Software Product Designer (Audio) - Sonnox

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Software Product Designer (Audio)

Company: Sonnox (The Focusrite Group)

Location: Finstock, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

Job Type: Permanent, Full Time

Category: Product Design, Audio Software Development

Date Posted: 2026-05-22

Experience Level: Mid-Level to Senior (Estimated 5-10 years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Design and develop the next generation of professional audio mixing and mastering plug-ins, bridging the gap between product management and software engineering.

• Translate product strategy and technical concepts into intuitive user experiences and functional designs for complex audio software.

• Collaborate closely with DSP experts and software developers to iterate on algorithmic concepts and ensure high-fidelity musical tool creation.

• Lead user validation, listening tests, and quality control to ensure the sonic and functional experience of audio products meets world-class standards.

• Champion product knowledge through documentation, presets, and internal training to facilitate seamless product launches and support.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is "Software Product Designer," the core responsibilities and required skills clearly indicate a specialized role within the audio software domain, focusing heavily on user experience (UX) and the translation of complex digital signal processing (DSP) concepts into tangible, user-friendly audio plug-ins. The emphasis on a "trusted ear" and sonic quality suggests a deep understanding of audio engineering principles is paramount.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Concept & UX Design: Translate product briefs into comprehensive design concepts, including control sets, signal flow logic, and workflow wireframes, providing clear rationale for all design decisions.

• Prototyping & Validation: Develop functional prototypes to rigorously test workflow assumptions and clearly communicate design intent to the engineering team. Conduct listening tests and user validation sessions to iteratively refine the sonic and functional aspects of the product.

• Translate Research to Reality: Work in tandem with Lead DSP Developers to transform complex algorithmic concepts into high-fidelity, musically resonant audio tools.

• The "Trusted Ear" Collaboration: Partner with the Brand & Product Lead to identify and refine the musical and product intent throughout the prototyping and development phases, ensuring the final product aligns with creative goals.

• Quality Control & Sonic Integrity: Act as the critical link between mathematical algorithms and musical results; diagnose issues when audio quality is not optimal, even if the logic is sound, and articulate clear paths for resolution.

• UI Execution & Collaboration: Define UI behavior and interaction requirements in collaboration with the Brand & Product Lead, providing design direction and review to ensure visual execution aligns with product intent. Partner with Graphic Design talent to achieve a world-class final aesthetic.

• QA & Beta Partnership: Support QA and support teams during test planning, beta feedback loops, and bug triage by providing essential context, design intent, and prioritization input.

• Knowledge Transfer & Documentation: Drive product understanding across the organization by creating essential presets, co-authoring intuitive user documentation, and leading internal training sessions for sales, support, and marketing teams.

• Post-Release Evolution: Contribute UX and audio design input for the planning of future software updates, maintenance cycles, and bug-fix releases, ensuring continuous product improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a hybrid role that requires both creative design thinking and a strong technical understanding of audio engineering and DSP. The emphasis on "translating research to reality" and being the "trusted ear" suggests this role is pivotal in ensuring the practical usability and sonic quality of Sonnox's audio plug-ins.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Formal education in a relevant field such as Audio Engineering, Music Technology, Computer Science with an audio focus, or Graphic Design with a strong audio portfolio is beneficial but not explicitly required. The emphasis is on demonstrable skills and experience.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5-10 years of experience in product design, UX design, or audio software product development.

• Significant hands-on experience within the professional audio industry, encompassing production, mixing, mastering, or post-production roles, supported by a credible portfolio.

• Proven experience in designing software user experiences (UXs), with concrete examples of taking projects from initial concept through to functional specification.

• Expert-level proficiency in Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) such as Pro Tools, Logic Pro, or Ableton Live.

Required Skills:

• Product Design & UX: Expertise in translating product requirements into intuitive user interfaces and workflows for audio software.

• Audio Prototyping: Proficiency in at least one audio prototyping environment, such as Max/MSP, Pure Data, or Python with relevant audio libraries.

• Audio Signal Flow & Production: Strong theoretical and practical understanding of audio signal flow and the technical principles underpinning music production workflows.

• Technical Writing: Excellent technical writing capabilities for creating clear, concise, and user-friendly documentation for both end-users and internal stakeholders.