportunities and translate abstract ideas into compelling user experiences.

• Develop and implement reusable tools, systems, components, and workflows that enhance collaboration between design and engineering and streamline the path from exploration to production.

• Establish and uphold high standards for interaction design, accessibility, performance, usability, and technical implementation across all advertising experiences.

• Investigate, experiment with, and apply AI-enabled approaches to enhance both advertiser-facing products and internal design and development workflows.

• Identify and drive opportunities to improve UX Engineering practices, tooling, and processes across the broader organization, fostering continuous improvement.

• Mentor fellow UX engineers and other practitioners, sharing technical and design expertise to strengthen UX Engineering as a core organizational capability.

• Navigate ambiguous, high-impact problems by effectively balancing user needs, technical constraints, business priorities, and overarching product strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize strategic leadership, cross-functional influence, and hands-on technical execution. The focus on reusable tools, systems, and AI integration suggests a need for candidates who can not only build but also architect and scale solutions, aligning with typical principal-level expectations for process improvement and organizational impact.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is listed, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction, Design, or a related field is often expected for principal-level technical roles. Equivalent practical experience will be strongly considered.

Experience: Extensive experience (10+ years) working at the intersection of product design and software engineering, with a robust portfolio showcasing sophisticated interactive products or experiences.

Required Skills:

• Advanced hands-on expertise with modern frontend technologies, particularly React and TypeScript, for building complex user interfaces and applications.

• Strong product, interaction, and visual judgment, with a proven ability to translate complex concepts into intuitive, polished, and accessible user experiences.

• Proven ability to operate effectively across multiple teams or product areas and influence product strategy at a senior leadership level.

• Strong systems-thinking skills, including demonstrated experience in developing reusable components, platforms, tools, frameworks, or workflows that enhance team efficiency.

• Demonstrated ability to thrive in ambiguous environments, identify critical tradeoffs, and synthesize diverse perspectives to achieve strong, data-informed decisions.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, crucial for effective collaboration with senior cross-functional stakeholders.

• A collaborative leadership style and the ability to influence outcomes and drive change without direct authority.

• Genuine interest in remaining deeply hands-on with technical development while actively mentoring others and elevating the quality of the broader team.

• Ability to explore emerging technologies, including AI, and translate them into practical improvements for product development and user experiences. Preferred Skills:

• Experience within the advertising technology (AdTech) industry, or related complex ecosystems such as marketplaces, enterprise software, analytics platforms, commerce, or developer platforms.

• Familiarity with UX Engineering best practices, including advanced prototyping techniques, design systems, performance optimization strategies, and accessibility standards (WCAG).

• Experience with AI/ML integration in user-facing products or development workflows.

• Understanding of backend technologies and system architecture to inform frontend development decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize a blend of deep technical proficiency (React, TypeScript), strong design sensibility, strategic thinking, and leadership capabilities. The mention of "systems thinking" and "reusable components" strongly suggests a need for candidates who can architect scalable solutions and drive efficiency through tooling and frameworks, a hallmark of principal-level operations and engineering roles.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 sophisticated interactive products or experiences that demonstrate the candidate's ability to work at the intersection of product design and software engineering.

• Highlight examples of complex concepts transformed into intuitive, polished, and accessible user interfaces.

• Include projects that illustrate strong systems-thinking, such as the development of reusable components, platforms, tools, or frameworks that improved team efficiency.

• Demonstrate contributions to product strategy or influencing product direction in previous roles, especially in ambiguous environments.

• Present case studies detailing the exploration and application of emerging technologies, including AI, in product development or user experience enhancement. Process Documentation:

• Clearly articulate the candidate's approach to developing reusable tools, systems, components, and workflows that enhance collaboration between design and engineering.

• Provide examples of how processes were established or optimized to accelerate the path from exploration to production.

• Detail methodologies used to establish and uphold high standards for interaction design, accessibility, performance, and usability.

• Showcase experience in investigating and applying AI-enabled approaches to improve product development workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Principal UX Engineer role, the portfolio is critical. It needs to go beyond just showcasing polished UI. It should demonstrate architectural thinking, the ability to build scalable systems and reusable assets, and evidence of influencing product strategy and process improvement across multiple teams. The inclusion of AI exploration and the impact of their work on efficiency are key differentiators.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $245,800 – $344,100 USD per year.

• Note: The final compensation will be determined based on factors including, but not limited to, skills, experience, credentials, and geographic location.

Benefits:

• Equity compensation through restricted stock units (RSUs).

• Commission eligibility may apply depending on the specific position offered.

• Comprehensive healthcare benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage.

• Income replacement programs.

• 401(k) retirement plan with employer match.

• Global benefits designed to support professional development, workspace needs, caregiving, and diverse lifestyles.

• Family planning support.

• Gender-affirming care.

• Mental health and coaching benefits.

• Flexible vacation policy and paid volunteer time off.

• Generous paid parental leave.

• Reasonable accommodations available for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans throughout the hiring process.

• Option to opt out of AI recording, transcription, and summarization of interviews for select roles/locations.

Working Hours: Standard full-time role, likely around 40 hours per week, with flexibility expected for a principal-level position and remote eligibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is substantial, reflecting a principal-level engineering role in the US. The comprehensive benefits package indicates a focus on employee well-being, long-term financial security, and work-life balance, which are attractive to senior technical talent. The mention of AI in the interview process is noteworthy and candidates should be aware of this option.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: The role is within the Advertising Technology (AdTech) sector, a dynamic and data-intensive industry focused on enabling digital advertising. This context implies a fast-paced environment with a strong emphasis on innovation, performance, and scalable solutions.

Company Size: While not explicitly stated, the description of influencing "multiple product areas," "broader organization," and mentoring "other UX engineers" suggests a mid-to-large-sized organization or a significant product group within a larger tech company. This size allows for impactful individual contributions while offering collaboration opportunities.

Founded: The founding date is not provided. However, the focus on advanced technologies like AI and modern frontend stacks (React, TypeScript) suggests a company that is forward-thinking and invests in current technology trends.

Team Structure:

• The UX Engineering team likely operates as a specialized function embedded within or closely aligned with product development teams.

• This role will report to a Director-level or VP-level leader within Product, Design, or Engineering, given the principal-level designation.

• Close collaboration is expected with senior stakeholders across Design, Research, Product Management, Core Engineering, and Data Science, indicating a highly cross-functional and matrixed environment. Methodology:

• Emphasis on using code as a design medium, highlighting rapid prototyping and iterative development cycles.

• A strong focus on building reusable tools, components, and systems to drive efficiency and consistency across product development.

• Data-driven decision-making will be crucial, integrating insights from Research, Data Science, and user feedback.

• Exploration and integration of AI technologies into both user experiences and development workflows are a key strategic initiative.

Company Website: The role is managed through Jobgether, an AI-powered platform, but the actual hiring company's website is not directly provided. Candidates should look for information about the partner company through Jobgether's platform or inquire during the application process.

📝 Enhancement Note: The context points to a technologically advanced company within the AdTech space. The culture likely values innovation, technical excellence, collaboration, and a data-driven approach. The Principal UX Engineer role is positioned as a key influencer, driving strategic initiatives and setting technical and design standards.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Principal-level individual contributor role, signifying the highest tier of technical expertise and influence within the UX Engineering discipline. It demands strategic thinking, deep technical craft, and the ability to mentor and guide others.

Reporting Structure: The role likely reports to a Director or VP overseeing Product Design, UX Engineering, or a broader Engineering function. The principal engineer will collaborate extensively with peers and leaders across various departments, including Product Management, Design, Research, and Data Science.

Operations Impact: The Principal UX Engineer will have a significant impact on the success of advertising products by:

• Accelerating product development cycles through efficient prototyping and reusable tools.

• Elevating the quality of user experiences in terms of interaction, accessibility, and performance.

• Driving innovation by exploring and integrating AI into products and workflows.

• Influencing product strategy and technical direction through expertise and collaboration.

• Establishing best practices and raising the overall capability of the UX Engineering function. Growth Opportunities:

• Technical Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas like AI integration, advanced frontend architecture, or performance optimization within AdTech.

• Leadership & Mentorship: Grow into a formal leadership role (e.g., Engineering Manager, Lead UX Engineer) or continue as a senior technical leader, mentoring a team of UX engineers.

• Strategic Influence: Expand influence across more product areas, contribute to long-term technology roadmaps, and potentially shape the direction of UX Engineering as a discipline within the company.

• Industry Recognition: Contribute to thought leadership through internal presentations, external conferences, or open-source contributions.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is for an individual contributor seeking to operate at the highest technical and strategic level without necessarily moving into people management. Growth will come from increased scope, impact, and influence, as well as continuous learning and mentorship.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: While the role is remote-eligible within the US, the company may have physical offices. The description emphasizes collaboration, suggesting that if physical offices are utilized, they would likely be designed to foster interaction and teamwork, possibly with open-plan areas, meeting rooms, and collaborative workspaces.

Office Location(s): The role is based in the United States, and remote work is an option. Specific office locations are not detailed, but given the US-wide remote eligibility, it implies a distributed workforce or multiple office hubs across the country.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Expect a culture that encourages open communication and close collaboration with cross-functional teams, essential for translating complex product ideas into functional experiences.

• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to cutting-edge development tools, design software, and potentially internal platforms for collaboration and project management will be provided. The role requires proficiency in modern frontend technologies and an openness to exploring new tools, including AI-driven solutions.

• Team Interaction: Regular interactions with designers, researchers, product managers, engineers, and data scientists will be integral to the role. This includes design reviews, technical discussions, strategy sessions, and mentorship opportunities.

Work Schedule: While a standard 40-hour work week is implied, the nature of a principal-level role and remote eligibility suggests a degree of flexibility. Candidates are expected to manage their time effectively to meet project deadlines and collaborate with team members across different time zones.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote-eligible nature of the role suggests a modern work environment that prioritizes flexibility. However, the emphasis on collaboration and influencing stakeholders implies that effective communication and proactive engagement are paramount, regardless of physical location.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: An AI-powered matching process by Jobgether will first assess candidate fit against core requirements. Shortlisted candidates will then be shared with the hiring company.

• Hiring Manager/Team Interview: This stage typically involves discussing your experience, technical skills, and approach to UX Engineering. Expect questions about your portfolio, prototyping methodologies, and systems thinking.

• Technical/Design Challenge: A practical exercise, potentially involving a design or coding challenge, to assess your hands-on skills in React, TypeScript, and your ability to translate concepts into functional prototypes. This might also include a case study presentation.

• Cross-Functional Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with leaders from Design, Product, Engineering, and Data Science to evaluate your ability to collaborate, influence, and communicate effectively across disciplines.

• Final Round: Discussions with senior leadership to assess strategic thinking, leadership potential, and overall cultural fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best showcase your expertise in React, TypeScript, prototyping, systems design, and AI exploration. Prioritize impact and complexity.

• Structure for Clarity: Organize your portfolio with clear project descriptions, your specific role and contributions, the challenges faced, the solutions implemented (with code examples where appropriate), and the measurable outcomes.

• Highlight Systems Thinking: Explicitly detail how you’ve built reusable components, frameworks, or tools that improved efficiency or scalability.

• Demonstrate AI Impact: If applicable, showcase projects where you've explored or integrated AI, explaining the user or process benefits.

• Quantify Results: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the impact of your work (e.g., improved performance, reduced development time, increased user engagement).

• Practice Your Narrative: Be prepared to walk through your portfolio projects, articulating your thought process, design decisions, and technical approach clearly and concisely.

Challenge Preparation:

• Technical Proficiency: Brush up on advanced React patterns, TypeScript features, and modern frontend development best practices.

• Prototyping Skills: Be ready to demonstrate rapid prototyping capabilities, potentially using tools or frameworks relevant to the company's stack.

• Problem-Solving: Practice breaking down complex problems into smaller, manageable parts and devising practical, efficient solutions.

• Communication: Prepare to articulate your solutions, tradeoffs, and rationale clearly and persuasively to a technical and non-technical audience.

• AI Integration: Consider how AI could be applied to enhance advertising experiences or development workflows, and be ready to discuss potential applications.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is likely rigorous, involving both AI screening and multiple rounds of interviews with diverse stakeholders. A strong, well-documented portfolio that highlights strategic impact, technical depth, and process improvement is essential. The mention of AI in interviews is a unique aspect to prepare for.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Frontend Frameworks: Advanced proficiency in React is a core requirement.

• Languages: Expertise in TypeScript is essential for robust, scalable frontend development.

• Prototyping Tools: While not specified, candidates might use tools like Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD in conjunction with code, or build functional prototypes directly in React.

• Version Control: Git is standard; proficiency is expected.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Familiarity with analytics platforms and how to instrument code for performance and user behavior tracking is beneficial, especially in the AdTech space.

• Experience integrating with or building dashboards for performance metrics. CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct CRM role, understanding how frontend applications interact with backend systems, APIs, and potentially data pipelines relevant to advertising platforms is important.

• Experience developing workflows or tools that automate design-to-development handoffs or streamline testing processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core technical stack clearly points to React and TypeScript. The role's emphasis on building tools and systems suggests familiarity with component libraries, potentially design systems, and a strong understanding of modern JavaScript/TypeScript ecosystems. Experience with tools that facilitate collaboration between design and engineering (e.g., Storybook) would be highly advantageous.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Technical Excellence: A commitment to high-quality, performant, and accessible code and user experiences.

• Innovation & Exploration: A drive to explore new technologies, especially AI, and find practical applications to improve products and processes.

• Collaboration & Influence: Valuing cross-functional partnerships and the ability to influence product direction through expertise and communication.

• Efficiency & Scalability: A focus on building reusable components, tools, and systems that enable teams to work more effectively and scale their efforts.

• User-Centricity: A deep understanding of user needs and a commitment to translating them into intuitive and valuable experiences.

Collaboration Style:

• Proactive Partnership: Engaging actively with Design, Product, Engineering, and Data Science teams from the early stages of ideation through to implementation.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture that encourages sharing expertise, best practices, and learnings through code reviews, documentation, presentations, and mentorship.

• Iterative Feedback: Openness to receiving and providing constructive feedback on designs, code, and processes to continuously improve outcomes.

• Problem Decomposition: Working collaboratively to break down complex challenges and collectively devise elegant, effective solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture likely fosters a blend of individual ownership and strong teamwork. The emphasis on "influence without authority" suggests a culture that respects expertise and rewards proactive contribution and effective communication.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Ambiguity: Tackling complex, ill-defined problems in a fast-paced AdTech environment requires strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Balancing Technical Craft with Strategy: Effectively balancing hands-on development with strategic planning, influencing product direction, and mentoring others.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring alignment and effective collaboration among diverse teams (Design, Product, Engineering, Data Science) with potentially differing priorities.

• Adoption of New Tools/Processes: Driving the adoption of new reusable tools, components, or AI-driven workflows across multiple teams.

• Staying Ahead of the Curve: Keeping pace with rapid advancements in frontend technologies, UX best practices, and AI, particularly within the AdTech landscape.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into AdTech: Gain specialized knowledge in the complexities and opportunities within the advertising technology domain.

• AI Integration Expertise: Become a go-to expert for applying AI to UX and product development within the organization.

• Strategic Product Influence: Develop skills in shaping product roadmaps and influencing technical strategy at a senior level.

• Mentorship & Leadership: Hone leadership and mentorship abilities by guiding junior UX engineers and influencing best practices across teams.

• Technical Skill Advancement: Opportunities to explore and master new frontend technologies, architectural patterns, and performance optimization techniques.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents significant growth potential for experienced engineers looking to make a strategic impact. The challenges are typical for a principal-level role in a complex industry, offering ample opportunities for skill development and career advancement.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you used code as a design medium to influence product direction. What was the outcome?" (Focus on your process, impact, and collaboration.)

• "How would you approach establishing a reusable component library or design system for multiple advertising product teams? What are the key challenges and how would you address them?" (Highlight systems thinking, collaboration, and scalability.)

• "Tell me about a complex, ambiguous problem you solved. How did you break it down, what tradeoffs did you consider, and what was the solution?" (Demonstrate analytical skills and decision-making.)

• "How do you balance staying hands-on with coding and fulfilling leadership/mentorship responsibilities at a principal level?" (Showcase your approach to time management and impact.)

• "Where do you see AI having the most significant impact on advertising experiences or the product development process in the next 2-3 years, and how would you explore that?" (Assess your forward-thinking and AI application potential.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on your understanding, how would UX Engineering contribute to our advertising product strategy?" (Show your research and strategic alignment.)

• "Describe your ideal collaboration style with Product Managers, Designers, and Engineers. How do you build consensus and influence without direct authority?" (Assess cultural fit and collaboration skills.)

• "What are your expectations for mentorship and how do you approach developing junior talent?" (Understand your leadership philosophy.)

• "How do you ensure accessibility and performance are prioritized in your work and championed within product teams?" (Gauge your commitment to quality standards.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Tell a Story: For each project, narrate the problem, your role, the solution (technical and design), and the impact.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use live demos, interactive prototypes, or well-annotated screenshots/videos.

• Highlight Technical Depth: Be ready to discuss specific code implementations, architectural decisions, and challenges overcome.

• Emphasize Process & Systems: Clearly articulate how you built reusable assets or improved processes, quantifying benefits where possible.

• Connect to the Role: Frame your experience and projects in the context of the Principal UX Engineer role and the advertising domain.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, deep technical expertise, strong collaboration skills, and a proactive approach to process improvement and innovation, especially concerning AI. The portfolio presentation is a key opportunity to showcase these attributes.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Principal UX Engineer position:

• Submit your application through the Jobgether platform.

• Tailor Your Resume: Ensure your resume highlights your extensive experience (10+ years), advanced React and TypeScript skills, systems thinking, and any experience influencing product strategy or building reusable tools. Use keywords from the job description.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Prepare a digital portfolio that showcases your most impactful projects, emphasizing sophisticated interactive experiences, systems design, and any AI exploration. Ensure it's easily accessible and clearly details your contributions and outcomes.

• Prepare for AI Screening: Be aware that Jobgether uses AI for initial candidate matching. Ensure your application materials are clear, concise, and keyword-rich.

• Research the AdTech Space: Familiarize yourself with current trends, challenges, and opportunities in advertising technology to better understand the context of the role.

• Practice Your Narrative: Rehearse presenting your portfolio projects and answering common interview questions related to technical problem-solving, collaboration, and 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 or Jobgether before making application decisions.