Senior IT User Experience (UX)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior IT User Experience (UX)

Company: Leidos

Location: United States (Remote)

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: IT User Experience (UX) & Digital Modernization

Date Posted: June 9, 2025

Experience Level: Senior (15+ years total, 7+ years supervisory)

Remote Status: Remote/Teleworker US

🎨 Role Summary

• Lead and champion Human-Centered Design (HCD) principles to enhance user interactions across enterprise IT services and digital products, focusing on usability, accessibility, and engagement.
• Drive UX strategy, facilitate design thinking workshops, and conduct customer journey mapping to apply HCD methodologies effectively within complex IT environments, particularly for government digital services.
• Conduct comprehensive user research, including interviews and usability testing, translating insights into actionable design recommendations, wireframes, and prototypes to inform product decisions and optimize user experience.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional agile development teams to integrate UX best practices seamlessly, ensuring user needs are met throughout the development lifecycle and measured through experience metrics and feedback loops.

🖼️ Primary Responsibilities

• Lead comprehensive Customer Experience (CX) and User Experience (UX) initiatives across the CASTLE-NET business, aligning strategic initiatives with program, functional, and customer organizations.
• Develop and implement a detailed customer experience plan focused on improving overall customer engagement, satisfaction, and promoting user-centric service delivery within the IT landscape.
• Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) for customer experience, utilizing surveys, feedback mechanisms, and data analysis from various customer segments to gauge the success of the CX plan and optimize program-wide performance.
• Apply principles of optimization, automation, and real-time data analysis to drive innovation, facilitate the adoption of new technologies, and enhance user-centric design while simultaneously streamlining processes to maximize self-service capabilities across program lifecycles.
• Integrate design thinking standards into development activities to cultivate a consistently user-centric approach throughout the product and service development process.
• Facilitate organizational change management, communication, engagement, and training initiatives to support organizations and customers transitioning to CASTLE-NET, identifying and addressing specific training needs to improve user proficiency and adoption.
• Provide targeted training on new capabilities, processes, and digital products introduced through transformation projects to standardize practices, mitigate usage risks, and significantly improve overall user satisfaction.
• Maintain consistent and effective communication channels with diverse customer segments to boost engagement, enhance customer satisfaction, ensure transparency, and foster stronger collaboration.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: A Bachelor's degree is required, with a strong preference for degrees in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Computer Science, or a related field. A Master's degree in a relevant discipline is preferred and can reduce the required years of experience. Additional relevant certifications or training in UX, HCD, or Design Thinking are highly valued.

Experience: A minimum of 15 years of overall professional experience is required, with at least 7 years specifically in a supervisory or team leadership role within UX, IT, or a related field. Extensive experience in leading UX strategy, conducting user research, and implementing HCD methodologies in complex enterprise or government environments is essential. A strong portfolio demonstrating leadership in UX projects, successful implementation of design principles, and measurable improvements in user experience is expected.

Required Skills:

• Extensive expertise in User Experience (UX) design principles, methodologies, and best practices, including a deep understanding of usability, accessibility (Section 508, WCAG), and inclusive design standards.
• Proven leadership and hands-on experience in Human-Centered Design (HCD) and Design Thinking methodologies, including facilitating workshops, conducting user research, and translating insights into design solutions.
• Strong leadership and management skills with a minimum of 7 years supervising or guiding teams and projects, including the ability to mentor, develop, and lead experienced design professionals.
• Advanced proficiency in organizational change management (OCM) principles and practices, including experience in developing and executing change strategies for large-scale IT transitions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including advanced writing and editing abilities, and proven experience in executive communications and presenting to high-level stakeholders and customers.
• Strong technical aptitude and understanding of enterprise IT environments, digital services, and agile development processes.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously, prioritize tasks effectively, and meet deadlines in a dynamic environment.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills with the proven ability to collaborate effectively across diverse audiences, personalities, and experience levels within cross-functional teams.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) for documentation, analysis, and presentation purposes.

Preferred Skills:

• Direct experience in enterprise IT environments or designing digital services specifically for government agencies or the public sector.
• Familiarity and practical experience with accessibility standards such as Section 508 and WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) for ensuring inclusive design.
• Possession of a recognized Change Management Certification, such as PROSCI, demonstrating formal training and expertise in change management methodologies.
• ITIL® Foundation Certification, indicating a foundational understanding of IT Service Management best practices and frameworks.

🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Your portfolio should prominently feature case studies of complex UX projects you have led, specifically highlighting initiatives within enterprise IT or digital transformation contexts.
• Each case study must clearly articulate the problem you aimed to solve, your role and leadership in the project, the Human-Centered Design process you followed, key design decisions, and the measurable impact of your work on user experience and business outcomes.
• Demonstrate your ability to translate user research findings into actionable design recommendations and present examples of wireframes, prototypes, user flows, and other design artifacts created during the process.
• Include examples of your work related to improving usability, accessibility (mentioning adherence to standards like Section 508 or WCAG if applicable), and overall user satisfaction for large-scale systems or services.

Process Documentation:

• Showcase your approach to the research and discovery phase, including methodologies used (e.g., user interviews, surveys, contextual inquiry) and how findings informed the design direction.
• Detail your methods for ideation and iteration, illustrating how you explored different design solutions, gathered feedback, and refined designs based on user input and technical constraints.
• Explain your approach to validation and testing, including usability testing methodologies, prototype testing, and how you used feedback to iterate on designs before implementation.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $134,550.00 - $243,225.00 per year. This range is provided by Leidos and is based on various factors including responsibilities, education, experience, skills, abilities, internal equity, market data, and applicable agreements. The specific offer will depend on the candidate's qualifications and experience.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health and Wellness Programs, including medical, dental, and vision insurance options, to support employee well-being.
• Income Protection benefits such as life insurance, disability coverage, and other programs to provide financial security.
• Generous Paid Leave policies, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays, to support work-life balance and personal time.
• Retirement savings plans, such as a 401(k) with company match, to help employees plan for their financial future.
• Additional benefits may include tuition reimbursement, professional development opportunities, employee assistance programs, and wellness initiatives tailored to support employee growth and health.

Working Hours: This is a full-time position, typically requiring 40 hours per week. As a senior leadership role, the ability to manage time effectively and potentially work flexible hours to collaborate across time zones or meet project deadlines may be necessary while maintaining creative flow and productivity.

🎯Team & Company Context

🏢 Company & Design Culture

Industry: Defense and Space Manufacturing, with a significant focus on providing innovative solutions for national security and health sectors, including extensive work in IT and digital modernization for government customers like the Corps of Engineers.

Company Size: Leidos is a large organization with over 48,000 employees globally. This size indicates a structured environment with established processes, potentially large and complex IT systems, and opportunities for collaboration across diverse teams and disciplines.

Founded: Founded in 1969, Leidos has a long history of serving government and commercial customers, suggesting a stable and experienced organization with deep roots in technology and defense sectors. This history likely influences the company's culture, emphasizing reliability, security, and mission success.

Team Structure:

• The role involves managing a large team of experienced professionals, indicating a significant leadership responsibility within the IT or Digital Modernization sector.
• Expect collaboration with various program, functional, and customer organizations, highlighting a need for strong cross-functional communication and stakeholder management skills.
• The team likely operates within a matrixed or project-based structure common in large defense contractors, requiring adaptability and the ability to navigate complex organizational dynamics.

Methodology:

• Emphasis on Human-Centered Design (HCD) and Design Thinking methodologies for designing IT systems and services, suggesting a focus on understanding user needs and iterative development.
• Integration of UX best practices into agile development processes, indicating a collaborative approach with engineering and product teams.
• Focus on optimization, automation, and real-time data analysis principles to drive innovation, suggesting a data-informed approach to design and process improvement.

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

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Design Career Level: This is a Senior-level position with significant leadership responsibilities, indicated by the requirement for 15+ years of experience and 7+ years of supervisory experience. The role involves leading strategic UX initiatives, managing teams, and influencing program-wide outcomes, positioning it as a key leadership role within the IT or Digital Modernization sector.

Reporting Structure: The role involves constant communication with parties within and outside the area of operations and assisting the team in developing new products, processes, and standards. This suggests reporting likely to a program manager, director, or potentially a VP within the relevant business unit, with significant autonomy and responsibility.

Design Impact: The position is explicitly focused on championing Human-Centered Design principles to ensure intuitive, accessible, and engaging user interactions across enterprise IT services. This role has a direct impact on the usability and effectiveness of critical IT systems used by government customers, influencing their daily operations and mission success.

Growth Opportunities:

• Opportunities for advancement into higher-level leadership roles within the IT or Digital Modernization sector, potentially overseeing larger teams or broader strategic initiatives.
• Development of expertise in specific areas such as government digital services, cybersecurity implications for UX, or advanced change management practices within large organizations.
• Potential to influence and shape the overall UX strategy and methodology for a significant portion of Leidos' digital offerings and client engagements.

🌐 Work Environment

Studio Type: This is a fully remote/teleworker position within the US. While there isn't a physical studio, the work environment is distributed, requiring strong virtual collaboration skills and the ability to work effectively from a home office.

Office Location(s): The primary location is listed as "Remote/Teleworker US," meaning the role can be performed from anywhere within the United States. Leidos does have numerous physical office locations across the US, which may be relevant for occasional meetings or team gatherings depending on business needs, though the role is designated as remote.

Design Workspace Context:

• The remote environment necessitates strong self-discipline and the ability to create a productive workspace at home that supports creative work, focus, and virtual collaboration.
• Expect reliance on digital collaboration tools (mentioned in the Tools & Technology section) for team interaction, design critiques, and stakeholder meetings.
• Maintaining connections with colleagues and fostering team culture will rely heavily on proactive communication and participation in virtual team activities.

Work Schedule: As a full-time remote role, the work schedule will likely follow standard business hours (e.g., 9 am - 5 pm) but may offer some flexibility depending on team needs and project deadlines, requiring coordination across different time zones within the US.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Design Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Expect an initial call with an HR recruiter to discuss your background, experience, and alignment with basic requirements. Be prepared to articulate your experience in UX, leadership, and working in complex IT environments.
• Hiring Manager Interview: This round will likely focus on your leadership experience, strategic thinking in UX and HCD, and your ability to manage teams and projects. Be ready to discuss your approach to leading UX initiatives and influencing organizational change. Prepare to walk through specific examples from your portfolio that demonstrate your strategic impact.
• Panel Interviews: You may interview with a panel of team members, including other designers, product managers, and potentially engineers. This round will assess your technical UX skills, collaboration style, and how you integrate UX into agile development. Be prepared to discuss your process for user research, design iteration, and working with cross-functional teams.
• Portfolio Presentation/Case Study Review: A dedicated session to present case studies from your portfolio. Focus on the process, your leadership role, challenges overcome, and measurable outcomes. Be prepared to discuss your design decisions and rationale in detail and how your work aligns with the needs of enterprise IT or government digital services.
• Executive/Stakeholder Interview: A final interview with senior leadership or key stakeholders. This discussion will likely focus on your strategic vision for UX, your ability to drive change, and your fit within the broader organization's mission and culture. Be prepared to discuss how UX contributes to business objectives and mission success.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate your portfolio to highlight projects most relevant to enterprise IT, digital modernization, or complex system design. Prioritize case studies that demonstrate your leadership in driving UX strategy and implementing HCD.
• Structure your case studies to clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process (emphasizing research, ideation, and testing), key design artifacts, and the impact of your work. Use strong visuals but focus on the story and your decision-making.
• Be prepared to discuss your approach to accessibility (Section 508, WCAG) and inclusive design, providing examples where you have incorporated these principles into your work.
• Tailor your portfolio presentation to address the specific requirements of this role, emphasizing your experience in leading teams, managing projects, and driving change through UX.

Challenge Preparation:

• While not explicitly mentioned, a senior role *might* involve a strategic design exercise or a discussion around a hypothetical challenge related to improving UX within a large-scale IT system. Prepare to discuss your approach to tackling complex, ambiguous problems using HCD and design thinking.
• Be ready to articulate your process for conducting user research and translating findings into design solutions under constraints.
• Practice communicating your design rationale and decisions clearly, as you may be asked to walk through a potential solution to a given problem.

ATS Keywords: User Experience, UX Design, Human-Centered Design, HCD, Design Thinking, User Research, Usability Testing, Customer Experience, CX, Service Design, Interaction Design, Information Architecture, Wireframing, Prototyping, Agile Development, Scrum, Kanban, Organizational Change Management, OCM, Training, Communications, Stakeholder Management, Leadership, Team Management, Project Management, Enterprise IT, Digital Modernization, Government Digital Services, Section 508, WCAG, Accessibility, Inclusive Design, Jira, Confluence, Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, User Interviews, Remote Work, Collaboration, Problem Solving, Strategic Thinking, Data Analysis, KPIs, Customer Satisfaction, Process Improvement, Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, PowerPoint.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Design Tools:

• While not explicitly listed, proficiency in industry-standard design and prototyping tools is expected for a senior UX role. This likely includes tools like Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, or similar platforms for creating wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity designs. Expect to use these tools for individual work and team collaboration.
• Understanding of design systems and component libraries is crucial for maintaining consistency across large enterprise systems. Experience with tools or platforms that support design system management is highly probable.

Collaboration & Handoff:

• Experience with collaboration platforms like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or similar tools is essential for a remote role, used for meetings, screen sharing, and team communication.
• Familiarity with handoff tools and practices for developers is important. This could involve using tools integrated with design software (e.g., Figma's developer handoff features) or platforms like Zeplin or InVision Inspect to provide design specifications and assets.
• Knowledge of documentation tools like Confluence is likely for documenting design decisions, user research findings, and design system guidelines.

Research & Testing:

• Experience using tools for conducting user research, such as survey platforms (e.g., Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey), user interview tools (e.g., Zoom, Teams), and potentially remote usability testing platforms (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback).
• Understanding of analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics) to measure the impact of design changes on user behavior and key performance indicators (KPIs).

👥 Team Culture & Values

Design Values:

• A strong emphasis on Human-Centered Design (HCD) indicates a core value of prioritizing user needs and perspectives throughout the design and development process.
• The focus on intuitive, accessible, and engaging user interactions suggests a value placed on creating high-quality, usable, and inclusive digital experiences for a diverse user base, including those with accessibility needs.
• The integration of design thinking into development activities points to a value placed on a collaborative, iterative, and problem-solving approach to design challenges.
• Given Leidos' mission focus, there is likely a value placed on design contributing directly to the effectiveness and success of critical IT systems and services that support important government functions.

Collaboration Style:

• Expect a collaborative environment working closely with cross-functional teams, including product managers, engineers, and potentially other designers and subject matter experts.
• The need for "constant and flat communication" suggests an emphasis on open and direct communication across different levels and teams.
• Facilitating culture change initiatives implies a collaborative approach to guiding organizations and customers through transitions, requiring strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build consensus.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Design Challenges:

• Navigating the complexities of large enterprise IT systems and government digital services, which often have legacy components, strict security requirements, and diverse user needs.
• Leading and implementing significant organizational change initiatives related to adopting new technologies and user-centric practices across a large and potentially distributed workforce.
• Measuring and demonstrating the tangible impact of UX improvements on key performance indicators (KPIs) and overall customer satisfaction within complex IT environments.
• Balancing user needs and design best practices with technical constraints, project timelines, and budgetary limitations inherent in large government contracts.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Opportunities to deepen expertise in specific areas of government digital services, cybersecurity considerations for UX, or specialized domains relevant to Leidos' work (e.g., defense, health).
• Potential for professional development through training or certifications in advanced UX methodologies, change management (e.g., PROSCI), or IT service management (e.g., ITIL).
• Growth into more senior leadership roles within Leidos' design or IT organization, potentially overseeing larger strategic initiatives or managing broader teams.

💡 Interview Preparation

Design Process Questions:

• "Describe a time you led a complex UX project within an enterprise IT environment. Walk me through your process from initial problem definition to final implementation and measurement of success." Prepare to discuss your approach to user research, ideation, prototyping, and collaboration with engineering.
• "How do you integrate Human-Centered Design principles into an agile development process? Provide specific examples of how you've successfully done this." Highlight your experience working with product owners, scrum masters, and developers.
• "Explain your approach to conducting user research for a large and diverse user base. How do you ensure your research is representative and your findings are actionable?" Be ready to discuss methodologies like user interviews, surveys, usability testing, and synthesizing qualitative/quantitative data.

Company Culture Questions:

• "Leidos emphasizes mission success. How do you see the role of UX contributing directly to the mission of government agencies or enterprise IT users?" Research Leidos' work and connect UX impact to their specific domains.
• "This role involves significant organizational change management. Describe your experience in leading change initiatives and how you ensure user adoption and satisfaction during transitions." Prepare examples of how you've managed resistance or facilitated training and communication.
• "How do you foster a collaborative environment within your design team and across cross-functional teams, especially in a remote setting?" Discuss your strategies for communication, feedback, and building relationships virtually.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select 2-3 case studies that best demonstrate your experience in leading complex UX projects, particularly those involving enterprise systems, digital transformation, or government services.
• For each case study, clearly articulate your leadership role and the specific impact of your design work. Focus on the "why" behind your design decisions and how they addressed user needs and project goals.
• Dedicate time to explaining your design process in detail, highlighting your approach to user research, iteration, and collaboration. Use visuals (wireframes, prototypes, user flows) to support your narrative but keep the focus on your thinking and problem-solving skills.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this design position:

• Submit your application through this link on the Leidos careers portal.
• Customize your design portfolio to prominently feature case studies of your most impactful work in enterprise IT, digital modernization, or government digital services, emphasizing your leadership role and the measurable outcomes of your UX initiatives.
• Optimize your resume to highlight your relevant experience in User Experience, Human-Centered Design, team leadership, organizational change management, and collaboration, incorporating key ATS keywords from the job description.
• Prepare for interviews by practicing articulating your design process, discussing your experience leading teams and driving change, and preparing to present selected case studies from your portfolio with a focus on your strategic approach and impact.
• Research Leidos' work, particularly in Digital Modernization and their contracts with government agencies like the Corps of Engineers, to understand their mission and align your application and interview responses accordingly.