# Roman Staroushnik

> Sr. Design Technologist | Alexa UX • LLM Systems & Tools

Location: South San Francisco, California, United States
Profile: https://flows.cv/romanstaroushnik

Design technologist and design engineer with deep experience shaping advanced user experiences across web, mobile, TV, and emerging AI-driven platforms. Work centers on building high-fidelity prototypes, production-grade interfaces, and multi-surface systems that merge design craft with engineering rigor. Comfortable moving between rapid exploration and scalable implementation, always with an emphasis on innovation, usability, and technical feasibility. 

Currently working within Alexa Skills Kit, focusing on AI-native developer tools, voice and multimodal interaction patterns, and next-generation prototyping workflows. Recent work includes architecting multi-surface experiences across Web, Chrome Extension, and VS Code, implementing experimental AI agents for debugging and intent modeling, and evolving a unified design system powered by design tokens, ShadCN, Radix UI, the AI SDK, and modern token-based theming. Passionate about exploring the future of conversational interfaces, VUI, human-AI collaboration models, and the design paradigms emerging from LLM and agent-driven tooling. 

Across previous roles at Cruise, Netflix, Adobe, and Amazon, work has included interactive prototyping, animation and motion systems, consumer-facing product UI, internal developer experience tools, and end-to-end design system development. Known as a strong partner across Design, Product, Research, and Engineering, enabling teams to validate ideas quickly, de-risk complex interactions, and bring cutting-edge approaches in AI, motion, and front-end architecture into production. 

Always exploring ways to expand what is possible with modern UI engineering, generative AI, and intelligent systems, while keeping the user experience intuitive, fluid, and grounded in real human needs.

𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀
AI, LLMs, and Agentic Systems

AI SDK, LLM Integration, Agent Workflows, Intent Modeling, Generative AI, Prompt Engineering, Multimodal Interaction Design, Voice UI (VUI), Conversational Interfaces, AI-Driven Prototyping

Front-End Engineering & Modern UI

TypeScript, JavaScript, React.js, Next.js, React Native, ShadCN, Radix UI, AI-SDK, Design Tokens, Node.js, WebSockets, GSAP, Motion Systems

Design Systems & Prototyping

Figma, Tokens Studio, Storybook, Component Libraries, High-Fidelity Prototyping, Interaction Design, Web / Chrome Extension / VS Code experiences

## Work Experience
### Sr. Design Technologist | Alexa Skills @ Amazon
Jan 2025 – Present | San Francisco Bay Area
Shaping front-end architecture and prototyping for Alexa multimodal UX and Alexa Developer UX, creating AI-native experiences and new interaction models that support both developers and end users.

Developing advanced VUI and conversational interaction patterns for end customers, enabling more intuitive multimodal Alexa experiences.

Building custom AI-driven developer tooling and prototyping workflows, including systems that enable vibe coding for developers and design technologists, improving iteration speed and design-engineering collaboration.

Pioneering AI-assisted prototyping methods that make LLM-based exploration accessible to designers and cross-functional teams, allowing them to contribute directly to early concept development.

Leading the evolution of the Alexa Developer Design System using ShadCN, Radix UI, AI-SDK, and token-driven theming to deliver consistent and scalable cross-platform UI.

Architecting multi-surface developer experiences across Web, Chrome Extension, and VS Code, ensuring cohesive interaction models and shared design system foundations.

Experimenting with generative AI and multimodal agents to reshape developer workflows through features such as root-cause exploration, automated fix planning, and interactive tool-call surfaces.

Designing and implementing component libraries in Storybook, integrating design tokens, theming modes, interaction patterns, and AI-native components such as transcripts and tool cards.

Partnering with designers, engineers, product managers, and AI teams to define and standardize emerging paradigms for voice, intent modeling, debugging, and agent orchestration.

Delivering high-fidelity prototypes, user flows, and proof-of-concepts that validate new ideas for Alexa’s next generation of developer and consumer experiences.

### Staff Product Design Prototyper @ Cruise
Jan 2022 – Jan 2024 | San Francisco Bay Area
In my role as a Staff Product Design Prototyper I worked on a wide range of UX/UI projects across different products and device types. My responsibilities were multifaceted, involving the creation and refinement of high fidelity prototypes and user facing production apps, using design skills as well as advanced technical skills to achieve the desired outcome. 

∙ 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗼𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗲𝘀: Utilized advanced tools, such as ReactJS, ReactNative, SwiftUI, ChatGPT, Mapbox, to create high fidelity prototypes that either simulated real-life experiences, or helped explore new technologies, designs or UIs. 

∙ 𝗨𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵: Worked with Research and Design partners I build high fidelity prototypes and validate various user flows and UX through User Research. 

∙ 𝗠𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Collaborated closely with Design and Engineering teams to enhance the UX of the Cruise Mobile App by implementing engaging animations, smooth transitions, and driving the adoption of innovative features. I actively contributed to the production code, resolving complex interface challenges to ensure a seamless user experience and improve overall functionality.

∙ 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Acted as a crucial bridge between the engineering and design teams, to help adopt new technologies, to ensure design integrity and and help with creative solutions with challenging or unfeasible technical problems. 

∙ 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦:  Contributed to the development and maintenance of a Design System for internal tools and mobile. Collaborated with engineering teams to develop and maintain reusable code components using Storybook. 

∙ 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐓𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬: Improved designers' productivity by developing and maintaining custom tools and workflows, ensuring design processes remain efficient and well-integrated into the pipeline.

### Sr. Design Technologist @ Amazon
Jan 2021 – Jan 2022 | San Francisco Bay Area
Worked on Amazon Honeycode beta project to:
 - Help designers prototype ideas before building them into the product. 
 - Working with Engineers and PMs to find ways to reduce UX and simplify complex product flows.
 - Worked with the Engineering and Design teams to help build and maintain Storybook based Design System.
 - Helped incorporate smooth transitions and animations into the product. 
 - Facilitated conversations with engineering to ensure clear and effective translation of concepts and requirements.

### Sr. UX Engineer @ Netflix Inc
Jan 2016 – Jan 2021 | Los Gatos, California, United States
Working with designers, product managers and consumer analysts to explore, design and build high-fidelity software prototypes for multitude of TV devices, mobile and Web. Helping develop new experiences in the Netflix app. 

- Building flexible, data driven and multilingual prototypes using React to rapidly explore different concepts
- Help conduct remote and in-person usability research 
- Explore and develop product ideas
- Building internal tools
- Closing gaps and building bridges between engineers, designers and PMs

### Sr. UI Engineer @ Netflix Inc
Jan 2009 – Jan 2016
Working on Netflix app for tens of millions of Netflix devices, including Smart TVs, Game Consoles, and set-top boxes.

-Worked on all areas of the Netflix application, including the gallery, player, transitions, etc;
-Worked as a lead UI engineer on Netflix experience on the AppleTV device;
-Built AB tests to develop new features based on core metrics; 
-Helped localize and internationalize UIs for the global audience;

### Sr. Computer Scientist @ Adobe Systems, Inc.
Jan 2005 – Jan 2009
Responsibilities include building Flash based applications and components for Windows Mobile, Brew and Symbian platforms. 

Acted as a Flash lead on Photoshop.com Mobile project that is now live and available for Windows Mobile phones. The application allows users to browse all online photos and albums, manage and upload local photos and auto-upload photos as they are taken via camera on the mobile device. 

Developed applications such as Catalog and Homescreens & Channels for FlashCast and integrated Flash technology with the FlashCast server. Created Flash components and reference applications for FlashLite 2.0 and FlashCast clients.

### Lead Flash Engineer @ AKQA
Jan 2004 – Jan 2005
Created high end flash based websites for clients like Nike, Xbox, MSN, Palm, Visa, Target and Gap. Was responsible for creating reusable templates and was in charge of translating websites into various languages as well as setting up tracking tags to monitor content usage.  Defined and distributed tasks among team members. Was involved in planning and technical management of the projects as well as taining new team members and distrubution of tasks amont them.

### Rocket Scientist @ Bolt Creative
Jan 2000 – Jan 2003
Created Flash based, highly interactive websites, online applications and online multiplayer games. Clients included Sony, MSN, Yahoo, EA, KMD, Manyone. Duties included architecting and building XML driven flash apps as well as extensive architecting and planning. Performed Flash connectivity with various back-ends and worked with server side technologies and scripts wherever needed.

### Web Programmer @ Medious Inc
Jan 1999 – Jan 2000
Was responsible for creating HTML and Flash based websites and games for various clients, internal projects and company website.

### Web Master @ CCSF
Jan 1998 – Jan 1999
Built and maintained department websites, added various features and services. Technologies used HTML, CSS, Perl, CGI.


## Education
### Bachelor of Science - BS in Bachelor of Science in Business Information Systems
University of Phoenix

### Certificate in Multimedia Programming
City College of San Francisco

### Certificate in Multimedia Studies Concentration
City College of San Francisco


## Contact & Social
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/romanstaroushnik

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Source: https://flows.cv/romanstaroushnik
JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/romanstaroushnik/resume.json
Last updated: 2026-04-13