Principal Product Designer, Design Systems

Job ID: 200048818Posted: 2026-08-17Location: United States, California, Mountain ViewSalary: USD $142,800 - $274,800 per yearEmployment type: Full-TimeWork site: 4 days / week in-officeRole type: Individual ContributorTravel: Less than 25%Profession: Design & CreativeDiscipline: Product DesignCompany: MicrosoftOverviewThe MAI Monetization team is hiring a Principle Product Designer to join the team building the foundation the rest of the org designs and ships on. The role spans two tightly connected areas: the MAI Monetization Design System (components, tokens, patterns, and standards) and our AI-Native Tooling suite - Vibe Kit, a GitHub-based repository of skills, context, and standards for building with AI, and Vibe Studio, our AI-powered design and prototyping environment.We're turning our design org into a product factory: designers who ship production-quality work with AI, grounded in a system that guarantees quality, context, and access. Making our team's work multiply - everything we ship gets used by every designer and engineer in the org.Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.  Starting January 26, 2026, Microsoft AI (MAI) employees who live within a 50- mile commute of a designated Microsoft office in the U.S. or 25-mile commute of a non-U.S., country-specific location are expected to work from the office at least four days per week. This expectation is subject to local law and may vary by jurisdiction.ResponsibilitiesDesign, document, and evolve core components and patterns of the design system.Drive adoption and migration work with engineering partners.Contribute skills, standards, context files and Evals to Vibe Kit; Expand its adoption beyond design into PM and engineering.Shape Vibe Studio workflows: prototype, test, and refine how designers go from intent to working product.Partner with AI UX engineering efforts to make the system machine-readable, not just human-readable.Set and uphold the quality bar: audit usage, critique output, and close the gap between spec and shipped.QualificationsRequired Qualifications:Master's Degree in Industrial Design, Product Design, Human Computer Interaction, User Experience, Interaction Design, or related field AND 6+ years experience working in product or service designOR Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Design, Product Design, Human Computer Interaction, User Experience, Interaction Design, or related field AND 8+ years experience working in product or service designOR equivalent experience (e.g., demonstrated experience working in product or service design or using design thinking to solve problems).Preferred Qualifications:Master's Degree in Industrial Design, Product Design, Human Computer Interaction, User Experience, Interaction Design, or related field AND 8+ years experience working in product or service designOR Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Design, Product Design, Human Computer Interaction, User Experience, Interaction Design, or related field AND 12+ years experience working in product or service designOR equivalent experience (e.g., demonstrated experience working in product or service design or using design thinking to solve problems).Hands-on design systems experience: components, tokens, and documentation.Demonstrated experience partnering closely with engineering teams.Solid AI acumen and lived experience in creating AI tooling and tools for designing with AI.Experience with Fluent or other large enterprise design systems.Experience with React or AI-assisted coding tools.Background in advertising, B2B, or data-dense tooling.Experience building internal tools or developer/designer experience products.Demonstrated interest in AI as a design material, not just a feature.Portfolio demonstrating systems-level design work (components, patterns, or tooling).Solid written communication: standards and documentation are first-class deliverables on this team.Ability to prototype in code or with AI-assisted tools.#MicrosoftAIProduct Design IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $142,800 - $274,800 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $188,000 - $304,200 per year. Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.