Senior UI Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UI Designer

Company: Duel.com

Location: Malta

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UI/UX

Date Posted: April 1, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the visual and interactive design of Duel's online casino, sportsbook, and PvP gaming platforms, ensuring a distinctive and engaging user experience.

• Own and strategically advance Duel's design system, maintaining brand consistency across all touchpoints without sacrificing creative expression.

• Translate complex product requirements into intuitive, visually bold, and high-performing interfaces for both web and mobile applications.

• Foster a collaborative environment by working directly with product and engineering teams to ensure seamless design implementation and rapid iteration.

• Leverage player behavior data and analytics to continuously refine user experiences and drive product innovation.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the raw job title is "Senior UI Designer," the description emphasizes deep ownership of the user experience across multiple product verticals (casino, sportsbook, PvP games) and direct collaboration with engineering. This indicates a role that goes beyond traditional UI design and encompasses significant product and UX responsibilities, aligning with a "Product Designer" or "Senior Product Designer" scope within the gaming/entertainment tech sector. The emphasis on "owning how Duel feels" and "bringing that to life" suggests a strategic design leadership position.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design user interfaces and interaction flows for diverse gaming verticals including casino games, sports betting, player-versus-player (PvP) experiences, and live event interfaces.

• Develop, maintain, and evolve Duel's comprehensive design system to ensure visual consistency, brand integrity, and efficient design workflows across all product surfaces.

• Translate product strategies and user research into intuitive, visually distinctive, and high-performance user experiences that drive engagement and retention.

• Collaborate closely with software engineers throughout the development lifecycle to ensure pixel-perfect implementation of designs and to provide ongoing design support.

• Create compelling promotional and marketing assets that align with Duel's irreverent, bold, and distinctive brand identity.

• Analyze player behavior data, user feedback, and A/B testing results to identify areas for improvement and iterate on designs for optimal performance and user satisfaction.

• Drive rapid iteration and deployment cycles within an agile development framework, ensuring high-quality design output without compromising speed.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of UI design, UX strategy, and product ownership. The emphasis on "owning and evolving Duel's design system" and "translating product requirements into experiences" suggests a strategic approach to design, not just execution. The direct collaboration with developers and the mention of "no approval chains" points to a high degree of autonomy and responsibility for design outcomes.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

Required Skills:

• Expert proficiency in Figma: Demonstrated ability to create complex designs, prototypes, and design systems within Figma.

• UI/UX Design Expertise: Proven experience in designing intuitive, engaging, and visually distinctive user interfaces for web and mobile applications.

• Portfolio Excellence: A strong portfolio showcasing a wide range of design projects, demonstrating speed, a distinctive visual style, and the ability to move beyond template-based work.

• Interactive & High-Engagement Product Design: Experience designing for products that require deep user engagement and frequent interaction.

• Direct Engineering Collaboration: Ability to work effectively and directly with engineers, facilitating clear communication and efficient design handoffs.

• Strong Design Opinion & Defensibility: Capacity to form strong design opinions, articulate them clearly, and defend them effectively, while also being open to constructive feedback and alternative viewpoints.

• Self-Directed & Autonomous: Proven ability to work independently, take initiative, and make design decisions with minimal oversight.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with interactive prototyping tools beyond Figma.

• Familiarity with user research methodologies and usability testing.

• Experience in creating design assets for marketing and promotional campaigns.

• Understanding of player psychology and behavior in gaming contexts.

• Familiarity with agile development methodologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "3+ years of experience" combined with the title "Senior UI Designer" suggests the company is looking for a candidate who can operate with significant autonomy and has a proven track record of impactful design. The emphasis on a "distinctive eye" and "not template work" in the portfolio implies a need for originality and a strong personal design aesthetic. The "strong opinions" and "self-directed" traits point to a culture that values proactive problem-solving and individual initiative.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate Design Range & Speed: Showcase a variety of projects that highlight your ability to tackle different design challenges and deliver high-quality results efficiently.

• Distinctive Visual Style: Present work that clearly illustrates a unique and bold design aesthetic, differentiating it from generic or templated solutions.

• Process & Problem-Solving: Include case studies that detail your design process, from understanding user needs and business requirements to iterating on solutions and achieving measurable outcomes.

• System Thinking: Highlight any experience with or understanding of design systems, showcasing how you ensure consistency and scalability in your designs.

• Collaboration & Impact: Provide examples of how your designs have directly impacted user engagement, conversion rates, or other key business metrics, ideally with quantifiable results.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Be prepared to discuss how you approach designing user flows for complex interactive products and how you optimize these flows for speed and intuitiveness.

• Design System Implementation: Be ready to explain your philosophy on building and maintaining design systems, including how you ensure consistency without stifling creativity.

• Data-Driven Iteration: Demonstrate your ability to use user behavior data and analytics to inform design decisions and drive iterative improvements to existing interfaces.

📝 Enhancement Note: The job description explicitly states "A portfolio that shows range, speed, and a distinctive eye; not template work." This implies that the portfolio review will be a critical part of the assessment, focusing on originality, efficiency, and the ability to create a unique brand identity through design. Candidates should be prepared to walk through their process and explain the rationale behind their design choices, especially concerning brand distinctiveness and user engagement.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Estimated Range: €55,000 - €80,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications.

• Methodology: This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for Senior UI/Product Designers in Malta and other European tech hubs, considering the remote nature of the role and the specified experience level (3+ years, with an AI-derived expectation of 5-10 years). Factors such as the company's focus on a niche, high-engagement industry (gambling/entertainment) and the emphasis on autonomy and direct impact also inform this range. Salary data for similar roles in Malta and remote European positions were consulted.

Benefits:

• Fully Remote Work: Enjoy the flexibility and autonomy of working from any location within Malta.

• Competitive Salary: A compensation package designed to attract and retain top design talent.

• Direct Impact: Opportunity to own significant design decisions and see your work directly influence a unique product.

• Collaborative Environment: Work closely with product and engineering teams without layers of bureaucracy.

• Design System Ownership: A chance to shape and evolve a core design system for a distinctive brand.

• Professional Development: Potential for growth and learning in a fast-paced, innovative environment.

Working Hours:

• Approximately 40 hours per week, with flexibility to accommodate remote work and iterative release cycles. The emphasis on self-direction suggests a focus on output and results rather than strict adherence to traditional office hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role is fully remote and based in Malta, the salary range has been estimated using European market data for senior design roles. The company's explicit mention of "no approval chains" and "you own how Duel feels" suggests a compensation structure that reflects this high level of responsibility and autonomy.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Online Gambling & Entertainment Technology. Duel.com positions itself as a disruptor in the gambling industry, aiming to offer a "purest, fairest casino." This suggests a culture that values innovation, transparency, and a strong brand identity that contrasts with traditional operators.

Company Size: Duel.com operates as a growing startup. While the exact number of employees isn't specified, the description of working directly with product and engineering without "layers" implies a lean, agile team structure. This allows for faster decision-making and direct impact for team members.

Founded: The founding date is not explicitly provided, but Duel.com presents itself as a modern, forward-thinking company challenging established norms in the gambling sector.

Team Structure:

• Lean & Agile: The team is structured to enable rapid development and direct collaboration, minimizing hierarchical layers.

• Cross-Functional: Designers work intimately with product managers and engineers, fostering a highly collaborative and integrated workflow.

• Autonomous Pods: The "no layers, no approval chains" philosophy suggests that teams or individuals operate with a high degree of autonomy, taking ownership of their respective domains.

Methodology:

• Iterative Design & Development: The company emphasizes moving fast and working in iterative release cycles, prioritizing frequent deployment of new features and improvements.

• Data-Driven Decisions: Player behavior and data are crucial for refining designs and making informed product decisions.

• Bold & Distinctive Branding: A core methodological principle is to create a unique identity that stands out in a crowded market, moving away from conventional aesthetics.

Company Website: https://duel.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's explicit stance against "scammers, fake bets, and dark patterns" in gambling suggests a strong ethical compass and a commitment to user trust, which could be a significant cultural differentiator. This "protest" mentality likely permeates their approach to product development and design.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a "Senior UI Designer," indicating a mid-to-senior career stage. The emphasis on ownership, direct collaboration, and the ability to "own how Duel feels" suggests a role with significant responsibility and influence, akin to a Senior Product Designer or Design Lead for specific product areas.

Reporting Structure:

Operations Impact:

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: As a senior member of the team, there's potential to grow into a Design Lead role, mentoring junior designers and shaping the broader design strategy.

• Product Ownership: Deep involvement in product strategy and decision-making can lead to expanded product ownership responsibilities.

• Specialization: Opportunity to become a domain expert in specific areas like casino UI, sportsbook UX, or interactive game design.

• Skill Expansion: Continuous learning and application of design principles in a fast-paced, innovative environment provide ample opportunities to hone skills in areas like design systems, data-informed design, and cross-functional leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "self-directed" nature of the role and the direct collaboration with engineering suggest that growth will be driven by initiative and demonstrated impact, rather than a predefined corporate ladder. This is typical of startups where individuals can quickly take on more responsibility based on their contributions.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully remote. This role is not tied to a physical office location, offering maximum flexibility to candidates within Malta.

Office Location(s):

Workspace Context:

• Digital Collaboration: The primary workspace will be digital, relying heavily on collaboration tools like Figma, Slack, and video conferencing.

• Agile & Fast-Paced: The environment is characterized by rapid iteration and a focus on shipping quickly, requiring adaptability and efficiency.

• Autonomous & Trusting: The company culture fosters autonomy, trusting designers to manage their time and make design decisions independently.

• Direct Impact: Team members are encouraged to take ownership and see the direct results of their contributions within the product.

Work Schedule:

• While core working hours are not strictly defined, a 40-hour work week is implied. The emphasis on iterative release cycles and self-direction suggests a flexible schedule that prioritizes productivity and timely delivery over rigid time tracking. Communication and collaboration with global teams (if applicable) may require occasional flexibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The fully remote nature with a specific geographical anchor (Malta) suggests the company may have legal or operational reasons for this, but it still offers significant flexibility for those based there. The environment is clearly geared towards high-performers who thrive on autonomy and fast-paced development.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your CV and portfolio to assess suitability for the role and alignment with Duel's design philosophy.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A deep dive into your portfolio, where you will be expected to present key projects, discuss your design process, rationale, and impact. This is where your "distinctive eye" and ability to defend design choices will be evaluated.

• Technical/Skills Assessment: Potentially a short design exercise or a discussion focused on Figma proficiency and design system thinking.

• Cross-Functional Interview: A conversation with product and engineering team members to assess collaboration skills, communication style, and cultural fit.

• Final Interview: A discussion with a company leader to finalize the decision and discuss role expectations.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for Distinctiveness: Select projects that best showcase your unique style, bold aesthetic, and ability to move beyond generic templates. Prioritize work relevant to engaging digital products or the gaming/entertainment sector if possible.

• Detail Your Process: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your approach, the tools used (especially Figma), your specific contributions, and the outcomes. Quantify impact where possible.

• Highlight Speed & Iteration: Demonstrate your ability to work efficiently and iterate on designs based on feedback or data.

• Showcase System Thinking: If applicable, include examples of how you've approached consistency, component-based design, or design system contributions.

• Be Ready to Defend: Prepare to passionately discuss your design decisions, why you made them, and how they align with user needs and business goals. Be open to constructive critique.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Exercise: Be prepared for a short, focused design challenge that might test your ability to quickly ideate on a specific feature or problem within Duel's product scope. Focus on process, clarity, and delivering a well-reasoned solution.

• Figma Proficiency: Ensure you are comfortable demonstrating advanced Figma features, including auto-layout, components, variants, and prototyping.

• Scenario-Based Questions: Anticipate questions about how you would handle design disagreements, collaborate with engineers on challenging implementations, or use data to improve a specific feature.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "strong opinions" and "self-directed" implies that the interview process will heavily scrutinize a candidate's ability to think critically, make independent decisions, and articulate their reasoning with confidence. The portfolio is not just a showcase but a tool for demonstrating this capability.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: This is the core design tool, and expert proficiency is explicitly required. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate advanced usage, including:

  • Prototyping: Creating interactive prototypes to simulate user flows and test concepts.
  • Design Systems: Building, managing, and scaling design systems with components, variants, and styles.
  • Collaboration Features: Leveraging Figma's collaborative capabilities for real-time teamwork.

• Prototyping Tools (Beyond Figma): While Figma is primary, familiarity with other prototyping or animation tools (e.g., Principle, After Effects for motion design) could be beneficial.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Analysis Tools: Experience with tools that provide insights into user behavior, engagement metrics, and conversion funnels. While specific tools aren't named, familiarity with common analytics platforms used in web/app development (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude) would be advantageous.

• A/B Testing Platforms: Understanding how to design for and interpret results from A/B testing is crucial, as the role involves using data to refine designs.

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the Senior UI Designer role, but an understanding of how design integrates with user journeys managed by CRM or marketing automation platforms could be a plus for broader context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of "Expert in Figma" makes this the most critical technical skill. Candidates should be prepared to showcase their Figma mastery in their portfolio and during interviews, potentially through live demonstrations or detailed walkthroughs of complex Figma files.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Boldness & Distinctiveness: A core value is to be unconventional and create a unique identity that stands out, rather than conforming to industry norms.

• Fairness & Purity: A commitment to ethical practices, transparency, and providing the "purest, fairest" gambling experience, actively fighting against "scammers, fake bets, and dark patterns."

• Speed & Agility: A culture that values moving quickly, iterating, and shipping product efficiently.

• Ownership & Autonomy: Team members are empowered to take ownership of their work and make decisions independently, with minimal oversight.

• Collaboration & Directness: Open communication and close collaboration with engineering and product teams, cutting through bureaucracy.

Collaboration Style:

• Direct & Integrated: Designers work hand-in-hand with engineers and product managers, fostering a seamless workflow. This isn't about handing off specs but about continuous partnership.

• Opinionated yet Open: While encouraging strong design opinions and the ability to defend them, the culture also values being "willing to be wrong" and open to feedback.

• Iterative Feedback Loops: The fast-paced environment likely involves frequent, informal feedback sessions to ensure designs are aligned and progress is made quickly.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's self-proclaimed "protest against everything wrong in gambling" and their mission to be the "Vatican of gamba" suggests a rebellious, principled, and highly mission-driven culture. This is a key differentiator and something candidates should align with or be prepared to engage with.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating a Disruptive Industry: Operating within the highly regulated and competitive gambling industry requires constant adaptation and a deep understanding of compliance and user trust.

• Maintaining Distinctiveness at Scale: As the product grows, ensuring the "distinctive eye" and "irreverent, bold" identity is maintained across all features and touchpoints without becoming sterile or inconsistent will be a continuous challenge.

• Balancing Speed with Quality: The emphasis on "moving fast in iterative release cycles without letting quality slip" requires a disciplined approach to design and development to avoid technical debt or user experience degradation.

• High Autonomy Management: For some, the high degree of self-direction and minimal oversight might initially be a challenge, requiring strong personal time management and decision-making skills.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Design System Leadership: The opportunity to truly own and evolve a design system provides a significant growth path in system design and scalable design practices.

• Product Strategy Influence: Direct involvement in product decisions offers hands-on experience in product strategy, user research interpretation, and business impact analysis.

• Gaming Industry Expertise: Deepening knowledge and expertise within the unique design challenges of the gaming and entertainment sector.

• Cross-Functional Skill Development: Working closely with engineers and product managers will enhance understanding of technical constraints, development processes, and product lifecycle management.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to a startup environment in a dynamic industry. The growth opportunities are substantial for individuals who are proactive, enjoy problem-solving, and want to make a tangible impact on a product and brand.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach designing a new feature for our PvP game, ensuring it's both intuitive for new players and engaging for experienced ones?" (Focus on user segmentation, journey mapping, and iterative design.)

• "Describe your process for contributing to or building a design system. How do you balance consistency with flexibility and innovation?" (Highlight your understanding of design system principles, component libraries, and scalability.)

• "Imagine our player retention rates for live casino drops. How would you use data and design principles to investigate and propose solutions?" (Emphasize data analysis, user research, hypothesis generation, and solution ideation.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Duel's mission to disrupt the gambling industry, and how does that align with your design philosophy?" (Connect your values to their "protest" mission and focus on fairness/transparency.)

• "Describe a time you had a strong opinion about a design direction that differed from your team or stakeholders. How did you handle it?" (Showcase your ability to defend your ideas while remaining collaborative and open to compromise.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: For each case study, clearly outline the problem, your role, your process, the solutions you designed (showcasing visuals and prototypes), and the results.

• Emphasize "Distinctive Eye": For every project, be prepared to articulate why it looks the way it does and how it aligns with creating a unique brand experience. Use this to demonstrate your ability to fulfill Duel's vision.

• Quantify Results: Wherever possible, use data to demonstrate the impact of your designs (e.g., increased conversion, engagement, reduced drop-off).

• Showcase Figma Mastery: Be ready to navigate your Figma files to show component usage, system structure, and interactive prototypes.

• Tell a Story: Frame your portfolio as a narrative of your growth as a designer and your ability to solve complex problems through design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will likely be rigorous, focusing on both your design craft and your ability to thrive in a fast-paced, autonomous, and mission-driven environment. Candidates should prepare to be challenged on their design thinking and their understanding of Duel's unique market position.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UI Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workable link.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your 3+ years of experience in product/UI/UX design, specifically mentioning any relevant experience in gaming, gambling, or entertainment. Emphasize achievements related to creating distinctive visual styles, working with Figma, and collaborating directly with engineering teams.

• Showcase Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio prominently features projects demonstrating range, speed, and a unique design eye. Be prepared to detail your process and quantifiable impact for each case study. Prioritize projects that showcase interactive or high-engagement products.

• Prepare for Deep Portfolio Review: Anticipate being asked to walk through your portfolio, discuss your design process in detail, and articulate the rationale behind your design choices, especially concerning brand distinctiveness and user engagement.

• Research Duel.com: Understand their mission, their "protest" stance against traditional gambling practices, and their vision for a "purest, fairest casino." Be ready to articulate how your design philosophy aligns with their brand and values.

⚠️ 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.