Senior UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Designer Company: Oxford Instruments Plc Location: High Wycombe, England, United Kingdom Job Type: Full-Time Category: User Experience (UX) Design / Product Design Date Posted: January 28, 2026 Experience Level: 5-10 years Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the user experience strategy for complex scientific and technical software applications, focusing on usability and accessibility for academic and industrial researchers.
• Lead the design and prototyping of intuitive interfaces for specialized instrument controls and desktop applications, ensuring seamless integration with hardware.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including software engineers, product owners, and testers to translate user needs and technical requirements into effective design solutions.
• Champion user-centered design principles throughout the software development lifecycle, from initial concept to final deployment, ensuring scientific breakthroughs are enabled by user-friendly technology.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within a scientific instruments business, implying a need for UX designers who can grasp complex technical concepts and translate them into user-friendly interfaces for specialized equipment and software. The emphasis on "technical and specialized" software suggests a higher degree of complexity than typical consumer or enterprise applications, requiring a designer comfortable with scientific domains and potentially abstract data visualization.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct user research, including interviews, surveys, and usability testing, to deeply understand the needs and workflows of scientists and researchers using Oxford Instruments' products.
• Develop wireframes, mockups, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity designs for new features and improvements to existing software applications, utilizing tools like Figma and Adobe XD.
• Create and maintain design systems, style guides, and component libraries to ensure consistency and efficiency across all software products.
• Collaborate with Product Owners and stakeholders to define product requirements, user stories, and design specifications, ensuring alignment with business goals and user needs.
• Work closely with software engineers to ensure accurate implementation of designs, providing detailed specifications and design support throughout the development process.
• Present design concepts, user research findings, and prototypes to cross-functional teams and stakeholders, articulating design decisions and their rationale effectively.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of UX processes and best practices within the Software Engineering team, fostering a culture of user advocacy.
• Design user interfaces for instrument control software, ensuring intuitive operation and efficient data acquisition and analysis for complex scientific instruments.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the "Senior" title and the context of scientific instruments, responsibilities likely extend beyond basic UI design to include leading design initiatives, mentoring junior designers (if any), and significantly influencing product strategy from a UX perspective. The need to make "specialized software easy to understand and use" highlights a critical aspect of this role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• A science or Engineering qualification is required, providing a foundational understanding of the technical domains the software serves.
• A postgraduate degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), UX Design, or a related field is preferred, demonstrating advanced knowledge in user experience principles.

Experience:

• Considerable experience in user-centered design and prototyping, with a proven track record of delivering successful digital products.
• Experience designing for complex desktop applications and instrument controls is highly desirable, reflecting the specific technical environment.
• Proven experience working within an Agile software development environment, collaborating effectively in cross-functional teams.

Required Skills:

• Strong proficiency in user-centered design methodologies and principles.
• Demonstrated user experience design and prototyping skills.
• Proficiency in industry-standard design and interaction software such as Figma or Adobe XD.
• Experience working in an Agile environment with cross-functional teams.
• Proven experience collaborating with product owners and developers to gather requirements and understand user needs.
• Excellent presentation and communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex design ideas clearly.

Preferred Skills:

• Background in coding, with an understanding of software development processes, is a plus for transitioning into a UX role or for better collaboration with engineers.
• Experience with user research methodologies, including usability testing, user interviews, and persona development.
• Familiarity with scientific research environments, electron microscopy, mechanical microscopy, atomic force microscopy, or Raman microscopy.
• Experience in designing for data visualization and complex scientific data interpretation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for a "science or Engineering qualification" is unusual for a pure UX role and strongly indicates that candidates with technical backgrounds who can quickly adapt to UX principles, or experienced UX designers with a demonstrated interest and ability to learn complex technical domains, will be highly valued. The "5-10 years" experience level suggests a need for someone who can operate independently and potentially lead design efforts.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate a clear understanding of user-centered design processes, from research and ideation through to detailed design and testing.
• Showcase at least two significant projects involving the design of complex desktop applications or instrument control interfaces, highlighting problem definition, design solutions, and outcomes.
• Include examples of interactive prototypes created using tools like Figma or Adobe XD, illustrating user flows and interaction design.
• Present case studies that clearly articulate the user needs, design challenges, your specific contributions, and the measurable impact of your design solutions (e.g., improved task completion rates, reduced error rates, increased user satisfaction).

Process Documentation:

• Provide evidence of how you have documented user research findings, design decisions, and user flows.
• Show how you have collaborated with development teams to translate design specifications into implemented features, including any design handoff processes.
• Illustrate your approach to iterative design and incorporating feedback from stakeholders, product owners, and end-users.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a senior role in a technical field, the portfolio is critical for demonstrating not just aesthetic design skills but also a deep understanding of user research, problem-solving, cross-functional collaboration, and the ability to deliver tangible value in a complex product environment. The emphasis should be on the "how" and "why" behind design decisions and their impact.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Based on industry benchmarks for Senior UX Designers in the High Wycombe, UK region with 5-10 years of experience, the estimated salary range is £55,000 - £75,000 per annum. This estimate considers the technical nature of the role, the company's standing in advanced scientific instrumentation, and the hybrid work model.

Benefits:

• Wellbeing:
  • Generous Annual Leave: 25 days plus bank holidays, with the option to purchase up to 12 additional weeks.
  • Comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme: Offering 24/7 support, counselling, financial advice, and legal guidance.
  • Private Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, and Life Assurance for peace of mind.
• Money & Lifestyle:
  • MyDiscounts: Access to savings with leading retailers.
  • Car Salary Exchange Scheme: Option to lease an electric or hybrid vehicle.
  • TechScheme and CycleScheme: Spread the cost of technology and bicycles over 12 months.
  • Pension Scheme: Eligible to join the Group Pension Plan administered by AVIVA.
  • Share Incentive Plan: Opportunity to invest in the company's success.
• Development:
  • Support for professional and/or academic qualifications to foster growth.
  • Defined career paths and regular performance reviews to guide career progression.

Working Hours:

• The standard working hours are approximately 40 hours per week. The role operates on a hybrid working policy, requiring a couple of days per week on-site in High Wycombe for effective collaboration and product understanding.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is derived from typical UK salary data for senior UX roles, adjusted for location (High Wycombe, which is in a reasonably high cost-of-living area within the commuter belt of London) and the specialized nature of Oxford Instruments' industry. The comprehensive benefits package is detailed in the job description and is a significant part of the total compensation.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Advanced Scientific Instrumentation & Technology. Oxford Instruments Plc is a leader in developing and manufacturing high-technology tools and systems for research and industrial applications, with a strong presence in materials analysis, including electron microscopy, mechanical microscopy, atomic force microscopy, Raman microscopy, and benchtop NMR products. Their work directly supports scientific breakthroughs and addresses critical 21st-century challenges. Company Size: Part of the wider Oxford Instruments Group, which is a significant global player. The Materials Analysis business unit, where this role sits, has a Software Engineering department of approximately 45 people, indicating a substantial, dedicated technical team. Founded: Oxford Instruments has a sixty-year history, underscoring a legacy of innovation and stability, including fourteen Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, signifying a history of significant achievement and contribution.

Team Structure:

• The Senior UX Designer will be part of the Software Engineering team, which comprises around 45 individuals. This team likely includes software developers, testers, and potentially other UX/UI specialists.
• The role involves close collaboration with Product Owners, who define the strategic direction and requirements for the software.
• The UX Designer will operate within a cross-functional team structure, a common practice in Agile development environments, working alongside engineers and testers daily.

Methodology:

• The team operates within an Agile development framework, suggesting iterative development cycles, regular stand-ups, sprint planning, and retrospectives.
• User-centered design principles are emphasized, requiring UX designers to be advocates for the user throughout the development process.
• Data-driven decision-making is likely, with a focus on user research, usability testing, and performance metrics to inform design choices.
• Close collaboration and communication are key, especially given the hybrid working model and the technical nature of the products.

Company Website: https://www.oxinst.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's long history and numerous Queen's Awards suggest a culture that values deep technical expertise, innovation, and quality. The specific mention of enabling "scientific breakthroughs" points to a mission-driven environment where work has a tangible impact on global research and development. The size of the software department indicates a mature engineering operation with established processes.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior UX Designer. This level implies a significant degree of autonomy, responsibility for leading design initiatives, and the ability to influence product direction. It suggests a role where the individual is expected to be a subject matter expert in UX, capable of tackling complex design challenges independently and mentoring others. Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Designer will report into the Software Engineering team structure. The specific reporting manager is likely a Head of Software Engineering, Software Development Manager, or potentially a dedicated UX Lead if one exists within the department. They will work closely with Product Owners. Operations Impact: The UX Designer's impact is crucial for the success of Oxford Instruments' technical software. By making complex instruments and their control software more intuitive and efficient, they directly enable researchers to achieve faster, more accurate scientific results. This can lead to increased customer satisfaction, quicker adoption of new technologies, and ultimately, a stronger competitive position for the company in the scientific instrumentation market.

Growth Opportunities:

• UX Specialization: Potential to deepen expertise in specific areas of UX relevant to scientific instrumentation, such as advanced data visualization, complex workflow design, or human-instrument interaction.
• Leadership Development: Opportunity to move into a Lead UX Designer role, managing a small team, defining UX strategy for multiple products, or taking on more significant project leadership responsibilities.
• Cross-Functional Expertise: Develop a stronger understanding of scientific research methodologies and engineering principles, becoming a more valuable asset in product development.
• Formal Training & Qualifications: The company explicitly supports achieving professional and/or academic qualifications, offering a clear path for continuous learning and skill enhancement in UX or related technical fields.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title, combined with the company's focus on scientific innovation, suggests that growth opportunities may involve increasing technical depth within UX for scientific domains or moving into leadership roles that guide UX strategy for a portfolio of advanced products. The explicit mention of supporting qualifications indicates a commitment to employee development.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company operates with a hybrid working policy. This means the role is based out of their High Wycombe office but allows for a portion of the work to be done remotely. The need to be "onsite a couple of times a week" highlights a commitment to in-person collaboration and team synergy. Office Location(s): The primary location for this role is High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England. This location is known for its accessibility and presence within a hub of technology and business. Workspace Context:

• The office environment is likely to be professional and technically oriented, supporting a team of engineers and designers.
• Expect a collaborative workspace designed to foster interaction, with meeting rooms equipped for presentations and discussions, and potentially open-plan areas for team collaboration.
• Access to necessary design tools, software licenses (Figma, Adobe XD), and potentially specialized hardware or software for testing will be provided.
• Opportunities for informal and formal collaboration with software engineers, product owners, and other stakeholders will be readily available, facilitating a dynamic design process.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is approximately 40 hours per week. The hybrid model offers flexibility, allowing for remote work days alongside essential on-site collaboration days, balancing individual focus time with team interaction.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "couple of times a week" onsite requirement is typical for hybrid roles and suggests that team cohesion, spontaneous brainstorming, and direct interaction with product teams are highly valued by Oxford Instruments, even within a hybrid setup. This is common in organizations where deep product understanding and rapid iteration are key.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review your application and resume. Be sure to highlight relevant UX experience, technical aptitude, and any experience in scientific or engineering domains.
• Portfolio Review & Technical Interview: You will likely be asked to present your portfolio, detailing 2-3 key projects. Expect questions about your design process, problem-solving approach, collaboration experiences, and how you've handled challenging design situations. This stage will assess your user-centered design skills, tool proficiency (Figma/Adobe XD), and understanding of Agile environments.
• Team/Hiring Manager Interview: This stage will focus on cultural fit, team collaboration, and your ability to integrate into the existing software engineering team. You may be asked to elaborate on your experience with instrument controls or complex desktop applications.
• Final Interview (Potentially): A final discussion with a senior leader or department head to confirm suitability and discuss career aspirations.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure is Key: Organize your portfolio with clear case studies for each project. Start with the problem statement, outline your process (research, ideation, design, testing), showcase your solutions (visuals, prototypes), and conclude with the outcomes and learnings.
• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs. Think about improvements in task completion time, error reduction, user satisfaction scores, or adoption rates.
• Highlight Technical Aptitude: For this role, emphasize any projects involving complex interfaces, scientific data, or instrument controls. Explain how you approached understanding the technical constraints and user needs in such environments.
• Showcase Collaboration: Include examples of how you worked with engineers, product managers, and other stakeholders. Explain how you managed feedback and trade-offs.
• Tool Proficiency: Be ready to discuss your experience with Figma, Adobe XD, and other prototyping tools.

Challenge Preparation:

• Candidates may be given a small design challenge to complete within a timeframe, either as a take-home assignment or during an interview. This could involve designing a specific feature for a hypothetical scientific instrument or improving an existing interface.
• Focus on demonstrating your problem-solving process, understanding of user needs, and ability to create a clear, well-reasoned design solution under pressure.
• Be prepared to articulate your design rationale clearly and concisely, as if you were presenting to the product team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a "science or Engineering qualification" and "instrument controls" suggests that the interview process will likely probe deeply into a candidate's ability to comprehend and design for complex technical systems, not just their general UX skills. Demonstrating curiosity and a capacity for learning in technical domains will be crucial.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Adobe XD (Proficiency required for both).
• User Research: Tools for conducting interviews, surveys, and usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Maze, SurveyMonkey, or internal tools).
• Collaboration & Project Management: Agile tools like Jira, Confluence, Trello, or similar platforms for task tracking, documentation, and sprint management.
• Version Control (for design assets): Potentially tools like Abstract, or built-in features within Figma.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not directly designing analytics tools, understanding how to interpret data from them is key. This may include familiarity with tools used to track user behavior within the software (e.g., custom logging, analytics platforms).
• Ability to interpret performance metrics related to user tasks and feature usage.

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable for UX design tools, but understanding how CRM data might inform user segmentation or customer support feedback could be beneficial.
• Awareness of automation in software development workflows.
• Familiarity with integration concepts between software and hardware components.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma and Adobe XD is explicitly mentioned and is critical. The role also implies working within an Agile framework, so familiarity with tools like Jira and Confluence is highly probable. The key is understanding how UX design integrates into a broader software development toolchain.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Scientific Rigor & Innovation: A deep commitment to scientific accuracy and pushing the boundaries of technology to enable groundbreaking research. This translates to a meticulous approach to design and a drive for novel solutions.
• User Advocacy: A strong focus on understanding and championing the needs of scientists and researchers, ensuring that technology serves their goals effectively.
• Collaboration & Teamwork: Valuing close partnerships between design, engineering, product management, and other departments to achieve shared objectives.
• Excellence & Quality: A commitment to delivering high-quality, reliable, and robust products, reflecting the demanding nature of scientific instrumentation.
• Continuous Improvement: An ethos of constantly seeking ways to enhance products, processes, and individual skills.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Expect to work closely with a multidisciplinary team, participating in scrum meetings, design reviews, and joint problem-solving sessions.
• Open Communication: A culture that encourages open feedback, constructive criticism, and transparent communication across all levels.
• Knowledge Sharing: Opportunities to share insights and best practices within the UX and wider software engineering community at Oxford Instruments.
• Agile & Iterative: A dynamic approach to development, embracing iterative design and adapting to new information and feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's history and focus on scientific breakthroughs suggest a culture that values deep technical expertise, intellectual curiosity, and a long-term perspective on product development. The emphasis on enabling "scientific breakthroughs" implies that the team is passionate about the impact of their work.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complexity of Scientific Domains: Designing intuitive interfaces for highly specialized scientific instruments and complex data sets requires a steep learning curve and a strong ability to grasp technical concepts.
• Balancing User Needs with Technical Constraints: Finding elegant design solutions that meet diverse user needs while adhering to stringent technical requirements and hardware limitations.
• Hybrid Work Environment: Effectively collaborating and maintaining strong team cohesion while working on a hybrid schedule, ensuring seamless communication and design handoffs.
• Evolving Technology: Keeping pace with advancements in both UX design practices and the rapidly evolving fields of scientific instrumentation and research.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Domain Expertise: Deepen knowledge in areas like microscopy, spectroscopy, and other scientific fields, becoming a specialist in UX for scientific applications.
• Advanced UX Techniques: Explore and implement cutting-edge UX methodologies, such as advanced data visualization techniques, AI-driven design assistance, or novel interaction paradigms for scientific hardware.
• Leadership & Mentorship: Develop leadership skills by taking on more responsibility for design strategy, mentoring junior team members, and potentially managing design projects.
• Industry Engagement: Opportunities to attend relevant scientific or UX conferences, stay abreast of industry trends, and contribute to the professional development of the UX community.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge will be bridging the gap between sophisticated scientific technology and user-friendly design. Growth opportunities are strongly tied to developing deep domain expertise and leveraging that knowledge to drive innovation in UX for scientific instruments.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a challenging complex desktop application or instrument control system you've designed. What were the user needs, technical constraints, and how did you arrive at your solution?" (Focus on your process, problem-solving, and outcome).
• "How do you approach understanding the needs of highly technical users, such as scientists or researchers, especially when you may not have direct domain expertise?" (Highlight your research methods, empathy, and learning agility).
• "Walk us through a project where you had to collaborate closely with software engineers and product owners in an Agile environment. How did you manage feedback, trade-offs, and ensure design integrity?" (Emphasize collaboration, communication, and Agile experience).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working for Oxford Instruments, specifically within the scientific instrumentation industry?" (Show genuine curiosity about science and technology).
• "How would you contribute to our user-centered design culture, especially given our hybrid working model?" (Discuss your approach to remote and in-office collaboration).
• "How do you ensure your designs are not only user-friendly but also technically feasible and aligned with business objectives?" (Demonstrate strategic thinking and understanding of product development).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Prioritize Relevance: Select 2-3 of your strongest projects that best showcase your skills in complex interface design, user research, prototyping, and collaboration. Ideally, include examples related to technical software or data visualization.
• Tell a Story: For each project, frame it as a narrative: the problem, your role, the process, the solution, and the impact.
• Focus on Process: Clearly articulate how you arrived at your design decisions. Discuss your research methods, iterative process, and rationale.
• Quantify Results: If possible, present metrics that demonstrate the success of your design (e.g., user satisfaction improvements, task efficiency gains).
• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your design choices, the tools you used, and how you handled challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the specific requirements for a science/engineering background and experience with instrument controls, interviewers will likely probe for evidence of how you tackle technical complexity. Be ready to discuss your learning process and how you translate complex technical requirements into user-centric solutions.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Oxford Instruments careers portal at https://jobs.oxinst.com/.
• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your experience with desktop applications, instrument controls, complex technical software, user-centered design, prototyping tools (Figma, Adobe XD), and Agile methodologies.
• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly showcases your years of experience (5-10), relevant qualifications (science/engineering degree or equivalent experience), and key skills mentioned in the job description. Use keywords from the listing naturally.
• Portfolio Preparation: Curate your online portfolio to feature 2-3 of your most relevant projects. Prepare a concise narrative for each, focusing on problem definition, your design process, solutions, and measurable outcomes. Be ready to present this confidently.
• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Oxford Instruments Plc, their products (electron microscopes, etc.), and their mission. Understand their position in the scientific instrumentation market and their commitment to innovation.

⚠️ 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.