Preparing for an interview at Xometry requires a strategic approach that balances technical design expertise with strong communication and stakeholder management skills. You should approach your preparation by focusing on the core competencies that the hiring team values most.

Foundational UX/UI Knowledge – You must have a strong grasp of design terminology and principles. Be ready to explain the theoretical "why" behind your design choices, rather than just presenting polished UI mockups.

Cross-Functional Collaboration – Xometry operates in a fast-paced, product-driven environment. You must demonstrate how you partner with Product Managers and Engineers to ship successful features, especially when navigating technical constraints or differing opinions.

Portfolio Craft & Presentation – Your portfolio should showcase not just final screens, but your end-to-end design process. Focus on how you defined the problem, iterated on feedback, handled constraints, and measured success.

Resilience & Stakeholder Alignment – Because design maturity can vary across different departments, you must show that you can advocate for the user while remaining pragmatic, collaborative, and receptive to feedback from business leaders.

The interview process for a UX/UI Designer at Xometry typically consists of three to four stages. It is designed to evaluate both your technical execution skills and your ability to collaborate with cross-functional partners. Candidates can generally expect a standard progression, though the speed and responsiveness of the process can vary.

The journey begins with an initial HR recruiter screen to discuss your background, career goals, and interest in Xometry. This is followed by a technical and behavioral interview with the hiring manager or a project manager, focusing on your design philosophy and collaboration style. The final stage is a comprehensive panel interview, which includes a portfolio case study presentation to members of the design team, and may also include a conversation with a department head or executive.

This timeline outlines the typical progression from the initial application to the final decision. You should expect the entire process to take anywhere from three to six weeks, depending on team availability and scheduling coordination. Use this timeline to pace your preparation, ensuring your portfolio and presentation materials are fully polished before you reach the final panel stage.

Core UX/UI Fundamentals

This evaluation area focuses on your technical mastery of design principles. Xometry interviewers, particularly those who are newer to the team, may ask direct, theoretical questions to gauge your baseline design knowledge. They want to ensure you have a structured, disciplined approach to visual and structural design.

Be ready to go over:

• Interaction Design vs. Interface Design – Be prepared to clearly define these terms and explain how they interact to create a cohesive user experience.
• Information Architecture – How you organize, label, and structure complex content to help users find information and complete tasks efficiently.
• Design Systems – Your familiarity with using, maintaining, or contributing to a scalable design system to ensure consistency across products.
• Advanced concepts (less common) – Responsive grids, micro-interactions, cognitive load optimization, and designing for complex data visualization.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Can you explain the difference between visual, interface, and interaction design using examples from your past work?"
• "How do you approach designing a dense data table for a user who needs to compare multiple technical specifications quickly?"

Stakeholder Collaboration & Influence

Designing at Xometry requires working closely with Product Managers, Engineers, and Executives. Interviewers will look closely at how you handle disagreements, navigate design biases, and build consensus. You must show that you are a collaborative partner who can advocate for user-centered design without being rigid or dismissive of business constraints.

Be ready to go over:

• Conflict Resolution – How you handle disagreements with PMs or Developers regarding design direction or feature scope.
• Handling Bias – Strategies for addressing subjective design feedback or strong biases from executives and stakeholders.
• Technical Pragmatism – How you negotiate trade-offs with engineering to ensure a high-quality user experience within technical limitations.
• Advanced concepts (less common) – Facilitating cross-functional design sprints, managing stakeholder expectations during rapid product pivots, and establishing design KPI alignment with business goals.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "How would you handle a situation where an executive pushes for a design solution that contradicts your user research?"
• "Describe a time when you had to work through a technical limitation with a developer that threatened to ruin the core user flow."

Case Study Presentation

The portfolio presentation is your opportunity to showcase your craft, problem-solving methodology, and communication skills to your future design peers. You will be expected to walk through a comprehensive case study, detailing your end-to-end process from initial research to final execution and measurement.

Be ready to go over:

• Problem Definition – Clearly articulating the user pain point and the business opportunity you set out to solve.
• Iterative Design Process – Showing your sketches, wireframes, prototypes, and the user testing that informed your design decisions.
• Impact & Metrics – Highlighting the qualitative and quantitative success of the project and how it moved key business metrics.
• Advanced concepts (less common) – Post-launch iterations, mapping out multi-phase product rollouts, and conducting retrospective analysis on design failures.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Walk us through a UX case study where the final solution was significantly different from your initial concept."
• "What were the key metrics you used to measure the success of this design, and how did you gather that data?"

As a UX/UI Designer at Xometry, your day-to-day work will center on designing digital experiences that simplify manufacturing processes. You will own the design process for your product area, working collaboratively to ship high-quality, impactful features.

• End-to-End Product Design – You will lead the design process from initial user research and wireframing through high-fidelity UI design, prototyping, and developer handoff.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration – Partner daily with Product Managers, Engineering leads, and business stakeholders to define requirements, negotiate scope, and ensure successful product launches.
• User Research & Validation – Conduct user interviews, usability testing, and data analysis to uncover user pain points and validate your design decisions.
• Design System Contribution – Utilize and contribute to Xometry's internal design system to ensure visual and interactive consistency across all digital touchpoints.
• Simplifying Complexity – Translate intricate industrial workflows, such as instant pricing algorithms and manufacturing partner onboarding, into clear, accessible digital interfaces.

To be competitive for a UX/UI Designer role at Xometry, you should demonstrate a strong blend of technical design skills, strategic thinking, and collaborative experience.

• Must-have skills – Proficiency with Figma, strong portfolio demonstrating end-to-end UX/UI process, solid understanding of interaction design principles, experience conducting user research, and excellent communication skills.
• Nice-to-have skills – Experience designing for complex B2B platforms, dual-sided marketplaces, or industrial/technical software; basic knowledge of HTML/CSS to facilitate developer collaboration.
• Experience level – Generally requires 3+ years of professional experience as a product designer, UX/UI designer, or in a similar digital design role. Senior-level positions (such as Senior Manager, Product Design) require 7+ years of experience, including leading design initiatives or managing small teams.

Q: How technical do I need to be to design for Xometry? A: You do not need a background in manufacturing, but you must be highly skilled at digesting complex, technical information. You will frequently design interfaces that deal with CAD files, technical tolerances, and manufacturing materials, so an ability to learn complex domains quickly is essential.

Q: What is the design culture like at Xometry? A: The design team is highly collaborative and focused on solving real user problems. However, because the company is fast-growing and product-driven, you will need to actively advocate for design best practices and user-centered methodologies in cross-functional settings.

Q: How should I prepare for the portfolio presentation? A: Select one or two case studies that demonstrate your ability to solve complex, multi-step workflows. Focus heavily on your process, how you validated your ideas, how you collaborated with PMs and Engineers, and the ultimate business impact of your designs.

Q: Does Xometry offer remote or hybrid work options? A: This depends on the specific team and location. Xometry has major offices in North Bethesda, MD, and Waltham, MA, and many design roles are structured as hybrid or remote-friendly, depending on the requirements of the hiring organization.

• Prepare for theoretical UX questions: Do not neglect core UX terminology. Be ready to define and contrast terms like visual, interface, and interaction design, as some interviewers prioritize these foundational concepts.
• Be ready for cross-functional scenario questions: Expect questions about how you handle disagreements with Product Managers and Developers. Frame your answers around collaboration, data-driven decisions, and finding win-win compromises.
• Confirm presentation details early: Ask your recruiter explicitly about the final round requirements. Even if not initially prompted, prepare a structured portfolio presentation to avoid last-minute surprises.
• Highlight your business impact: When presenting your designs, always connect your design decisions back to business outcomes, such as conversion rates, user efficiency, or reduced support tickets.

A UX/UI Designer role at Xometry offers an exciting opportunity to solve complex, real-world problems at the intersection of digital technology and physical manufacturing. By designing intuitive interfaces for a global marketplace, you will have a direct, tangible impact on how products are designed, quoted, and built worldwide.

To maximize your chances of success, focus your preparation on mastering your design fundamentals, structuring a compelling portfolio presentation, and demonstrating your ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional partners. Approach your interviews with a collaborative mindset, a clear design philosophy, and a readiness to tackle complex user journeys.

The salary range for senior-level design leadership positions, such as a Senior Manager of Product Design, typically spans $180,000 to$200,000 USD. For mid-level and senior UX/UI Designer roles, compensation is competitive and scaled to experience, location, and overall impact. Use this data to align your expectations and guide your compensation discussions during the final stages of the hiring process.

For additional insider insights, interview tips, and real candidate experiences, explore more resources on Dataford to help you ace your upcoming interviews. Good luck with your preparation!