2026 Graduate UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: 2026 Graduate UX Designer

Company: Graphcore

Location: Bristol, UK

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: User Experience (UX) Design / Product Design

Date Posted: February 09, 2026

Experience Level: Entry-Level (0-2 years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This entry-level UX Design Graduate role at Graphcore offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) compute.

• You will gain practical experience across the entire UX design lifecycle, supporting the creation of intuitive interfaces for complex technical software.

• This position is ideal for individuals passionate about user-centered design principles and eager to learn how design impacts cutting-edge technology.

• You will collaborate closely with experienced UX designers and software engineers, contributing to a design library and participating in Agile sprint activities.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is explicitly for a graduate, indicating a focus on foundational skill development and learning within a structured environment rather than immediate independent contribution. The emphasis on AI compute and complex technical workflows suggests a need for candidates who can translate intricate technical concepts into user-friendly interfaces.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Support the end-to-end design of user interfaces, translating requirements into tangible design artifacts such as sketches, wireframes, and basic high-fidelity mockups.

• Actively assist in usability research activities, including note-taking during user sessions, participant recruitment coordination, and contributing to the analysis of research findings.

• Help maintain and enrich the team's research repository by documenting key insights and findings from usability studies.

• Contribute to Graphcore's internal design system, "Decagon," by creating or refining UI components under the guidance of senior designers.

• Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including designers and software engineers, during Agile sprint cycles and participate actively in design review sessions.

• Learn and apply established User Experience (UX) best practices and design methodologies within a real-world product development context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly indicate a supportive, learning-oriented role. The tasks are framed as "support," "assist," and "help," emphasizing that this position is designed for skill acquisition and contribution under supervision. The mention of "Decagon" and "Agile sprint activities" points to the use of structured design systems and agile development methodologies common in tech companies.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Demonstrated foundational understanding of UX/UI design principles through academic projects, internships, or personal work.

Required Skills:

• Basic proficiency with industry-standard design tools such as Figma or Adobe XD for creating wireframes and mockups.

• A strong, demonstrable interest in User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design principles, with a commitment to user-centered design methodologies.

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to articulate design ideas clearly.

• A proactive and eager willingness to learn, adapt, and absorb new information within a fast-paced technical environment.

Preferred Skills:

• Prior exposure to or academic coursework in usability testing or user research methods.

• Familiarity with Agile development methodologies or experience working in team-based project environments.

• A keen interest in technical products, particularly those aimed at developers or specialized technical users.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "basic experience" and a "strong interest" highlights the graduate nature of the role. The portfolio requirement is crucial and should showcase foundational design thinking and execution, even if derived from academic work. The preferred skills indicate areas where additional experience would make a candidate stand out but are not deal-breakers for an entry-level position.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrated Design Process: Showcase your approach to problem-solving, including how you identify user needs, ideate solutions, and iterate on designs. This should be evident in case studies.

• Visual Design Execution: Include examples of wireframes, user flows, and high-fidelity mockups that demonstrate your ability to create clear and effective visual interfaces.

• Tool Proficiency: Clearly indicate the design tools (e.g., Figma, Adobe XD) used for each project, showcasing your practical application of these essential UX/UI software programs.

• Project Scope: Include a mix of academic projects, personal design challenges, or any relevant internship work that highlights your design capabilities within a defined scope.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Ideation: For any project featured, briefly describe the initial problem statement and your thought process in mapping out user journeys or workflows.

• Design Iteration: Illustrate how user feedback or internal reviews influenced your design decisions, demonstrating an understanding of iterative design.

• Outcome Articulation: While not expected to have extensive ROI data at this level, clearly articulate the intended user benefit or problem solved by your designs.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a graduate role, the portfolio is expected to reflect academic work and personal projects rather than commercial product launches. The focus should be on demonstrating a clear understanding of the design process, foundational UI skills, and the ability to articulate design rationale, rather than extensive real-world impact metrics.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Estimated Range: £25,000 - £32,000 per annum.

• Methodology: This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for graduate UX Designer roles in Bristol, UK, considering the company's focus on advanced technology (AI) and its position within the tech sector. Entry-level salaries in this region for specialized design roles typically fall within this range, factoring in the cost of living and typical graduate starting salaries.

Benefits:

• Flexible Working: Options available to support work-life balance.

• Generous Annual Leave: A competitive holiday allowance to ensure time for rest and personal pursuits.

• Private Medical Insurance & Health Cash Plan: Comprehensive healthcare coverage for employees and their families.

• Dental Plan: Access to dental care services.

• Pension Scheme: Matched contributions up to 5% to support long-term financial planning.

• Life Assurance & Income Protection: Financial security for employees and their dependents.

• Generous Parental Leave Policy: Support for new parents during a significant life event.

• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP): Confidential support for health, mental wellbeing, and bereavement.

• Healthy Food and Snacks: On-site provisions to support employee wellbeing.

• On-site Barista Bar: A convenient amenity within the Bristol office.

Working Hours:

• Typically 40 hours per week, with flexibility offered to support work-life balance, aligning with Graphcore's commitment to employee wellbeing.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is a conservative estimate for a graduate role in Bristol, UK, within the tech industry. The benefits package is extensive and detailed in the job description, highlighting Graphcore's commitment to employee welfare and support.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Compute Hardware and Software. Graphcore is at the forefront of developing specialized hardware and software infrastructure for AI, aiming to power the next generation of AI breakthroughs.

Company Size: Graphcore is a significant player in the AI hardware space, implying a medium to large-sized organization with specialized teams. This suggests a dynamic environment with opportunities for cross-functional interaction and learning from experienced professionals.

Founded: Graphcore was founded in 2016, making it a relatively young but rapidly growing company. Its affiliation with the SoftBank Group underscores its ambition and access to resources, positioning it as a key innovator in a highly competitive market.

Team Structure:

• The UX team operates within the software development division, specifically supporting teams that work on software for users to understand, optimize, and debug workloads on Graphcore's AI hardware.

• The team is structured to foster close collaboration between designers and engineers, indicating a product-centric approach where design is integrated early in the development process.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: The team leverages user insights and research findings to inform design decisions, aiming to make complex technical workflows intuitive and usable.

• Agile Development: Design activities are integrated into Agile sprint cycles, requiring designers to be adaptable and responsive to evolving project requirements.

• Design Systems: The team utilizes and contributes to a design library ("Decagon") to ensure consistency and efficiency in UI development across products.

Company Website: graphcore.ai

📝 Enhancement Note: Graphcore's focus on AI compute implies a highly technical and innovative environment. The UX team's role in making complex AI tools accessible is critical. The company culture is described as one of "continuous learning and constant innovation," which is typical for high-growth tech companies in emerging fields.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at the Entry-Level/Graduate stage within the UX Design discipline. It serves as a foundational step for a career in product design, user experience, and interaction design within a cutting-edge technology company.

Reporting Structure: The UX Design Graduate will report to a senior member of the UX team, likely a UX Lead or Senior UX Designer, who will provide mentorship and guidance. They will also work closely with software engineers and potentially product managers on specific projects.

Operations Impact: While this is a graduate role, the UX team's impact is significant. By making complex AI software more usable, the team directly influences the adoption and effectiveness of Graphcore's hardware solutions. Improved UX can lead to faster development cycles for AI models, better performance tuning, and ultimately, greater customer satisfaction and market competitiveness.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Develop expertise in specific areas of UX design, such as interaction design, usability research, or design systems, through hands-on experience and mentorship.

• Technical Domain Mastery: Gain deep understanding of AI compute, hardware-software interaction, and developer tooling, becoming a specialist in UX for technical products.

• Career Progression: Potential to advance to roles like UX Designer, Senior UX Designer, UX Lead, or specialize in areas like User Research or Product Design within Graphcore or the broader AI industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a clear entry point into a specialized tech career. The "operations" in the context of this UX role refers to the operational aspects of product development and design processes within the company. Growth will come from mastering the company's specific tools, understanding its complex technology, and developing core UX skills under expert supervision.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Graphcore's central Bristol office is described as having a vibrant and amenity-rich environment, including healthy food options and a barista bar, suggesting a modern, collaborative workspace designed to support employee comfort and productivity.

Office Location(s): Primarily based in their central Bristol, UK office. This location offers accessibility within a major UK city.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace is designed to foster collaboration, with teams working closely together. This environment is conducive to learning and knowledge sharing, particularly for a graduate designer.

• Access to design tools and technology relevant to UX/UI design is expected, supporting the day-to-day tasks of the role.

Work Schedule:

• The standard working hours are 40 per week. Graphcore emphasizes flexible working, suggesting that while core hours may exist for collaboration, there's scope for accommodating personal needs where possible, which is beneficial for managing project timelines and personal life.

📝 Enhancement Note: The description points to a supportive, amenity-rich office environment conducive to learning and collaboration, which is highly beneficial for a graduate entering the professional world. The emphasis on flexibility within a standard work week is a common benefit in the tech industry.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Application review, focusing on academic background, relevant skills, and portfolio. Candidates will likely be asked to submit a PDF or link to their portfolio.

• First Interview: Typically a conversation with a hiring manager or senior UX designer. This will assess your understanding of UX principles, motivation for the role and Graphcore, and basic design thinking. Expect questions about your portfolio projects.

• Design Challenge/Portfolio Review: A more in-depth session. This might involve a practical design exercise (either pre-interview or live) or a detailed walkthrough of your portfolio, discussing your process, decisions, and learnings.

• Final Interview: Potentially with additional team members or cross-functional stakeholders (e.g., engineering leads). This stage assesses cultural fit, communication skills, and how you might integrate into the team.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Choose 3-5 of your strongest projects that best showcase your design process and skills relevant to the job description.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed (research, ideation, iteration, final design), your design decisions, and the outcome or learning.

• Highlight Process: Emphasize your thought process and how you approached problem-solving, rather than just showcasing final polished visuals. For a graduate role, demonstrating potential and learning ability is key.

• Tool Familiarity: Be prepared to discuss your experience with tools like Figma or Adobe XD, and how you leverage them in your workflow.

• Tailor to Graphcore: If possible, subtly hint at an interest in technical products or AI, showing you've researched the company.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a design challenge, ensure you fully grasp the problem statement and target audience (likely developers or AI researchers).

• Focus on Process: Prioritize clearly outlining your approach, even if you can't complete a fully polished design within the allotted time.

• Communicate Clearly: Practice articulating your design decisions and rationale concisely and effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is standard for design roles, with a strong emphasis on the portfolio. For a graduate candidate, demonstrating a structured design process, enthusiasm, and the ability to learn are paramount. The "operations" aspect here refers to the operational efficiency and effectiveness of the design process itself.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping Tools: Expect to use industry-standard tools for wireframing, UI design, and prototyping. Proficiency in Figma and/or Adobe XD is explicitly required. Experience with other tools like Sketch is also beneficial.

• Collaboration Platforms: Likely to utilize tools like Jira, Confluence, or similar project management software for task tracking and documentation within Agile sprints.

• Version Control/Design Systems: Familiarity with contributing to and using design libraries (like Graphcore's "Decagon") is key. This may involve understanding how components are managed and versioned.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly relevant to this UX design role, but understanding that the software being designed interacts with users who might be using CRMs or other business tools can provide context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma and Adobe XD highlights the core technical requirements. The mention of "Decagon" points to the importance of design systems and component-based design, a critical skill in modern software development.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A strong emphasis on understanding and serving the needs of users, particularly developers and AI researchers, to make complex technology accessible.

• Innovation: A culture that encourages new ideas and pushing boundaries in AI compute and software design.

• Collaboration: Working effectively in cross-functional teams, valuing input from engineers, researchers, and other designers.

• Continuous Learning: An environment that supports ongoing skill development and adaptation to the rapidly evolving field of AI.

• Quality & Precision: Given the technical nature of Graphcore's products, there's an implicit value placed on accuracy, detail, and robust design solutions.

Collaboration Style:

• Integrated Teams: Designers work closely with engineers within Agile sprints, fostering a collaborative and iterative approach to product development.

• Feedback-Oriented: Regular design reviews and a willingness to give and receive constructive feedback are integral to the team's process.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouragement to share learnings, best practices, and insights from research and design work across the team and potentially wider engineering groups.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values align with typical high-tech, innovative companies. The collaborative style is essential for ensuring that the UX team's work is well-integrated with the engineering roadmap and product strategy.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Translating Complexity: The primary challenge will be transforming highly technical and complex AI compute concepts into intuitive and user-friendly interfaces.

• Learning Curve: Rapidly acquiring knowledge about Graphcore's specific hardware, software stack, and the nuances of AI workloads will be essential.

• Balancing Design Principles with Technical Constraints: Finding elegant design solutions that adhere to both user needs and the technical limitations or requirements of the platform.

• Early-Career Development: Navigating a professional design environment, managing feedback, and contributing effectively as an entry-level team member.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Mentorship: Direct guidance from experienced UX designers within the team on design techniques, user research, and professional development.

• Exposure to Cutting-Edge Technology: Working with AI and advanced computing technology provides invaluable domain-specific knowledge.

• Skill Building: Opportunities to hone core UX/UI skills, learn new tools, and potentially explore specialized areas of design.

• Industry Insight: Gaining a deep understanding of the AI industry landscape and the role of user experience in its advancement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to working in a specialized, cutting-edge tech field as a graduate. The growth opportunities are substantial, focusing on acquiring both hard UX skills and valuable domain expertise in AI.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Walk me through a project in your portfolio. What was the problem, your role, your process, and what did you learn?" (Be prepared to discuss your design decisions and rationale in detail.)

• "How do you approach understanding user needs, especially for a technical audience?" (Focus on research methods, empathy, and iterative feedback.)

• "Describe a time you received constructive criticism on your design. How did you handle it, and what was the outcome?" (Demonstrate openness to feedback and a growth mindset.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Graphcore and our technology?" (Research the company's products, mission, and recent news.)

• "How do you see design contributing to the success of AI hardware and software?" (Connect UX principles to business outcomes and technical adoption.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: For each project, follow a clear narrative: Problem -> Your Role -> Process -> Solution -> Outcome/Learnings.

• Visuals: Use high-quality images and mockups. Annotate key screens to explain specific design choices.

• Verbal Explanation: Speak clearly and concisely. Be prepared to answer probing questions about your decisions and any challenges faced.

• Enthusiasm: Convey your passion for design and your eagerness to learn and contribute.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a solid understanding of UX fundamentals, a structured design process, and a genuine enthusiasm for Graphcore's mission and the AI industry. Being able to articulate your thought process and learnings from projects is critical for a graduate role.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided Greenhouse application link.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio is polished, easy to navigate, and clearly showcases 2-4 of your strongest projects that align with the responsibilities outlined. Highlight your design process and problem-solving skills.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize your degree, relevant coursework, any internships or personal projects, and proficiency in design tools like Figma and Adobe XD. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process and project details. Be ready to discuss your understanding of UX principles and your interest in Graphcore's technology.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Graphcore's products, mission, and the AI industry. Understand how UX plays a role in making complex technical products accessible.

⚠️ 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.