UX Designer II

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Designer II

Company: The Trade Desk

Location: New York, NY, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: UX/UI Design, Product Design

Date Posted: 2026-07-27T19:47:33

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

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Design and architect the user experience and information architecture for a global, enterprise-scale digital advertising technology platform.

• Develop intuitive user interfaces and interaction patterns for complex data-rich workflows, ensuring consistency and ease of use across the product.

• Collaborate closely with Product Management and Engineering teams to translate business requirements and technical constraints into effective UX solutions.

• Leverage and contribute to an established enterprise design system, ensuring adherence to brand guidelines and reusable component standards.

• Design user interactions for platform-level artificial intelligence features, integrating AI capabilities seamlessly into the user experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is situated within the highly technical and data-intensive ad-tech industry, requiring a UX Designer to not only excel in standard UX principles but also gain a strong understanding of advertising technology concepts, data flows, and enterprise-level SaaS product design. The emphasis on "overall structure," "how pages are organized," and "how users move between them" indicates a focus on Information Architecture and System Design.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Architect the structural layout and user flow of the software platform, defining how users navigate and interact with different sections and features.

• Design intuitive user journeys for complex, multi-step tasks within an enterprise workflow context, focusing on efficiency and data integrity.

• Develop and maintain standard page structures and consistent layouts across the platform to ensure a cohesive and user-friendly experience.

• Strategize the appropriate use and implementation of interface elements such as pop-ups, side panels, and modals to enhance user interaction without causing disruption.

• Create detailed design documentation, including wireframes, user flows, and interactive prototypes in Figma, to communicate design intent to stakeholders.

• Apply and extend an existing enterprise-scale design system, ensuring consistency, reusability, and adherence to defined UI/UX standards.

• Partner with product managers and software engineers throughout the product development lifecycle, advocating for user-centered design principles and providing clear implementation guidance.

• Define user interaction models for new and existing platform-level artificial intelligence features, ensuring their usability and effectiveness.

• Conduct user research, usability testing, and gather feedback to iterate on designs and improve the overall user experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of designing for "complex data and workflow needs" and supporting "platform-level artificial intelligence features" signifies that this role requires a deep dive into the intricacies of enterprise SaaS, specifically within the ad-tech domain. The emphasis on "standard layouts and page structures" and "when and how pop-ups, side panels... are used" points to the need for expertise in established design patterns and system-level thinking.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree (U.S. or foreign equivalent) in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Interaction Design, Graphic Design, or a closely related field.

• Alternatively, a Master's degree (U.S. or foreign equivalent) in HCI, Interaction Design, Graphic Design, or a related field. Experience:

• Three (3) years of professional experience in UX Design, Interaction Design, or a related role (if holding a Bachelor's degree).

• One (1) year of professional experience in UX Design, Interaction Design, or a related role (if holding a Master's degree). Required Skills:

• Proficiency in Figma for component-level and system-level design, including advanced prototyping and robust library management.

• Demonstrated experience designing cross-feature UX frameworks and reusable interaction patterns for complex enterprise workflows.

• Experience designing for technical SaaS products, particularly those involving data-rich interfaces and complex business logic.

• Proven ability to design with and contribute to an enterprise-scale design system, understanding principles of scalability and consistency.

• Familiarity with the ad-tech industry, including an understanding of its unique data, workflow, and user needs.

• Strong understanding of information architecture principles and their application in structuring complex software platforms.

• Excellent visual design skills with a keen eye for detail and usability. Preferred Skills:

• Experience with user research methodologies and usability testing.

• Familiarity with AI/ML concepts and their application in user interfaces.

• Knowledge of front-end development principles (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) to facilitate collaboration with engineers.

• Experience designing for global platforms with diverse user bases.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "one (1) year of experience with: Figma for component-level and system-level designs, including component creation, prototyping, and library management; designing cross-feature UX frameworks and reusable interaction patterns for enterprise workflows, including data-rich or technical SaaS products; designing with an enterprise-scale design system; and working in the ad-tech industry" indicates that candidates with a Master's degree must possess this specific, focused experience. For Bachelor's degree holders, this experience is part of the broader 3-year requirement.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase at least one comprehensive case study demonstrating end-to-end UX design for a complex enterprise SaaS product or workflow.

• Highlight your proficiency with Figma, including examples of component creation, advanced prototyping, and design system contributions.

• Provide evidence of designing for data-rich environments and intricate workflows, emphasizing how you simplified complexity for users.

• Demonstrate experience in applying or extending an enterprise-scale design system, showing an understanding of its structure and benefits.

• Include examples that illustrate your ability to define and implement reusable interaction patterns and information architecture for large-scale applications. Process Documentation:

• Detail your design process for a specific project, from initial problem definition and user research through to final design and handoff.

• Explain how you collaborated with product managers and engineers, and how feedback was incorporated into your designs.

• Illustrate your approach to creating and managing design system components and ensuring their consistent application.

• Showcase how you approached the design of AI-driven features, including user interaction considerations and potential ethical implications.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's focus on enterprise-scale design systems and complex workflows within ad-tech, a portfolio should strongly emphasize system-level thinking, component reusability, and the ability to manage complexity. Case studies that clearly articulate the problem, your process, the constraints (especially technical and data-related), your solutions, and the measurable impact are crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $137,600 - $206,400 USD per year

Benefits:

• Comprehensive healthcare coverage (medical, dental, and vision) with premiums paid in full for employees and dependents.

• Retirement savings plan (401k) with a company match.

• Short-term and long-term disability coverage.

• Basic life insurance.

• Well-being benefits.

• Reimbursement for certain tuition expenses.

• Paid parental leave.

• Paid sick time (1 hour per 30 hours worked).

• Paid vacation time (up to 120 hours through the first year, 160 hours thereafter for full-time employees).

• Approximately 13 paid holidays per year.

• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) allowing employees to purchase company stock at a discount.

• Eligibility for stock-based compensation grants, awarded based on company and individual performance.

• Potential for variable compensation-based incentives and commissions depending on the role.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week (standard full-time).

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is a base salary estimate. The total compensation package for this role is significantly enhanced by stock-based compensation, potential incentives, and a comprehensive benefits suite, which is typical for mid-level to senior roles in the tech industry, especially in New York City. The note about interns not being eligible for these benefits reinforces the full-time nature and career-level of this position.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Digital Advertising Technology (AdTech), Software, Technology. The Trade Desk operates as a global technology company and the world's leading independent platform for digital advertising. They are at the forefront of programmatic advertising, data processing, and real-time bidding.

Company Size: Approximately 4,000 employees globally. This indicates a mature, well-established organization with structured processes, but still agile enough to innovate.

Founded: 2009. This means the company has a decade-plus of experience, having navigated significant shifts in the digital advertising landscape, and has a proven track record.

Team Structure:

• The UX Design team likely operates within a Product Development or Engineering structure, collaborating closely with Product Managers and Software Engineers.

• Roles are specialized, with clear distinctions between design, product strategy, and engineering execution.

• Cross-functional collaboration is essential, requiring designers to work with various teams including data science, sales, marketing, and legal to understand diverse needs and constraints. Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making is paramount in AdTech; UX designs must be informed by performance metrics, user data, and market trends.

• Emphasis on scalable and reliable systems, requiring meticulous attention to detail in design and documentation.

• Agile development methodologies are likely employed, necessitating iterative design processes and close collaboration with engineering sprints.

• A strong focus on user-centricity within a complex, B2B (Business-to-Business) enterprise software environment.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's description emphasizes its role as an independent platform in digital advertising, highlighting transparency, effectiveness, and responsibility. This suggests a culture that values ethical practices, data integrity, and innovation in a competitive market. The mention of "processing massive datasets in real time" and "building systems that operate reliably on a global scale" underscores the technical rigor expected.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: UX Designer II is a mid-level individual contributor role. It signifies a designer who has moved beyond foundational skills and can independently handle complex design challenges, contribute to design systems, and mentor junior designers. This level requires a strong grasp of UX principles, design execution, and the ability to influence product direction.

Reporting Structure: Typically, a UX Designer II would report to a UX Design Manager, Lead UX Designer, or Head of Product Design. They will work within product squads or feature teams, collaborating closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads for specific product areas.

Operations Impact: While not a traditional "Operations" role (like Revenue Ops or Sales Ops), this UX Designer's work has a profound impact on the operational efficiency of The Trade Desk's clients (advertisers and agencies). By creating intuitive and efficient interfaces for complex ad-tech tools, they directly influence how users manage campaigns, analyze data, and optimize ad spend, thereby driving client success and retention.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas like AI/ML interaction design, data visualization for complex datasets, or advanced information architecture for enterprise platforms.

• Leadership: Progress to Senior UX Designer, Lead UX Designer, or UX Manager roles, taking on more strategic responsibilities, managing teams, and defining design vision.

• Cross-functional Mobility: Transition into Product Management, Design Research, or specialized UX roles within other tech domains.

• Skill Development: Continuous learning in emerging UX technologies, AI, and the evolving AdTech landscape through internal training, conferences, and industry certifications.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "II" designation suggests a clear path for advancement. The role requires not just executing designs but also understanding the strategic implications within the AdTech ecosystem and contributing to the long-term vision of the platform's user experience.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is designated as Hybrid, meaning employees are expected to work from The Trade Desk's office in New York, NY, for a portion of the week, with the flexibility to work remotely for the remainder. This allows for in-office collaboration and remote focus time.

Office Location(s): 1114 Ave of Americas, New York, NY 10036. This is a prime Manhattan location, offering access to a vibrant professional environment and extensive transit options.

Workspace Context:

• The office environment is likely designed to foster collaboration, with open spaces, meeting rooms, and potentially dedicated areas for creative work.

• Access to state-of-the-art technology and design tools (like Figma) will be standard.

• Opportunities for spontaneous interaction with colleagues across Product, Engineering, and other departments will be abundant, facilitating knowledge sharing and problem-solving.

Work Schedule: A standard 40-hour work week is expected. While the hybrid model offers flexibility, the nature of design work, especially within agile development cycles and a global company, may require occasional adjustments to accommodate project deadlines or cross-time-zone collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work model in a major city like New York suggests a professional environment that balances work-life integration with the benefits of in-person collaboration and access to resources. The specific office address implies a corporate setting within a business district.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or Recruiter screens for basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Presentation & Technical Interview: A key stage where candidates present their work, discussing specific case studies. Expect in-depth questions about their design process, decision-making rationale, problem-solving approaches, and contributions to design systems. This is where you'll demonstrate your understanding of enterprise SaaS and AdTech challenges.

• Design Challenge: A practical exercise, potentially involving a hypothetical problem related to the Trade Desk's platform, requiring candidates to demonstrate their UX thinking, problem-solving skills, and design execution within a time limit. This might involve wireframing, user flow mapping, or system-level design considerations.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers and Engineering Leads to assess collaboration skills, technical understanding, and ability to work effectively in a team.

• Final Interview: Often with a senior leader (e.g., Head of Product Design, VP of Product) to discuss strategic alignment, career aspirations, and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Impact: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the constraints, your design solutions, and the measurable business or user impact. Quantify results whenever possible.

• Showcase Process: Detail your thought process, research methods, iterative refinements, and how you made trade-offs. Explain why you made certain design decisions.

• Highlight System Thinking: Emphasize your experience with design systems, component libraries, and ensuring consistency across a large platform. Show how you contributed to or leveraged them.

• AdTech Relevance: If possible, tailor your presentation to highlight any experience or understanding of data-intensive platforms, enterprise workflows, or the AdTech industry.

• Figma Proficiency: Be ready to demonstrate specific Figma skills, including component creation, variants, auto layout, prototyping, and collaboration features.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Research The Trade Desk's business, their platform, and the AdTech industry. Understand the types of challenges they face (e.g., data complexity, real-time processing, client workflow efficiency).

• Practice Design Thinking: Be prepared to break down a problem, brainstorm solutions, define user flows, and sketch out interface concepts.

• System Design Focus: Given the role, expect challenges that require thinking about scalability, reusability, and integration within a larger system.

• Communicate Clearly: Articulate your thought process concisely and logically. Be prepared to justify your design choices and answer follow-up questions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a UX Designer II at a company like The Trade Desk will be rigorous, focusing heavily on practical application, system-level thinking, and domain-specific understanding. A strong portfolio that showcases complex problem-solving within enterprise SaaS and ideally AdTech is critical.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: This is explicitly mentioned as a required skill and will be the primary tool for design creation, prototyping, and collaboration. Expect deep dives into your Figma expertise, including component creation, library management, and advanced prototyping features.

• Design System Tools: Familiarity with tools or processes for managing and contributing to design systems (e.g., Zeplin, Abstract, or Figma's own capabilities).

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly listed as a requirement for the designer, an understanding of how to interpret data from analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel) to inform design decisions is highly valuable.

• Familiarity with data visualization principles will be beneficial for designing dashboards and reporting interfaces. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly relevant to the UX Designer role itself, but understanding how user data flows from CRM and other systems into the platform is helpful for context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Figma and enterprise design systems suggests a modern, component-driven design workflow. Proficiency in Figma is non-negotiable, and candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience with design system principles and their application in creating scalable and consistent user experiences.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Data-Driven: Decisions are informed by data, metrics, and user behavior analysis. Designs should aim to improve data accessibility and usability for clients.

• Innovation: The company operates in a fast-paced, evolving industry, valuing creative solutions and forward-thinking approaches to complex problems.

• Collaboration: Strong emphasis on teamwork, with designers working closely with Product, Engineering, and other departments to achieve shared goals.

• Transparency & Responsibility: As an independent platform, The Trade Desk likely values ethical practices and clear communication in its products and operations.

• Global Impact: A mindset that considers the worldwide implications of their technology and design choices.

Collaboration Style:

• Expect a highly collaborative environment where designers are integrated into product development teams.

• Communication will be frequent and multi-channel, involving design critiques, brainstorming sessions, and direct handoffs with engineers and product managers.

• A culture of constructive feedback is likely, encouraging designers to both give and receive input to refine designs and processes.

• Cross-functional collaboration is key, requiring designers to understand and integrate perspectives from various business units.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture likely mirrors the industry's need for agility, data rigor, and partnership. As a UX Designer, you'll be expected to be a proactive collaborator, advocating for the user while understanding business and technical constraints.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complexity of AdTech: Understanding and designing for the intricate data flows, bidding mechanisms, and campaign management workflows inherent in the advertising technology industry.

• Scale of the Platform: Designing for a global enterprise platform with a vast user base and numerous features requires a strong focus on information architecture, consistency, and scalability.

• Balancing User Needs with Business/Technical Constraints: Effectively translating complex business requirements and technical limitations into elegant and usable design solutions.

• Integrating AI: Designing intuitive and trustworthy user experiences for advanced AI features, ensuring users understand and can effectively leverage these capabilities.

• Maintaining Design System Integrity: Ensuring that as the platform grows, the design system remains robust, up-to-date, and consistently applied across all features.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized AdTech Knowledge: Gaining deep expertise in the nuances of digital advertising, programmatic buying, and data analytics.

• Enterprise Design System Mastery: Becoming an expert in building, maintaining, and scaling enterprise-level design systems.

• AI/ML UX: Developing specialized skills in designing for artificial intelligence and machine learning applications.

• Cross-functional Skill Development: Learning about product management, engineering processes, and the business aspects of the AdTech industry.

• Leadership Track: Opportunities to grow into senior design roles, lead projects, mentor junior designers, and influence product strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges inherent in this role are significant due to the technical complexity and scale of the AdTech industry. Overcoming these challenges presents substantial growth opportunities for a UX Designer focused on enterprise software.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design a complex workflow for an enterprise SaaS product. What were the challenges, and how did you simplify it for the user?" (Focus on process, problem-solving, and outcome.)

• "How do you approach using and contributing to an enterprise-scale design system? Walk me through an example of a component you designed or a system you helped maintain." (Demonstrate system thinking and Figma proficiency.)

• "Imagine we're introducing a new AI feature that automates campaign optimization. How would you design the user interface and user experience for this feature, considering user trust and transparency?" (Assess AI UX thinking and user-centered approach.)

• "Tell me about a time you disagreed with a product manager or engineer on a design decision. How did you handle it, and what was the resolution?" (Evaluate collaboration and communication skills.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you specifically about The Trade Desk and our role in the AdTech industry?" (Show research and genuine interest.)

• "How do you stay updated on the latest UX trends and technologies, particularly within enterprise software and AdTech?" (Assess commitment to continuous learning.)

• "Describe your ideal team environment and how you contribute to a positive and productive team culture." (Evaluate cultural fit and collaboration style.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your presentation logically, starting with an overview of your role and the project's goals, followed by deep dives into 1-2 key case studies.

• Figma Showcase: Be prepared to share your screen and demonstrate specific Figma features you used, such as complex component setups, interactive prototypes, or how you managed design system libraries.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., improved task completion rates, reduced error rates, increased user satisfaction).

• Tell a Story: Frame your case studies as narratives, explaining the journey from problem to solution and the impact.

• Address Constraints: Discuss any technical, business, or timeline constraints you faced and how you navigated them.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should heavily focus on demonstrating your ability to handle complexity, your systematic approach to design, and your understanding of enterprise-level product development within a technical domain like AdTech.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Designer II position:

• Submit your application through The Trade Desk's careers portal via the provided link.

• Customize Your Resume: Ensure your resume clearly highlights your experience with Figma, enterprise design systems, complex workflows, SaaS products, and any AdTech exposure. Use keywords from the job description.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 1-2 strong case studies that best showcase your skills in information architecture, system design, and complex workflow simplification within enterprise SaaS. Be ready to present these in detail.

• Prepare for Figma Demonstration: Practice navigating Figma and demonstrating your proficiency in component creation, prototyping, and library management on the fly.

• Research The Trade Desk & AdTech: Understand their business model, their platform's role in the industry, and current trends in programmatic advertising and AI in UX.

• Practice Your Narrative: Rehearse how you will present your portfolio case studies, focusing on your process, decision-making, and the impact of your designs.

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