Senior UX Designer (6 month contract)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Designer (6-month contract)

Company: Sanctuary AI

Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Job Type: CONTRACTOR

Category: User Experience (UX) Design / Product Design

Date Posted: May 11, 2026

Experience Level: 5+ Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Design and optimize user interactions and information architecture for a cutting-edge data collection and model training platform within the Physical AI and robotics sector.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with engineering, product, operations, and research teams to enhance the efficiency of training high-performance ML policies for general purpose robots.

• Develop expertise in multimodal data visualization, ML and robotics UX, and workflow design tailored for technical users, influencing long-term design strategy.

• Mentor team members through systems-level design thinking, communicating UX impact, and advocating for user needs in platform evolution.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the core role is UX Design, the context of "data collection and model training platform" and "ML policies" strongly suggests a need for understanding data pipelines, user workflows for technical operators, and potentially the integration points with backend systems. The "operations" mention in the description highlights the importance of understanding operational efficiency and how UX design directly impacts operational outcomes in this specialized field.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design intuitive user interfaces and efficient information architectures for the data collection and model training platform.

• Develop clear proposals for optimizing robotic data collection and model training workflows, ensuring intuitive user experiences.

• Implement automated tracking of progress for robot skill acquisition, leveraging experience in data-intensive applications.

• Create advanced multimodal data visualizations to represent complex robotic and ML data effectively.

• Conduct user research with technical stakeholders (engineering, product, operations, research) to gather insights and validate design decisions.

• Document and maintain design systems, ensuring consistency and usability across the platform.

• Mentor junior designers and contribute to the development of UX best practices within the organization.

• Translate complex technical requirements into user-friendly designs and frameworks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "optimizing workflows," "automated tracking of progress," and "technical users" points towards a need for strong analytical and problem-solving skills beyond typical UI design. The candidate will be instrumental in streamlining operational processes through thoughtful UX, making this role a blend of design and operational efficiency improvement.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's Degree or equivalent work experience in a relevant field (e.g., Human-Computer Interaction, Design, Computer Science).

Experience: 5+ years of hands-on design experience in a commercial organization, with a proven track record of successful design projects, particularly in technical or data-intensive applications.

Required Skills:

• Deep understanding of information architecture, workflow design, and systems mapping.

• Proficiency in synthesizing complex technical information into intuitive user experiences.

• Strong user research methodologies and the ability to translate findings into actionable design recommendations.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design rationale and impact to diverse stakeholders.

• Familiarity with agile software development methodologies and cross-functional team collaboration.

• Experience with industry-standard design tools such as Figma, Miro, and Lucidchart.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing for ML, AI, or robotics-related platforms.

• Expertise in multimodal data visualization techniques.

• Familiarity with data collection pipelines and model training workflows.

• Experience in workflow optimization for technical or operational users.

• Understanding of system-level design thinking and its application in complex technical environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the specialized nature of the product (Physical AI for general purpose robots) and the platform's purpose (data collection and model training), candidates with experience in complex technical domains, data visualization, and workflow optimization for specialized users will be highly valued. The "5+ years of real world design experience in a commercial organization" implies a need for practical, applied design skills rather than purely academic knowledge.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 complex design projects demonstrating expertise in information architecture, workflow design, and systems mapping.

• Include case studies that detail the problem, your design process, the solutions implemented, and the impact of your design decisions, particularly on user efficiency or data quality.

• Highlight projects involving data-intensive applications, technical users, or complex system interactions.

• Demonstrate experience with prototyping tools and user testing methodologies.

Process Documentation:

• Provide examples of how you have documented and optimized user workflows, ideally in a technical or operational context.

• Showcase your ability to map complex systems and user journeys, identifying pain points and proposing solutions.

• Include case studies where your designs led to measurable improvements in data collection efficiency, data quality, or model training speed.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior UX Designer role focused on a data collection and model training platform, a portfolio should not just display visual design but also demonstrate a deep understanding of user workflows, information hierarchy in complex data environments, and the ability to translate technical requirements into functional and efficient user experiences. The emphasis on "optimizing workflows" and "technical users" means that case studies showing process improvement and efficiency gains will be critical.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Given this is a 6-month contract role in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and considering the Senior UX Designer title with 5+ years of experience in a specialized tech field, the estimated salary range would be CAD $65 - $95 per hour, depending on experience and specific skill set. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for contract UX Designers in major Canadian tech hubs, considering the specialized nature of AI and robotics.

Benefits: As a contractor, benefits may vary. Typical contractor benefits can include:

• Competitive hourly rate reflective of specialized skills.

• Potential for contract extension or conversion to full-time.

• Opportunity to work on groundbreaking AI and robotics technology.

• Exposure to a fast-paced, innovative startup environment.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours, typically 40 hours per week. Flexibility may be available, but the role is designated as on-site, requiring consistent presence during core business hours to facilitate collaboration with local teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is estimated based on common market rates for senior contract UX designers in Vancouver, BC, Canada, factoring in the specialized industry (AI/Robotics) and the specific demands of the role (data collection/model training platform). A 6-month contract nature also typically commands a higher hourly rate than a full-time salaried position. The absence of explicit benefits listed suggests a focus on the hourly rate and potential for future opportunities.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotics, Physical AI, Machine Learning (ML)

Company Size: Sanctuary AI is a growing company with a significant presence, aiming to be a world leader in building dexterity-driven Physical AI. While exact employee count isn't provided, the focus on building "general purpose robots" suggests a substantial and well-funded R&D and engineering operation. This implies a dynamic, innovative, and potentially fast-paced work environment.

Founded: Founded in 2018, Sanctuary AI is a relatively young but rapidly advancing company, indicating a culture that is likely agile, forward-thinking, and focused on rapid development and innovation.

Team Structure:

• The Senior UX Designer will join the Software Development team, working closely with Product Managers, ML Engineers, Robotics Engineers, and Researchers.

• This role requires significant cross-functional collaboration, acting as a bridge between technical teams and the end-users of the data collection and model training platform.

Methodology:

• The company is developing advanced AI and robotics, suggesting a strong emphasis on data-driven development, iterative design, and rigorous testing.

• Agile software development is explicitly mentioned, indicating a preference for iterative progress, collaboration, and adaptability.

• The focus on "delivering clear proposals for optimizing workflows" and "synthesizing technical complexity" points to a culture that values thoughtful problem-solving and clear communication.

Company Website: https://www.sanctuary.ai/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's mission to build "human-like intelligence in general purpose robots" is a strong indicator of a mission-driven culture. The emphasis on "dexterity-driven Physical AI" suggests a deep technical focus and a commitment to pushing the boundaries of what's currently possible. The mention of "operations" in the description further implies that efficiency and practical application are key considerations, even within an R&D-heavy environment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is a Senior UX Designer position on a 6-month contract. While it's a contract, the "Senior" title and responsibilities suggest a significant level of autonomy and influence. The focus on "mentoring others" and "influencing long-term design strategy" indicates this is not an entry-level position but a role for an experienced professional.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Designer will report to a lead within the Software Development team, likely a Director of Software Engineering or Head of Product/Design. They will work closely with product managers and engineering leads on specific projects.

Operations Impact: The Senior UX Designer will have a direct impact on the company's ability to develop and train its AI models efficiently. By optimizing the data collection and model training platform, they will accelerate the learning process for the robots, directly contributing to the speed of product development and the overall mission success of Sanctuary AI. Their work will improve the operational efficiency of internal teams and potentially influence the future direction of robotic AI development.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in ML UX, robotics UX, and multimodal data visualization within a cutting-edge field.

• Strategic Influence: Contribute to the long-term design strategy of a foundational platform, shaping how AI is developed for general-purpose robots.

• Mentorship: Gain experience in mentoring and leading design efforts, developing leadership skills.

• Portfolio Enhancement: Work on a high-impact project at a world leader in AI robotics, significantly enhancing professional credentials and portfolio.

• Potential for Extension/Full-time: Successful contractors often have opportunities for contract extensions or full-time conversion based on performance and business needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: While this is a contract role, the "Senior" title and the expectation to "mentor others" and "influence long-term design strategy" suggest that the impact and growth potential are significant. The candidate will be instrumental in operationalizing the AI development process through UX, which is a critical function for any company scaling complex technology.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Sanctuary AI operates a physical office environment in Vancouver, BC, Canada, requiring on-site presence. This suggests a collaborative workspace designed for team interaction.

Office Location(s): Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Specific office details (e.g., address, amenities) would be provided upon engagement.

Workspace Context:

• The work environment is likely dynamic and collaborative, common in fast-paced tech companies, especially those in cutting-edge fields like AI and robotics.

• Access to state-of-the-art design tools (Figma, Miro, Lucidchart) and collaboration platforms is expected.

• Opportunities for direct interaction with engineers, researchers, and product managers will be frequent, fostering a hands-on, problem-solving atmosphere.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time (approximately 40 hours per week) and on-site. While core hours are expected for collaboration, there might be some flexibility, but primary work must be conducted from the Vancouver office. This schedule supports the need for real-time collaboration and integration with the engineering and R&D teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement is critical for a role that involves close collaboration with hardware and software engineering teams in a physical R&D setting. This environment is ideal for designers who thrive on direct interaction and rapid feedback loops, especially when working on complex technical systems.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A brief call with a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Review & Technical Interview: A more in-depth session where the candidate presents their portfolio, focusing on relevant projects. Expect questions about their design process, problem-solving approaches, and how they handle technical complexity. This is where they'll discuss their experience with information architecture, workflow design, and systems mapping.

• Team/Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion with the hiring manager and potentially team members to evaluate technical depth, collaboration style, and alignment with the team's goals. Questions may focus on their ability to mentor, influence strategy, and contribute to operational efficiency through UX.

• Final Interview (if applicable): May involve a more senior leader or a hypothetical design challenge discussion.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Focus on 2-3 projects that best showcase your experience in information architecture, workflow design, systems mapping, and working with technical users or complex data.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the design process (research, ideation, prototyping, testing), the solution, and the measurable impact (e.g., improved efficiency, reduced errors, faster data collection).

• Highlight Technical Complexity: Emphasize how you translated complex technical requirements into intuitive user experiences, especially for data collection and model training platforms.

• Demonstrate Process: Show your systems-level design thinking and how you approach documenting design systems and optimizing workflows.

• Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your decision-making process, how you handle design disagreements, and your experience with agile methodologies.

Challenge Preparation:

• While a formal take-home challenge isn't specified, be prepared for in-depth discussions about hypothetical scenarios or to elaborate on your portfolio projects as if they were a mini-case study.

• Focus on articulating your thought process for improving a complex workflow or visualizing intricate data.

• Consider how you would approach understanding the specific needs of ML engineers and robotics researchers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "workflow design," "systems mapping," and designing for "technical users" means the portfolio review will likely focus heavily on the candidate's ability to structure complex information and optimize operational processes through design. Candidates should be ready to discuss their strategic thinking and how their UX solutions directly contribute to the company's core mission.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (primary), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite.

• Collaboration & Ideation: Miro, Lucidchart, Confluence.

• User Research: UserTesting.com, Maze, or similar platforms for remote user testing; direct user interviews.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the UX design role, but understanding how the platform integrates with broader operational systems or data pipelines might be a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma, Miro, and Lucidchart indicates these are core tools for the role. Proficiency with these is essential. Beyond these, a candidate's ability to adapt to new tools and leverage them for effective workflow optimization and system mapping will be critical.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Mission-Driven: A strong commitment to Sanctuary AI's mission of building human-like intelligence in general purpose robots.

• Technical Excellence: A drive for high-quality, robust solutions, especially in complex technical domains like AI and robotics.

• Collaboration: Emphasis on working effectively across engineering, product, research, and operations teams.

• User-Centricity: A focus on understanding and advocating for the needs of technical users to ensure platform effectiveness.

• Continuous Improvement: A desire to optimize workflows, improve processes, and push the boundaries of what's possible.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The role thrives on close collaboration with diverse technical teams, requiring strong communication and empathy to bridge gaps between disciplines.

• Iterative Design: Working within an agile framework, the team likely embraces iterative feedback and continuous refinement of designs.

• Solution-Oriented: A pragmatic approach to problem-solving, focusing on delivering effective solutions that meet mission objectives.

• Mentorship and Knowledge Sharing: Senior members are expected to guide and share their expertise, fostering a learning environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is likely to be highly collaborative and technically focused, with a strong emphasis on achieving ambitious goals. Empathy for technical users and a proactive approach to workflow optimization will be highly valued, aligning with the operational aspects of the role.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Translating Highly Technical Concepts: Simplifying complex AI and robotics concepts into intuitive user interfaces and workflows for data collection and model training.

• Balancing User Needs with Technical Constraints: Designing solutions that meet the needs of engineers and researchers while adhering to the technical realities and limitations of AI development.

• Designing for a Nascent Field: Working in an emerging area of AI and robotics means there may be fewer established UX patterns, requiring more foundational design work and exploration.

• Cross-Disciplinary Communication: Effectively communicating UX concepts and rationale to a diverse team with backgrounds in engineering, ML, and robotics.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into AI/Robotics UX: Gain specialized knowledge in a rapidly growing and critical field of technology.

• Advanced Data Visualization: Develop skills in visualizing complex, multimodal data sets relevant to robotics and ML.

• Workflow Optimization in Technical Domains: Hone expertise in streamlining complex operational processes for highly technical users.

• Strategic Design Influence: Contribute to shaping the user experience of foundational technologies that will define the future of AI.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenges revolve around the technical complexity and the novelty of the domain. Growth opportunities lie in specializing in a high-demand field and influencing the direction of cutting-edge technology.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you designed a complex data visualization or dashboard for technical users. What was the challenge, and how did you approach it?" (Focus on information architecture, data synthesis, and user needs.)

• "How would you approach designing a workflow for collecting demonstration data for training a robot to perform a new task, considering the needs of engineers and researchers?" (Focus on workflow design, systems mapping, and user empathy.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Sanctuary AI's mission to build Physical AI for general purpose robots?" (Demonstrate passion for the mission and understanding of the field.)

• "How do you approach collaborating with engineering, product, and research teams in an agile environment?" (Highlight cross-functional collaboration skills and agile familiarity.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly define the problem, your specific role, the design process, the solution, and the impact (quantifiable if possible).

• Emphasize Process: Detail your information architecture, workflow design, and systems mapping approaches. Show how you broke down complexity.

• Showcase Technical Aptitude: Highlight projects that involved technical users, complex data, or intricate systems. Explain how your UX solutions improved operational efficiency or data quality.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Expect questions about specific design decisions, trade-offs you made, and how you validated your solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong understanding of information architecture, workflow optimization, and the ability to design for complex technical systems and users. Candidates should be prepared to articulate their process and the impact of their work, especially in relation to operational efficiency and technical problem-solving.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations-focused UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects demonstrating strong information architecture, workflow design, and systems mapping, especially those involving technical users or complex data. Emphasize case studies showing process optimization and efficiency gains.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 5+ years of experience with specific achievements in UX design for technical applications, highlighting skills in Figma, Miro, Lucidchart, and agile development.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio projects, focusing on your design process, problem-solving approach for complex technical challenges, and how your UX solutions contribute to operational efficiency.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Sanctuary AI's mission, technology, and the broader field of AI and robotics to articulate your interest and understanding during interviews.

⚠️ 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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