TED is on a mission to discover and spread ideas that spark imagination, embrace possibility and catalyze impact. Our organization is devoted to curiosity, reason, wonder and the pursuit of knowledge — without an agenda. We welcome people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world and connection with others, and we invite everyone to engage with ideas and activate them in your community.
Job DescriptionTED is looking for a Product Designer to join a diverse and supportive community of creatives building the future of digital media and idea sharing. You will play a central role in designing intuitive, elegant experiences across TED.com, the TED app, and our broader digital ecosystem. Working within a close-knit product trio model (product, design, engineering), you'll help shape experiences that reach millions of users globally.
You will work in a close-knit product trio (product, design, engineering) model, with plenty of ownership across projects that span web, mobile, conference tools, and community-facing initiatives. This is a mid-level role on complex, high-impact projects that reach millions of users, ideal for someone confident in their UX/UI skills and ready to take on more strategic and systems-level responsibilities as they grow toward a Senior Product Designer role.
Please include a portfolio of design work that showcases your design approach, learnings, and skills with your application (accompanied by a password, if necessary).
RESPONSIBILITIES
Own end-to-end design of features and flows across TED’s digital platforms—defining user journeys, wireframes, high-fidelity mockups, and interactive prototypes
Rapidly explore and iterate on ideas, balancing user needs, product goals, and design craft
Work on TED.com, the TED app, and occasional tools for conferences and global community initiatives
Conduct and synthesize user research to uncover insights, pain points, and opportunities for better design
Collaborate closely with other designers, product managers, and engineers, both informally and through design sprints, critiques, and reviews
Contribute to TED’s evolving design system, while helping push our visual language and interaction patterns forward
Advocate for user-centered design thinking across the organization and support a high bar for accessibility, clarity, and craft
Contribute to a thoughtful and creative design culture grounded in humility, curiosity, and purpose
5-7 years of experience in product design with a BA or certificate in digital product design, graphic design, user experience, interaction design, human-computer interaction, or equivalent professional experience
Fluency in a broad range of software design disciplines, including interaction design, information architecture, and visual design; familiarity with the principles of motion design and native app design
Have a strong portfolio that showcases your product thinking, interaction design, and visual design sensibility
Are fluent in core design disciplines: interaction design, visual design, IA, responsive layout
Can communicate clearly, both visually and verbally, and enjoy collaborating with cross-functional partners
Successful partnership and collaboration with senior team members (product managers, engineers, and stakeholders) on complex design efforts from ideation through prototyping, refinement, iteration, user testing, launch, post-launch maintenance, and turndowns, when necessary
Track record of leveraging design systems with proficiency in contemporary digital product design tools and technologies; this could include Figma, Miro, Webflow, HTML, and CSS
Deep understanding of design research skills, including user interviews, usability testing, and design thinking methods, to accelerate iteration and development
Strong communication, curiosity, collaboration, and perspective-taking skills – eager to understand the goals, values, and constraints of others, whether they are TED staff, partners, users, or beyond
Desire to work in a fast-paced environment where we navigate the complexities of both scale (especially on ted.com) and crafted experience (especially for our conferences)
Bonus: Familiarity with HTML/CSS, Webflow, or native app design patterns
Bonus: Experience with motion design, accessibility standards, or content-driven platforms
SALARY RANGE: $140,000 - $160,000
The candidate will be required to work U.S. East Coast hours. This position can be based in TED’s Manhattan office, though we will also consider candidates who would work remotely.
WORKING AT TED
You’ll work in East Coast hours (9:30am–6pm ET)
This role can be remote or hybrid from TED’s Manhattan office
You’ll report to the Director of Product Design and work closely with a small team of collaborative designers, Product Managers, and Developers
You’ll be part of a mission-driven organization with a flat org structure and big creative opportunities
WHY WORK FOR US
TED is a global community that welcomes people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world. We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives, and ultimately, the world. TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, and today covers almost all topics — from science to business to global issues — in more than 100 languages. This goal drives everything we do: How can we best spread great ideas?
In addition to driving forward TED’s mission and joining our dynamic Digital Products team, we’re proud to provide strong employee benefits, including:
Full health benefits (dental and vision are 100% paid by TED) for employees
Work-life balance encouraged (TED closes for a 1-week winter break plus unlimited PTO)
Free OneMedical and SpringHealth membership for you and your dependents to address physical and mental well-being
Paid family leave
401(k) with match
TED Conferences LLC is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We invite all qualified candidates to apply online with their resume and cover letter.
Top Skills
What We Do
TED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or less). TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, and today covers almost all topics — from science to business to global issues — in more than 100 languages. Meanwhile, independently run TEDx events help share ideas in communities around the world.
TED is a global community, welcoming people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world. We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and, ultimately, the world. On TED.com, we're building a clearinghouse of free knowledge from the world's most inspired thinkers — and a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other, both online and at TED and TEDx events around the world, all year long.
In fact, everything we do — from our TED Talks videos to the projects sparked by the TED Prize, from the global TEDx community to the TED-Ed lesson series — is driven by this goal: How can we best spread great ideas?
