Principal UX Engineer - Ads Design & AI Tools NEW

The Briefed; United States; On-site; USD 246,000 - 344,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity grants

Health insurance

Parental leave

Mental health resources

401(k) matching

Flexible vacation

Job summary

Reddit Ads is seeking a Principal UX Engineer to shape the UX Engineering strategy, build production-ready prototypes, and connect design intent to data streams.

You will collaborate with Design, Research, PM, Engineering, and Data Science to raise the bar for interaction fidelity, accessibility, and performance across multi-sided ad platforms.

The role emphasizes AI-assisted workflows, reusable design systems, and mentorship to grow UX Engineering as a core capability at Reddit.

Qualifications

• Experience at the intersection of product design and frontend software engineering.
• Deep React and TypeScript expertise.
• Experience authoring prototypes, design systems, or frontend libraries.
• Experience with advertising engines, marketplaces, or analytics platforms.
• Fluency with AI-assisted coding paradigms and LLM agents.
• Portfolio demonstrating systems design and cross-functional execution.
• Strong written, verbal, and visual communication to influence stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Define, lead, and execute the overarching UX Engineering vision across Reddit Ads.
• Build high-fidelity prototypes and PR-ready codebases using React and TypeScript.
• Architect AI-assisted workflows and agents for design/dev teams.
• Partner with Design, Research, PM, Engineering, and Data Science to shape direction.
• Create reusable design system patterns and UI libraries.
• Establish accessibility and performance standards across experiences.
• Mentor engineers and designers to grow UX Engineering as a core capability.

Skills

React

TypeScript

Frontend systems

Design systems

AI tooling

Prototyping

Systems thinking

Cross-functional leadership

Strategic communication

Job description

The Ads Design & Research team shapes the end-to-end advertising experience across Reddit—spanning advertiser platforms, consumer ad experiences, performance measurement, and underlying platform systems. As a Principal UX Engineer, you will treat code as a core product-design medium: building functional prototypes, connecting early concepts to production data streams, and accelerating the transition from design intent to engineering execution. Operating at the strategic intersection of design, frontend engineering, and AI-assisted workflows, you will set the technical strategy for UX Engineering across Reddit Ads, build reusable frontend tools, and raise the bar for interaction fidelity, performance, and accessibility across multi-sided ad platforms.

Key Responsibilities

• UX Engineering Strategy: Define, lead, and execute the overarching UX Engineering vision across multiple product verticals within Reddit Ads.
• Production-Adjacent Prototyping: Build high-fidelity functional prototypes, workflow tools, interactive components, and PR-ready codebases using React and TypeScript to test assumptions and validate complex user flows.
• AI-Native Tooling & Workflows: Architect AI-assisted workflows, custom developer/designer agents, skills, and interactive tools that revolutionize how the Ads Design team explores, prototypes, and ships features.
• Strategic Cross-Functional Leadership: Partner with senior leads across Design, Research, Product Management, Engineering, and Data Science to shape product direction for complex, ambiguous opportunities.
• Systems & Platform Architecture: Create reusable design system patterns, UI component libraries, internal toolchains, and platform frameworks that streamline design-to-production pipelines for partner teams.
• Craft & Accessibility Standards: Establish standards for interaction design quality, performance optimization, web accessibility (WCAG), and frontend code architecture across ad experiences.
• Capability Growth & Mentorship: Mentor practitioners across engineering and design disciplines, fostering the growth of UX Engineering as a core capability across Reddit.

Requirements

UX Engineering, Frontend Systems & Craft Depth

• Experience Track: Significant experience operating at the intersection of product design and frontend software engineering, with a proven track record of shipping complex interactive software products.
• Modern Frontend Stack: Deep hands-on engineering expertise in React, TypeScript, and modern Web APIs.
• Systems & Infrastructure: Proven experience authoring production-adjacent prototypes, design systems, internal tools, or frontend libraries adopted by cross-functional teams.
• Multi-Sided System Acumen: Experience building complex digital products—such as advertising engines, two-sided marketplaces, enterprise software, analytics platforms, developer tools, or AI-driven workflows.
• AI Tooling & Prototyping: Practical fluency with AI-assisted coding paradigms, LLM agents, and modern rapid-prototyping environments.
• Systems Thinking & Portfolio: A portfolio or project archive demonstrating technical architecture, systems design, organizational complexity, and cross-functional execution alongside software engineering teams.
• Strategic Communication: Exceptional written, verbal, and visual communication skills to influence executive stakeholders and simplify ambiguous product spaces.

Total Rewards & Benefits

• Compensation & Equity: Annual base salary range ($245,800 – $344,100 USD) + equity grants in the form of Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) + potential bonus eligibility.
• Healthcare & Income Protection: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance with 100% employer-matched coverage options and global income protection plans.
• Family & Gender-Affirming Care: Comprehensive family planning support, gender-affirming care, paid parental leave, and caregiving stipends.
• Mental Health & Lifestyle: Dedicated mental health coaching, workspace stipends, professional development allowances, and flexible vacation + paid volunteer time off.
• Retirement Planning: 401(k) retirement program with competitive employer matching