Principal Product Design Archnitect

Microsoft is evolving the Microsoft 365 design language for the AI era through its Fluent Design System team. They are seeking a Principal Product Design Architect to pioneer the next generation of design systems, focusing on integrating AI tools and creating scalable design system foundations.

Responsibilities:

• Explore and apply emerging AI tools (LLMs, prompting workflows, generation pipelines, evaluation loops) as part of the default design-system workflow
• Prototype and build practical utilities that accelerate concept → shippable system artifacts (components, tokens, documentation, integration workflows)
• Define how AI models interface with Fluent libraries and foundations
• Define system architecture and scalable foundations across tokens, components, documentation, and usage patterns
• Establish lifecycle standards for design system assets
• Create durable “ways of working” that keep design intent aligned with implementation
• Translate product experimentation into reusable system primitives
• Partner with Engineering and PM to define long-term design-system strategy and sequencing
• Drive clarity around architectural decisions, governance, and adoption models
• Make hard-to-undo decisions visible, testable, and scalable
• Lead cross-discipline reviews and workshops to align designers and engineers around system-level decisions
• Raise the overall craft and technical fluency of the organization

Requirements:

• Master's Degree in Industrial Design, Product Design, Human Computer Interaction, User Experience, Interaction Design, or related field AND 7+ years experience working in product or service design
• OR Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Design, Product Design, Human Computer Interaction, User Experience, Interaction Design, or related field AND 9+ years experience working in product or service design
• OR equivalent experience (e.g., demonstrated experience working in product or service design or using design thinking to solve problems)