Senior Design Technologist

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Design Technologist

Company: SEEK

Location: Cremorne, Victoria, Australia

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Design Technology / UX Engineering

Date Posted: 2026-10-02

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead complex design-technology initiatives to elevate the company's design system and product experiences.

• Develop high-impact prototypes, internal tools, and automation to streamline design and engineering workflows.

• Partner with design and engineering teams to refine and extend design system components, patterns, and tokens.

• Mentor junior practitioners, fostering best practices in design technology and implementation.

• Experiment with and integrate AI-supported workflows for efficient and responsible interface generation.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within the Design Technology function, bridging the gap between design and engineering. It requires a blend of front-end development skills, deep understanding of design systems, and a proactive approach to innovation, particularly with emerging technologies like AI. The emphasis is on empowering product teams to deliver cohesive, on-brand experiences efficiently.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own and deliver complex tooling, prototyping, and design-system implementation projects that materially improve how teams design, test, and ship on-system experiences.

• Design and build high-fidelity prototypes for web and app platforms using real data, interaction patterns, and system components to facilitate informed decision-making early in the product lifecycle.

• Collaborate closely with Design System designers and engineering teams to refine and extend components, patterns, and design tokens, ensuring alignment with interaction, motion, responsiveness, and accessibility standards.

• Develop and support internal tools, Figma plugins, scripts, and automation solutions that bridge the gap between design tools (like Figma) and code, thereby streamlining the handoff process and reducing repetitive tasks for both designers and engineers.

• Experiment with and implement AI-supported workflows to assist teams in generating and iterating on system-aligned interfaces more efficiently and responsibly.

• Coach and mentor other designers and technologists in advanced prototyping techniques, front-end implementation best practices, and effective design-system usage, actively contributing to internal documentation and community practice forums.

• Define, evolve, and document practices, templates, and workflows that facilitate a smoother transition from concept ideation to final implementation, ensuring adherence to system guidelines and constraints.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strategic focus on enabling other teams. The role is not just about building, but about creating scalable solutions, documenting processes, and sharing knowledge to uplift the entire organization's design and development capabilities. The mention of "real data" and "real system components" in prototyping indicates a need for a high degree of fidelity and practical application.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio and demonstrated practical experience in design technology, UX engineering, or front-end development are paramount. A Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Design, or a related field is often preferred but not strictly required if equivalent experience is presented.

Experience: A minimum of 5 years of experience in design technology, UX engineering, front-end engineering, or a closely related discipline, with a proven track record of leading complex, cross-functional initiatives.

Required Skills:

• 5+ years of hands-on experience in design technology, UX engineering, front-end engineering, or a similar field.

• Proven track record of leading complex cross-functional design and technology initiatives.

• Strong proficiency with modern front-end technologies, including React, TypeScript, and HTML/CSS.

• Deep understanding and practical experience with design tokens and component-based design systems.

• Demonstrated experience in building interactive, high-fidelity prototypes to explore ideas and validate concepts.

• Experience creating or extending internal tools, Figma plugins, scripts, or automation to enhance design and engineering workflows.

• Solid understanding of accessibility (WCAG), inclusive design principles, and performance optimization, with the ability to embed these into components, prototypes, and tooling.

• Demonstrated interest and aptitude in emerging tools and technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Large Language Models (LLMs), with an understanding of their responsible application in product design and development. Preferred Skills:

• Experience with specific design system management platforms or tools.

• Familiarity with animation and motion design principles within component libraries.

• Experience in a large-scale technology company or a fast-paced, agile environment.

• Contribution to open-source design system projects or related technologies.

• Experience with UX research methodologies and how design technology can support discovery and evaluation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize a blend of technical depth in front-end development and design systems, coupled with leadership and strategic thinking. The explicit mention of AI and LLMs indicates a forward-looking approach, and candidates are expected to not only understand these technologies but also how to apply them responsibly within a product context. The requirement for "leading complex cross-functional initiatives" suggests a need for strong collaboration and project management skills.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase at least two complex design-technology projects that demonstrate leadership in driving cross-functional initiatives.

• Include detailed case studies of building high-fidelity prototypes using real data and system components, clearly outlining the problem, your approach, and the impact.

• Provide examples of internal tools, Figma plugins, scripts, or automation you've developed to improve design-to-code workflows, with explanations of their functionality and benefits.

• Demonstrate experience with design tokens and component-based design systems, illustrating how you've contributed to or managed these systems.

• Evidence of work incorporating accessibility and inclusive design principles, showing how these were integrated into components, prototypes, or tooling. Process Documentation:

• Examples of defining and evolving practices, templates, or documentation that streamline the design-to-implementation process.

• Case studies detailing how you’ve coached or mentored other designers and technologists, including examples of internal documentation or practice forum contributions.

• Demonstrations of experimentation with AI-supported workflows, outlining the process, tools used, and outcomes.

• Showcase projects where you've partnered with engineering teams to refine components, patterns, or tokens, detailing the collaboration process and outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is critical for this role. It must go beyond just showing finished products; it needs to demonstrate the candidate's ability to solve complex problems, build practical tools, influence cross-functional teams, and drive process improvements within a design system context. The inclusion of AI experimentation is a key differentiator.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Senior Design Technologist in Cremorne, Victoria, Australia, with 5-10 years of experience, a competitive annual salary range is estimated to be between AUD $130,000 - $180,000. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for senior technical roles in design technology and UX engineering in major Australian tech hubs, considering the cost of living in Melbourne and the seniority of the position.

Benefits:

• Annual Performance Bonus Plan: Opportunity to earn a bonus based on individual and company performance.

• Flexible Working: A hybrid model allowing a mix of office and work-from-home days, promoting work-life balance.

• Paid Leave Benefits: Includes personal leave, volunteer days, and the option to purchase additional leave, offering flexibility and support for personal commitments.

• Career Development Support: Access to workshops, conferences, and courses to foster continuous learning and professional growth.

• Wellbeing Programs: Emphasis on employee wellbeing and fostering an inclusive culture.

• Retirement Savings: Standard superannuation contributions as per Australian legislation.

Working Hours: The role is full-time, typically based on a 38-40 hour work week. However, SEEK promotes flexible working arrangements, suggesting that specific daily hours can be discussed and adapted within a hybrid framework, provided core responsibilities and collaboration needs are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on typical market rates for similar roles in Australia. SEEK's stated benefits are quite comprehensive, emphasizing flexibility, professional development, and a supportive work environment, which are attractive perks for senior operations and technology professionals.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: SEEK operates within the Online Job Boards and HR Technology sector, a dynamic and competitive digital marketplace. As a multi-national technology business, it leverages data and innovation to connect job seekers with opportunities and employers with talent across the Asia Pacific region and beyond. This industry context means a focus on user experience, scalability, and continuous improvement of digital platforms.

Company Size: SEEK is a large, multi-national technology company. This implies a structured organization with established processes, a significant user base, and the resources to invest in advanced technologies and employee development. For operations professionals, this means opportunities to work on large-scale problems, collaborate with diverse teams, and potentially influence company-wide strategies.

Founded: SEEK was founded in 1997. This long history indicates a stable, established company that has evolved significantly with the digital landscape. Its longevity suggests a strong business model, adaptability, and a deep understanding of its market. This maturity provides a solid foundation for innovation and career growth within the organization.

Team Structure:

• The Design Technology team is likely composed of specialized practitioners, including Design Technologists, Design System Designers, Visual Designers, Content Designers, and Design Operations specialists.

• The Senior Design Technologist reports to the Design System Lead, indicating a clear reporting line within a specialized function.

• Cross-functional collaboration is a key aspect, with close partnerships expected with engineering teams across various product marketplaces and apps. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Insights: SEEK leverages data to understand user behavior and market trends, informing product development and design strategies.

• Agile Development: The company operates in a modern, agile environment, emphasizing iterative development, collaboration, and rapid response to change.

• Design System Centricity: A strong focus on a unified design system ensures consistency and efficiency across SEEK's diverse platforms.

• Responsible AI Integration: SEEK is committed to responsible AI development and implementation, suggesting a framework for ethical and effective use of AI technologies in product and process.

Company Website: https://www.seek.com.au/

📝 Enhancement Note: SEEK's description emphasizes a "start-up working culture" within a large, established tech company. This blend suggests a dynamic environment that values innovation and collaboration while offering the stability and resources of a multinational corporation. The focus on "responsible AI" is a significant cultural and technological differentiator.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is classified as "Senior," indicating a level of expertise and leadership responsibility. As a Senior Design Technologist, the individual is expected to be a subject matter expert in design technology, capable of independently leading complex projects, mentoring others, and contributing to the strategic direction of the design system and its implementation. This level typically involves significant autonomy and influence.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Design Technologist reports directly to the Design System Lead. This structure places them within a dedicated design system function, allowing for focused expertise and strategic alignment on design system initiatives. Collaboration will extend to Design Ops, UX Research, Visual Designers, Content Designers, and engineering partners across various product teams.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is significant, directly influencing the efficiency and quality of product development across SEEK's marketplace and apps. By building robust prototypes, tools, and automation, the Senior Design Technologist empowers product teams to innovate faster, ensure brand consistency, and deliver cohesive, high-quality user experiences. This, in turn, contributes to user satisfaction, engagement, and ultimately, SEEK's business objectives. The role's focus on system-aware workflows and AI integration aims to enhance developer productivity and reduce time-to-market for new features.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership in Design Technology: Potential to grow into a Design System Lead role or a similar leadership position overseeing design technology strategy and execution.

• Specialization and Expertise: Deepen expertise in areas like AI for design, advanced prototyping, front-end architecture for design systems, or accessibility engineering.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Opportunities to transition into senior front-end engineering roles, product design leadership, or Design Operations management, leveraging a broad understanding of the product development lifecycle.

• Mentorship and Training: Develop strong coaching and training skills by mentoring junior team members and contributing to internal learning programs.

• Strategic Influence: Contribute to the strategic roadmap of the design system and the adoption of new technologies, including AI, across the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" designation implies a critical role in defining best practices and influencing technical direction. Growth opportunities are clearly linked to deepening technical expertise, taking on leadership responsibilities, and expanding influence across the organization's product development ecosystem.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: SEEK offers a hybrid work model, combining the benefits of remote work with the collaborative advantages of an office environment. This approach acknowledges the need for focused work at home while promoting team cohesion, spontaneous collaboration, and access to office resources and amenities when needed.

Office Location(s): The primary office location is Cremorne, Victoria, Australia. This area is known as a vibrant hub for technology and creative industries in Melbourne, offering a dynamic and accessible work environment. Specific details about office amenities, such as collaborative spaces, quiet zones, and meeting facilities, would be typical for a company of SEEK's size.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The office is likely equipped with modern meeting rooms and open areas designed to foster collaboration among design, engineering, and product teams.

• Technology Integration: Expect access to high-performance workstations, necessary software licenses (e.g., Figma, IDEs), and robust network infrastructure to support complex design and development tasks.

• Team Interaction: The hybrid model encourages intentional interaction, with opportunities for in-person brainstorming sessions, design reviews, and team-building activities during office days.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time, with flexibility built into the hybrid model. While core hours may exist for essential team synchronization, employees are generally empowered to manage their schedules to balance productivity and personal needs, provided deliverables are met and collaboration is effective. This flexibility is crucial for roles involving deep work like prototyping and coding.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work environment at SEEK is a key feature, aligning with modern work trends. For a Design Technologist, this means balancing focused, individual work (potentially at home) with collaborative sessions and team integration (in the office), requiring strong self-management and communication skills.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review applications and conduct an initial screening call to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Review & Technical Interview: Candidates will be asked to present their portfolio, detailing specific projects, their role, the challenges faced, and the outcomes achieved. This will be followed by a technical interview focusing on front-end technologies (React, TypeScript), design systems, prototyping methodologies, and problem-solving.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Interviews with Design System Designers, Engineering Leads, or other relevant stakeholders to assess collaboration skills, understanding of design-to-code handoff, and ability to work within a cross-functional team.

• Final Interview/Panel: A discussion with the Design System Lead or a senior leader to evaluate strategic thinking, leadership potential, and overall alignment with SEEK's culture and values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Storytelling: Structure your portfolio around compelling narratives. For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your unique contribution, the process you followed (especially any innovative tooling or prototyping), and the measurable impact.

• Demonstrate Complexity: Highlight projects that involved complex technical challenges, cross-functional collaboration, or significant process improvements. Showcase your ability to lead initiatives.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Include interactive prototypes, code snippets (if appropriate and shareable), plugin demonstrations, or clear visuals that illustrate your work. For tools and automation, explain their functionality and the efficiency gains they provided.

• Focus on Design Systems & AI: Emphasize your experience with design tokens, component libraries, and how you've contributed to or managed design systems. Clearly articulate any experience or experimentation with AI/LLMs in design or development workflows.

• Accessibility & Performance: Explicitly discuss how you incorporated accessibility and performance considerations into your work.

Challenge Preparation:

• Prototyping Challenge: Be prepared for a potential hands-on exercise or a take-home challenge to build a prototype, a small tool, or refactor a component, demonstrating your technical skills and design thinking.

• System Design Thinking: Practice articulating how you would approach designing or improving a specific component, pattern, or workflow within a design system context.

• AI Integration Scenarios: Think about how AI could be responsibly applied to common design or development tasks within SEEK's context (e.g., generating variations, assisting with documentation, improving code quality).

• Behavioral Questions: Prepare examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to answer questions about leadership, problem-solving, collaboration, and mentoring.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to be thorough, assessing technical proficiency, strategic thinking, and collaborative capabilities. A well-curated portfolio that clearly demonstrates impact and relevant skills, particularly in design systems and AI, will be crucial for success.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design Tools: Figma (for design, prototyping, and plugin development).

• Prototyping Tools: Advanced prototyping within Figma, potentially using tools like Framer or custom solutions for high-fidelity, data-driven prototypes.

• Front-End Technologies: React, TypeScript, HTML5, CSS3 (including preprocessors like Sass/LESS).

• Design System Management: Experience with design tokens, component libraries, and related tooling.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not the primary focus, understanding how design system adoption and component usage are tracked may involve analytics platforms. Familiarity with tools used for tracking user engagement and product performance can be beneficial. CRM & Automation:

• While not directly managing CRM, understanding how design system components translate into user-facing features within applications is key. Automation tools and scripting (e.g., JavaScript, Python for scripting) are essential for workflow enhancements.

• Build Tools: Familiarity with module bundlers (e.g., Webpack, Vite) and task runners.

• Version Control: Git and platforms like GitHub/GitLab/Bitbucket are standard.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack heavily emphasizes front-end development (React, TypeScript) and design tools (Figma), with a strong focus on design systems. The ability to build plugins and automation within Figma, and to connect design outputs to code, is a core requirement. Familiarity with AI/LLM tools relevant to design and development is also a key differentiator.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Purpose Driven: A strong commitment to SEEK's noble purpose: "to help people live more fulfilling and productive working lives and to help organisations succeed." This translates to a focus on delivering value to users and clients.

• Collaboration: Emphasis on working together in dynamic teams, valuing diverse perspectives, and fostering open communication across functions.

• Innovation: A culture that encourages tackling new challenges, exploring emerging technologies like AI, and investing in continuous improvement.

• Responsibility: A commitment to responsible AI, sustainability, and inclusive practices, ensuring ethical considerations are integrated into development and operations.

• Wellbeing: Prioritizing employee wellbeing and fostering an inclusive environment that embraces diversity.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The role demands close collaboration with designers, engineers, and product managers, requiring effective communication and a shared understanding of goals.

• Agile & Iterative: Embracing agile methodologies means working in iterative cycles, being adaptable, and providing frequent feedback.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture that encourages sharing expertise through internal documentation, practice forums, and mentorship, fostering collective growth.

• User-Centricity: All efforts are ultimately aimed at improving the user experience and helping users achieve their working life goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: SEEK's culture appears to be a blend of a large corporate structure with the dynamism and innovation of a tech startup. The emphasis on purpose, collaboration, and responsible technology adoption suggests a forward-thinking and people-centric environment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Bridging Design and Code: Continuously ensuring seamless integration and communication between design specifications and front-end implementation, especially at scale.

• Design System Evolution: Keeping the design system up-to-date with evolving user needs, technological advancements, and business requirements while ensuring adoption across diverse product teams.

• AI Integration Complexity: Experimenting with and responsibly implementing AI-supported workflows that genuinely enhance efficiency and creativity without compromising quality or ethical standards.

• Cross-Team Alignment: Facilitating adoption and consistent usage of design system components and best practices across numerous product teams with varying priorities and technical capabilities.

• Mentoring and Up-skilling: Effectively coaching and mentoring diverse practitioners to elevate their design technology skills and foster a culture of continuous learning.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced AI in Design: Opportunities to explore and implement cutting-edge AI tools and techniques for interface generation, prototyping, and workflow automation.

• Design System Architecture: Deepen expertise in the strategic architecture and governance of large-scale design systems.

• Performance and Accessibility Mastery: Become a go-to expert for optimizing web and app performance and ensuring robust accessibility compliance.

• Leadership Development: Gain experience in leading technical initiatives, mentoring junior team members, and contributing to strategic planning within the design technology domain.

• Industry Engagement: Potential to attend conferences, workshops, and training sessions to stay abreast of the latest trends in design technology, front-end development, and AI.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for senior roles in rapidly evolving tech environments, particularly those involving complex systems and emerging technologies. The growth opportunities are directly tied to addressing these challenges, offering significant potential for professional advancement and skill diversification.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex design-technology initiative you led. What was the problem, your approach, the tools you used, and the measurable impact on design/engineering teams?" (Focus on leadership, process, and outcomes.)

• "How would you approach integrating AI-generated interfaces into a mature design system responsibly? What are the key considerations and potential pitfalls?" (Assess understanding of AI, responsible tech, and system integration.)

• "Explain your process for collaborating with engineering teams to refine or extend design system components. How do you ensure alignment and maintain consistency?" (Evaluate cross-functional collaboration and technical communication skills.)

• "Walk us through a challenging prototyping scenario you encountered. How did you ensure fidelity and use real data to validate concepts?" (Assess prototyping skills and problem-solving.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about SEEK's purpose and our approach to technology, particularly our focus on responsible AI?" (Gauge alignment with company values and strategic direction.)

• "How do you contribute to fostering a collaborative and inclusive team environment, especially within a hybrid work setting?" (Assess cultural fit and teamwork.)

• "Describe a time you had to influence stakeholders to adopt a new process or technology. What was your strategy and the outcome?" (Evaluate influence and change management skills.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Begin with a high-level overview of your career and key areas of expertise. Then, dive into 2-3 in-depth case studies that best represent your senior-level contributions, focusing on design systems, complex prototyping, and tooling/automation.

• Quantify Achievements: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the impact of your work (e.g., "reduced handoff time by X%", "improved component adoption by Y%", "enabled Z% faster iteration").

• Showcase Process & Problem-Solving: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your unique contributions, the technical and design decisions made, and the lessons learned. This is where you demonstrate your thought process and how you tackle challenges.

• Highlight Design System & AI Expertise: Dedicate specific time to showcase projects that directly involve design systems, design tokens, component development, and any AI/LLM experimentation. Explain your role and the outcomes.

• Be Prepared for Technical Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about your code, tools, and methodologies. Be ready to discuss trade-offs, best practices, and your reasoning behind technical choices.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating leadership, technical depth in design technology, a strong understanding of design systems and AI, and excellent collaborative and communication skills. The portfolio is the centerpiece, so practice presenting it clearly and concisely, emphasizing impact and problem-solving.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Design Technologist position at SEEK:

• Submit your application: Complete the online application form through the provided link.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your experience in design technology, UX engineering, front-end development (React, TypeScript), design systems, prototyping, and AI experimentation. Emphasize your track record of leading complex cross-functional initiatives.

• Portfolio Curation & Practice: Select 2-3 of your most impactful projects for your portfolio that demonstrate your capabilities in design systems, complex prototyping, and tool/automation development. Practice presenting these case studies clearly, focusing on problem, solution, your role, and measurable impact. Be ready to discuss your approach to accessibility and AI integration.

• Company & Role Research: Thoroughly research SEEK's purpose, values, products, and recent innovations (especially regarding AI). Understand the importance of their design system and how this role contributes to their overall business objectives.

• Prepare for Technical & Behavioral Questions: Review common questions related to front-end development, design systems, prototyping, and AI. Prepare answers using the STAR method for behavioral questions, focusing on leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving.

⚠️ 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.