Product Designer (Principal-Level)

Product Designer (Principal-Level)

Full-Time 80000 - 100000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
Synthesia

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead high-impact design initiatives and shape product direction at Synthesia.
  • Company: Join Synthesia, the leading AI video platform trusted by Fortune 100 companies.
  • Benefits: Flexible remote work, generous leave, and a chance to shape a market-defining product.
  • Other info: Dynamic culture focused on customer-first values and career growth opportunities.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact in design while working with cutting-edge AI technology.
  • Qualifications: Proven experience in leading complex design projects and mentoring designers.

The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.

Synthesia is the world’s leading AI video platform for business, used by over 90% of the Fortune 100. Founded in 2017, the company is headquartered in London, with offices and teams across Europe and the US. As AI continues to shape the way we live and work, Synthesia develops products to enhance visual communication and enterprise skill development, helping people work better and stay at the center of successful organizations.

Location: Europe remote or London hybrid

The role: We're looking for a Principal Product Designer (L7) to lead design across Synthesia's most complex and high-impact product surfaces. This is a senior IC role - you won't be managing a team, but you'll be operating at the highest level of individual craft and strategic influence, shaping direction across product domains and setting the standard for what great design looks like at Synthesia. This role sits at the intersection of product strategy, systems thinking, and exceptional craft. You'll define design direction for large, ambiguous problem spaces, anticipate risks before they become blockers, and reframe problems in ways that unlock better outcomes for customers, product teams, and the business.

In this role you will:

  • Lead large, complex, or ambiguous design initiatives across teams and surfaces - owning direction, success criteria, and long-term UX vision, not just execution.
  • Reframe problems, anticipate downstream risks, and bring clarity to spaces where product direction is still forming.
  • Operate as a strategic partner to Product and Engineering leads: helping define the right problems to solve, shaping long-term product bets, and bringing fresh insight to prioritisation decisions.
  • Prototype and test interaction models quickly, knowing when to go high-fidelity and when a rough concept moves things faster.
  • Drive alignment across teams and stakeholders beyond your immediate group - communicating complex ideas with confidence, clarity, and empathy, and helping leadership make sense of ambiguity.
  • Raise the craft bar across the design team: setting new standards in at least one design discipline and actively elevating the work of those around you.
  • Mentor and coach Senior Designers, contribute to evolving design team culture, and get involved in hiring and planning.
  • Help expand the design team's influence and reputation - inside the org, across the company, and ideally beyond it.

You should apply if you bring:

  • A track record of leading high-impact design work across large, ambiguous, or cross-functional problem spaces - and delivering outcomes that meaningfully shift product quality, clarity, or direction.
  • Recognised excellence in craft, in at least one design discipline, with a history of raising the standard for those around you.
  • Comfort operating without perfect clarity: you turn ambiguous problem spaces into crisp direction, and you don't wait to be handed a well-defined brief.
  • Systems thinking: you understand how product architecture, AI capabilities, and organisational constraints shape what's possible in the UX - not just what looks good on screen.
  • Strong strategic instincts: you frame the right problems, challenge assumptions, and contribute meaningfully to roadmap and prioritisation decisions.
  • Experience aligning diverse stakeholders and cross-functional teams around design decisions - communicating with confidence and empathy at every level.
  • Experience mentoring senior designers and contributing to team culture, hiring, or practice-building.
  • A genuine point of view on where product design is heading - and the credibility and communication skills to bring others along.

At Synthesia we expect everyone to:

  • Put the Customer First
  • Own it & Go Direct
  • Be Fast & Experimental
  • Make the Journey Fun

Benefits:

  • A flexible, remote friendly role based out of Europe or one of our hubs in London, Copenhagen, Munich, or Zurich.
  • 25 days of annual leave + public holidays in the country where you are based.
  • A generous referral scheme.
  • Work from home set up.
  • At Synthesia, you can work from anywhere (within reason) in the world for up to 60 days per year!
  • A huge opportunity for career growth as you’ll help shape a market-defining product.

Product Designer (Principal-Level) employer: Synthesia

At Synthesia, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that champions innovation and creativity in the heart of London or remotely across Europe. Our flexible work culture, generous benefits including 25 days of annual leave, and a strong focus on employee growth provide a unique environment where talented individuals can thrive and make a significant impact on the future of AI-driven video communication. Join us to be part of a dynamic team that values collaboration, mentorship, and the pursuit of excellence in design.

Synthesia

Contact Details:

Synthesia Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Product Designer (Principal-Level)

Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in your industry on LinkedIn or at design meetups. A friendly chat can open doors that a CV just can't.

Tip Number 2

Show off your work! Create a portfolio that highlights your best projects and the impact they had. Make it easy for potential employers to see your design magic.

Tip Number 3

Prepare for interviews by practising common design questions and scenarios. Think about how you’d tackle ambiguous problems and be ready to share your thought process.

Tip Number 4

Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining our team.

We think you need these skills to ace Product Designer (Principal-Level)

Design Leadership
Strategic Thinking
Systems Thinking
Prototyping
User Experience (UX) Design
Stakeholder Alignment
Mentoring

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show Off Your Craft:When you're applying, make sure to highlight your design skills and past projects. We want to see how you've tackled complex problems and what impact your designs have had. Don't hold back on showcasing your best work!

Be Clear and Concise:In your application, clarity is key! We appreciate straightforward communication, so make sure your ideas come across clearly. Avoid jargon unless it's necessary, and keep it simple to ensure we understand your thought process.

Tailor Your Application:Make your application specific to the role at Synthesia. Show us how your experience aligns with our mission and the responsibilities of the Principal Product Designer position. Personal touches can really make your application stand out!

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’re considered for the role. Plus, it helps us keep everything organised on our end!

How to prepare for a job interview at Synthesia

Know Your Craft Inside Out

As a Principal Product Designer, you need to showcase your expertise in design. Be prepared to discuss your past projects in detail, highlighting how you've raised the standard for design quality and clarity. Bring along a portfolio that not only shows your best work but also explains your thought process behind each project.

Understand the Bigger Picture

Synthesia is all about enhancing visual communication through AI. Make sure you understand how your design decisions can impact product strategy and user experience. Be ready to discuss how you would approach ambiguous problem spaces and turn them into clear, actionable design directions.

Communicate with Confidence and Empathy

In this role, you'll be aligning diverse stakeholders around design decisions. Practice articulating complex ideas clearly and empathetically. Think of examples where you've successfully communicated with cross-functional teams and how you navigated any challenges that arose.

Show Your Strategic Thinking

Demonstrate your ability to frame the right problems and challenge assumptions. Prepare to discuss how you've contributed to roadmap and prioritisation decisions in the past. Synthesia values strategic instincts, so be ready to share your insights on where product design is heading and how you can help shape that future.