Do you have a passion to design innovative products? Do you want to work in a startup environment? Do you want to ship cool stuff? This is an unusual and exciting opportunity for the right person!

Located in Cambridge, MA, the Microsoft Startup Labs (MSSL) is an entrepreneurial new product group that develops ideas and prototypes into early-stage, market-proven products that can become new businesses within Microsoft. These projects, which are staffed and managed very much like small, venture-backed companies, move products rapidly through the various startup phases -- initial concept or “seed stage”, prototype, market trials, and market-ready -- refining them based on market feedback and determining their longer-term viability. Within Microsoft, the Startup Labs are part of Ray Ozzie’s Chief Software Architect (CSA) organization.

We’re looking for a Visual Designer to join the User Experience & Design team of the Microsoft Startup Labs. As a Visual Designer, you will work closely with UX Designers, Program Managers and Engineers to define the user experience and visual design of innovative new products in an agile environment. You will be responsible for creating visual design deliverables and shaping the visual experience of the products developed by the Microsoft Startup Labs. On our team, Design is involved and integral throughout the project lifecycle -from conception to completion. Candidates should have a talent for designing rich, visual, and usable solutions across a range of platforms and solutions.

Responsibilities
Facilitate early ideation sessions with brainstorming, storyboarding, rapid prototyping
Translate conceptual ideas into engaging visual presentations and design solutions
Produce deliverables such as mood boards, storyboards, templates, screen layouts, color palettes, typography, user interface elements, and prototypes
Develop visual design specifications
Work with interaction designers to integrate visual and interaction design
Collaborate with interdisciplinary team members to evaluate and extend early stage project proposals
Create conceptual designs and suggest product direction based on field research and brand requirements.

Qualifications
5+ years experience as a key member of a UI team through the product development cycle of several successfully launched web, mobile and/or software applications (as opposed to layout and decorative design).
Ability to drive results across multi-disciplinary groups including engineering, design, user research, marketing, planning and business strategy
Strong visual design skills and attention to detail down to the pixel
Proven track-record of hands-on interaction and visual design leadership
Solid understanding of core web design tools and current web technologies
Must have a strong command of typography, color theory, interface aesthetics and interaction design
BS/BA or Masters Degree in Graphic Design, Digital Design or related field