Senior Specialist, UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Specialist, UX Designer

Company: MSD

Location: Hyderabad, Telangana, India

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: UX/UI Design & Product Development

Date Posted: 2026-06-15

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end user experience (UX) design process for a critical data marketplace product, focusing on user-centered design principles.

• Facilitate problem discovery workshops and user research to deeply understand user needs and business challenges within the pharmaceutical and healthcare biopharma sectors.

• Develop comprehensive design artifacts, including wireframes, high-fidelity mock-ups, and interactive prototypes, to effectively communicate design solutions.

• Collaborate closely with Business Product Managers (BPMs), Technical Product Managers (TPMs), and UI teams to ensure seamless translation of business requirements into intuitive and effective user interfaces.

• Champion UX best practices and emerging trends by partnering with the global MSD XD (Experience Design) teams to drive innovation and excellence in product design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is Senior Specialist, UX Designer, but the job description also refers to a "Senior Manager, UX/UI Design Lead." Given the responsibilities outlined, this role appears to be a senior individual contributor with lead responsibilities within specific projects or product lines, rather than a direct management role. The "5-10 Years" experience level further supports this interpretation, aligning with a senior individual contributor or lead.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead and expertly facilitate Problem Discovery workshops to identify, define, and prioritize critical business problems and unmet user needs.

• Translate complex business requirements and user insights into compelling, user-centric design solutions, working in close partnership with BPMs and TPMs.

• Create detailed wireframes, interactive mock-ups, and dynamic prototypes using industry-leading tools to clearly articulate design concepts and user flows.

• Provide crucial design support and direction to UI development teams, ensuring the final user interface aligns with strategic business objectives and UX best practices.

• Actively engage with and leverage the expertise of MSD's global Experience Design (XD) teams to integrate cutting-edge UX trends and established methodologies into product development.

• Serve as a strong advocate for user-centered design principles throughout the entire product development lifecycle, ensuring user needs remain at the forefront of decision-making.

• Maintain a comprehensive understanding of current industry standards, emerging UX tools, and innovative methodologies to continuously enhance design quality and effectiveness.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary responsibilities emphasize a blend of strategic design leadership and hands-on execution. The role requires not only the creation of design artifacts but also the facilitation of critical discovery processes and collaboration across product management and development teams, highlighting the importance of strong communication and facilitation skills in addition to design expertise.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Interaction Design, or a closely related field is mandatory.

• A Master’s degree in a relevant discipline is preferred and will be considered a strong asset. Experience:

• Demonstrated experience of 5-10 years as a Senior UX Designer or UX Lead, with a proven track record of successfully delivering user-centered design solutions, preferably within complex, cross-functional product environments.

• Significant experience in facilitating collaborative workshops, particularly Problem Discovery sessions, utilizing digital whiteboarding tools. Required Skills:

• Expert proficiency in Mural for facilitating dynamic and collaborative workshops, including problem discovery, ideation, and user journey mapping.

• Mandatory Design Thinking certification is required, demonstrating a foundational understanding and application of human-centered problem-solving methodologies.

• Expert-level mastery of Figma for comprehensive UI design, advanced prototyping, component creation, and seamless collaboration with development and product teams.

• Proficiency in wireframing and prototyping tools such as Balsamiq, Axure RP, or Adobe XD, to create detailed visual representations of user interfaces and interactive flows.

• Demonstrated ability to create detailed wireframes, interactive mock-ups, and compelling demos that effectively communicate design intent and user experience.

• Strong facilitation skills for leading workshops, engaging diverse stakeholders, and synthesizing feedback into actionable design strategies.

• Exceptional visual design skills, supported by a robust portfolio showcasing a range of wireframes, mock-ups, and interactive prototypes that highlight problem-solving capabilities.

• Proficiency in leveraging collaboration and project management tools like Jira and Confluence to manage design workflows and communicate progress.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present complex design concepts clearly and persuasively to various audiences.

• Keen ability to work collaboratively within cross-functional teams, including product managers, engineers, and business stakeholders.

• Up-to-date knowledge of current UX trends, emerging design tools, and industry best practices. Preferred Skills:

• Experience working within the pharmaceutical or other highly regulated industries, understanding the unique design constraints and compliance requirements.

• Familiarity with agile development methodologies and experience integrating UX design into agile workflows.

• Experience collaborating effectively with geographically distributed teams across multiple time zones and locations.

• Recognized certifications such as Nielsen Norman Group (NN/g) UX Certification or UXQB Certified Professional for Usability and User Experience (CPUX).

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on specific certifications (Design Thinking, NN/g, UXQB) and tools (Mural, Figma) is critical. Candidates should highlight these prominently. The inclusion of "Client Counseling" and "Content Writing" in the provided required skills (though not elaborated in the JD) suggests a potential need for UX Designers to also advise stakeholders and perhaps contribute to UX-related content, which is unusual for a pure UX role and might warrant clarification. However, the core focus remains on design execution and facilitation.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive digital portfolio is required, showcasing a breadth of UX/UI design projects that demonstrate problem-solving capabilities and user-centered design methodologies.

• Portfolio pieces must clearly illustrate the design process, from initial problem discovery and user research to wireframing, prototyping, and final UI design.

• Highlight case studies that demonstrate how your design solutions have addressed specific business problems and improved user outcomes, ideally with quantifiable results.

• Include examples of interactive prototypes created with tools like Figma, Axure RP, or Adobe XD, showcasing user flows and interaction design.

• Demonstrate experience with collaborative design tools, such as Mural, by providing examples of facilitated workshops or collaborative design artifacts. Process Documentation:

• Provide examples of how you document and communicate design decisions, user flows, and interaction specifications to development teams and stakeholders.

• Showcase experience in creating and maintaining design systems or style guides to ensure consistency and scalability across product interfaces.

• Demonstrate a systematic approach to user research, including methodologies used for gathering insights and integrating them into the design process.

• Illustrate your approach to iterating on designs based on user feedback, A/B testing results, or stakeholder input, highlighting a continuous improvement cycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for a strong portfolio is paramount for this UX role. Candidates should meticulously curate their submissions to highlight not only aesthetic design skills but also their strategic thinking, problem-solving process, and ability to collaborate effectively. Demonstrating impact through case studies is crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• For a Senior Specialist, UX Designer role with 5-10 years of experience in Hyderabad, India, the estimated annual salary range is between ₹12,00,000 and ₹22,00,000 (approximately $14,400 - $26,400 USD, subject to current exchange rates). This range accounts for the specialized skills, required certifications (Design Thinking, Figma, Mural expertise), and the seniority of the position within a global biopharma company like MSD. Factors such as specific experience, negotiation, and the candidate's overall qualifications will influence the final offer. Benefits:

• Continuous Learning: Access to ongoing training programs, workshops, and resources to stay ahead of industry trends and enhance professional skills.

• Professional Development Opportunities: Support for attending industry conferences, pursuing advanced certifications, and participating in leadership development programs.

• Comprehensive Health and Wellness Programs: Including medical, dental, and vision insurance, employee assistance programs, and wellness initiatives.

• Retirement Savings Plan: Company-sponsored retirement plans with matching contributions to help secure future financial well-being.

• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation days, sick leave, and public holidays.

• Hybrid Work Model: Flexibility to balance on-site collaboration with remote work, promoting work-life integration.

• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP): Opportunity to invest in the company's growth.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time working hours, typically 40 hours per week. The hybrid work arrangement allows for flexibility in scheduling, with expectations for core hours of collaboration and potential for some remote work days.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary ranges for specialized tech roles in Hyderabad can vary significantly. The estimate provided is based on industry benchmarks for senior UX/UI designers in major Indian tech hubs, considering the mandatory certifications and advanced tool proficiencies requested. Benefits are inferred from typical offerings by large multinational corporations in the tech and pharmaceutical sectors.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Healthcare Biopharma (Pharmaceuticals and Vaccines). MSD (known as Merck & Co., Inc. in the US and Canada) is a global leader with a 130-year legacy focused on inventing for life and tackling some of the world's most challenging health threats through innovative medicines and vaccines.

Company Size: Large Enterprise (implied by global operations, diverse product portfolio, and established presence). MSD is a significant global employer, indicating a structured corporate environment with ample resources and opportunities.

Founded: Over 130 years ago. This long history signifies stability, deep-rooted expertise, and a sustained commitment to scientific advancement and healthcare solutions.

Team Structure:

• The role sits within the "Discover" product line, part of the Business Product Management team, focusing on a data and analytics marketplace.

• The UX Lead will collaborate closely with Business Product Managers (BPMs), Technical Product Managers (TPMs), and UI teams.

• There is a strong emphasis on partnering with global MSD XD (Experience Design) teams, suggesting a federated model where central design expertise supports distributed product teams.

• The role is part of a "Tech Center" model, which aims to foster collaboration, share best practices, and drive digital transformation across globally distributed IT employees. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: The company culture emphasizes using data, analytics, and insights to guide strategic decisions and drive business outcomes.

• User-Centered Design: A core tenet for this role, ensuring that user needs and business problems are at the forefront of product development.

• Innovation and Execution Excellence: A drive to continuously innovate and deliver high-quality solutions efficiently.

• Global Collaboration: Encouragement of collaboration across international teams and locations to share knowledge and optimize processes.

• Agile Principles: While not explicitly stated for this role, the mention of agile product development in preferred qualifications suggests that agile methodologies are likely employed.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context highlights MSD's commitment to innovation, global health, and leveraging digital technology. The "Discover" product line and its data marketplace focus indicate a strategic investment in data analytics capabilities to support their core biopharma business.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a "Senior Specialist, UX Designer," indicating an advanced individual contributor role. It carries leadership responsibilities within the UX domain for specific projects or products, requiring significant autonomy and expertise. The experience level (5-10 years) aligns with this senior individual contributor path, where deep technical and process knowledge is valued, and contributions are measured by impact on product design and user experience.

Reporting Structure: The UX Lead will likely report to a manager within the Business Product Management team or potentially a Design Lead within the broader XD organization. They will work closely with BPMs and TPMs, influencing product direction from a user experience perspective. Collaboration with the global MSD XD teams suggests a matrixed reporting or strong advisory relationship.

Operations Impact: The UX Lead's impact is critical for the success of the "Discover" data marketplace. By ensuring intuitive design and effective problem discovery, this role directly influences user adoption, data accessibility, and the overall efficiency of data governance and utilization across MSD. This, in turn, supports better decision-making, faster research, and ultimately, the company's mission to advance global healthcare.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in UX for data platforms, analytics, or specific therapeutic areas within MSD's biopharma portfolio.

• Leadership: Potential to grow into a UX Lead or Managerial role, overseeing larger product initiatives or managing a team of UX designers.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Possibility to move into related roles like Product Management, Technical Product Management, or broader Experience Design roles within MSD.

• Global Exposure: Working with global teams provides exposure to diverse markets, user bases, and design challenges, fostering a broader understanding of international UX best practices.

• Continuous Learning: As highlighted in benefits, MSD invests in professional development, offering pathways to acquire new skills and certifications relevant to evolving UX and digital technologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The career path for a Senior UX Designer at a company like MSD typically involves deepening specialized expertise or moving into leadership. The "Discover" product line suggests a focus on internal enterprise tools, which can offer unique challenges and growth opportunities in data visualization, information architecture, and complex workflow design.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid. This indicates a blend of working from the office and remotely. The Hyderabad Tech Center likely provides a modern, collaborative workspace designed for innovation and team interaction.

Office Location(s): Hyderabad, Telangana, India (HITEC City). This location is a major IT and business hub in India, known for its concentration of technology companies and talent, offering a dynamic professional ecosystem.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The Tech Center model emphasizes creating spaces where teams can come together, fostering cross-functional collaboration essential for product development. Expect open-plan areas, meeting rooms, and potentially dedicated design spaces.

• Tools and Technology: Access to standard office technology, high-speed internet, and the necessary software licenses for design tools (Figma, Mural, etc.) and collaboration platforms (Jira, Confluence).

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular interaction with product managers, technical leads, fellow designers, and business stakeholders, both locally and globally through virtual channels. The hybrid model requires proactive engagement to maintain strong connections.

Work Schedule: Standard 40-hour work week. The hybrid arrangement offers flexibility, but successful candidates will need to manage their time effectively to meet project deadlines and participate in scheduled meetings and workshops, often requiring coordination across different time zones.

📝 Enhancement Note: HITEC City is a well-established tech hub, suggesting good infrastructure and connectivity. The hybrid model implies a need for self-discipline and strong communication skills to ensure effective collaboration regardless of location.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will likely review applications and portfolios for basic qualifications, required certifications, and relevant experience.

• Technical Interview(s): Expect in-depth discussions about your UX process, design philosophy, and problem-solving approach. This may involve a live design exercise or a portfolio walkthrough.

• Portfolio Review: A dedicated session where you present 2-3 key projects from your portfolio, elaborating on your role, process, challenges, and outcomes. Be prepared to discuss your use of Figma, Mural, and other tools.

• Problem Discovery/Design Challenge: You might be given a hypothetical problem or asked to critique an existing interface, requiring you to demonstrate your ability to think critically, apply design thinking principles, and articulate your recommendations.

• Stakeholder/Team Interviews: Meetings with potential cross-functional colleagues (BPMs, TPMs, other designers) to assess cultural fit, collaboration style, and communication skills.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader to discuss strategic alignment, long-term vision, and overall fit within MSD.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best demonstrate your expertise in problem discovery, user research, wireframing, prototyping, and UI design, especially those relevant to data platforms or enterprise tools.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role and responsibilities, the process you followed (emphasizing Design Thinking and tool usage), the challenges encountered, and the impact of your design solution. Quantify results where possible.

• Highlight Tool Proficiency: Explicitly mention and showcase your work using Figma and Mural. Demonstrate how these tools facilitated your design process and collaboration.

• Showcase Certifications: If you have Design Thinking, NN/g, or UXQB certifications, ensure they are visible on your resume and mention them during the interview.

• Tailor to MSD: Research MSD's mission and values, and if possible, relate your project examples to the healthcare or data analytics domain.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the "Discover" Product: If possible, research MSD's "Discover" data marketplace to understand its purpose and potential user needs.

• Practice Problem Framing: Be ready to take an ambiguous problem statement and break it down into actionable design questions and research areas.

• Articulate Design Trade-offs: Be prepared to discuss why you made certain design choices and the trade-offs involved, demonstrating strategic thinking.

• Simulate Workshop Facilitation: Practice explaining how you would run a Problem Discovery workshop, including key activities and desired outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for senior roles at large companies like MSD is typically thorough. Candidates must be prepared to demonstrate not only technical design skills but also strategic thinking, strong communication, and a good cultural fit. The portfolio is the centerpiece of the evaluation.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Expert-level proficiency required for UI design, complex prototyping, component libraries, and collaborative design workflows. This will be central to daily tasks.

• Mural: Expert proficiency required for facilitating collaborative workshops, including problem discovery, user journey mapping, and brainstorming sessions. Essential for the initial phases of design.

• Wireframing/Prototyping Tools: Proficiency in Balsamiq, Axure RP, or Adobe XD for creating detailed visual representations and interactive prototypes.

• Jira: Experience using Jira for managing design tasks, tracking progress, and collaborating with development teams within an agile framework.

• Confluence: Familiarity with Confluence for documentation, knowledge sharing, and maintaining project information.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly listed as a primary tool, a Senior UX Designer is expected to utilize data and analytics to inform design decisions. This may involve understanding how to access and interpret data from tools like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or internal BI platforms to measure user behavior and design effectiveness.

• Experience with Data Visualization principles and tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI for understanding, not necessarily creating complex dashboards) would be beneficial for understanding the "Discover" product's nature. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the core UX design function for this role, but an understanding of how CRM systems and automation tools might integrate with or be influenced by the user experience of data platforms could be advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Figma and Mural is paramount. Candidates should be able to speak confidently about their proficiency and specific use cases for these tools within their design process. Understanding how UX integrates with project management tools like Jira is also key.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Inventing for Life: A deep commitment to innovation that has a tangible impact on global health, driving the pursuit of new medicines and vaccines.

• Ethical Integrity: Upholding the highest ethical standards in all business practices, research, and interactions.

• Forward Momentum: A culture of continuous progress, embracing new challenges and driving towards future breakthroughs.

• Data-Driven: A strong reliance on data, analytics, and insights to inform decision-making across all levels of the organization.

• User-Centricity: A fundamental belief in prioritizing the needs of patients, healthcare professionals, and internal users in product and service design.

• Collaboration: Fostering an environment where diverse teams work together globally to achieve shared objectives and share best practices.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Expect to work closely with product management, technical teams, and business stakeholders, requiring strong communication and negotiation skills to align diverse perspectives towards a common goal.

• Design Thinking Partnership: Actively engaging in collaborative problem-solving sessions, valuing diverse input and iterating based on collective insights.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture that encourages sharing of best practices, design patterns, and learnings, particularly within the Tech Centers and global XD community.

• Feedback-Driven Iteration: Embracing constructive feedback from peers, stakeholders, and users to refine designs and improve user experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: MSD's values are deeply rooted in its mission. For a UX professional, this means aligning design efforts with the ultimate goal of improving global health and ensuring ethical considerations are paramount in all user-facing solutions.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing User Needs with Complex Enterprise Requirements: Navigating the intricacies of a large biopharma company's data ecosystem, which often involves strict regulations, legacy systems, and diverse user groups with varying technical proficiencies.

• Driving Adoption of a Data Marketplace: Convincing diverse internal stakeholders to adopt a new platform for data discovery and governance requires exceptional UX design that clearly demonstrates value and ease of use.

• Integrating Global Design Standards: Ensuring consistency and adherence to MSD's global Experience Design (XD) standards while adapting designs to specific user needs and regional contexts.

• Rapid Technological Evolution: Staying abreast of advancements in UX design tools, methodologies, and data analytics technologies to maintain a competitive edge.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced UX Specialization: Opportunities to focus on niche areas like data visualization UX, information architecture for complex systems, or UX for AI-driven platforms.

• Industry Certifications: Support for pursuing advanced certifications in UX, Design Thinking, or related fields to enhance professional credibility and skill sets.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Gaining exposure to product management, data science, and business strategy through collaboration with diverse teams.

• Leadership Development: Pathways to transition into leadership roles, managing design projects or teams, and influencing product strategy at a higher level.

• Mentorship Programs: Access to mentorship from experienced designers and leaders within MSD's global XD network.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for a senior UX role in a large, regulated industry. The growth opportunities are significant, particularly for those looking to specialize in enterprise data solutions or move into leadership.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led a problem discovery workshop. What was the outcome, and how did you ensure user needs were met?" (Focus on facilitation, stakeholder management, and translating insights into action).

• "How do you approach designing for complex data platforms like a data marketplace? What are the key UX considerations?" (Discuss information architecture, data visualization, search/discovery, and user onboarding).

• "Walk us through a project where you had to balance conflicting stakeholder requirements with user needs. What was your strategy, and what was the resolution?" (Highlight negotiation, prioritization, and user advocacy). Company & Culture Questions:

• "How do MSD's values, such as 'Inventing for Life,' align with your approach to UX design?" (Connect your work to impact and ethical considerations).

• "Describe your experience working in a hybrid environment and collaborating with global, distributed teams. What strategies do you use to ensure effective communication and collaboration?" (Emphasize proactive communication, asynchronous collaboration, and tool utilization).

• "How do you stay current with UX trends and incorporate them into your work, especially within a large organization like MSD?" (Discuss continuous learning, industry engagement, and internal collaboration). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, follow a clear story arc: Problem -> Your Role -> Process (Research, Ideation, Design, Testing) -> Solution -> Impact/Outcome.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals extensively. Demonstrate your wireframes, mock-ups, prototypes, and any user research artifacts. Explain why you made certain design decisions.

• Emphasize Tool Usage: Explicitly discuss how you used Figma for UI and prototyping, and Mural for collaboration and discovery. Show examples of your work within these tools.

• Quantify Impact: If possible, present metrics that demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased user engagement, reduced task completion time, improved satisfaction scores).

• Be Ready for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design choices, challenges, and how you would handle specific scenarios related to the "Discover" product.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare specific examples that showcase their expertise in Design Thinking, Figma, Mural, and their ability to navigate complex enterprise environments. A strong understanding of MSD's mission and the "Discover" product's purpose will be advantageous.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Specialist, UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the MSD careers portal.

• Tailor your resume to highlight keywords from the job description, focusing on your experience with UX/UI design, problem discovery, Figma, Mural, Design Thinking certifications, and relevant industry experience.

• Curate your portfolio meticulously, selecting 2-3 strong case studies that showcase your end-to-end design process, problem-solving skills, and proficiency with required tools. Ensure it's easily accessible (e.g., via a link on your resume or a dedicated portfolio website).

• Prepare for interview questions by practicing your responses to common UX design and behavioral questions, and by developing a compelling narrative for your portfolio presentations.

• Research MSD thoroughly, understanding its mission, values, and the strategic importance of its digital transformation and data initiatives. Be ready to articulate how your skills and experience can contribute to the "Discover" product line.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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