UX Project Leader

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Project Leader

Company: Mercado Libre

Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Job Type: Full-time

Category: User Experience (UX) Design & Project Leadership

Date Posted: April 14, 2026

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

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the design and scaling of innovative and secure digital systems that solve real-world, high-impact problems for Mercado Libre users.

• Drive the creation and management of user account experiences, from creation through cancellation, with a strong emphasis on visual impact and usability.

• Collaborate closely with Product and Development teams to translate business objectives and user needs into effective digital solutions.

• Ensure high visual quality execution, seamless handoff processes, and meticulous follow-through on all design projects.

• Leverage artificial intelligence to optimize design processes and enhance product evolution efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "UX Project Leader," the core responsibilities and required skills heavily lean into UX Design execution and management within a product squad context. The "Project Leader" aspect implies ownership and driving initiatives rather than traditional project management. The focus on AI and innovation suggests a forward-thinking team.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the design of impactful digital experiences for user account creation, management, and cancellation processes within the Mercado Libre ecosystem.

• Ideate and co-create solutions with Product and Development teams, meticulously prioritizing business goals and user experience objectives to drive product strategy.

• Guarantee the visual fidelity and quality of design execution, manage the handoff process to development, and oversee project implementation to ensure design integrity.

• Proactively identify and propose solutions for design debt and opportunities to optimize user experience, driving continuous improvement cycles.

• Integrate and apply artificial intelligence models to streamline design workflows, enhance user personalization, and increase overall product efficiency.

• Conduct continuous research on disruptive design trends and perform robust benchmarking of user experiences to inspire and deliver globally scalable solutions.

• Champion user-centered design principles and heuristic evaluations throughout the design lifecycle to ensure an optimal and intuitive user journey.

• Facilitate design reviews and critiques, providing constructive feedback to team members and stakeholders to elevate design quality and alignment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of hands-on design work and leadership within a product squad. The emphasis on "scaling systems," "AI models," and "global talla" suggests a need for strategic thinking and an understanding of large-scale digital platforms.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Computer Science, or a related field is highly beneficial. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: 2-5 years of proven experience in UX design, with a significant portion involving project leadership or ownership within digital product development environments. Experience working in agile squads is essential.

Required Skills:

• Advanced proficiency in Figma for wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity design.

• Solid understanding of digital design processes within agile squad methodologies, including task autonomy and workflow management.

• Demonstrated expertise in user-centered design principles and the practical application of heuristic evaluation methods.

• Knowledge of artificial intelligence models and their potential applications in optimizing design processes and user experiences.

• Commitment to continuous learning and staying updated on design trends, UX laws, and industry best practices.

• Strong visual design skills with a keen eye for detail and aesthetic appeal.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with design systems and their implementation for scalable digital products.

• Familiarity with UX research methodologies beyond heuristic evaluation.

• Understanding of e-commerce and financial services user journeys and their specific design challenges.

• Experience in conducting design benchmarking and competitive analysis.

• Basic understanding of front-end development principles to facilitate better handoffs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize practical, hands-on skills in Figma and a strong grasp of UX principles within an agile framework. The mention of AI in design suggests a unique differentiator for candidates who can articulate its application.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 2-3 significant UX design projects that demonstrate your ability to solve complex user problems.

• For each project, clearly articulate the problem statement, your role and responsibilities, the design process followed, and the final solution.

• Include case studies that highlight your application of user-centered design principles and heuristic evaluations.

• Demonstrate how you collaborated with Product and Development teams, including wireframes, prototypes, and final design outputs.

Process Documentation:

• Detail your approach to working within an agile squad, including task management and collaboration.

• Explain your methodology for identifying and addressing design debt and optimizing existing user experiences.

• Illustrate how you have applied AI concepts or tools in previous design projects, even if conceptual.

• Showcase your process for researching industry trends and performing design benchmarking.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is critical. Candidates should prepare to walk through their projects, explaining their design decisions, problem-solving approach, and collaborative processes. Highlighting specific examples of AI application, even nascent, will be a significant advantage.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a UX Project Leader with 2-5 years of experience in Buenos Aires, Argentina, a competitive annual salary range would typically fall between ARS 8,000,000 and ARS 15,000,000. This estimate is based on regional market data for similar roles in the tech industry, considering the cost of living in Buenos Aires and Mercado Libre's position as a leading tech company.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health insurance coverage for employees and dependents.

• Life insurance and disability coverage.

• Paid time off, including vacation days, sick leave, and public holidays.

• Opportunities for professional development, including training, workshops, and conference attendance.

• Employee assistance programs and well-being initiatives.

• Potential for performance-based bonuses or incentives.

• Access to Mercado Libre's internal learning platforms and resources.

• Discounts on Mercado Libre products and services.

Working Hours: This is a full-time position with standard working hours, typically around 40 hours per week. The hybrid work model allows for flexibility, with an expectation of working from the office site (Polo Dot, AMBA, Bs As) for a portion of the week, balancing in-office collaboration with remote work.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is an estimate. Mercado Libre is a major employer in Argentina, and compensation packages can be highly competitive. The benefits listed are standard for large tech companies in the region, with a focus on well-being and professional growth. The hybrid model implies a structured approach to office attendance.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: E-commerce and Financial Technology (Fintech). Mercado Libre is a dominant force in Latin America, operating an online marketplace and offering a suite of financial services through Mercado Pago. This context means the UX Project Leader will work on products that have a massive user base and significant economic impact, demanding scalability, security, and robust user experiences.

Company Size: Mercado Libre is a large, publicly traded technology company with tens of thousands of employees across Latin America and globally. This scale ensures ample resources, complex organizational structures, and opportunities for significant impact. For operations professionals, this means working within established processes but also having the chance to influence and improve them.

Founded: Mercado Libre was founded in 1999, giving it a long history and deep experience in building and scaling digital platforms in emerging markets. This longevity suggests a culture that values innovation, adaptability, and resilience.

Team Structure:

• The UX team likely operates in a federated model, with UX designers embedded within product squads across different business units.

• This role reports into a UX Lead or Design Manager, with direct collaboration with Product Managers and Engineering Leads within their specific squad.

Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making: Utilizing analytics, A/B testing, and user feedback to inform design choices.

• Agile development: Working in iterative cycles with continuous feedback and adaptation.

• User-centricity: Placing the user at the core of all design and product development efforts.

• Continuous improvement: Regularly assessing and refining existing features and processes.

• AI integration: Exploring and implementing AI to enhance user experiences and operational efficiency.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Mercado Libre's culture is known for its fast-paced, innovative, and results-oriented environment. The emphasis on democratizing commerce and finance in Latin America provides a strong sense of purpose. The scale of the company means that operational excellence is crucial for success.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Mid-Level UX Project Leader. It signifies a professional who has moved beyond junior responsibilities and can independently manage design tasks, contribute strategically to product squads, and begin to influence project direction. It requires a solid foundation in UX principles and a growing ability to lead design initiatives within a team.

Reporting Structure: The UX Project Leader will likely report to a Design Manager or Head of UX within a specific product area. They will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads within their assigned squad, forming a core cross-functional product team. This structure emphasizes collaboration and shared ownership of product outcomes.

Operations Impact: As a UX Project Leader, your impact will be measured by the success of the digital experiences you design and lead. This includes improvements in user satisfaction, engagement, conversion rates, account management efficiency, and overall user retention. By ensuring intuitive and effective user journeys, you directly contribute to Mercado Libre's business objectives of democratizing e-commerce and financial services.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas of UX, such as interaction design, information architecture, UX research, or accessibility.

• Leadership: Progress to Senior UX Project Leader roles, taking on more complex projects, mentoring junior designers, and contributing to design strategy at a higher level.

• Management: Transition into UX Management roles, leading teams of designers and shaping the overall UX vision for product areas.

• Cross-functional moves: Leverage design expertise to move into Product Management or other related roles within the company.

• Skill Development: Continuous learning opportunities in AI for design, advanced prototyping tools, and emerging UX trends.

📝 Enhancement Note: Mercado Libre is a large organization with clear career paths. The emphasis on embedding UX within product squads provides excellent opportunities for hands-on experience and direct impact. Growth often comes from demonstrating leadership within projects and contributing to strategic design initiatives.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Mercado Libre operates with a hybrid work model. This means employees will spend a portion of their work week in the office and the remainder remotely. The office site is located at Polo Dot in AMBA (Greater Buenos Aires), a modern business and commercial complex.

Office Location(s): The primary office location for this role is Polo Dot, Buenos Aires, Argentina. This location offers a contemporary workspace designed to foster collaboration and innovation.

Workspace Context:

• The office environment is likely dynamic and collaborative, with open-plan layouts, meeting rooms, and common areas designed to encourage interaction among team members.

• Expect access to modern technology and tools necessary for UX design, prototyping, and collaboration.

• Opportunities for spontaneous discussions, brainstorming sessions, and team-building activities with colleagues from various disciplines within the product squad and wider organization.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is full-time, approximately 40 hours per week. The hybrid model offers a degree of flexibility in managing your time between remote and in-office work, allowing for focused individual work and collaborative team activities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model at Polo Dot suggests a structured approach to office days, likely involving specific days for in-person collaboration and team meetings. This environment is designed for productivity and fostering a strong team culture.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter will likely conduct a brief call to assess basic qualifications, interest, and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Review & Technical Interview: You will present your portfolio to a hiring manager and/or senior UX designers. Expect in-depth questions about your design process, problem-solving approaches, and specific project details. This stage often includes a design challenge or case study discussion.

• Cross-functional Interview: You may meet with Product Managers and/or Engineering Leads to evaluate your collaboration skills, understanding of business objectives, and ability to work within an agile squad.

• Final Interview: A conversation with a senior leader (e.g., Head of UX or Director) to discuss your long-term career aspirations, strategic thinking, and overall fit within Mercado Libre's culture.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Storytelling: Structure your portfolio presentations as compelling narratives. Clearly define the problem, your unique contribution, the process, and the measurable impact of your solutions.

• Process Clarity: Be prepared to articulate your thought process, design decisions, and how you navigated trade-offs. Emphasize user-centered methodologies and how you incorporated feedback.

• Visual Quality: Ensure your portfolio is visually polished, easy to navigate, and showcases high-fidelity mockups and prototypes effectively.

• Quantifiable Results: Whenever possible, include metrics demonstrating the success of your designs (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced task completion time, increased user satisfaction scores).

• AI Application: If you have experience or ideas on applying AI in design, prepare specific examples or conceptual frameworks to discuss.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Challenge: Be ready for a practical design exercise. This might involve analyzing a given problem, creating user flows, wireframes, or high-fidelity mockups, and presenting your solution. Focus on demonstrating your problem-solving skills, design thinking, and ability to work under time constraints.

• Case Study Presentation: Prepare to present one of your portfolio case studies in detail, simulating a design review. Focus on clear communication and answering probing questions about your decisions.

• Stakeholder Scenarios: Anticipate questions about how you would handle disagreements with Product Managers or Engineers, or how you would communicate design decisions to stakeholders with varying levels of design understanding.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize your practical UX skills, problem-solving abilities, and collaborative mindset. A well-prepared, engaging portfolio presentation is crucial for advancing. Be ready to defend your design choices with data and user-centric reasoning.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: This is explicitly mentioned as a required advanced skill. Expect to use Figma extensively for wireframing, prototyping, high-fidelity design, and collaboration.

• Prototyping Tools: While Figma has robust prototyping capabilities, familiarity with other tools like InVision, Adobe XD, or Principle might be beneficial for specific use cases or past projects.

• Design Systems: Experience with creating, maintaining, or contributing to design systems will be highly valued, enabling scalable and consistent design across platforms.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Analytics Platforms: Familiarity with tools used for tracking user behavior and product performance (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel) is advantageous for understanding user data and informing design decisions.

• Data Visualization Tools: Understanding how to interpret data presented in dashboards (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) can help in strategic design planning.

CRM & Automation:

AI & Machine Learning:

• Familiarity with AI concepts and potential applications in UX, such as personalization engines, predictive analytics for user behavior, or AI-powered design tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is the core tool. Proficiency here is non-negotiable. While direct use of analytics or AI tools might not be required for the UX Project Leader, understanding their outputs and potential applications is crucial for strategic design and demonstrating an awareness of modern product development.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of Mercado Libre's users across Latin America. This translates to designing solutions that are intuitive, accessible, and valuable.

• Innovation: A drive to continuously explore new technologies and approaches, including AI, to solve problems and stay ahead in the competitive e-commerce and fintech landscape.

• Agility & Adaptability: The ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, adapt to changing priorities, and iterate quickly on designs and strategies.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: A strong emphasis on working effectively with cross-functional teams, valuing diverse perspectives, and achieving collective goals.

• Excellence & Impact: A pursuit of high-quality outcomes and a focus on delivering measurable business and user impact.

Collaboration Style:

• Squad-based integration: UX designers are integral members of product squads, working daily with Product Managers and Engineers.

• Open Communication: Encouraging direct and transparent communication, feedback loops, and constructive critique.

• Cross-functional alignment: Proactive engagement with stakeholders from various departments to ensure design solutions align with broader business objectives and user needs.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture that promotes sharing best practices, learnings, and insights across teams to foster collective growth and innovation.

📝 Enhancement Note: Mercado Libre's culture emphasizes a proactive, results-oriented approach. The values are deeply tied to its mission of democratizing commerce and finance. For a UX professional, this means being customer-focused, innovative, and a strong collaborator within a dynamic team structure.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scaling Design for a Diverse User Base: Designing for millions of users across diverse cultural and economic backgrounds in Latin America requires careful consideration of localization, accessibility, and varying levels of digital literacy.

• Integrating AI Effectively: Translating the potential of AI into tangible user benefits and optimized design processes requires a strategic and experimental approach, especially in a rapidly evolving field.

• Balancing Innovation with Business Needs: Ensuring that innovative design solutions are also aligned with immediate business objectives and technical feasibility can be a constant balancing act.

• Managing Design Debt: As a large, mature platform, addressing and prioritizing existing design debt while delivering new features requires strong strategic planning and advocacy.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI in Design Workshops: Access to internal or external training focused on applying AI and machine learning to UX design challenges.

• Advanced UX Techniques: Opportunities to learn and apply cutting-edge UX methodologies, including advanced prototyping, user research techniques, and accessibility standards.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Gaining deeper insights into product management, engineering, and data science through close collaboration, broadening your understanding of the product development lifecycle.

• Mentorship Programs: Potential to be mentored by senior designers or leadership, or to mentor junior team members, fostering leadership and teaching skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are inherent to working at a large, innovative tech company in a dynamic region. These challenges also present significant growth opportunities for professionals looking to expand their skills and impact.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex UX problem you solved for a large-scale digital product. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on problem framing, user-centered process, and measurable impact.)

• "How would you integrate AI into the user account management experience to improve user satisfaction or efficiency?" (Prepare a conceptual framework, focusing on user benefits and potential AI applications.)

• "How do you balance user needs with business objectives and technical constraints when designing features?" (Illustrate with examples of trade-offs and negotiation skills.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Mercado Libre's mission to democratize e-commerce and financial services in Latin America?" (Show genuine interest and alignment with the company's purpose.)

• "How do you approach collaboration within an agile squad, especially when there are differing opinions on design direction?" (Highlight your communication, negotiation, and teamwork skills.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Begin with a high-level overview of the project and its business context. Then, dive into the problem statement, your specific role, the user research and ideation phases, your design solutions (showcasing wireframes, prototypes, and final visuals), and finally, the results and learnings.

• Quantify Impact: Use metrics whenever possible. If direct metrics aren't available, discuss anticipated impact or qualitative feedback received.

• Process Demonstration: Clearly explain why you made certain design decisions, referencing UX principles, research findings, or stakeholder feedback.

• AI Integration: If applicable, explicitly call out where and how AI was considered or implemented, explaining the rationale and observed outcomes.

• Engagement: Be prepared for interactive questions. Treat it as a collaborative discussion rather than a one-way presentation.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on articulating your design process, demonstrating strategic thinking, and showcasing your ability to collaborate effectively. Be ready to discuss your portfolio projects in detail and how you've applied UX principles, especially in the context of large-scale digital products and emerging technologies like AI.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the Mercado Libre careers portal, ensuring your resume and any requested documents are uploaded.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your most relevant UX design and project leadership experience, specifically mentioning Figma proficiency, user-centered design, and any experience with AI in design.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly outlines your experience with agile squads, digital product design, and impactful UX projects, using keywords from the job description. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on storytelling, process clarity, and quantifiable results. Prepare answers to common UX strategy and behavioral questions, and be ready to discuss your understanding of Mercado Libre's mission.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Mercado Libre's products, services, and mission. Understand their position in the Latin American market and their commitment to innovation and customer experience.

⚠️ 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.