Software Product Designer (Audio) - Sonnox
Location:Finstock, Oxfordshire
Term:Permanent, Full Time
Salary:Dependent on experience+ excellent benefits
AboutSonnox
Encourage curiosity. Respect the craft.
At Sonnox, our mission is to build trusted, intelligent tools that empower creators to shape music with confidence and clarity. We foster a culture where wepull together,own it, andkeep growing, combining a deep respect for the craft of audio with the curiosity needed to innovate.
As a proud member of theFocusriteGroup, we are entering an ambitious new chapter of growth,seekingto evolve our brand and scale our impact with innovative new projects in intelligent DSP that offer our team unique opportunities to define the future of professional sound.
Role Purpose
We are looking for an Audio Product Designer to help shape the next generation of professional audio mixing and mastering plug-ins.The role takes product direction and turns it into a finished plug-in design, bridging the gap between product management and software development.
Working at the heart of our technical team, you will collaborate with theBrand & Product Lead, DSP experts, and software developers to translate product direction into actionable concepts that drive the research and development process. You willbe responsible forbridging the gap between a functionaltestbuild andthefinished product, obsessing over the UX details that elevate aprototypeinto a world-classSonnoxexperience.
Success in this role requires seamless integration with both engineering and product stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities
* Concept & UX Design:Translate briefs into design concepts—control sets, signal flow, workflow logic (wireframes)—with rationale for decisions.
* Prototyping & Validation:Build functional prototypes tovalidateworkflow assumptions anddemonstrateintent to the engineering team. Lead listening tests and user validation to iterate on the sonic and functional experience.
* Translate Research to Reality:Collaborate with the Lead DSP Developerto turn algorithmic concepts into high-fidelity musical tools.
* The "Trusted Ear":Collaborate withtheBrand & Product Leadtoidentifythe musical and product intent during the prototyping phase.
* Quality Control:Provide the critical link between math and music; when the logic issoundbut the audioisn't, youare responsible fordiagnosing the issue and articulating the path forward.
* UIExecution:Collaborate with the Brand & Product Lead todefine UI behaviour and interaction requirements;providingdirection and design review to ensure visual execution matches the product intent; partner with Graphic Designtalentto deliver a world‑class final aesthetic.
* QA & Beta Partnership:Support QA/support teams during test planning, beta feedback loops, and bug triage with context, intent, and prioritisation input.
* Knowledge Transfer & Documentation:Champion product knowledge by creating presets,co-authoring intuitive user documentation, and leading internal training to ensure all teams are equipped to support new releases.
* Post-Release Evolution:ContributeUX/audio designinput to the planning of futureupdatesas well asmaintenance cycles and bug‑fix releases
Skillsand Experience Required
Experience
* Experience in product design, UX design, or audio software product development.
* Significant timespent in professional audio – production, mixing, mastering, or post – with a credible portfolio of work.
* Demonstrable experience designing software UXs, with examples of taking a project from concept to functional specification.
* Expert-level experience using DAWs (e.g., Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Ableton Live) and a deep familiarity with audio plug-in categories (EQ, Dynamics, Reverb, etc.).
Technical Skills
* Proficient in at least one prototyping environment for audio: Max/MSP, Pure Data, Python with audio libraries, or similar.
* Strong understanding of audio signal flow and the technical principles of music production.
* Excellent technical writing skills for creating user-facing and internal documentation.
Soft Skills
* Communication:Exceptional ability to communicate technical audio concepts clearly and effectively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
* Collaboration:Ability to work independently whileremainingdeeply integrated within a collaborative, multi-disciplinary team.
* Proactivity:A "can-do" attitude witha willingness to explore unconventional design solutionswhilemaintaininga focus on delivery.
Desirable Skills
* Familiarity with plugin development pipelines (JUCE framework, VST3/AU/AAX).
* Experience conducting formal user research or usability testing.
* Working knowledge ofDSP concepts: filter design, dynamics,timeand frequency domain manipulation.
* Knowledge of accessibility and inclusive design principles in software.
* Experience of Figma.
* Experience working directly with cross-functional teams, particularly alongside DSP or software engineering.
About Us
Focusrite plc is a global music and audio group that develops and markets music technology products. Used by audio professionals and amateur musicians alike, our solutionsfacilitatethe high-quality production of recorded and live sound. Our audio technology brands stand together,seekingto enrich lives through music by removing barriers to creativity – ‘we make music easy to make’.
The Focusrite Group trades under thirteen established and rapidly growing brands: Focusrite, Focusrite Pro, Novation, ADAM Audio, Sequential, Oberheim, Martin Audio, Optimal Audio,AmpifyMusic, Linea Research,Sonnox,OutBoardandTiMax. With a high-quality reputation and a rich heritage spanning decades, its brands are category leaders in the music-making industry.
Music technology is an enriching space to workinand we enjoy a Group-wide open-door culture which encourages innovation. This culture, combined with a passion for the inspirational solutions we create, has led to the group winningnumerousaccolades, including six Queen's Awards, the AIM Company of the Year Award 2021 and regular appearances in 'The Sunday Times 100 Best Small Companies to Work For’.
The Focusrite Group is dedicated to buildinga great placeto work and as an equal opportunity employer we are committed to Diversity and Inclusion. The group mission is to cultivatean equitableculture, internally and externally, where all people feel they are welcome,safeand positively represented, because at Focusrite they truly are. Equally, we recognise the major impact that climate change is having on our world and work every day towards being industry leaders in a carbon neutral future.
Benefits include pension, private healthcoverand lifestyle benefits. Small company atmosphere with the support of a large group, Beautiful and peaceful location on TheCornburyEstate in Oxfordshire.
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