Senior UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Designer

Company: 1-800-GOT-JUNK?

Location: Overland Park, KS, USA

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: User Experience (UX) Design / Product Design

Date Posted: April 06, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days in-office)

🚀 Role Summary

• This Senior UX Designer role is pivotal in driving user-centered product development by leading comprehensive user research initiatives and translating insights into actionable design strategies.

• The position requires a strategic thinker who can champion evidence-based design principles and elevate the voice of the customer across multiple product teams.

• A key aspect of this role involves mentoring junior designers, fostering a culture of research maturity, and influencing product roadmaps through robust qualitative and quantitative analysis.

• This role is instrumental in defining problem spaces, validating hypotheses, and ensuring user needs are met throughout the entire product lifecycle, from discovery to high-fidelity design and handoff.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role focuses heavily on the "research-led" design aspect, indicating a strong emphasis on user research as the foundation for all design decisions. The "Senior" title implies leadership, strategic influence, and mentorship responsibilities beyond individual contribution. The hybrid model suggests a need for strong remote collaboration skills alongside in-office presence.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end UX research initiatives, including planning, conducting, and synthesizing findings from usability testing, user interviews, field studies, surveys, and other qualitative and quantitative methods.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers, Engineers, and cross-functional stakeholders to define product strategy, validate hypotheses, and champion customer needs throughout the product development lifecycle.

• Translate complex user insights into clear and compelling artifacts such as journey maps, problem statements, opportunity canvases, and strategic design recommendations.

• Drive the full UX design process, from initial concept and research-based ideation through wireframing, prototyping, high-fidelity UI design, and seamless handoff to engineering.

• Present research findings, design strategies, and user-backed recommendations to diverse audiences, including senior leadership and executive teams, clearly articulating business impact and user experience value.

• Mentor and coach junior and intermediate UX designers, providing guidance on research methodologies, synthesis techniques, and effective storytelling to enhance their strategic thinking and design capabilities.

• Contribute to the development and evolution of the company's design system, ensuring user insights inform scalable, consistent, and user-friendly design patterns across all products.

• Proactively identify gaps in customer understanding and propose strategic research efforts to address these knowledge deficits, driving continuous improvement in user-centricity.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core responsibilities highlight a blend of hands-on design and research leadership, with a strong emphasis on influencing product strategy and mentoring. The expectation to translate insights into strategic artifacts and present to executives indicates a high level of influence and communication required for this senior role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is listed, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Design, Psychology, Computer Science, or a related field is typically preferred for senior UX roles, demonstrating a foundational understanding of user behavior and design principles.

Experience: 5+ years of progressive experience in UX and UI design, with a significant focus on leading complex research and design initiatives from conception to completion. Demonstrated ownership of strategic design projects that have driven measurable business impact.

Required Skills:

• Expertise in leading qualitative and quantitative user research methodologies, including usability testing, in-depth interviews, surveys, and ethnographic studies.

• Proficiency in synthesizing research data using frameworks and methodologies to derive actionable insights and inform design decisions.

• Advanced skills in UX design, including user flow mapping, wireframing, prototyping, and information architecture.

• High proficiency in design and prototyping tools, with a strong emphasis on Figma for collaborative design and iterative testing.

• Exceptional presentation and storytelling abilities, adept at articulating complex user problems and research-backed solutions to diverse stakeholder groups, including executives.

• Proven ability to mentor and guide other designers, fostering skill development in research, strategic thinking, and design execution.

• Strong understanding of product strategy and the ability to align design efforts with business objectives and user needs.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working with B2B platforms, internal tools, or enterprise-level software solutions.

• Familiarity with specialized user research and insight management tools such as UserTesting, Dovetail, Maze, or Lookback.

• Experience collaborating within product triads (Product Management, Engineering, Design) to ensure cohesive product development.

• A demonstrated passion for advancing research maturity within an organization and guiding teams in adopting evidence-based design practices.

• Experience contributing to or managing design systems for scalability and consistency.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize a blend of deep research expertise and strong design execution skills. The preference for B2B or enterprise experience suggests the company values designers who can handle complex user flows and business logic. Mentorship and influencing research maturity point to a leadership expectation beyond individual contribution.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate a portfolio showcasing end-to-end UX design process, with a strong emphasis on how user research directly informed design decisions and strategy.

• Include case studies that clearly articulate the problem space, research methodologies employed, key insights discovered, and the resulting design solutions.

• Highlight examples where your research and design work led to measurable improvements in user experience, business metrics, or operational efficiency.

Process Documentation:

• Provide evidence of your structured approach to planning and executing user research, including research plans, participant recruitment strategies, and data collection methods.

• Illustrate your proficiency in synthesizing research findings into actionable insights, user personas, journey maps, and strategic recommendations.

• Present examples of how you have translated research insights into design solutions, including iterations based on user feedback and usability testing.

• Document your collaboration with product managers and engineers, demonstrating how you integrated research and design into the broader product development workflow.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's heavy emphasis on research, the portfolio is expected to prominently feature case studies that detail the research process, insights derived, and the subsequent impact of those insights on the final design and business outcomes. The ability to document and articulate this research-to-design pipeline is crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $92,000 to $115,000 USD per year.

• This range is commensurate with experience, education, and internal parity, reflecting the senior nature of the role and the required expertise.

Benefits:

• Profit Sharing Program: Opportunity to benefit directly from the company's success, fostering a sense of ownership and shared achievement.

• Comprehensive Extended Health & Dental Benefits: Robust coverage to support the physical and dental well-being of employees and their families.

• Generous Paid Time Off: Includes annual vacation and personal days, promoting work-life balance and employee well-being.

• Hybrid Work Environment: Offers a blend of in-office collaboration and remote flexibility, with 3 days expected in the Overland Park office (Tues-Thurs).

• Professional Development Opportunities: Support for ongoing career growth through training, workshops, or other learning initiatives.

• Health and Wellness Programs: Resources and initiatives designed to promote overall employee health and well-being.

• Additional Benefits: The company encourages candidates to speak with them to learn more about the full scope of their total compensation package, which is designed to support financial, personal, and professional well-being.

Working Hours: Typically 40 hours per week, with flexibility inherent in the hybrid model. The in-office expectation of 3 days a week (Tues-Thurs) suggests structured collaboration days.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is competitive for a Senior UX Designer in a mid-sized US market. The comprehensive benefits package, including profit sharing and professional development, indicates a strong focus on employee well-being and long-term growth, which is attractive to experienced professionals. The hybrid model details are specific and important for setting expectations.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Waste Management / Junk Removal Services. 1-800-GOT-JUNK? is part of O2E Brands, a larger organization that also includes WOW 1 DAY PAINTING and Shack Shine. This industry context means the company likely deals with diverse customer needs and operational logistics, presenting unique UX challenges and opportunities, particularly in internal tools and customer-facing applications.

Company Size: O2E Brands is a significant organization, indicated by its multiple workplace awards and extensive online presence. This suggests a structured environment with established processes but also opportunities for impact, especially within product and design teams. The "Best Workplaces" recognition points to a positive and supportive employee culture.

Founded: While the founding date for 1-800-GOT-JUNK? specifically isn't provided, O2E Brands has a history of growth and success, evidenced by the numerous "Best Workplaces" awards over many years. This longevity suggests stability and a commitment to employee development and company culture.

Team Structure:

• The UX team likely operates within a product department, collaborating closely with Product Management and Engineering. As a "Senior" role, this position will be expected to lead and mentor designers, potentially overseeing smaller projects or specific product areas.

• The reporting structure will likely be to a UX Lead, Design Manager, or Head of Product, with direct collaboration across product triads (PM, Eng, Design).

Methodology:

• The company emphasizes a "research-led design" approach, indicating a strong commitment to data-driven decision-making. This means that user research, usability testing, and A/B testing are likely integral to the product development process.

• Workflow planning and optimization will be key, particularly in translating research into actionable design strategies and efficient product development cycles. The mention of a design system suggests a focus on scalable and consistent design processes.

• Automation and efficiency practices are likely valued, especially for internal tools that support operations, and for customer-facing interactions to streamline the junk removal process.

Company Website: https://www.1800gotjunk.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's industry (junk removal) and its parent organization (O2E Brands) offer a unique context for UX. The emphasis on being a "Best Workplace" suggests a positive culture, but the "hybrid" model with specific in-office days indicates a structured approach to collaboration. The "research-led" methodology is a critical operational aspect for this role.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Senior UX Designer, indicating a mid-to-senior level of expertise. It requires not only strong individual contribution in research and design but also the ability to lead, mentor, and influence product strategy. The scope includes ownership of complex initiatives and the responsibility to elevate the team's overall research and design maturity.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Designer will report to a design leadership role (e.g., UX Lead, Design Manager, or Head of Product). They will work closely within product triads (Product Manager, Engineer, Designer) and collaborate extensively with various stakeholders across departments, including senior leadership.

Operations Impact: The Senior UX Designer's work directly impacts operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. By ensuring products are intuitive and user-friendly, they reduce friction for both customers booking services and internal teams managing operations. Research-backed designs lead to better conversion rates, improved customer retention, and more efficient service delivery, contributing directly to revenue growth and operational cost savings.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to grow into a Lead UX Designer, UX Manager, or Head of Design role, overseeing larger teams and strategic initiatives.

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas of UX research (e.g., generative research, behavioral economics) or design (e.g., enterprise UX, design systems).

• Cross-Functional Influence: Develop stronger strategic partnership skills, influencing product direction and organizational design practices across the broader O2E Brands portfolio.

• Mentorship Development: Hone leadership and coaching skills by guiding junior team members, contributing to their professional development and the team's collective growth.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" designation implies a path toward leadership and strategic influence. The emphasis on mentoring and elevating team maturity suggests opportunities to develop people management and team-building skills, which are crucial for career progression in design operations.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company operates a hybrid work model. This means there will be access to physical office space for collaborative work, team meetings, and focused in-office days, balanced with remote work flexibility. The specific requirement of 3 days in-office (Tues-Thurs) suggests these days are designated for high-collaboration activities.

Office Location(s): The primary office for this role is in Overland Park, KS. This location will serve as the hub for in-office collaboration and team interaction on designated days.

Workspace Context:

• The office environment is likely designed to foster collaboration, with meeting rooms, shared workspaces, and opportunities for informal interactions, especially on the designated in-office days.

• Employees will have access to the necessary tools and technology to support both in-office and remote work, including reliable internet, collaborative software, and potentially dedicated design resources.

• The hybrid model encourages a balance between focused individual work (potentially remote) and highly interactive team sessions (in-office), allowing operations professionals to optimize their work environment for different tasks.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is likely around 40 hours per week. The hybrid model provides flexibility, but the requirement for in-office presence on specific days (Tues-Thurs) necessitates a structured approach to time management to ensure both remote work and in-office collaboration are effectively utilized for design and research activities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the work environment is a key characteristic. The specific in-office days (Tues-Thurs) are important details for candidates to understand the rhythm of collaboration and in-person engagement required.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Pre-Screen: An initial conversation to discuss your background, career aspirations, and enthusiasm for the Senior UX Designer role and 1-800-GOT-JUNK?. This is an opportunity to gauge mutual fit.

• Interviews: Typically two or more rounds of interviews with various team members, including potential peers, design leadership, and potentially product/engineering counterparts. These interviews will likely include structured competency-based and scenario-based questions to assess your skills and experience.

• Presentation/Assessment: A critical stage where candidates will likely present their portfolio, walk through case studies, and potentially complete a design or research exercise. This assesses practical application of skills, strategic thinking, and communication.

• References & Background Check: Standard final steps to verify employment history and suitability.

• Audio Recording: Be aware that the company uses audio recording for interviews, which can aid in review and feedback.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Research Impact: Since this role is research-led, ensure your portfolio prominently features case studies detailing your user research process, the insights you uncovered, and how those insights directly influenced your design decisions and outcomes.

• Structure Your Case Studies: For each case study, clearly outline the problem, your role and responsibilities, the research methods used, key findings, design iterations, final solution, and measurable results (e.g., improved conversion rates, task success, user satisfaction).

• Highlight Strategic Thinking: Demonstrate your ability to connect user needs with business goals. Show how you translated research into strategic recommendations and influenced product direction.

• Showcase Figma Proficiency: Include examples of your work in Figma, demonstrating your skills in wireframing, prototyping, and creating high-fidelity designs, as well as your ability to collaborate within the tool.

• Prepare to Discuss Mentorship: Be ready to discuss your experience mentoring junior designers and how you've helped elevate design and research practices within teams.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for a design or research challenge that mirrors real-world problems the team faces. This might involve analyzing a user problem, proposing research methods, or sketching out solutions.

• Practice articulating your thought process clearly and concisely. Focus on demonstrating your research-led approach and strategic decision-making.

• Prepare to discuss how you would approach ambiguity, balance competing priorities, and collaborate effectively with product managers and engineers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is structured, with a strong emphasis on a portfolio presentation and likely a practical assessment. Candidates should prepare to deeply explain their research process and its impact, as this is a key differentiator for this role.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for all design and prototyping activities, including collaborative work and design system contributions. Proficiency is a must.

• User Research Platforms: Familiarity with tools like UserTesting, Maze, or Lookback is preferred for conducting remote usability testing and gathering user feedback efficiently.

• Insight Management Tools: Experience with platforms like Dovetail is beneficial for organizing, synthesizing, and sharing user research findings across teams.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly detailed, experience with web analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics) to understand user behavior and track the impact of design changes is valuable.

CRM & Automation:

• Knowledge of CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation tools might be beneficial for understanding customer journeys and the broader business context, especially for customer-facing applications.

• Understanding of integration tools and workflows can be helpful when designing for seamless user experiences across different platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is explicitly mentioned as a required tool. The preferred qualifications list several common user research and insight management tools, indicating the company utilizes a modern UX tech stack.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• "It's All About People": This core motto likely translates into a strong emphasis on customer-centricity, employee well-being, and fostering positive relationships. For UX, this means prioritizing user needs and creating empathetic experiences.

• Research-Led Design: A commitment to data and evidence as the foundation for all design decisions, valuing curiosity, critical thinking, and a desire to understand the "why" behind user behaviors.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: A culture that encourages open communication, shared problem-solving, and mutual support across departments, particularly within product triads and cross-functional teams.

• Continuous Improvement & Growth: A focus on learning, professional development, and evolving processes and practices, especially in elevating research maturity and design standards.

• Impact & Results: Valuing designs that not only delight users but also drive measurable business outcomes and operational efficiencies.

Collaboration Style:

• Expect a collaborative environment where designers actively partner with Product Managers and Engineers to co-create solutions. This involves regular feedback loops and shared ownership.

• The hybrid model suggests a deliberate approach to collaboration, leveraging in-office days for high-intensity brainstorming and teamwork, and remote time for focused individual work and asynchronous communication.

• A culture of constructive feedback and knowledge sharing is likely encouraged, especially in the context of mentoring and evolving the design system and research practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's core value "It's All About People" strongly influences its approach to both customer experience and employee culture. The emphasis on research-led design is a key operational value for this role.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Elevating Research Maturity: A potential challenge is guiding and influencing teams that may not yet fully embrace or understand the depth of user research's impact on product strategy and success.

• Balancing B2B/Internal vs. B2C Needs: Working within a company that serves both consumer (junk removal) and potentially internal/B2B needs requires adapting research and design approaches to different user groups and contexts.

• Driving Change in a Hybrid Environment: Effectively leading research and design initiatives, mentoring, and fostering team cohesion across both remote and in-office settings requires strong communication and organizational skills.

• Demonstrating ROI of UX: Continuously articulating and proving the tangible business value and ROI of rigorous UX research and design efforts to stakeholders.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Research Techniques: Opportunities to deepen expertise in specialized qualitative and quantitative research methods.

• Leadership & Mentorship: Developing strong leadership and coaching skills through mentoring junior designers and potentially leading research initiatives.

• Strategic Product Influence: Gaining experience in shaping product roadmaps and influencing organizational strategy through evidence-based design.

• Industry Exposure: Working within a well-established company like 1-800-GOT-JUNK? (O2E Brands) provides exposure to successful business models and operational challenges in the service industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges listed are common for senior roles focused on driving mature design practices within organizations. The growth opportunities align with a typical career progression for a Senior UX Designer looking to move into leadership or strategic roles.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Be prepared to discuss your philosophy on "research-led design" and how you champion it within product teams. Example: "Describe a time you had to convince stakeholders to invest in user research. What was your approach and the outcome?"

• Articulate how you balance user needs with business objectives and technical constraints. Example: "Walk us through a complex product decision where you had to reconcile conflicting requirements from users, business, and engineering."

• Explain your process for translating research insights into actionable design strategies. Example: "How do you move from raw research data to concrete design recommendations and prioritization?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• Research 1-800-GOT-JUNK?'s services, target audience, and brand positioning. Understand how UX can support their business goals in the junk removal industry.

• Reflect on how your personal values align with "It's All About People" and a research-driven culture. Example: "How do you embody a customer-centric approach in your daily work?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Choose 2-3 Strong Case Studies: Select projects that best showcase your research prowess, strategic thinking, and end-to-end design process. Prioritize those with clear, measurable impact.

• Structure for Clarity: For each case study, follow a narrative arc: Problem -> Your Role/Process -> Research -> Insights -> Solution -> Impact. Use visuals effectively.

• Emphasize the "Why": Clearly explain the rationale behind your research methods and design decisions. Be ready to defend your choices with data and user insights.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your research methodology, synthesis process, design trade-offs, and how you measured success.

• Practice Your Delivery: Rehearse your presentation to ensure it's concise, engaging, and within the allotted time. Be prepared to answer questions spontaneously.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes practical application and strategic thinking. Candidates should prepare detailed examples from their portfolio, focusing on the research-to-impact narrative, and be ready to articulate their approach to leadership and hybrid collaboration.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Ultipro recruiting portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your resume and portfolio are tailored to highlight your experience in user research, strategy, and mentorship, using keywords from the job description (e.g., "research-led design," "Figma," "stakeholder management").

• Resume Optimization: Clearly articulate your years of experience and specific accomplishments related to leading research initiatives and influencing product decisions. Quantify your impact whenever possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on the research process and its impact. Prepare thoughtful answers to common UX and behavioral interview questions.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research 1-800-GOT-JUNK? and O2E Brands, understanding their mission, services, and company values to demonstrate your genuine interest and cultural fit.

⚠️ 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.