At a Glance
- Tasks: Design innovative audio plug-ins and enhance user experience for professional sound tools.
- Company: Join Sonnox, a creative hub within the Focusrite Group, dedicated to audio innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, private health cover, pension, and a supportive work environment.
- Other info: Work in a beautiful location with excellent career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Shape the future of audio mixing and mastering while collaborating with passionate experts.
- Qualifications: Experience in product design or audio software development with a strong portfolio.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
Location: Finstock, Oxfordshire
Term: Permanent, Full Time
Salary: Dependent on experience + excellent benefits
About Sonnox
At Sonnox, our mission is to build trusted, intelligent tools that empower creators to shape music with confidence and clarity. We foster a culture where we pull together, own it, and keep growing, combining a deep respect for the craft of audio with the curiosity needed to innovate.
As a proud member of the Focusrite Group, we are entering an ambitious new chapter of growth, seeking to evolve our brand and scale our impact with innovative new projects in intelligent DSP that offer our team unique opportunities to define the future of professional sound.
Role Purpose
We are looking for an Audio Product Designer to help shape the next generation of professional audio mixing and mastering plug‑ins. The role takes product direction and turns it into a finished plug‑in design, bridging the gap between product management and software development.
Working at the heart of our technical team, you will collaborate with the Brand & Product Lead, DSP experts, and software developers to translate product direction into actionable concepts that drive the research and development process. You will be responsible for bridging the gap between a functional test build and the finished product, obsessing over the UX details that elevate a prototype into a world‑class Sonnox experience. Success in this role requires seamless integration with both engineering and product stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities
- Concept & UX Design: Translate briefs into design concepts—control sets, signal flow, workflow logic (wireframes)—with rationale for decisions.
- Prototyping & Validation: Build functional prototypes to validate workflow assumptions and demonstrate intent to the engineering team. Lead listening tests and user validation to iterate on the sonic and functional experience.
- Translate Research to Reality: Collaborate with the Lead DSP Developer to turn algorithmic concepts into high‑fidelity musical tools.
- The “Trusted Ear”: Collaborate with the Brand & Product Lead to identify the musical and product intent during the prototyping phase.
- Quality Control: Provide the critical link between math and music; when the logic is sound but the audio isn’t, you are responsible for diagnosing the issue and articulating the path forward.
- UI Execution: Collaborate with the Brand & Product Lead to define UI behaviour and interaction requirements; providing direction and design review to ensure visual execution matches the product intent; partner with Graphic Design talent to deliver a world‑class final aesthetic.
- QA & Beta Partnership: Support QA/support teams during test planning, beta feedback loops, and bug triage with context, intent, and prioritisation input.
- Knowledge Transfer & Documentation: Champion product knowledge by creating presets, co‑authoring intuitive user documentation, and leading internal training to ensure all teams are equipped to support new releases.
- Post‑Release Evolution: Contribute UX/audio design input to the planning of future updates as well as maintenance cycles and bug‑fix releases.
Skills and Experience Required
- Experience in product design, UX design, or audio software product development.
- Significant time spent in professional audio—production, mixing, mastering, or post—with a credible portfolio of work.
- Demonstrable experience designing software UXs, with examples of taking a project from concept to functional specification.
- Expert‑level experience using DAWs (e.g., Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Ableton Live) and a deep familiarity with audio plug‑in categories (EQ, Dynamics, Reverb, etc.).
Technical Skills
- Proficient in at least one prototyping environment for audio: Max/MSP, Pure Data, Python with audio libraries, or similar.
- Strong understanding of audio signal flow and the technical principles of music production.
- Excellent technical writing skills for creating user‑facing and internal documentation.
Soft Skills
- Communication: Exceptional ability to communicate technical audio concepts clearly and effectively to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
- Collaboration: Ability to work independently while remaining deeply integrated within a collaborative, multi‑disciplinary team.
- Proactivity: A “can‑do” attitude with a willingness to explore unconventional design solutions while maintaining a focus on delivery.
Desirable Skills
- Familiarity with plugin development pipelines (JUCE framework, VST3/AU/AAX).
- Experience conducting formal user research or usability testing.
- Working knowledge of DSP concepts: filter design, dynamics, time and frequency domain manipulation.
- Knowledge of accessibility and inclusive design principles in software.
- Experience of Figma.
- Experience working directly with cross‑functional teams, particularly alongside DSP or software engineering.
Benefits and EEO Statement
The Focusrite Group is dedicated to building a great place to work and as an equal opportunity employer we are committed to Diversity and Inclusion. The group mission is to cultivate an equitable culture, internally and externally, where all people feel they are welcome, safe and positively represented, because at Focusrite they truly are.
Benefits include pension, private health cover and lifestyle benefits. Small company atmosphere with the support of a large group, Beautiful and peaceful location on The Cornbury Estate in Oxfordshire.
Audio Product Designer - DSP & Plug-In UX Expert employer: Focusrite
At Sonnox, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that champions creativity and innovation in the audio industry. Our collaborative work culture encourages personal growth and development, while our beautiful location on The Cornbury Estate in Oxfordshire provides a serene environment for inspiration. With excellent benefits including private health cover and a commitment to diversity and inclusion, we empower our team to thrive both professionally and personally.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Audio Product Designer - DSP & Plug-In UX Expert
✨Tip Number 1
Get your portfolio in shape! Make sure it showcases your best work, especially projects that highlight your UX design skills in audio software. We want to see how you’ve turned concepts into functional designs.
✨Tip Number 2
Network like a pro! Attend industry events or online meetups where you can connect with other audio professionals. We’re all about collaboration, so don’t hesitate to reach out and chat with potential colleagues or mentors.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your technical knowledge. Be ready to discuss your experience with DAWs and audio plug-ins, as well as your design process. We love candidates who can articulate their thoughts clearly!
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we’re always looking for passionate individuals who are eager to contribute to our mission at Sonnox.
We think you need these skills to ace Audio Product Designer - DSP & Plug-In UX Expert
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Audio:When you're writing your application, let your love for audio shine through! Share your experiences in production, mixing, or mastering, and how they’ve shaped your design philosophy. We want to see that you’re not just skilled, but genuinely excited about creating world-class audio tools.
Tailor Your Portfolio:Make sure to include examples of your work that align with the role. Highlight projects where you've taken a concept from idea to execution, especially in UX design for audio software. This is your chance to show us how you bridge the gap between technical and creative!
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application straightforward and to the point. Use clear language to describe your skills and experiences, especially when discussing technical concepts. We appreciate clarity, so make it easy for us to see how you fit into our team!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss any important updates. Plus, it shows us you’re keen on joining our team at Sonnox!
How to prepare for a job interview at Focusrite
✨Know Your Audio Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your audio production knowledge, especially around mixing and mastering. Be ready to discuss your experience with DAWs and how you've applied your skills in real-world projects. This will show that you not only understand the technical side but also have a passion for the craft.
✨Showcase Your Design Process
Prepare to talk about your design process in detail. Bring examples of your previous work that demonstrate how you've taken a project from concept to functional specification. Highlight your prototyping skills and how you've validated your designs through user testing.
✨Communicate Clearly and Confidently
Since this role requires collaboration with both technical and non-technical stakeholders, practice explaining complex audio concepts in simple terms. This will help you convey your ideas effectively and show that you can bridge the gap between different teams.
✨Be Ready to Discuss UX Details
Given the focus on user experience, be prepared to dive into specifics about UI behaviour and interaction requirements. Think about how you would approach quality control and what steps you would take if the audio logic is sound but the output isn't meeting expectations.
