Principal Product Designer - Wall Street Journal Newsroom Technology

Wall Street Journal•New York City, NY

1d•$165,000 - $210,000•Hybrid

About The Position

As the Wall Street Journal’s Principal Product Designer, you will lead design strategy for a new initiative that places the evolution of the reader experience at the heart of our newsroom. This role sits within a newly formed cross-functional team that bridges technology and journalism. It’s embedded directly in the WSJ Newsroom to accelerate innovation in how we tell stories and engage readers. You will report to senior leadership at Dow Jones while being embedded with the newsroom team. You will shape the future of digital journalism by designing experiences that enhance story presentation and pioneer new storytelling formats, and leverage emerging technologies such as AI to serve our readers better. You'll work at the intersection of editorial vision and technical innovation, translating newsroom priorities into exceptional reader experiences that set industry standards. This is a unique opportunity to influence how millions of readers consume news, working directly with world-class journalists and technologists. Your designs will enable rapid prototyping and testing of new experiences, from AI-powered features to innovative audio/video formats, all while maintaining the journalistic integrity that defines The Wall Street Journal.

Requirements

10+ years of product design experience , with significant time spent designing content experiences, media platforms or reader-facing products at scale
A portfolio demonstrating innovation in content presentation , showing how you've reimagined storytelling through design, improved reader engagement or pioneered new formats for digital media
Proven experience bridging different cultures and priorities , particularly between creative/editorial teams and technology organizations, with ability to translate between different stakeholder languages
Track record of rapid experimentation and iteration , with examples of how you've established processes for quick prototyping, testing and learning in fast-paced environments
Deep understanding of reader behavior and content consumption patterns , with experience using data and research to inform design decisions that improve engagement and comprehension
Excellence in designing for emerging technologies , particularly AI/ML applications, with understanding of how to maintain user trust while introducing new capabilities
Experience with multimedia and interactive storytelling , including video, audio, data visualization and other rich media formats that enhance narrative experiences
Strong systems thinking with ability to create scalable design patterns that work across diverse content types and storytelling needs
Demonstrated ability to work embedded in cross-functional teams , influencing without direct authority and building consensus across different disciplines
Passion for journalism and media , with understanding of editorial workflows, newsroom culture and the unique challenges of designing for news consumption
Outstanding communication and presentation skills , with ability to articulate design decisions to both editorial and technology leadership
Bachelor's degree -OR- equivalent work experience in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Journalism, related field

Responsibilities

Define design strategy for the future of digital journalism , working directly with newsroom leaders and technology executives to shape how readers experience WSJ content across all platforms
Pioneer new approaches to story presentation and reader engagement that become benchmarks for the industry
Bridge newsroom and technology through design, translating editorial vision into technically feasible, user-centered experiences
Serve as the design voice in a team that operates as the primary channel between newsroom priorities and technology capabilities
Lead rapid experimentation and prototyping of new reader experiences, from AI-powered applications to innovative storytelling formats; establishing processes for quick iteration and testing with readers, creating tight feedback loops that accelerate innovation
Drive end-to-end execution from concept to implementation, partnering with product, engineering, and editorial to deliver experiences that measurably improve reader engagement and satisfaction
Influence WSJ product strategy through design leadership, contributing to roadmap decisions that require alignment between the Chief Technology Officer and Editor in Chief
Mentor and develop design talent within this pioneering team structure, establishing practices for how design operates at the intersection of newsroom and technology
Measure and iterate based on reader behavior , using data and user research to continuously improve experiences and demonstrate the impact of design on key business and editorial metrics