Digital UX Designer – Division of Research & Enterprise

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Digital UX Designer – Division of Research & Enterprise

Company: UNSW

Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia

Job Type: Full-time, 7-month Fixed-term Contract

Category: User Experience (UX) Design, Product Design, GTM Operations Support

Date Posted: June 23, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (Typically 3-4+ years)

Remote Status: Hybrid/Flexible

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end redesign of a critical research platform, "Bench," enhancing user experience for thousands of researchers and administrators.

• Drive user research initiatives to deeply understand academic and stakeholder needs, translating insights into actionable design improvements.

• Develop comprehensive design artifacts, including wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity UI designs using industry-standard tools like Figma.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including Product Managers, Developers, and Subject Matter Experts, to influence product strategy and ensure successful implementation of user-centric solutions.

• Provide overarching UX guidance and support to other projects within the Division of Research & Enterprise, fostering a culture of user-centricity.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Digital UX Designer," the responsibilities involving platform redesign, stakeholder collaboration, and influencing product direction indicate a role with significant product ownership and potential impact on operational efficiency within the research ecosystem, aligning with GTM Operations Support functions by optimizing internal user workflows.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead user research activities, including interviews, surveys, and persona development, to gather comprehensive insights from academics, researchers, and administrative staff.

• Conduct thorough user experience audits of the existing "Bench" platform, identifying pain points, usability issues, and opportunities for enhancement.

• Design intuitive and effective user journeys, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity UI mockups utilizing Figma and other design tools.

• Plan and execute usability testing sessions, gather feedback, and iterate on designs to ensure solutions meet user needs and business objectives.

• Act as a key liaison between design, product management, and development teams, articulating design rationale and ensuring faithful implementation of approved designs.

• Develop detailed implementation recommendations and design specifications to guide the development roadmap and future iterations of the platform.

• Contribute to the broader UX strategy of the Division, offering design expertise and support for other digital initiatives.

• Collaborate with IT and development teams to ensure technical feasibility of proposed designs and to optimize the integration of UX improvements into the development lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on redesigning a platform that manages grants, contracts, and research records implies a need for strong understanding of complex workflows and data management, crucial for optimizing operational efficiency. The role requires not just design skills but also the ability to translate complex user needs into functional and user-friendly digital solutions that support research administration.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience:

• Typically 3-4+ years of dedicated UX/UI design experience, with a strong portfolio demonstrating a user-centered design process and impactful design solutions.

• Proven experience working within higher education or other large, complex organizational environments is essential. Required Skills:

• Expertise in UX Design Principles: Deep understanding of user research methodologies, information architecture, interaction design, and usability best practices.

• Proficiency in Design Tools: Advanced skills in Figma for wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity UI design.

• User Research Capabilities: Demonstrated ability to conduct and synthesize user research (interviews, surveys, usability testing) to inform design decisions.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to effectively collaborate with and manage expectations of diverse stakeholders, including academics, researchers, and IT professionals.

• User-Centred Design (UCD) Methodology: Proven track record of applying UCD principles throughout the design lifecycle to deliver effective solutions.

Preferred Skills:

• Prototyping Tools: Familiarity with Figjam and Miro for collaborative ideation and workshop facilitation.

• Adobe Creative Suite: Proficiency in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, or other relevant tools for asset creation.

• Agile/Scrum Experience: Experience working within Agile development methodologies.

• Product Strategy Influence: Ability to contribute to product strategy discussions and influence roadmap prioritization based on user needs and business goals.

• Accessibility Standards: Knowledge of WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and experience designing for accessibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 3-4+ years of experience suggests this role is for a mid-level designer who can work with a degree of autonomy. The emphasis on higher education or large complex organizations points to the need for adaptability to bureaucratic structures and diverse user groups.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate User-Centered Design Process: Showcase a clear, step-by-step design process from research and ideation through to final design and testing.

• Showcase Complex Problem-Solving: Present case studies where you tackled complex user needs or business challenges within large organizations, detailing your approach and solutions.

• Highlight Figma Proficiency: Include examples of wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity UI designs created in Figma, demonstrating your skill with the tool.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, provide metrics or qualitative feedback that demonstrate the positive impact of your designs on user engagement, efficiency, or satisfaction.

Process Documentation:

• User Research Documentation: Examples of how you document user research findings, including personas, user journey maps, and empathy maps.

• Design Iteration Examples: Showcase how you have iterated on designs based on feedback from user testing and stakeholder reviews.

• Collaboration Artifacts: Include examples of collaborative design artifacts, such as Miro boards or Figjam sessions, that illustrate teamwork and ideation.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is critical for this role, as it will be the primary tool for assessing design skills and process. The hiring team will look for evidence of how the candidate translates research into tangible design solutions and collaborates effectively.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: AUD $118,483 - $128,223 per annum

Benefits:

• Generous Superannuation: 17% employer contribution to superannuation.

• Additional Leave: 3 extra days of leave during the December holiday period.

• Progressive HR Practices: Access to modern and supportive HR policies.

• Employee Discounts & Entitlements: A range of discounts and benefits available to staff.

• Affordable Campus Parking: Convenient and cost-effective parking options on campus.

• Hybrid/Flexible Working: Opportunity for flexible work arrangements to support work-life balance.

Working Hours: 35 hours per week.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is competitive for a mid-level UX Designer in Sydney. The hybrid work arrangement and additional leave are attractive benefits for work-life balance, aligning with progressive HR practices. The 35-hour work week is standard for many academic institutions in Australia.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Higher Education & Research. UNSW is a leading global research and teaching university, consistently ranked among the top universities worldwide.

Company Size: UNSW is a large, complex organization with thousands of employees and a significant student population. This scale implies a robust, structured environment with established processes.

Founded: UNSW was founded in 1949, giving it a long history and a well-established reputation in academia and research.

Team Structure:

• The role sits within the Division of Research & Enterprise, suggesting a team focused on supporting and enhancing the university's research output and operational infrastructure.

• The UX Designer will likely report to a UX Lead, Design Manager, or a Product Owner within the Division, working alongside product managers, developers, and subject matter experts.

• Cross-functional collaboration is key, involving researchers from various faculties, school managers, faculty leadership, and IT professionals to ensure the "Bench" platform meets diverse needs. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision-Making: While specific methodologies aren't detailed, a university research division likely emphasizes evidence-based approaches, meaning design decisions will be informed by user research and analytics.

• Collaborative Design & Development: The role requires close partnership with development teams, suggesting an iterative approach to design and implementation, potentially aligned with Agile principles.

• User-Centricity: The core of the role is to champion the user experience, ensuring that the platform's design is practical, efficient, and meets the needs of its diverse user base.

Company Website: https://www.unsw.edu.au/

📝 Enhancement Note: Working within a large university like UNSW means navigating a complex stakeholder landscape and understanding the unique needs of an academic community. The "Division of Research & Enterprise" context suggests a focus on operational efficiency to support research activities, making this UX role impactful in a non-traditional corporate setting.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a mid-level to senior individual contributor role focused on UX/Product Design. It offers significant autonomy and ownership over a high-profile platform redesign.

Reporting Structure: The UX Designer will report to a manager within the Division of Research & Enterprise, likely a UX Lead or Product Manager, and will collaborate extensively with technical and academic stakeholders.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on the operational efficiency of UNSW's research ecosystem. By improving the "Bench" platform, the designer will streamline processes for grant management, contract tracking, and HDR record management, saving valuable time for researchers and administrators, and potentially influencing research funding and output.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization in Higher Education UX: Deepen expertise in designing for complex academic environments, understanding the unique user needs and workflows of researchers and university administration.

• Leadership in Design Projects: Take on lead design responsibilities for future projects within the Division, potentially mentoring junior designers.

• Broader UX Influence: Expand influence across other UNSW digital platforms, contributing to a university-wide improvement in digital user experience.

• Transition to Product Management: The experience gained in shaping product direction and collaborating with development teams could serve as a pathway to product management roles within the university or elsewhere.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a unique opportunity to specialize in UX within the higher education sector, a niche but impactful area. The fixed-term nature (7 months) might appeal to individuals seeking focused project work or those looking to gain specific experience before seeking permanent roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid/Flexible working arrangements are offered, indicating a blend of on-site work at the UNSW Kensington campus and remote work.

Office Location(s): The primary location is UNSW's Kensington campus in Sydney, NSW. This campus is a large, vibrant hub for academic and research activities.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The role necessitates close collaboration with various teams, including product managers, developers, researchers, and administrative staff, fostering a team-oriented atmosphere.

• Tools & Technology: Access to standard design software (Figma, Figjam, Miro, Adobe Creative Suite) and university IT infrastructure.

• Academic Setting: The environment will be characteristic of a university, with a focus on research, learning, and administrative support functions. This may involve working with diverse individuals from different academic disciplines.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (35 hours per week) with flexibility offered through the hybrid arrangement. This allows for structured workdays while accommodating personal needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role is a significant draw, offering a balance between structured collaboration on campus and the autonomy of remote work. The academic setting provides a unique work culture compared to typical corporate environments.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your CV and Cover Letter to assess qualifications and alignment with the role's requirements.

• Portfolio Presentation/Discussion: An opportunity to walk through your portfolio, showcasing relevant UX case studies and design process. Be prepared to discuss your contributions, challenges, and outcomes.

• Stakeholder/Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion focused on your UX expertise, problem-solving skills, stakeholder management abilities, and understanding of user-centered design within complex organizations.

• Technical/Design Exercise (Potential): You may be asked to complete a small design challenge or critique a design to assess your practical skills and thought process.

• Reference Checks: Verification of your previous employment and performance.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Relevance: Prioritize case studies that demonstrate experience with complex systems, user research, and UI design in environments similar to higher education or large corporations.

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly outline the problem, your role and process, the solutions you designed, and the impact achieved (qualitative or quantitative).

• Showcase Figma Skills: Ensure your portfolio clearly displays your proficiency with Figma, including examples of wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity mockups.

• Highlight Collaboration: Demonstrate how you worked with cross-functional teams, managed stakeholder feedback, and integrated technical constraints into your designs.

• Be Prepared to Discuss: Anticipate questions about your design decisions, why you chose certain tools or methodologies, and how you handle design challenges.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the "Bench" Platform: Research the purpose and potential user groups of the "Bench" platform (research grants, contracts, HDR records) to anticipate user needs and pain points.

• Practice Articulating Your Process: Be ready to clearly explain your UX design process, from research to final design, in a concise and compelling manner.

• Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions: Think about how you would approach common UX challenges, such as conflicting stakeholder requirements or limited user research data.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily rely on portfolio review. Candidates should prepare to articulate their design process, justify their decisions, and demonstrate their ability to solve complex problems within an organizational context.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity UI design. Expect to use this extensively.

• Figjam: Likely used for collaborative brainstorming, user journey mapping, and workshop facilitation.

• Miro: Similar to Figjam, used for real-time collaboration and visual ideation.

• Adobe Creative Suite: Proficiency in Photoshop, Illustrator, or similar tools may be required for asset creation or advanced image manipulation.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly stated, familiarity with web analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics) and data visualization tools for understanding user behavior and measuring design impact would be beneficial. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to this UX design role, but understanding how user data is managed within enterprise systems (like CRMs or research management systems) would be advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma proficiency is a non-negotiable requirement. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate their skills with this tool and potentially others for collaborative design and ideation.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A core value driving all design decisions, ensuring the needs of researchers and administrators are paramount.

• Collaboration: Strong emphasis on working effectively with diverse teams across the university to achieve shared goals.

• Purpose-Driven: Contributing to UNSW's mission of advancing knowledge and solving global challenges through efficient research support systems.

• Data-Informed: Using research and analytics to guide design strategies and measure impact.

• Efficiency & Effectiveness: Aiming to streamline complex processes and improve the overall productivity of the research community.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The role demands active participation in cross-functional teams, requiring clear communication and a willingness to understand different perspectives (academic, technical, administrative).

• Feedback-Oriented: An environment that encourages constructive feedback on designs to foster continuous improvement.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of UX best practices and insights across teams and potentially other divisions within UNSW.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture is likely to be academic and collaborative, emphasizing impact on research and education. Candidates should be prepared for a more process-driven environment than a fast-paced startup, with a strong focus on stakeholder alignment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Complex Stakeholder Needs: Balancing the diverse and sometimes conflicting requirements of academics, researchers, faculty leaders, and administrative staff.

• Designing for a Legacy System: Redesigning an existing platform ("Bench") means addressing technical debt and user habits while introducing modern UX paradigms.

• Limited Timeframe: Completing a significant platform redesign within a 7-month fixed-term contract requires efficient project management and focused execution.

• Bridging Technical and Academic Worlds: Effectively communicating design rationale and technical constraints to a non-technical, academic audience.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized UX for Higher Education: Gain deep insights into the unique UX challenges and opportunities within the academic and research sectors.

• Platform Redesign Experience: Develop expertise in leading major platform redesign initiatives, from conception to implementation recommendations.

• Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Enhance skills in working with diverse teams, including researchers, IT professionals, and university administrators.

• Portfolio Enhancement: The 7-month contract offers a focused project that can significantly bolster your portfolio with a high-impact case study.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge will be managing the scope and timeline while delivering significant UX improvements within a large, complex organization. The growth opportunities are substantial for gaining niche experience and demonstrating project leadership.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for redesigning a complex platform like 'Bench,' focusing on how you would approach user research with academics and administrators."

• "How would you manage conflicting design requirements from different stakeholder groups (e.g., researchers vs. IT)?"

• "Walk us through a challenging UX problem you solved, detailing your thought process, the tools you used (especially Figma), and the outcome." Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you understand about UNSW's mission, and how do you see this UX role contributing to it?"

• "How do you approach working within a large, established organization with potentially complex decision-making processes?"

• "How would you measure the success of your UX improvements for the 'Bench' platform?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure with Purpose: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, your design process, key decisions, challenges, and the impact/outcomes.

• Showcase Figma Mastery: Be ready to demonstrate your Figma skills live or through detailed walkthroughs of your prototypes and UI designs.

• Quantify Impact: Emphasize any measurable improvements (e.g., reduction in task completion time, increased user satisfaction scores) or qualitative feedback received.

• Tailor to UNSW: Highlight projects that demonstrate experience with complex systems, user research in institutional settings, and stakeholder collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to demonstrate not just design proficiency but also strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, and the ability to navigate an academic organizational structure.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Digital UX Designer position:

• Submit your CV and Cover Letter through the UNSW Careers portal.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your most relevant UX case studies. Prioritize those showcasing complex system design, user research with diverse groups, and Figma proficiency. Ensure clear documentation of your process and impact.

• Tailor Your Cover Letter: Clearly articulate your experience in higher education or large organizations, your proficiency with Figma, and your enthusiasm for improving the research ecosystem at UNSW.

• Prepare Your Portfolio Presentation: Practice walking through your selected case studies, focusing on your design process, problem-solving approach, and the outcomes achieved. Be ready to discuss your contributions to the "Bench" platform's potential redesign.

• Research UNSW: Understand UNSW's mission, values, and its position in the higher education landscape. Familiarize yourself with the Division of Research & Enterprise's role.

⚠️ 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.