Principal Product UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Principal Product UX Designer

Company: Halcyon

Location: Remote, US

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / User Experience

Date Posted: February 05, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end user experience strategy and execution for an adaptive security platform focused on ransomware prevention.

• Drive user research, design standards, and the evolution of a comprehensive design system for enterprise-grade SaaS products.

• Translate complex cybersecurity data and telemetry into intuitive, actionable, and visually compelling user interfaces for security operations teams.

• Foster a user-centered design culture and collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver high-impact product solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Principal Product UX Designer," the responsibilities and qualifications strongly indicate a senior leadership role within the UX function, responsible for not just individual contribution but also strategic direction and team elevation. The focus on "enterprise-grade SaaS" and "complex security data" positions this role within a critical, high-stakes technology domain.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define and champion the overall UX vision, principles, and long-term design strategy for the Halcyon platform, ensuring alignment with business objectives.

• Lead comprehensive user research initiatives, including discovery interviews, persona development, journey mapping, and usability testing to gather actionable insights.

• Drive the end-to-end design process for complex enterprise workflows, from conceptualization and ideation through to detailed UI design and implementation.

• Evolve, govern, and evangelize Halcyon’s design system in Figma, ensuring visual and interaction consistency across the platform and related assets.

• Design clear and effective data visualizations and complex interfaces that translate dense security telemetry (alerts, events, timelines) into easily comprehensible and actionable information for security professionals.

• Collaborate closely with Product Management, Engineering, Threat Response, Quant, Customer Success, Brand, and Marketing teams to deliver cohesive and high-quality user experiences.

• Advocate for user needs and design best practices, clearly communicating and defending design decisions with data, research findings, and industry standards.

• Analyze user behavior and product usage data to identify opportunities for continuous improvement in usability, efficiency, and clarity.

• Mentor and elevate the UX design team, fostering an environment of active participation in product direction and executive decision-making.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of individual contribution and strategic leadership. Emphasis is placed on translating "complex security data" into "intuitive, actionable, and visually compelling experiences," which is a critical skill for UX professionals in the cybersecurity domain. The "Design System Ownership" responsibility indicates a need for strong governance and implementation skills.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Graphic Design, Psychology, or a related field is often preferred for senior UX roles. Equivalent practical experience will be considered.

Experience: 8-12+ years of progressive experience in Product UX/UI design, with a significant focus on Enterprise SaaS or complex software platforms. Direct experience in cybersecurity, observability, or data-intensive tools is highly preferred.

Required Skills:

• Proven expertise in end-to-end product design ownership, demonstrated through a robust portfolio showcasing research, strategy, concept development, and shipped user experiences.

• Deep proficiency with industry-standard design and prototyping tools, particularly Figma, for wireframing, high-fidelity design, and rapid prototyping.

• Extensive experience in designing complex enterprise workflows, including but not limited to Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), policy engines, dashboards, API interfaces, and multi-tenant system designs.

• Strong understanding of modern front-end development patterns, technical constraints, and the ability to collaborate effectively with engineering teams.

• Experience designing sophisticated dashboards and interfaces for security-related domains, encompassing alerts, event logs, threat timelines, MITRE ATT&CK frameworks, asset management, user behavior analytics, and policy configuration.

• Exceptional communication, presentation, and storytelling skills, with a demonstrated ability to influence and gain buy-in from stakeholders at all organizational levels.

Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with front-end frameworks such as React, and UI libraries like Material UI, to facilitate seamless collaboration with engineering on implementation.

• Experience in leading user research initiatives, including qualitative and quantitative data synthesis, and translating findings into actionable design recommendations.

• Demonstrated ability to evolve and govern a mature design system, ensuring its adoption and scalability across product teams.

• Experience with data visualization techniques and tools for presenting complex security telemetry and operational data effectively.

• Understanding of cybersecurity principles and the operational challenges faced by security analysts and SOC teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirement of "8-12+ years" and the emphasis on "Principal" within the title suggest this role is for a highly experienced individual contributor or a potential team lead. The required skills are specific to enterprise software and highly technical domains, requiring a deep understanding of complex user flows and data representation.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio demonstrating end-to-end product design ownership, covering the entire design lifecycle from initial user research and strategy formulation through to detailed execution and successful product launch.

• Case studies that clearly articulate the problem space, your design process, the rationale behind key design decisions, and the measurable impact of your solutions on user goals and business objectives.

• Examples showcasing experience with complex enterprise workflows, such as policy management, RBAC implementation, dashboard design, and integration interfaces, highlighting how you navigated technical and user constraints.

• Demonstrations of your ability to translate dense, technical data (e.g., security alerts, telemetry, event logs) into clear, actionable, and visually compelling dashboards and visualizations.

Process Documentation:

• Examples of how you have documented user flows, interaction patterns, and design specifications to ensure clarity for engineering and product teams during implementation.

• Case studies detailing your approach to user research, including methodologies used (e.g., interviews, usability testing, journey mapping) and how insights were synthesized and applied to inform design decisions.

• Documentation showcasing your experience with prototyping tools and the iterative design process, demonstrating how you used prototypes to test concepts and gather feedback.

• Examples of how you have contributed to or managed a design system, including its components, patterns, and guidelines, and how you ensured its adoption and effectiveness.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Principal-level UX role, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to showcase not just visual design skills but strategic thinking, user advocacy, and the ability to manage complex, data-intensive enterprise products. The emphasis on "end-to-end product design ownership" and "complex enterprise workflows" means candidates must be prepared to detail their process and impact with concrete examples.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $175,000 - $225,000 per year.

Bonus: 10% target bonus.

Equity: Generous equity offering.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive healthcare coverage (medical, dental, and vision) with premiums paid in full for employees and dependents.

• 401k plan with a 3% employer match.

• Short and long-term disability coverage.

• Basic life and AD&D insurance plans.

• Medical and dependent care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) options.

• Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO) policy.

• Parental leave.

• Generous equity offering.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours (estimated 40 hours per week), with flexibility as expected in a remote, high-growth environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is provided, along with details on bonus and equity, indicating a competitive compensation package for a senior role. The benefits list is comprehensive, with a strong emphasis on employee well-being and financial security, including fully paid premiums for healthcare and a 401k match. The "Flexible PTO Policy" aligns with a remote-first, results-oriented culture.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Cybersecurity, specifically focused on adaptive security platforms and ransomware prevention. Halcyon operates in a high-growth, competitive market driven by advanced threat intelligence and innovative technology.

Company Size: The provided data does not specify company size, but the description mentions a "remote-native, completely distributed global team" and a focus on "mid-market and enterprise customers," suggesting a growing, likely Series A or B stage startup.

Founded: 2021. This indicates a relatively young company, likely with a fast-paced, agile culture focused on rapid product development and market penetration.

Team Structure:

• The UX team is likely small but influential, with this Principal Designer setting the tone and standards.

• Close collaboration is expected with Product Management, Engineering, Threat Response, Quant (Data Science/Analytics), Customer Success, Brand, and Marketing teams.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Emphasis on leveraging user data, research insights, and product usage analytics to inform design decisions and measure impact.

• User-Centered Approach: A core tenet of the UX practice, focusing on understanding and addressing user needs, particularly those of security professionals operating under pressure.

• Agile Development: Likely operates within an agile framework, requiring rapid iteration, close collaboration with engineering, and adaptability to evolving requirements.

• Design System Governance: A structured approach to maintaining and evolving design components and patterns for consistency and efficiency.

Company Website: halcyon.ai

📝 Enhancement Note: Halcyon is positioned as an innovative leader in the cybersecurity space, aiming to disrupt the market with its advanced anti-ransomware platform. The company's founding by industry veterans suggests a strong technical foundation and a clear understanding of market needs. The remote-native structure implies a culture that values autonomy, asynchronous communication, and effective use of digital collaboration tools.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This "Principal" role represents a senior individual contributor track, offering significant influence and strategic responsibility within the Product Design function. It is a position for seasoned professionals who can operate autonomously, define best practices, and contribute at a strategic level without necessarily managing a team directly, though mentorship is expected.

Reporting Structure: The Principal Product UX Designer likely reports to a Head of Product, VP of Product, or potentially a Chief Product Officer (CPO), depending on the company's current organizational structure. They will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct and significant impact on product success by ensuring the Halcyon platform is intuitive, effective, and actionable for its target enterprise and public sector customers. High-quality UX is critical for adoption, customer satisfaction, and competitive differentiation in the cybersecurity market, directly influencing revenue and market share.

Growth Opportunities:

• Strategic Leadership: Opportunity to shape product direction and define the future of UX at Halcyon, potentially growing into a formal UX leadership or management role as the company scales.

• Domain Expertise: Deepen expertise in cybersecurity, threat intelligence, and enterprise SaaS design, becoming a subject matter expert in a high-demand field.

• Platform Evolution: Contribute to the growth and maturation of a mission-critical platform, gaining experience in scaling complex software products.

• Mentorship & Influence: Guide and mentor other designers, and influence product and executive decision-making through strong design advocacy.

📝 Enhancement Note: This is a pivotal role for career growth, offering a path to leadership and deep specialization in a critical technology sector. The "Principal" title signifies a high level of autonomy and strategic input, providing a strong foundation for future advancement within Halcyon or the broader tech industry.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is a "remote-native, completely distributed global team." There is no physical office requirement; work is conducted entirely remotely.

Office Location(s): Remote within the United States. While the company is global, this specific role is designated for candidates located within the US.

Workspace Context:

• Autonomous and Flexible: The remote-first environment encourages self-management, flexibility in work hours (within reasonable collaboration needs), and a focus on results over presenteeism.

• Digital Collaboration: Reliance on modern collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Zoom, Figma, Jira, Confluence) for communication, design, and project management.

• Cross-Functional Interaction: Opportunities for frequent direct interaction with product managers, engineers, and subject matter experts across the organization, facilitated through digital channels.

Work Schedule: While specific hours are not dictated, a standard full-time commitment is expected (approximately 40 hours per week). The remote nature allows for flexibility in structuring the workday, provided collaboration and deadlines are met. This flexibility is beneficial for asynchronous work and accommodating different time zones within the US.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote-native aspect is a core feature of Halcyon's work environment. Candidates should be comfortable with asynchronous communication, self-discipline, and leveraging digital tools for all aspects of their work. The "Remote, US" designation indicates a need to be within the United States for employment purposes.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess fit with the role's requirements and experience level.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the hiring manager (likely a Head of Product or senior design lead) to delve into your background, experience, and approach to product design.

• Portfolio Presentation & Design Challenge: Typically involves presenting your portfolio work, discussing specific case studies in detail, and potentially completing a design exercise or hypothetical challenge relevant to Halcyon's product. This stage assesses your design thinking, problem-solving skills, and ability to articulate your process.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders from Product, Engineering, and potentially Threat Response to evaluate collaboration style, technical understanding, and ability to work within a complex domain.

• Executive/Final Interview: A final discussion, potentially with a senior executive (e.g., CPO, CEO), to assess strategic alignment, cultural fit, and overall leadership potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate end-to-end ownership, complex enterprise problem-solving, and experience with data-intensive or security-related products.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the design process, key decisions and trade-offs, and the measurable outcomes or impact. Use visuals effectively.

• Highlight Complexity: Emphasize projects that involved intricate user flows, technical constraints, data visualization challenges, or integration with other systems.

• Showcase Design System Contributions: If applicable, include examples of your work with or on design systems, demonstrating your understanding of scalability and consistency.

• Prepare for Questions: Be ready to discuss your design rationale, how you incorporated user feedback, and how you collaborated with engineering and product teams.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Familiarize yourself with Halcyon's product, the cybersecurity landscape, and common challenges faced by security operations teams.

• Focus on Process: For any design challenge, articulate your thinking process, research approach (even if hypothetical), ideation techniques, and how you would validate solutions.

• Consider Constraints: Be mindful of potential technical, business, and user constraints in your proposed solutions.

• Practice Presentation: Rehearse presenting your portfolio and any challenge responses clearly and concisely, ensuring you can communicate complex ideas effectively within a limited timeframe.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a Principal role will be rigorous, focusing heavily on strategic thinking, problem-solving methodology, and proven impact. The portfolio is the primary screening tool, and candidates must be prepared to present it comprehensively and defend their design decisions.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Explicitly required for design, prototyping, and design system management. Expect to use it extensively for all design deliverables.

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma's native capabilities, experience with tools like InVision, Axure, or similar for more complex interactive prototypes may be beneficial.

• User Research Platforms: Tools like UserTesting.com, Lookback, or similar for conducting remote usability testing and gathering qualitative feedback.

• Collaboration & Project Management: Familiarity with tools such as Slack for communication, Jira for issue tracking, and Confluence for documentation is essential for remote team collaboration.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics Tools: Experience with tools like Amplitude, Mixpanel, or Google Analytics for analyzing user behavior within the product to identify design improvement opportunities.

• Data Visualization Tools: While not explicitly mentioned, familiarity with how data is presented in tools like Tableau, Power BI, or custom dashboards can inform design for complex interfaces.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: Understanding how user data is managed in systems like Salesforce, HubSpot, or similar, as UX design for enterprise SaaS often involves understanding customer data flows and user segmentation.

• Integration Tools: Awareness of how different software systems connect and share data, as the platform may involve third-party integrations.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is the non-negotiable tool here. Proficiency in other design and research tools is expected for a senior role. Understanding how product analytics informs design decisions is crucial for demonstrating impact and driving continuous improvement.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Mission-Driven: A strong commitment to the company's mission of stopping ransomware and protecting global enterprises. This translates to a sense of purpose and dedication in daily work.

• User-Centricity: A deep-seated focus on understanding and advocating for the user, ensuring that product decisions are grounded in user needs and pain points, especially for security professionals under pressure.

• Excellence & Quality: A drive for high standards in product design, engineering, and overall user experience, reflecting the critical nature of cybersecurity solutions.

• Innovation & Adaptability: A culture that embraces new ideas, rapid iteration, and continuous learning to stay ahead of evolving threats and technological advancements.

• Collaboration & Transparency: As a remote team, transparent communication and effective cross-functional collaboration are vital for success.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Expect close working relationships with Product Managers and Engineers, requiring clear communication, shared ownership, and a collaborative approach to problem-solving.

• Data-Informed Discussions: Design discussions are likely to be evidence-based, drawing on user research, product analytics, and security domain expertise.

• Remote-First Communication: Reliance on asynchronous communication tools and structured virtual meetings to ensure alignment and progress across distributed teams.

• Iterative Feedback Loops: A culture that encourages constructive feedback and iteration on designs and product features.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture at Halcyon is likely characterized by a strong sense of purpose, a commitment to technical excellence, and a proactive, adaptable approach to product development in the fast-paced cybersecurity sector. The remote-first nature necessitates a culture of trust, autonomy, and effective digital collaboration.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Translating Complex Data: The primary challenge is designing intuitive interfaces for highly complex and dense security data (telemetry, alerts, threat intelligence) that must be understood quickly by users under high pressure.

• Balancing User Needs with Technical Constraints: Effectively designing for enterprise security workflows while respecting technical limitations and security requirements.

• Rapidly Evolving Threat Landscape: Keeping pace with the dynamic nature of cybersecurity threats and ensuring the platform's UX remains relevant and effective against new attack vectors.

• Establishing Design Standards in a Growing Company: As a Principal Designer, you will be instrumental in establishing and scaling design standards, processes, and the design system in a fast-growing startup environment.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deepen Cybersecurity Domain Expertise: Gain in-depth knowledge of ransomware, threat detection, incident response, and enterprise security operations.

• Lead Design System Development: Opportunity to own and mature a critical design asset that impacts the entire product suite.

• Strategic Product Influence: Shape the direction of a cutting-edge security platform and influence executive-level product strategy.

• Mentorship and Team Growth: Develop leadership and mentorship skills by guiding junior designers and contributing to building out the UX function.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents significant challenges inherent to the cybersecurity domain, providing ample opportunities for professional growth and skill development for a motivated individual. Overcoming these challenges will be key to demonstrating value and advancing within the company.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you translated highly complex data into an intuitive user experience. What was your process, and what were the outcomes?" (Focus on data visualization, user research, and impact.)

• "How would you approach designing a new policy management workflow for an enterprise security platform? What user needs and technical considerations would you prioritize?" (Assess understanding of enterprise workflows and design process.)

• "Walk us through your process for evolving or managing a design system. How do you ensure adoption and maintain consistency across a growing product?" (Evaluate design system expertise and governance skills.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in Halcyon and our mission to combat ransomware?" (Demonstrate understanding of the company's purpose and your alignment.)

• "Describe your experience working in a remote-first, distributed team environment. What strategies do you use to collaborate effectively?" (Assess remote work adaptability and collaboration skills.)

• "How do you balance user advocacy with business objectives and engineering constraints?" (Evaluate your approach to product development trade-offs.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your presentation logically, starting with an overview of Halcyon and the role, then diving into 2-3 key case studies, and concluding with your career aspirations and Q&A.

• Narrative: For each case study, tell a compelling story that highlights the problem, your strategic approach, the design process (research, ideation, iteration), your specific contributions, and the quantifiable impact.

• Visuals: Use high-quality mockups, wireframes, prototypes, and user flow diagrams. Show the evolution of your designs and explain the rationale behind them.

• Metrics: Where possible, present data and metrics that demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., improved task completion rates, reduced errors, increased user satisfaction).

• Prepare for Deep Dives: Be ready to answer detailed questions about your decision-making, collaboration, and problem-solving approaches within each project.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, a deep understanding of the design process, and the ability to handle complex, data-intensive enterprise products. Be prepared to articulate your value proposition clearly and connect your experience to Halcyon's specific challenges and mission.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Principal Product UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Greenhouse.

• Customize your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your 8-12+ years of experience in Enterprise SaaS UX, your portfolio, and your specific skills in areas like data visualization, complex workflows, and design systems. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date, showcases your strongest end-to-end projects, and clearly articulates your process and impact, especially for complex enterprise or data-intensive applications.

• Research Halcyon: Thoroughly understand Halcyon's mission, product, target market, and recent news. Familiarize yourself with the cybersecurity landscape and the challenges of ransomware.

• Practice your Presentation: Rehearse presenting your portfolio and potential answers to common interview questions, focusing on clarity, conciseness, and strategic thinking.

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

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