Senior UI Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UI Designer

Company: True Anomaly

Location: Denver, CO; Long Beach, CA; Remote

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Design / User Interface Design

Date Posted: 2026-04-23T00:44:37

Experience Level: Senior (5-10 years implied)

Remote Status: Remote Friendly (Hybrid options available)

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the visual direction and design system for cutting-edge space security and sustainability software.

• Craft compelling UI prototypes and component libraries to directly inform engineering teams and product strategy.

• Drive the aesthetic standards and visual identity of mission-critical applications, ensuring a unique and impactful user experience.

• Collaborate closely with a growing creative team and engineering to translate complex requirements into intuitive and visually stunning interfaces.

• Play a pivotal role in defining the look and feel of a new industry standard for space software design.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is Senior UI Designer, the input data and company description strongly indicate a need for deep collaboration with Revenue Operations, Sales Operations, and GTM teams. The focus on "mission-critical software," "space security," and "AI" suggests that the UI design will directly support complex operational workflows, data visualization for decision-making, and potentially user interfaces for operational teams. The emphasis on "ownership," "lean team," and "wearing multiple hats" implies that the designer will be instrumental in shaping the product's usability and efficiency, which are core concerns for operations. The "ITAR" requirement also points to a highly regulated operational environment.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain a comprehensive design system, including component libraries, style guides, and layout standards, ensuring consistency and scalability across all software products.

• Create high-fidelity UI designs and interactive prototypes that effectively communicate product vision, user flows, and interaction models to engineering teams and stakeholders.

• Collaborate with product managers, engineers, and potentially operations teams to gather requirements, understand user needs, and translate them into intuitive and visually appealing interface solutions.

• Drive the artistic vision for True Anomaly's software products, ensuring a distinct and memorable visual identity that differentiates us in the space technology sector.

• Iterate on designs based on feedback, user testing, and performance metrics to continuously improve the user experience and operational efficiency of the software.

• Contribute to the overall creative output of the team, potentially assisting with graphic design needs or other visual communication materials as required.

• Ensure design outputs align with industry best practices and adhere to any relevant regulatory or security requirements (e.g., ITAR).

📝 Enhancement Note: The core responsibilities are framed to emphasize the direct impact on operational efficiency and decision-making within the space security context. The mention of "mission-critical" and "no-fail environments" underscores the importance of UI design in supporting high-stakes operations and the need for robustness and clarity.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• 5-10 years of professional experience in UI design, with a strong focus on software applications.

• Proven experience in developing and maintaining design systems, component libraries, and style guides.

Required Skills:

• UI Design Expertise: Exceptional visual design skills, with a strong understanding of layout, typography, color theory, and visual hierarchy.

• Prototyping Tools: Proficiency in Figma for UI/UX design and prototyping.

• Creative Suite: Expertise in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.).

• Design Systems: Experience in creating, documenting, and implementing design systems.

• Visual Storytelling: Ability to translate complex ideas and requirements into clear, compelling visual designs.

• Collaboration: Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively in a lean, fast-paced team environment.

• Problem-Solving: Aptitude for creative problem-solving and finding innovative design solutions.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the defense, aerospace, or related technology sectors.

• Familiarity with UX principles and user research methodologies.

• Experience with motion design or animation for UI elements.

• Background in tech, gaming, design/creative agencies, or freelance work.

• Understanding of software development lifecycles and working with engineering teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Required Skills" are tailored to highlight the critical tools (Figma, Adobe Creative Suite) and core competencies (Design Systems, Visual Storytelling) essential for a UI Designer in a technology-driven, operational environment. The "Preferred Skills" acknowledge that while direct industry experience isn't mandatory, certain backgrounds (gaming, tech) often bring valuable skills in rapid iteration and engaging user interfaces relevant to operations.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing personal artistic skills and a strong track record in UI design.

• Demonstrations of at least 2-3 significant projects where you were instrumental in defining the visual direction and user interface of software products.

• Case studies that clearly articulate the design process, challenges faced, and the impact of your design solutions.

• Examples of design system components, style guides, and interactive prototypes.

Process Documentation:

• Showcase how you approach the creation and evolution of design systems, from initial concept to ongoing maintenance.

• Illustrate your workflow for translating user requirements and business needs into tangible UI designs and prototypes.

• Provide examples of how you gather feedback and iterate on designs to improve user experience and operational effectiveness.

• Demonstrate your ability to work within a lean team structure, highlighting efficiency and speed in design execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements are specifically designed to assess a candidate's ability to contribute to a fast-paced, product-focused environment, emphasizing the creation of reusable design assets (design systems, components) that directly support engineering and operational workflows. The call for "impact of design solutions" and "efficiency and speed" directly relates to operational goals.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Base Salary: $145,000 - $205,000 per year.

Benefits:

• Equity: Stock options or other equity grants, providing potential long-term financial upside.

• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• Financial Wellness: Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) / Health Savings Account (HSA) options, 401K retirement savings plan.

• Work-Life Balance: Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid holidays.

• Family Support: Parental leave benefits.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours (approximately 40 hours per week), with an expectation of flexibility and agility given the lean team structure and mission-critical nature of the work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is directly extracted from the provided data. The benefits are listed with specific operations-relevant context, such as HRA/HSA options which can be valuable for operational flexibility, and equity which aligns with the startup growth potential often seen in companies supporting GTM initiatives. The mention of "flexibility and agility" in working hours is crucial for operations roles that often require responsiveness.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Space Technology, Defense Technology, AI, Software Development. True Anomaly operates at the nexus of these cutting-edge fields, aiming to provide innovative solutions for space security and sustainability. The company is poised to disrupt traditional defense contracting by leveraging modern technology and agile methodologies.

Company Size: Early-stage startup, implied by "growing creative team," "lean team," and "early and exciting moment for the company." This suggests a dynamic, fast-paced environment where individual contributions have a significant impact.

Founded: True Anomaly was founded to address the evolving needs in space security, indicating a forward-thinking approach to a critical global domain.

Team Structure:

• The creative team is small and growing, working directly under the Creative Director.

• Close collaboration is expected with engineering teams and product management.

• A "wear multiple hats" mentality is essential, indicating cross-functional fluidity.

Methodology:

• Agile Development: Implied by the "lean team" and "move fast" culture, typical for tech startups.

• Data-Driven Design: While not explicitly stated for UI, the emphasis on "mission-critical" and "operational challenges" suggests that design decisions will be informed by data and performance metrics.

• Iterative Design: The process involves creating prototypes, gathering feedback, and iterating, which is crucial for developing effective operational tools.

Company Website: trueanomaly.space

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is highlighted as being innovative, fast-paced, and mission-driven, which is highly relevant for operations professionals who often work in demanding environments and value impactful work. The "lean team" aspect implies that every role, including design, plays a critical part in the operational success of the company.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Senior UI Designer, indicating a mid-to-senior level position that requires significant autonomy, expertise, and the ability to mentor or guide junior team members implicitly. For operations professionals, this means working with a designer who understands the importance of usability in complex workflows and can translate operational needs into effective interfaces.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UI Designer will report directly to the Creative Director, who is actively building the creative team. This direct line of communication allows for clear strategic alignment and rapid decision-making.

Operations Impact: The UI designer's work will directly influence the usability, efficiency, and adoption of software used in high-stakes operational environments. By creating intuitive interfaces, the designer will enable operators to perform their duties more effectively, thereby enhancing mission success, security, and sustainability. The visual direction set by this role will be foundational for all product interfaces, impacting how users interact with critical systems.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: Potential to grow into a lead design role as the creative team expands, influencing design strategy and team development.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Opportunity to deepen understanding of operations, AI, and space technology, becoming a valuable hybrid professional.

• Industry Impact: Contribution to a groundbreaking industry where design plays a critical role in national security and sustainability.

• Skill Expansion: Exposure to diverse design challenges, from product UI to potentially broader visual branding and communication efforts.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section frames the Senior UI Designer's role not just as a creative function but as a critical component supporting operational effectiveness and strategic company growth. The "Operations Impact" highlights how design directly contributes to the company's mission and the success of its operational users.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company offers flexibility with options in Denver, CO, and Long Beach, CA, as well as a fully remote option. This hybrid/remote approach is typical for modern tech companies, allowing for talent acquisition regardless of geographic location.

Office Location(s):

• Denver, CO, United States

• Long Beach, CA, United States

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The role emphasizes working closely with a small creative team and engineering departments, suggesting an open and communicative workspace.

• Technology-Rich: As a tech company developing advanced software, expect access to modern design tools and potentially cutting-edge hardware.

• Mission-Focused: The environment will be driven by the company's mission in space security and sustainability, fostering a sense of purpose and dedication.

Work Schedule: While standard full-time hours are expected, the "lean team" and "move fast" culture suggest a dynamic schedule where flexibility and responsiveness are valued. This is common in fast-paced tech environments and can be beneficial for operations-related tasks that require quick turnaround.

📝 Enhancement Note: The work environment description is tailored to highlight aspects relevant to operations professionals, such as flexibility, collaboration, and a mission-driven purpose, which often resonate with individuals in operations roles who are focused on achieving tangible outcomes.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and a preliminary portfolio showcase to assess alignment with the role's core requirements.

• Portfolio Deep Dive: A session with the Creative Director and potentially other team members to discuss your portfolio in detail, focusing on artistic skill, process, and impact. Expect to walk through specific projects and explain your design decisions.

• Skills Assessment/Challenge: A practical design exercise or case study, potentially related to creating a component or a small UI flow, to evaluate your hands-on skills, problem-solving abilities, and efficiency.

• Team & Culture Fit: Interviews with team members and potentially leadership to assess collaboration style, cultural alignment with True Anomaly's values, and overall fit within a lean, mission-driven startup.

• Final Interview: A discussion with senior leadership to finalize the offer and discuss the strategic impact of the role.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best showcase your personal artistic talent, UI design expertise, and experience with design systems and prototyping. Prioritize quality over quantity.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed, the challenges you overcame, and the measurable outcomes or impact of your design.

• Demonstrate Process: Show your thinking – sketches, wireframes, user flows, iterations, and final polished designs. Highlight your use of tools like Figma and Adobe Creative Suite.

• Highlight Operations Relevance (Implicitly): While this is a UI role, consider how your designs have improved user efficiency, clarity, or decision-making. Even if not explicitly for operations roles, showcase how your designs facilitate task completion.

• Design System Showcase: If possible, include examples of your contributions to design systems, component libraries, or style guides.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Mission: Research True Anomaly, their mission in space security, and their values.

• Tool Proficiency: Ensure you are comfortable and efficient with Figma and Adobe Creative Suite.

• Design System Thinking: Be prepared to discuss principles of design systems and how you would approach building one for a new product.

• Problem-Solving Approach: Practice articulating your thought process for solving design challenges, especially under time constraints.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview and portfolio review process is detailed to help candidates understand what to expect and how to best present their qualifications, with a specific emphasis on showcasing process, impact, and tool proficiency relevant to a fast-paced operational environment.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for UI design, prototyping, and collaboration. Proficiency is critical.

• Adobe Creative Suite: Including Photoshop and Illustrator, for asset creation and visual design tasks.

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma, any experience with other advanced prototyping tools is a plus.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly relevant to this role, but understanding how software products integrate with broader operational systems can be helpful.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section highlights the core design tools required, emphasizing Figma and Adobe Creative Suite as essential. It also implicitly suggests the importance of understanding how design contributes to operational outcomes, even if direct involvement in CRM or automation tools is not expected.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Be the offset: This value encourages creating asymmetric advantages through creativity and ingenuity, directly applicable to how unique and effective UI design can differentiate True Anomaly's products.

• What would it take?: This prompts a problem-solving, ambitious mindset, essential for tackling the complex design challenges in space technology and ensuring designs meet stringent operational requirements.

• It’s the people: This emphasizes the team as a competitive advantage and the importance of collaboration. For operations, this means valuing teamwork, clear communication, and mutual support in achieving mission goals.

Collaboration Style:

• Lean & Agile: Expect a fast-paced, iterative collaboration style where quick feedback loops and rapid execution are paramount.

• Cross-Functional Integration: Close working relationships with engineering, product management, and potentially operations teams are expected to ensure designs are technically feasible and operationally effective.

• Direct Communication: A culture that values open, direct communication to drive efficiency and innovation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The team culture and values are directly tied to the company's stated principles, framed to show how these values translate into the day-to-day work of a UI designer supporting operational objectives. The emphasis on "Be the offset" and "What would it take?" speaks to the innovative and problem-solving nature often required in operations.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Defining a New Standard: As there's no existing design system for mission-critical space software, you'll be instrumental in setting a precedent, which requires significant vision and foundational work.

• Balancing Aesthetics and Functionality: Creating visually compelling designs that also meet the rigorous functional and usability demands of high-stakes operational environments.

• Rapid Iteration in a Lean Environment: Working efficiently and effectively within a small team, where speed and adaptability are key to product development.

• Technical Constraints: Designing within the potential limitations of complex software architectures and regulatory requirements (e.g., ITAR).

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Industry Immersion: Gaining deep insight into the space technology, defense, and AI sectors, understanding the unique operational needs and challenges.

• Design System Mastery: Developing expertise in building and scaling robust design systems for complex software applications.

• Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Working closely with engineers and potentially operations specialists to broaden understanding of technical and operational workflows.

• Impactful Design: Contributing to products that have a direct impact on national security and space sustainability, offering a unique sense of purpose.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section frames potential challenges as opportunities for growth and learning, aligning with the ambitious nature of the company and the demanding yet rewarding work in the space technology sector, which often involves complex operational environments.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for creating a design system from scratch. What are the key components, and how would you ensure its adoption by engineering teams?" (Focus on process, scalability, and cross-functional collaboration).

• "Walk us through a project where your UI design directly improved user efficiency or decision-making in a complex application. What metrics did you use to measure success?" (Highlight impact, operational relevance, and data-driven approach).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on our mission, what are your initial thoughts on the key design challenges for space security software?" (Showcase research and strategic thinking).

• "How do you embody our value of 'Be the offset' in your design work?" (Connect your approach to company values).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly define the problem, your role, the design process, key decisions, and the outcomes.

• Showcase Process Work: Include wireframes, user flows, iterations, and your thought process. This demonstrates a deeper understanding than just final visuals.

• Highlight Design System Contributions: If applicable, dedicate a section to your experience with design systems, component libraries, and style guides.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data or user feedback to demonstrate the positive impact of your designs on user experience or operational efficiency.

• Be Prepared for Live Design: You might be asked to sketch out a quick solution to a problem or discuss a design challenge on the spot.

📝 Enhancement Note: These interview preparation tips are designed to guide candidates on how to best demonstrate their suitability for a role that bridges creative design with the demands of a high-tech, operational environment, emphasizing strategic thinking, problem-solving, and alignment with company values.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UI Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Greenhouse.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight experience with Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, design systems, and any projects demonstrating complex UI design or rapid iteration. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio prominently features your best UI design work, design system examples, and case studies that articulate your process and impact.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Be ready to clearly articulate your design philosophy, your approach to problem-solving, and how your skills align with True Anomaly's mission and values.

• Research the Company: Familiarize yourself with True Anomaly's mission, values, and the space security industry to demonstrate genuine interest and understanding.

⚠️ 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.

---