Junior UX/UI Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Junior UX/UI Designer

Company: Belka

Location: Trento, Trentino – Alto Adige/Südtirol, Italy

Job Type: Full-time

Category: UX/UI Design, Product Design

Date Posted: 2026-04-27

Experience Level: Junior (0-2 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (with monthly visits to HQ in Trento)

🚀 Role Summary

• Design and develop user experiences and interfaces for digital products, focusing on impactful contributions to product functionality and aesthetics.

• Manage the end-to-end design process, from initial concept and flow design through to development hand-off, ensuring seamless integration.

• Collaborate closely with strategists, software engineers, and project managers in a fast-paced digital product studio environment.

• Contribute to client-facing activities, including workshops and kick-offs, to define project scope, timelines, and design strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is situated within a "Digital Product Studio," implying a focus on delivering tangible, high-impact digital solutions for a diverse client base. The emphasis on "end-to-end design" and "impact on the product and its functioning" suggests a holistic approach beyond mere visual design.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Support product teams through dedicated design activities, ensuring user-centricity and alignment with business objectives.

• Contribute to the definition of project briefs, design timelines, and overall design approach in collaboration with cross-functional teams.

• Actively participate in client and internal workshops and kick-off meetings to establish project goals and design directions.

• Produce essential design artifacts, including mood boards, information architecture diagrams, wireframes, high and low-fidelity mockups, and interactive prototypes.

• Contribute to the development and maintenance of the company's design system to ensure consistency and efficiency across projects.

• Support and conduct user testing sessions to gather feedback and iterate on designs based on user behavior and insights.

• Manage the design hand-off process to internal or external development teams, providing clear documentation and ongoing support.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a structured design process, from initial strategic input to final development handover. The inclusion of "design system" contributions and "user testing support" indicates a mature design practice focused on scalable and validated solutions.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a background in Design, HCI, Computer Science, or a related field is typically beneficial for UX/UI roles.

Experience: Minimum of 1 year of experience in an agency setting or within a dedicated product design team.

Required Skills:

• Proficiency in Figma for wireframing, UI design, prototyping, and design system management.

• Demonstrated ability to balance business requirements, stakeholder needs, and user experience principles in design decisions.

• Proactive problem-solving skills: ability to identify issues, assess their impact, and propose solutions independently.

• Growth mindset: viewing projects as opportunities for personal and company value creation.

• Strong understanding of the end-to-end product design lifecycle, from discovery to hand-off.

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills for effective teamwork and client interaction.

• Fluency in Italian (C1 level) and English (C1 level).

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing for B2B SaaS products.

• Ability to articulate and present design work effectively to diverse audiences.

• Familiarity with AI tools such as Claude Code or Figma Make to enhance design workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "Figma" is critical, as it's the primary tool. The "proactive approach" and "growth mindset" are key cultural indicators, suggesting candidates should be self-starters who are eager to learn and contribute beyond their immediate tasks. Experience in B2B SaaS is a significant plus, indicating a preference for candidates familiar with complex user flows and enterprise-level solutions.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A portfolio showcasing a strong foundation in both User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design principles.

• Demonstration of the entire design process, from user research and information architecture to wireframing, prototyping, and final UI design.

• Examples of how you've considered business goals and user needs to drive design decisions.

• Evidence of creating and utilizing design systems or contributing to component libraries.

Process Documentation:

• Showcase examples of wireframes, user flows, and interactive prototypes that illustrate your design thinking.

• Include documentation or examples of how you've managed design hand-offs to development teams, ensuring clarity and efficiency.

• Demonstrate an understanding of user testing methodologies and how feedback informed design iterations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is crucial for this role, as it's explicitly mentioned as a requirement and will be reviewed during the selection process. It needs to highlight not just aesthetic skills but also strategic thinking, problem-solving abilities, and a comprehensive understanding of the UX/UI design lifecycle.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: €24,000 - €28,000 per year (RAL - "Retribuzione Annua Lorda"), based on experience and portfolio quality.

Benefits:

• Full-time employment contract under the CCNL Metalmeccanico (Italian National Collective Labour Agreement for Metalworkers).

• Provision of a MacBook, external monitor, and necessary tools to facilitate effective work.

• Annual training budget of €1,000 for professional development.

• Weekly one-on-one meetings with a dedicated manager for guidance and feedback.

• Hybrid work arrangement, allowing remote work with a mandatory monthly visit to the Trento HQ.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours, likely around 40 hours per week, with flexibility inherent in a hybrid work model.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is clearly defined and is dependent on the candidate's demonstrated skills and portfolio. The benefits package emphasizes essential work equipment, continuous learning, and structured mentorship, which are attractive for junior professionals. The CCNL Metalmeccanico is a common and comprehensive contract for technical and digital roles in Italy.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Digital Product Studio, Technology, Software Development, Digital Transformation. Belka partners with innovative Italian companies across various sectors, including FinTech (Fatture in Cloud, Banca Sella, Walliance, Mooney), E-commerce (Subito.it), and Energy (NeN).

Company Size: Small to Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) with approximately 10 core team members (strategists, designers, developers), plus a wider network. This size fosters a close-knit, collaborative, and agile working environment.

Founded: While the founding date isn't explicitly stated, the mention of "last five years" suggests a relatively young and dynamic company that has rapidly established partnerships with significant Italian businesses.

Team Structure:

• The core team consists of around 10 individuals specializing in strategy, design, and development.

• This role operates within the design function, collaborating closely with strategists and developers.

Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making is implied, with a focus on product growth and client success.

• Agile and iterative design processes are likely employed, given the nature of digital product development.

• Emphasis on collaboration, client workshops, and user testing to ensure product-market fit and user satisfaction.

Company Website: https://careers.belkadigital.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Belka positions itself as a growth partner for digital products. The company culture appears to value collaboration, innovation, and a hands-on approach. Working in a studio environment means exposure to diverse projects and clients, requiring adaptability and a broad skill set.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Junior UX/UI Designer. This role is designed for individuals early in their design careers, offering a structured path to develop core competencies in both UX and UI design within a professional product studio setting.

Reporting Structure: The role involves weekly 1:1 meetings with a manager, indicating a clear reporting line and a focus on professional development and performance guidance within the design team.

Operations Impact: Junior designers are expected to contribute directly to the success of client digital products by creating intuitive and effective user experiences. Their work directly influences user engagement, conversion rates, and overall product satisfaction, thereby contributing to client business growth.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas of UX (e.g., user research, information architecture) or UI (e.g., interaction design, visual design, design systems).

• Project Diversity: Exposure to a wide range of projects and industries, building a versatile portfolio and a broad understanding of different user needs and business contexts.

• Mentorship: Regular 1:1s with a manager provide direct guidance, feedback, and support for career progression.

• Advanced Training: An annual training budget of €1,000 allows for professional development through courses, workshops, or conferences.

• Potential for Advancement: Successful performance and demonstrated growth can lead to Senior UX/UI Designer roles, or specialization in areas like UX Research, Product Strategy, or Design Leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "growth mindset" requirement is a strong indicator that Belka invests in its employees' development. The structured 1:1s and training budget are tangible support mechanisms for career progression. This role is an excellent stepping stone for a junior designer looking to build a robust career in digital product design.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Belka operates as a Digital Product Studio with a headquarters in Trento. The work environment is described as hybrid, allowing for remote work but requiring monthly visits to the HQ. This suggests a blend of independent work and collaborative in-person sessions.

Office Location(s): The primary office is located in Trento, Italy (postal code 38123). This location serves as the central hub for team meetings and collaborative activities.

Workspace Context:

• The hybrid model offers flexibility, allowing designers to work from their preferred location while ensuring regular face-to-face interaction.

• The company provides essential equipment, including a MacBook and an external monitor, ensuring a comfortable and productive workspace regardless of location.

• The small team size likely fosters an open and collaborative atmosphere, where designers can easily interact with strategists, developers, and project managers.

Work Schedule: A standard full-time schedule is expected, likely around 40 hours per week. The hybrid nature provides flexibility in managing work hours and balancing personal commitments, which is beneficial for deep work sessions and creative problem-solving.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model with monthly HQ visits is designed to balance the benefits of remote work (focus, flexibility) with the advantages of in-person collaboration (team building, brainstorming). Designers should be comfortable working independently and proactively engaging during their time in the Trento office.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• CV Screening: Initial review to assess qualifications, experience, and alignment with the role's basic requirements.

• Introductory Call: A preliminary conversation to gauge personality, communication skills, and initial fit with Belka's culture.

• Evaluation Test: A task designed to assess specific design skills and problem-solving abilities.

• Technical & Cultural Fit Assessment: A more in-depth evaluation focusing on both design competencies and alignment with Belka's values and team dynamics.

• Technical Exercise: A practical design challenge to evaluate hands-on skills and approach to a real-world problem.

• 1:1 with Luca & Giulio: Final interviews with key stakeholders (likely founders or senior leaders) to discuss the role, company vision, and mutual fit.

• Offer: Extension of a job offer to the selected candidate.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Process: Clearly illustrate your design journey for each project, from initial problem definition and research to ideation, iteration, and final solution.

• Highlight Impact: Quantify results whenever possible. Explain the business value and user benefits derived from your design decisions.

• Demonstrate Versatility: Include projects that showcase both strong UX thinking (user flows, wireframes, research insights) and polished UI design (visuals, interaction design, prototypes).

• Figma Expertise: Ensure your portfolio highlights projects where Figma was used extensively for design, prototyping, and potentially design system elements.

• Tell a Story: Structure your case studies as narratives that engage the reader and clearly communicate your role, challenges, and contributions.

• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize projects that align with Belka's focus on digital product studios, client collaboration, and impactful design. If you have B2B SaaS experience, feature it prominently.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for a practical design exercise that likely involves a brief, a problem statement, and a time constraint.

• Focus on articulating your thought process clearly and demonstrating how you would approach a real-world design challenge.

• Practice presenting your work and rationale concisely, as presentation skills are listed as a preferred skill.

• Be ready to discuss how you balance business needs, stakeholder input, and user requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The multi-stage interview process, including a technical exercise and final 1:1s, indicates a thorough vetting procedure. The emphasis on "grintose" (spirited/driven) individuals and "making a difference" suggests Belka seeks proactive and passionate designers. The portfolio is the cornerstone of this application.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: This is the core design tool. Proficiency is mandatory for wireframing, UI design, prototyping, and collaboration.

• AI Tools (Plus): Familiarity with AI tools like Claude Code or Figma Make is a plus, indicating an openness to leveraging emerging technologies to improve design workflows.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the UX/UI designer role, but an understanding of how design impacts CRM and automation workflows might be beneficial in certain B2B SaaS contexts.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is the non-negotiable tool for this role. Candidates should be ready to demonstrate their mastery of its features. Familiarity with AI tools in the design process is a differentiator. A basic understanding of product analytics tools would be advantageous for demonstrating a data-informed design approach.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Impact & Value Creation: A strong drive to create tangible value for clients and the company through design, focusing on product growth and functionality.

• Teamwork & Collaboration: Emphasis on working collectively ("facendo squadra") and supporting each other to achieve common goals.

• Growth & Learning: A commitment to continuous improvement, embracing new challenges as learning opportunities ("mindset di crescita").

• Proactivity & Initiative: Expectation that individuals will identify problems and opportunities and take action without direct prompting.

• "Magic" Touch: A desire for creativity and innovation, going beyond standard solutions to deliver exceptional results.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Designers work closely with strategists, developers, and project managers, requiring open communication and mutual respect for each discipline.

• Client-Facing Collaboration: Active participation in client workshops and meetings, necessitating clear articulation of design concepts and strategies.

• Feedback Culture: The structured 1:1s and iterative design process imply a culture where constructive feedback is regularly exchanged.

📝 Enhancement Note: Belka's culture appears to be dynamic, collaborative, and results-oriented. The "magic" element suggests a creative and innovative spirit. Candidates should demonstrate how they embody these values through their past experiences and approach to work.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Diverse Needs: Effectively integrating business objectives, stakeholder expectations, and user needs into cohesive and effective designs.

• End-to-End Ownership: Taking full responsibility for the design process from concept to hand-off, requiring strong project management and organizational skills.

• Client Communication: Presenting design rationale and navigating feedback from various clients with potentially different levels of design understanding.

• Rapid Iteration: Adapting quickly to feedback and project changes in a fast-paced studio environment.

• Leveraging New Technologies: Integrating AI tools or other emerging technologies into existing design workflows effectively.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Formal Training: Access to a €1,000 annual budget for courses, workshops, or conferences to enhance design skills.

• On-the-Job Learning: Gaining experience across diverse projects and industries, broadening design expertise.

• Mentorship: Regular guidance and feedback from a dedicated manager through weekly 1:1s.

• Design System Contribution: Developing expertise in establishing and maintaining design systems, a valuable skill in the industry.

• Presentation Skills: Developing and honing the ability to present complex design concepts to clients and stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for a junior role in a dynamic product studio, offering significant learning potential. The growth opportunities are well-defined, particularly the investment in training and mentorship, which are crucial for early-career designers.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to balance conflicting requirements from business stakeholders and user needs for a design project. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your decision-making process, communication, and problem-solving.)

• "Walk us through a project in your portfolio where you were responsible for the end-to-end design process. What were the key stages, challenges, and your specific contributions?" (Prepare a concise narrative for 1-2 key portfolio pieces.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in working at Belka, and what about our Digital Product Studio model appeals to you?" (Research Belka's clients and recent projects.)

• "How do you see yourself contributing to a team of ~10 people, and what's your ideal collaboration style with developers and strategists?" (Highlight your team-oriented and communicative nature.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select Key Projects: Choose 2-3 projects that best showcase your UX and UI skills, problem-solving abilities, and understanding of the design process. Prioritize projects demonstrating impact and client collaboration.

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly outline: the problem statement, your role and responsibilities, the design process (research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, UI, testing), key decisions made, challenges faced, and the final outcome/impact.

• Highlight Figma Usage: Explicitly mention how you utilized Figma for different stages of the design process.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced user errors, positive feedback from user testing).

• Be Ready for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design choices, how you handle feedback, and your collaboration methods.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes practical skills, cultural alignment, and a proactive attitude. Candidates must be prepared to articulate their design process, justify their decisions, and demonstrate how they can contribute value to Belka and its clients. A strong portfolio presentation is paramount.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Junior UX/UI Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Belka careers page.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date, showcases your best work with a focus on UX and UI, and clearly outlines your design process and impact. Tailor your project selection to highlight relevant experience, especially any B2B SaaS or client-facing agency work.

• Optimize Your Resume: Highlight your 1+ year of experience, Figma proficiency, and any relevant skills mentioned in the job description. Use keywords like "UX/UI Design," "Product Design," "Wireframing," "Prototyping," "Figma," and "Design System."

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice articulating your design process and key project outcomes concisely. Be ready to discuss your portfolio during interviews and explain your approach to problem-solving and collaboration.

• Research Belka: Familiarize yourself with Belka's work, clients, and company culture. Understand their positioning as a Digital Product Studio and what makes them unique.

⚠️ 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.