Branded UI Visual Designer - Human Interface Design Team

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Branded UI Visual Designer - Human Interface Design Team

Company: General Motors

Location: Warren, Michigan, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: UI/UX Design, Automotive Design, Product Design

Date Posted: June 04, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-level (3+ years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This role focuses on crafting visually compelling and user-centered digital interfaces for in-vehicle systems, including digital instrument clusters, touchscreens, and Head-Up Displays (HUDs).

• The position demands a strong blend of visual design expertise, UI visualization skills, and an understanding of user experience (UX) principles within the automotive context.

• Candidates will collaborate closely with design, software, and engineering teams to translate user needs, brand intent, and technical constraints into intuitive and aesthetically pleasing digital solutions.

• A key aspect involves creating high-quality UI assets, mood boards, and production-ready graphics that align with GM's brand identity and established design guidelines.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the input job title is "Branded UI Visual Designer," the description clearly indicates a strong focus on Human-Interface Design within the automotive sector. The role requires not just visual execution but also a deep understanding of UX to create customer-centered experiences for complex in-vehicle systems. This positions it within the broader GTM and Product Design operations, emphasizing the creation and delivery of the user-facing digital product.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop high-quality visual design concepts, mood boards, UI assets, and production-ready graphics for in-vehicle digital experiences across Digital Instrument Clusters, Touchscreens, and Head-Up Displays (HUDs).

• Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including designers, researchers, software engineers, and product managers, to translate user needs, brand intent, and technical constraints into clear, visually compelling interface solutions.

• Contribute to the creation of prototypes, storyboards, animations, and presentations that effectively communicate visual design intent, hierarchy, and interaction behavior.

• Apply established design guidelines and brand systems to ensure cohesive, brand-aligned, and detail-driven visual experiences across assigned product areas.

• Participate actively in design reviews, incorporating feedback and iterating on designs to achieve visual clarity, craft quality, and execution excellence for project teams and stakeholders.

• Support usability and design evaluation efforts by incorporating feedback and insights into design refinements, ensuring a customer-centered approach.

• Deliver clear, organized design files and documentation to facilitate efficient collaboration and smooth development handoff.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a hands-on design role with a strong emphasis on visual execution and collaboration. For a UI Visual Designer in this context, the responsibilities go beyond just creating assets; they involve contributing to the strategic articulation of the user experience through visual design and ensuring brand consistency across complex digital products.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Visual Design, Graphic Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Interaction Design, or a closely related discipline. Experience:

• Minimum of 3 years of experience designing digital user interfaces (UI) for complex product experiences, with a strong preference for automotive, embedded systems, or mobile product design. Required Skills:

• Demonstrated strength in UI visualization, visual communication, digital design, and UX design principles, with a proven ability to create intuitive and customer-centered interfaces.

• Proficiency in creating sketches, mockups, prototypes, presentations, and other design communication materials to articulate design concepts.

• Expertise with industry-standard design tools such as Sketch, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Illustrator for asset creation and visual design execution.

• Ability to effectively balance customer needs, brand goals, and technical constraints to solve design problems creatively and pragmatically.

• Strong collaboration and communication skills, essential for working effectively within cross-functional teams and presenting design decisions.

• A strong portfolio showcasing visual design craft, interface design skills, creativity, and depth of thought in problem-solving. Preferred Skills:

• 5+ years of experience in designing automotive or other complex digital interfaces across multiple surfaces and screen sizes.

• Proven experience contributing to brand-forward digital experiences, including the development or application of visual languages, brand systems, or interface design systems.

• A comprehensive portfolio demonstrating high-quality visual craft, clear design judgment, polished end-to-end execution, and thoughtful UX problem-solving.

• Experience balancing visual design excellence with solid UX thinking to create clear, intuitive customer experiences.

• Experience with prototyping tools, motion design, animation, or interaction storytelling to enhance design communication.

• Experience applying usability findings, heuristic evaluations, or customer insights to refine and improve designs.

• Familiarity with the product development lifecycle for digital products, embedded systems, or automotive experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize a strong foundation in visual design fundamentals coupled with practical experience in digital interface creation. The distinction between required and preferred skills highlights a path for growth, with preferred qualifications pointing towards more senior-level expertise in design systems and strategic brand application within complex digital products.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Visual Design Craft: Showcase a range of high-quality visual design work, demonstrating mastery of typography, color theory, layout, and iconography specific to digital interfaces.

• Interface Design & UX Problem-Solving: Present case studies that illustrate your process for translating user needs and business requirements into intuitive and effective interface solutions. Highlight how you approached complex problems and arrived at your final design.

• System Thinking & Brand Alignment: Include examples of how you have applied or contributed to design systems, brand guidelines, or visual languages to ensure consistency and maintain brand integrity across different interfaces and platforms.

• Tool Proficiency & Handoff: Demonstrate your proficiency with industry-standard design tools (Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite) and provide examples of how you prepare and deliver design assets and documentation for development handoff, ensuring clarity and efficiency.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Detail your approach to understanding user flows and designing efficient, user-friendly workflows within digital interfaces.

• Asset Creation & Management: Outline your methods for creating, organizing, and managing UI assets to ensure reusability, consistency, and efficient integration into development.

• Collaboration & Feedback Integration: Explain your process for collaborating with cross-functional teams, presenting design work, and effectively integrating feedback from stakeholders, engineers, and researchers.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a UI Visual Designer, the portfolio is paramount. It's not just about aesthetics but also about demonstrating a structured approach to design, problem-solving, and collaboration. The emphasis on "process" within the portfolio means showing how the final output was achieved, which is crucial for operations roles that value methodology and efficiency.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Based on industry benchmarks for Mid-level UI Visual Designers in the Detroit metropolitan area (including Warren, MI), with 3-5 years of experience in automotive or complex digital product design, the estimated salary range is typically between $85,000 and $115,000 annually. This estimate is subject to variation based on specific experience, skills, and performance during the interview process. Benefits:

• Well-being Support: Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans designed to support employee well-being.

• Total Rewards Program: Access to GM's Total Rewards program, which may include retirement savings plans (e.g., 401k), employee stock purchase plans, and other financial benefits.

• Work-Life Balance Initiatives: Support for a healthy work-life balance, potentially including paid time off, holidays, and flexible work arrangements where applicable.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for continuous learning, skill development, and career advancement within the organization.

• Employee Discounts: Potential for employee discounts on GM vehicles and related products/services.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time working hours, typically around 40 hours per week. The role is hybrid, requiring approximately 3 days per week in the Warren, MI office, with flexibility for remote work on other days, managed in coordination with team needs and business requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is an estimate based on publicly available data for similar roles in the specified geographic region and experience level. General Motors is a large automotive corporation, and benefits are typically robust, aligning with industry standards for major employers. The hybrid work arrangement is clearly defined.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Automotive Manufacturing and Technology. General Motors is a global leader in the automotive industry, actively investing in electric vehicles (EVs), autonomous driving, and advanced digital technologies, positioning itself for the future of mobility.

Company Size: Large Enterprise (typically 100,000+ employees globally). As a major automotive manufacturer, GM operates on a global scale with a vast workforce, offering diverse career paths and opportunities.

Founded: 1908. With over a century of history, GM has a deep-rooted legacy in automotive innovation, transitioning through various eras of vehicle technology and design.

Team Structure:

• Human Interface Design Team: This team is likely a specialized unit within GM's broader design or engineering organization, focusing specifically on the user experience and visual design of in-vehicle digital systems.

• Reporting Structure: The UI Visual Designer will likely report to a Design Manager or Lead within the Human Interface Design Studio, with potential for collaboration across multiple product development teams.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Expect close partnerships with UX researchers, interaction designers, software engineers, product managers, brand strategists, and potentially hardware engineers to bring digital interfaces to life.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: While visual focus is key, decisions are informed by user research, usability testing, and performance metrics to ensure customer satisfaction and product effectiveness.

• Iterative Design Process: The team likely employs an iterative design process, moving from concept to detailed design, prototyping, testing, and refinement.

• Agile Development Support: Collaboration with engineering teams often means supporting agile development methodologies, requiring flexibility and clear communication for sprint cycles.

Company Website: https://www.gm.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: GM's transition towards EVs and advanced technology means the Human Interface Design team is at the forefront of shaping future automotive experiences. This context is vital for understanding the strategic importance of design within the company.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Mid-Level Designer. This role sits at a crucial point in a design career, requiring both solid execution skills and the ability to contribute to design strategy and processes. It's a step beyond junior roles, demanding more autonomy and the ability to mentor or guide junior designers.

Reporting Structure: The UI Visual Designer typically reports to a Design Lead or Manager within the Human Interface Design Studio. This structure allows for mentorship from senior designers while providing direct exposure to project leadership and strategic decision-making.

Operations Impact: The work directly impacts the customer's perception and usability of GM vehicles. High-quality UI design enhances brand loyalty, user satisfaction, and the overall desirability of GM products. This role contributes to the "product operations" by ensuring the digital interface functions as intended and meets customer expectations.

Growth Opportunities:

• Senior UI Visual Designer: Progression to a senior role involves deeper expertise in design systems, more complex project leadership, and potentially mentoring junior staff.

• Interaction Designer / UX Designer: With a strong foundation in UI and UX, there's potential to transition into more specialized UX or interaction design roles, focusing on user flows and behavior.

• Design Lead / Manager: For those with strong leadership and strategic capabilities, a path exists towards leading design teams, managing projects, and influencing overall design direction at GM.

• Specialization: Opportunities to specialize in areas like motion design, animation, design systems, or accessibility within automotive interfaces.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth trajectory for a UI Visual Designer at a company like GM is well-defined, moving from execution to strategy and leadership. The "operations" aspect here refers to the operationalization of design principles into tangible, high-impact product features.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Corporate/Technical Center with Design Studios. The role is based at the GM Global Technical Center in Warren, MI, which is a large, modern facility housing design studios, research labs, and engineering departments.

Office Location(s): GM Global Technical Center, Warren, MI, United States. This is a central hub for GM's design and engineering efforts.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The workspace is designed to foster collaboration, with open studio areas, meeting rooms, and access to cross-functional teams. This encourages idea sharing and feedback loops essential for design.

• Tools and Technology: Access to state-of-the-art design software, hardware, and potentially physical prototyping tools to support the design process.

• Team Interaction: Regular interaction with a diverse group of design professionals, engineers, and product managers, creating a dynamic and stimulating work environment.

Work Schedule: The hybrid model (approx. 3 days in office) allows for focused individual work and deep dives on dedicated office days, while remote days can be used for focused task completion, virtual meetings, or personal appointments, promoting a balance between in-person collaboration and individual productivity.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role is a key aspect of the work environment, balancing the need for in-person collaboration in a design studio setting with the flexibility of remote work. This setup is common for roles requiring both creative synergy and focused individual contribution.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or recruiter call to assess basic qualifications, interest, and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Review & Technical Interview: Presentation of your portfolio to the hiring manager and design team. This typically involves walking through 2-3 key projects, explaining your process, design decisions, and the impact of your work. Expect questions on UI/UX principles, problem-solving, and collaboration.

• Design Challenge (Potential): Some roles may include a practical design exercise, either take-home or timed, to evaluate your skills in a specific scenario relevant to in-vehicle UI.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Interviews with team members from engineering, product management, or other design disciplines to assess collaboration skills and understanding of cross-functional dynamics.

• Final Interview: Typically with a senior leader to discuss overall fit, career aspirations, and alignment with company values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 projects that best showcase your visual design skills, UI/UX problem-solving, and experience with automotive or complex digital products.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, your process (research, ideation, design, testing), your design decisions, and the outcome/impact. Use visuals effectively.

• Highlight Process: Emphasize your design thinking, how you approached challenges, and how you iterated based on feedback. This demonstrates your operational approach to design.

• Showcase Visual Craft: Ensure your portfolio is visually polished and demonstrates exceptional attention to detail in typography, layout, color, and iconography.

• Be Prepared for Technical Questions: Anticipate questions about specific tools, design systems, and how you handle design handoffs.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If a challenge is given, ensure you understand the target user, the product context (in-vehicle), and any technical constraints.

• Focus on Process: Demonstrate a clear design process, even if time is limited. Show how you would approach the problem.

• Practice Presentation: Be ready to present your solution clearly and concisely, justifying your design choices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is a critical "operational" gate for design roles. It's where candidates demonstrate their ability to execute, problem-solve, and communicate effectively, mirroring the day-to-day operational demands of the job.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Sketch: A leading UI design tool for creating vector-based interfaces, prototyping, and asset generation. Proficiency is often expected for UI design roles.

• Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator): Essential for creating high-fidelity mockups, editing raster images, generating complex graphics, and preparing assets.

• Figma/Adobe XD (Potentially): While Sketch is mentioned, familiarity with other collaborative design platforms like Figma or Adobe XD is beneficial, as teams often adopt different tools.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While this role is primarily design-focused, understanding how design impacts user behavior is key. Familiarity with analytics concepts and how design choices can be measured (e.g., through user engagement metrics) is advantageous. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to this design role, but understanding how design integrates with development workflows and project management tools (e.g., Jira, Confluence) is important for collaboration. Prototyping & Motion Tools:

• InVision/Marvel/ProtoPie (Potentially): For creating interactive prototypes to test user flows and interaction design.

• Adobe After Effects (Preferred): For creating motion graphics, animations, and demonstrating interaction design concepts.

📝 Enhancement Note: Specifying tools like Sketch and Adobe Creative Suite is crucial. For a visual designer, hands-on proficiency with these industry-standard tools is non-negotiable. The inclusion of prototyping and motion tools reflects the evolving demands of modern UI design.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of the end-user, ensuring that all design decisions prioritize a positive customer experience.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Valuing open communication, mutual respect, and shared responsibility among team members to achieve collective goals.

• Excellence & Craftsmanship: A dedication to producing high-quality, polished work with meticulous attention to detail, setting a high bar for design execution.

• Innovation & Forward-Thinking: Embracing new ideas, technologies, and approaches to design, contributing to GM's vision for the future of mobility.

• Integrity & Accountability: Upholding ethical standards, taking ownership of work, and being accountable for design outcomes.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Actively engaging with diverse teams (engineering, product, research) to ensure designs are technically feasible, meet business objectives, and are grounded in user insights.

• Constructive Feedback Culture: Encouraging and providing constructive feedback in design reviews and critiques to collectively improve the quality of work.

• Knowledge Sharing: Willingness to share best practices, design patterns, and learnings within the design team and across the organization to foster continuous improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values and collaboration style described are typical for design teams within large, innovative organizations. For a designer, understanding these cultural aspects helps in assessing team fit and how design work is integrated into the broader organizational operations.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Brand and User Needs: Effectively integrating GM's established brand identity with evolving user expectations and diverse customer needs across various vehicle models and markets.

• Technical Constraints: Navigating the complexities of embedded systems and automotive hardware limitations to deliver innovative yet feasible UI solutions.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Achieving consensus and alignment among diverse stakeholders (design, engineering, marketing, product) with potentially competing priorities.

• Rapidly Evolving Technology: Keeping pace with advancements in automotive technology, HMI trends, and user interface best practices to ensure GM's digital experiences remain cutting-edge.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Skills: Opportunities to deepen expertise in areas like design systems, motion design, animation, and accessibility through workshops, training, and project experience.

• Industry Exposure: Participation in automotive design conferences, UI/UX forums, and relevant industry events to stay abreast of trends and best practices.

• Mentorship: Access to experienced design leaders and mentors within GM who can provide guidance on career development, design strategy, and leadership skills.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Gaining exposure to the intricacies of automotive engineering, software development, and product management through close collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: Identifying potential challenges helps candidates prepare for the realities of the role. Growth opportunities highlight GM's commitment to employee development, which is a key factor for career-minded operations professionals.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Design Process & Problem-Solving: "Walk me through a complex UI design project from your portfolio. What was the problem, your role, your process, and the outcome? How did you handle trade-offs between user needs and technical constraints?" (Preparation: Select a strong project, clearly define the problem, and articulate your step-by-step approach, emphasizing your decision-making logic.)

• Brand Integration: "How would you ensure a new digital feature aligns with GM's brand identity while also meeting user needs for a specific vehicle segment?" (Preparation: Research GM's current brand guidelines and recent automotive UI trends. Think about how to visually represent brand values in an interactive digital context.)

• Collaboration & Handoff: "Describe a situation where you had to collaborate closely with engineers or product managers on UI implementation. How did you ensure a smooth handoff and address feedback?" (Preparation: Prepare an example showcasing effective communication, negotiation, and documentation practices.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• Vision for Automotive UI: "What do you see as the future of in-vehicle user interfaces, and how would you contribute to GM's vision for this future?" (Preparation: Research GM's current initiatives in EVs, autonomous driving, and connected car technology. Formulate thoughtful insights.)

• Team Dynamics: "How do you prefer to receive feedback on your designs, and how do you provide feedback to others?" (Preparation: Be ready to discuss your approach to constructive criticism and collaborative design critique.)

• Impact Measurement: "How do you measure the success of your UI designs?" (Preparation: Discuss metrics like usability, task completion rates, user satisfaction, and how design contributes to broader business goals.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Prioritize Impact: Focus on projects that demonstrate significant problem-solving or measurable impact, not just aesthetic execution.

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, use a clear structure: Problem -> Your Role -> Process -> Solution -> Outcome/Impact.

• Visual Storytelling: Use high-fidelity mockups, prototypes, and potentially short video clips to showcase the user experience.

• Be Concise: Respect the interviewer's time. Practice your presentation to fit within the allotted timeframe, allowing ample time for Q&A.

• Know Your Audience: Tailor your explanations to the technical and business context of the interviewers.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation for design roles heavily relies on showcasing process and impact. The "operations" aspect comes from demonstrating an organized, efficient, and collaborative approach to design execution and problem-solving.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Branded UI Visual Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the General Motors careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight achievements and skills most relevant to automotive UI design and the specific responsibilities listed. Ensure your portfolio is easily accessible and showcases your best work in UI visualization, UX problem-solving, and brand application.

• Resume Optimization: Clearly list your proficiency with design tools (Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite) and quantify achievements where possible (e.g., "Designed UI for X number of features," "Contributed to a Y% improvement in user task completion").

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio, focusing on telling a compelling story for each project. Be ready to articulate your design process, rationale, and how you collaborate with cross-functional teams.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with General Motors' current product line, their vision for future mobility (EVs, autonomous technology), and their design philosophy. Understand their brand identity and how it translates into digital experiences.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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