UX Designer, Design Systems, People Engagement Experience (PEX)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Designer, Design Systems, People Engagement Experience (PEX)

Company: Amazon

Location: Seattle, WA, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Design / User Experience

Date Posted: May 18, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-level (2-5 years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the evolution of Amazon's internal People Engagement Experience (PEX) through user-centered design system development.

• Create and maintain scalable Figma components, patterns, and templates that enhance the experience for millions of Amazonians globally.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including engineers, researchers, and writers to ensure cohesive and accessible design solutions.

• Champion design best practices, accessibility standards (WCAG), and the adoption of AI-powered design tools to optimize workflows and component creation.

• Contribute to Amazon's mission of becoming Earth's best employer by improving employee acquisition, training, and retention experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role focuses on internal employee experience (PEX) design systems, a critical area for large organizations aiming to improve employee lifecycle processes. The emphasis on AI integration signals a forward-thinking approach to design operations and tool utilization.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Contribute to the creation, maintenance, and evolution of a comprehensive design system, including Figma components, patterns, and style libraries.

• Design and implement scalable, accessible, and inclusive components for employee-facing product experiences across desktop and native mobile platforms.

• Collaborate closely with UX designers and engineers across multiple organizations to ensure consistency, flexibility, and proper implementation of design system assets.

• Develop and maintain detailed documentation for design system standards, best practices, and component usage to guide designers, developers, and product teams.

• Explore and leverage AI-powered design tools and intelligent systems to accelerate component creation, documentation, and enhance design system workflows.

• Implement and manage processes for scaling, updating, and governing the design system to ensure ongoing relevance and adoption.

• Champion accessibility by ensuring all design system components meet WCAG standards and promote inclusive design principles.

• Facilitate knowledge sharing and contribute to the adoption of the design system across various Amazon teams, acting as a design community enabler.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of hands-on design craft, systems thinking, and operational excellence in managing a large-scale design system. The explicit mention of AI tools suggests a need for adaptability and a proactive approach to integrating new technologies into design workflows.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Not specified, but typically a Bachelor's degree in Design, HCI, or a related field is expected for mid-level UX roles.

Experience: 3+ years of professional design experience, with a focus on user experience design and design systems.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience in creating and maintaining design systems, including Figma component libraries, variants, auto-layout, and component properties.

• Demonstrated ability to design for accessibility and inclusivity, with a strong understanding of WCAG standards.

• Proficiency in Figma and its advanced features for efficient component creation and library management.

• Experience collaborating effectively with engineering teams to bridge design and technical requirements.

• Strong understanding of systems thinking and the ability to design scalable solutions.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience leveraging AI-powered design tools to accelerate component creation, documentation, or workflow optimization.

• Familiarity with design system adoption strategies and best practices for supporting user adoption within an organization.

• Experience building and scaling design components across multiple platforms (web, iOS, Android).

• Knowledge of emerging technologies and their implications for design system architecture, including AI/ML integration patterns.

• Experience working within large, fast-paced, and ambiguous environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Figma proficiency, accessibility, and systems thinking are core to modern design system roles. The preferred skills around AI tools and adoption strategies indicate a desire for candidates who can not only build but also influence and scale the impact of the design system.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A robust portfolio showcasing end-to-end UX design processes, with a strong emphasis on design system contributions.

• Specific examples of Figma component libraries, including detailed explanations of component structure, variants, auto-layout usage, and properties.

• Case studies demonstrating how you identified and solved complex design challenges through the application of design system principles.

• Evidence of contributions to accessibility and inclusive design within your projects, with clear articulation of WCAG standards adherence.

• Examples of documentation created for design systems, illustrating clarity, comprehensiveness, and usability for technical and non-technical audiences.

Process Documentation:

• Demonstrate your ability to document design system processes, including component development lifecycles, version control, and governance models.

• Showcase experience in creating workflows for design system adoption, maintenance, and contribution, outlining how you would manage these at scale.

• Provide examples of how you've used data or user feedback to inform design system improvements and iterative development.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a design systems role, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to go beyond individual UI designs to demonstrate an understanding of scalable, reusable design assets and the processes required to manage them effectively. Demonstrating AI tool integration in the portfolio, even if experimental, would be a significant advantage.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $117,800 - $160,000 USD annually. This range is based on the provided data for Seattle, WA, and reflects mid-level UX Designer roles within large tech companies.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health insurance package including medical, dental, and vision coverage.

• Prescription drug coverage, basic life insurance, and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance.

• Option for supplemental life plans, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and mental health support.

• Medical Advice Line and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs).

• Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage.

• 401(k) matching program to support retirement savings.

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) and parental leave policies.

• Sign-on payments and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), reflecting Amazon's typical compensation structure for designers.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours, typically 40 hours per week, with potential for flexibility based on project needs and team collaboration schedules.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is specific to Seattle, WA, and aligns with industry benchmarks for a mid-level UX Designer role at a major tech corporation like Amazon. The extensive benefits package is characteristic of large, established companies and offers significant value beyond base salary.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: E-commerce, Cloud Computing, Digital Streaming, Artificial Intelligence, Retail, Consumer Electronics. Amazon operates across a vast spectrum of industries, utilizing technology to innovate and scale its offerings globally.

Company Size: Amazon is a massive global corporation, employing over 1.5 million people worldwide, making it one of the largest employers globally. This scale necessitates robust internal systems and processes, including sophisticated design systems.

Founded: Amazon was founded in 1994 by Jeff Bezos, initially as an online bookstore, and has since expanded into a diversified global technology and e-commerce giant.

Team Structure:

• The People Engagement Experience (PEX) team is a multidisciplinary group comprising UX Designers, UX Researchers, UX Writers, and Design Technologists.

• This team operates within a larger HR technology or employee experience division, focusing on tools and platforms that support Amazon's global workforce.

Methodology:

• User-Centered Design: A core tenet at Amazon, ensuring that all experiences are built with the end-user (in this case, Amazonians) in mind.

• Data-Driven Decisions: Leveraging analytics and user research to inform design choices and measure impact.

• Scalable Systems: Emphasis on creating reusable components and patterns that can be applied consistently across a vast array of internal products and platforms.

• Operational Excellence: Implementing efficient processes for design, development, and maintenance of the design system to ensure smooth adoption and continuous improvement.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Amazon's culture is characterized by its customer obsession, innovation, and a fast-paced, often ambiguous, work environment. For a design systems role within PEX, this translates to a need for adaptability, strong ownership, and a commitment to building scalable, high-quality solutions that impact millions of employees.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Mid-level UX Designer, typically requiring 2-5 years of dedicated experience. In the context of a large organization like Amazon, this level involves contributing significantly to established systems, taking ownership of specific components or features, and working more autonomously under general guidance. It's a crucial stage for developing expertise in design systems and cross-functional collaboration.

Reporting Structure: The UX Designer will report to a Design Manager or Lead within the People Engagement Experience (PEX) team. This manager will likely oversee the overall design strategy for employee experiences and guide the team's development and output. The role involves close collaboration with engineering leads, product managers, and other designers.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is substantial. By contributing to a robust and scalable design system for employee experiences, the UX Designer directly influences how millions of Amazonians interact with internal tools for hiring, training, career development, and daily work. This impacts employee productivity, satisfaction, retention, and ultimately, Amazon's ability to achieve its mission of being Earth's best employer. Efficient and well-designed internal tools are critical for operational effectiveness at Amazon's scale.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Systems Specialization: Deepen expertise in design system architecture, tooling, and governance, potentially progressing to Senior or Principal Design System roles.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Lead design initiatives across multiple product teams, influencing broader UX strategy and adoption of design system standards.

• AI Integration Expertise: Develop specialized skills in leveraging AI for design system workflows, becoming a go-to expert in this emerging area.

• Mentorship and Team Growth: Mentor junior designers, contribute to team processes, and help shape the future of PEX design at Amazon.

• Transferable Skills: Develop highly sought-after skills in Figma, design systems, accessibility, and AI-driven design that are valuable across the tech industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth path for a UX Designer in a design systems role at Amazon is strong. The company's scale and commitment to internal tooling provide ample opportunities to refine specialized skills and take on increasing levels of responsibility and impact. The focus on AI integration is a key differentiator for future career development.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This position is designated as on-site in Seattle, WA. Amazon typically offers modern office spaces designed to foster collaboration and innovation.

Office Location(s): Seattle, Washington, United States. Amazon has a significant corporate presence in Seattle, with multiple campuses that provide a dynamic work environment.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: Offices are equipped with various meeting rooms, huddle spaces, and common areas designed to encourage spontaneous and planned interactions between team members.

• Technology-Rich Environment: Access to high-performance computing, dual monitors, and the necessary software licenses (e.g., Figma) for design work. The internal technology infrastructure is robust.

• Team Interaction: Regular opportunities to connect with fellow designers, researchers, writers, and engineers, fostering a culture of shared learning and problem-solving. The PEX team specifically emphasizes knowledge sharing and mentorship.

Work Schedule: While the standard work week is 40 hours, Amazon's culture often encourages a degree of flexibility to accommodate project deadlines and team needs. However, for an on-site role, consistent presence during core business hours is expected for effective collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in Seattle suggests a preference for in-person collaboration, which is often beneficial for design system work that involves intricate discussions and rapid iteration with engineering and product teams. The Seattle location places the role within a vibrant tech hub.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screen: A recruiter or hiring manager will conduct a brief phone screen to assess basic qualifications, interest, and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Review & Technical Interview: This is a critical stage where candidates present their portfolio, focusing on design system projects, Figma proficiency, and accessibility experience. Expect deep dives into your design process, decision-making, and problem-solving approaches.

• Design Challenge/Whiteboard Exercise: You may be asked to work on a design problem, potentially related to component creation, system thinking, or accessibility, either live or as a take-home assignment.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with engineers, product managers, and other designers to evaluate collaboration skills, technical understanding, and ability to work within Amazon's environment.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A final discussion focusing on your overall fit with the team, career aspirations, and how you'll contribute to Amazon's culture and goals.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Design System Impact: Focus on projects where you directly contributed to or led design system initiatives. Showcase the components you created, the patterns you defined, and the libraries you managed.

• Demonstrate Figma Mastery: Be prepared to walk through your Figma files, explaining your use of auto-layout, variants, component properties, and library organization.

• Showcase Accessibility Expertise: Clearly articulate how you've incorporated accessibility (WCAG) into your designs and design system components. Provide specific examples.

• Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly outline the problem, your process, your solutions, and the measurable impact of your work. Quantify results whenever possible (e.g., reduction in design/dev time, increased consistency).

• Address AI Integration: If you have experience with AI-powered design tools, make sure to include relevant examples and discuss the benefits and challenges.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand Design Systems: Brush up on core design system principles, common components, and best practices for scalability and maintenance.

• Practice Figma: Be ready for live Figma exercises. Practice creating components with auto-layout and variants under timed conditions.

• Think Systems, Not Just Screens: When presented with a problem, focus on how a design system solution could address it, rather than just designing individual screens. Consider reusability and scalability.

• Accessibility First: Ensure accessibility is a consideration in any design challenge.

📝 Enhancement Note: Amazon's interview process is known to be rigorous. For a design systems role, the portfolio presentation is paramount. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate not just design skills but also a deep understanding of how to build and manage scalable, reusable design assets and processes, with a keen eye on accessibility and emerging technologies like AI.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core design tool for creating components, patterns, and libraries. Proficiency in advanced features like variants, auto-layout, component properties, and library management is essential.

• Design System Platforms: While Figma is the primary tool, understanding how it integrates with other design system management tools or documentation platforms (e.g., Zeroheight, Storybook – though less common for pure UX designers) is beneficial.

• Prototyping Tools: Figma's prototyping capabilities, or potentially other tools for more advanced interactions.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Internal Amazon Analytics Tools: Amazon utilizes proprietary tools for tracking user behavior, performance metrics, and system health. Familiarity with data analysis concepts is key, even if specific tools aren't named.

• Data Visualization Tools: Potentially used for presenting findings, though specific tools are not listed.

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to this UX Design role, but understanding how design systems support internal HR/employee management platforms is relevant. The focus is on the design tools and design system management, not traditional CRM or marketing automation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma and AI-powered design tools highlights the technology stack. Beyond Figma, the emphasis is on the principles of design systems and how they facilitate scalable design and development, rather than a broad range of operational software.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Obsession: While often applied externally, Amazon also applies this internally to its employees. The PEX team's goal is to create the best possible experience for Amazonians.

• Ownership: Taking responsibility for tasks and projects, driving them to completion and seeking solutions independently.

• Bias for Action: Moving quickly and decisively, even in the face of ambiguity, to deliver results.

• Invent and Simplify: Constantly seeking innovative solutions and streamlining complex processes. This aligns with the goal of a scalable design system.

• Learn and Be Curious: A commitment to continuous learning, especially relevant with the integration of new technologies like AI.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Strong emphasis on working seamlessly with engineering, research, writing, and product management teams to ensure holistic solutions.

• Knowledge Sharing: The team actively fosters an environment where members share learnings, best practices, and insights, particularly regarding design systems and AI integration.

• Feedback Culture: Openness to giving and receiving constructive feedback to improve designs, processes, and team dynamics.

• Inclusivity: A commitment to creating an inclusive environment that values diverse perspectives and experiences, reflected in both the design work and team interactions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Amazon's Leadership Principles are deeply embedded in its culture. For this role, understanding how principles like Customer Obsession (applied internally), Ownership, Bias for Action, and Invent and Simplify translate into daily work and team interactions will be crucial.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scale and Complexity: Managing a design system for millions of users across a vast, diverse organization presents significant scalability and complexity challenges. Ensuring consistency while allowing for necessary flexibility is a constant balancing act.

• Ambiguity: Working in a fast-paced, innovative environment like Amazon often involves navigating ambiguity. Candidates must be comfortable defining solutions and processes without complete upfront clarity.

• Adoption and Governance: Driving the adoption of a design system across numerous teams and ensuring adherence to standards requires strong communication, influence, and well-defined governance processes.

• Integrating AI: Effectively integrating AI-powered design tools and patterns into existing workflows and components, while maintaining quality and user trust, is a novel challenge.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Design System Expertise: Deepen knowledge in advanced design system methodologies, tooling, and scaling strategies within a leading tech company.

• AI in Design: Gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge AI tools and their application in design system workflows, positioning you at the forefront of this evolving field.

• Cross-Functional Mastery: Enhance skills in collaborating with diverse technical and non-technical stakeholders, improving communication and negotiation abilities.

• Mentorship: Opportunities to learn from senior designers and potentially mentor junior team members, developing leadership capabilities.

• Industry Exposure: Work on projects that have a tangible impact on a global workforce, providing rich case studies for future career development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are inherent to large-scale design systems and Amazon's operational environment. The growth opportunities are directly tied to overcoming these challenges and developing specialized skills in high-demand areas like AI-driven design.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to advocate for a design system component or pattern across multiple teams. What was the challenge, and how did you achieve buy-in?" (Focus on influence, communication, and understanding stakeholder needs.)

• "How do you approach designing for accessibility (WCAG) within a design system? Walk us through an example of a component you designed with accessibility in mind." (Demonstrate practical application of accessibility principles.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on your understanding of Amazon's Leadership Principles, which ones do you believe are most critical for a UX Designer on a design systems team, and why?" (Showcase research and alignment with Amazon's values.)

• "How do you handle working in a fast-paced, potentially ambiguous environment with competing priorities?" (Assess adaptability, resilience, and problem-solving under pressure.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, your process, the solution, and the measurable outcomes. Use a consistent structure.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (screenshots, prototypes, Figma examples) to illustrate your points effectively. Walk through your Figma files to demonstrate mastery.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your design system contributions (e.g., increased efficiency, reduced errors, improved consistency).

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about specific design decisions, technical constraints, and trade-offs you made.

• Highlight Design Systems & AI: Explicitly call out your design system work and any experience with AI tools. Explain the impact and scalability of your contributions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a blend of strong UX design fundamentals, specialized design systems knowledge, an understanding of Amazon's unique culture and scale, and an eagerness to engage with emerging technologies like AI.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Amazon Jobs portal.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight experience with design systems, Figma proficiency, accessibility standards (WCAG), and any exposure to AI-powered design tools. Use keywords from the job description.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest projects that best showcase your design system contributions, Figma skills, and problem-solving abilities. Ensure it's easily navigable and visually appealing.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice walking through your portfolio projects, focusing on your process, the impact of your work, and your role within the team. Be ready to discuss your design system philosophy.

• Research Amazon's Culture: Familiarize yourself with Amazon's Leadership Principles and how they apply to design and internal operations. Prepare to discuss how you embody these principles.

⚠️ 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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