Job Description

About the role:

Microsoft’s Mixed Reality Design and UX Research team is looking for a customer-focused user experience design leader with the passion, curiosity, creativity, and empathy to define the spatial future of computing. You will work with our interdisciplinary team to transform customer signal into actionable insights, generate and prototype transformative experiences, and define the path ahead for Microsoft’s MR products, platform, and services.   

As an MR UX Designer, you will be focused on defining the end-to-end core product experience, informing the device design and experience architecture that unifies Microsoft’s mixed reality software, hardware, and services.    

In this role, you will combine the holistic thinking of a product designer, the technique of an interaction designer, and the aesthetics of an artist. You will bring your unique perspective to our human-centered design process as we seek new ways that technology can empower people and groups to transform the world. You’ll work alongside others in a highly collaborative, cross-disciplinary rapid prototyping environment where we envision, prototype, and tirelessly push for the best.  You will bring humanity to our long-term planning, systems thinking to our platform, and focused craft to our products. There is no bigger opportunity than defining the foundation of mixed reality computing, communication, and creativity. We cannot wait to see what you will bring. 

Responsibilities

As a Principal Design Manager, you will have the following responsibilities: 

Define and drive people management responsibilities for individual team members and across the team   

Lead and inspire designers to create and explore in highly ambiguous situations 
Drive and assess design solutions based on user research input, user goals, and business requirements   
Architect user experience for Mixed Reality from initial concept through finished product   
Drive deep engagement with product teams on product design   
Create an invigorating and positive team culture  

Drive cross-disciplinary team to rapidly and iteratively identify, generate and prototype ideas and solutions that address user needs and outcomes 
Create and drive UX strategies and solutions grounded in research insights of user needs and outcomes in Mixed Reality 
Work closely and constructively with product management, visual and interaction designers, writers, engineers, and user researchers to drive alignment on product experiences and priorities 
Drive HCD processes across the team, partners and organization 
Effectively manage resources, schedules, process and priorities of design across several features and initiatives 

Qualifications

Required: 

Bachelor’s/Master’s degree in product design, HCI, interaction design, communication design, architecture, or equivalent experience 
10+ years of relevant design experience with proven success in working with partners and customers  

5+ years working in AR, VR or related fields 
Experience shipping innovative and complex AR/VR products while meeting and exceeding milestone deadlines 
Strong communication, interpersonal, organizational, and collaboration skills across multiple disciplines - this role works with developers, designers, and artists 
Strong problem-solving skills and ability to think strategically  
Experience dealing with the ambiguity of incubation work 

Collaborative and self-motivated; able to partner effectively with others while also making smart, strategic decisions and working independently  
Working knowledge of real-time 3D authoring tools such as Unity and Unreal 
Understanding of real-time 3D content development for both current-gen and mobile platforms  
Experience designing UX for hardware products a plus 

Preferred: 

Designing user experiences for enterprise software and services 
Service design experience