***Candidates must be recent graduates who hold an Undergraduate degree or College Diploma. The MACH role is open to candidates who have recently graduated (within the last year). To qualify, they must not be greater than 12 months past their graduation date.
Are you the Canadian Designer community’s newest apprentice? If so, we want you. We're looking for a User Experience Advisor and we want to invest in the leaders of tomorrow today.
If you are a soon to be or recent graduate and have a passion for the designer community it might be you! Normally we'd be looking for someone with years of experience yet, we want someone like you! You know who you are. You have a passion connecting with others, helping them be successful, a desire to learn and an openness to share your experiences and learning's with the community. As Microsoft is currently developing a fresh set of user experience and designer tools, we feel that we should also take a fresh approach and change the way Microsoft is connecting to the community. We want you to be Microsoft's representative to the Canadian designer community sharing as you learn your experiences, stories, our learning's, and connecting with the community.
This is not going to be an easy job and you have to be committed as we know it is a journey. Working with the key influencers and customers you will be responsible as our ambassador for this unique and growing community. You will be learning and sharing as you grow both at Microsoft and with customers. You will develop your ability to understand and talk about both design technology and the business value of great design in the software industry. Over time you must be able to speak compellingly and enthusiastically to many audiences within the design ecosystem, including designers and production artists, producers and client/services managers, as well as creative directors and general management. We know that you can do this as at your core, you have a passion for design and the creative process, technical skills in design and web development technologies, a strong curiosity, and exceptional communication and presentation skills are required.
As UX advisor, your mission, and only if you have to passion… is to engage with the broad community of designers and influential’s learning the industry challenges and driving excitement around design related technologies for both the standards-web and Windows platforms. In this role you will have the opportunity to raise the perception of Microsoft in the design space and to create usage of Microsoft's platform and tools technologies through breadth marketing programs and depth engagements.
This role and the very notion of “User Experience” lies at the center of Microsoft's continued long term success as a platform company. The “creative professional” audience is a critical component of the development process. In order to realize improved software UX, designers will need to be empowered to design and build the best possible content in the most productive and efficient collaborative environment together with professional developers and you are the person that can help them.
You must have a passion for generating excitement in the technology community – both in person and through online media. Strong written, verbal and visual communication skills are also important traits of a successful candidate. As well, a passion for blogging, wikis, gaming, video production and social software is desired.
Responsibilities
- Able to engage and build relationship with designers including participating in online and offline designer communities, engaging with influential’s and third party communities.
- Able to deliver articulate, effective, and audience-appropriate presentations/ demonstrations with designer oriented content to both small and large audiences
- Convey a compelling and convincing case for Microsoft technologies vs. the competition
- Extend reach in the designer community by partnering with Audience Marketing.
- Connect with the design community to build positive perception of Microsoft with designers and our products.
Qualifications
- Experience with professional design tools, the market and customers for these tools, or as a professional designer/developer in the interactive and web design space is strongly preferred. (co-op experience)
- Production experience as part of a team building/delivering web and interactive content and applications, either in a creative or technical capacity. (co-op experience)
- Demonstrated expertise with products such as: Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, Dream weaver, Director, and other professional design tools for photography, video, 3d, animation, and layout is a requirement.
- Technical skills should include web standards expertise (HTML, CSS, XML, AJAX), and interactive programming with languages eg. JavaScript, Actionscript, Lingo, or Flex.
- Passionate about rich internet applications, web design, interactive design, and user experience in all mediums from software to consumer products.
- Individuals may come from either a Technical or Creative background if they possess reasonable capacity in the other.
- Flexibility in regards to work schedule and travel
- Strong communication and presentation skills
Application Process
Keeping in line with the fresh approach we what you to show us what you have. Along with posting your standard resume (link here), submit a short video to a video sharing site (youtube, MSN soapbox…) on why it has to be you. Post your link at: blogs.msdn.com/canux as a comment and be sure to include a link to an online sample of your work which highlights your designers passion (web design, graphic, or interactive media).
Considering a Career with Microsoft Canada?
At Microsoft Canada Co, people are the source of our energy. The people at Microsoft Canada are creative, from all types of backgrounds, bringing passion and new ideas, meeting challenges, and realizing their potential. Our benefits and resources are designed to keep our most important asset – our employees – healthy, happy and equipped with the resources they need to be successful and realize their full potential.
Microsoft Canada provides a flexible work environment, with career advancement potential and most importantly, the opportunity to make a difference. As a Microsoft employee you have the opportunity to participate in the following programs:
- Stock Awards & Employee Stock Purchase Plan
- Registered Retirement Savings Plan
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Employee Software Purchase Program
- Fitness Membership & Subsidy
- I Volunteer (5 Paid Volunteer Days)
- Employee Assistance Program
- And so much more…
At Microsoft, we share a passion for technology, customers and our partners. We aspire to be more than just a good company – we aspire to be a great company. What will make us great is our commitment to our mission of enabling people and businesses throughout the world to realize their full potential.