Principal Product Designer – Map Viewer

Position Overview

Join Esri's Product Design team as a Principal Product Designer, where you'll lead the design vision for ArcGIS Map Viewer, our flagship web‐mapping application used to explore, analyze, and communicate spatial data. Map Viewer empowers users to tell compelling stories, answer complex questions, and solve real‐world problems through interactive maps. In this role, you'll drive strategic design initiatives, mentor designers, and collaborate across disciplines to shape the future of mapping experiences in ArcGIS Online.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end design strategy for Map Viewer, aligning user needs, business goals, and technical feasibility across multiple teams and product lines.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration with developers, product managers, researchers, and stakeholders to define and deliver mapping experiences using participatory and iterative design techniques.
• Coordinate with stakeholders to identify requirements and specifications for the development of new and established features.
• Develop personas, user journeys, information architecture diagrams, wireframes, visual designs, and prototypes.
• Identify enhancements to product designs by conducting user research including usability testing, surveys, and customer interviews.
• Develop and present holistic design solutions that address business, brand, and user requirements.
• Ensure accessibility, inclusivity, and usability are embedded in all design work, advocating for WCAG 2.1/Section 508 compliance.
• Effectively communicate conceptual ideas, design rationale, and the user-centered design process to cross-functional teams.
• Champion user-centered design across the organization by defining experience principles and advocating for design excellence.
• Establish and evolve design systems and patterns in partnership with the design system team to ensure consistency and efficiency across the ArcGIS platform.
• Influence product direction by identifying opportunities for innovation, shaping product roadmaps, and contributing to strategic planning.
• Mentor and guide other designers through design critiques, coaching, and thought leadership.
• Collaborate with leadership and stakeholders to suggest and implement improvements for team processes, including change management strategies.
• Stay ahead of industry trends, bringing fresh thinking and best practices to elevate the design discipline at Esri.

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience designing complex, enterprise-grade web applications, preferably in SaaS or GIS-related domains.
• Proven track record of leading strategic design initiatives and delivering impactful outcomes across multiple teams or products.
• Expertise in Figma, design systems, and component-based design workflows.
• Deep understanding of accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1/Section 508) and experience embedding accessibility into design and development processes.
• Strong portfolio showcasing strategic thinking, elegant design solutions, and measurable impact.
• Exceptional communication and storytelling skills with the ability to influence and inspire across disciplines and levels.
• Experience conducting and applying user research to inform design decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate ambiguity, prioritize effectively, and drive alignment across diverse stakeholders.
• Bachelor's degree in human-centered design, HCI, interaction design, or a related field.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in human-centered design, HCI, interaction design, or a related field.