Senior UX_UI Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX/UI Designer Company: Caterpillar Inc. Location: Westminster, Colorado, United States Job Type: FULL_TIME Category: UX/UI Design, Digital Solutions, Technology Date Posted: November 13, 2025 Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5-10 years) Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is pivotal in shaping the user experience for Caterpillar's digital products, focusing on Equipment Management, including VisionLink and Energy Management (Electrification) solutions.
• The Senior UX/UI Designer will be instrumental in driving the end-to-end design process, from initial ideation and user research through to development hand-off and the enhancement of existing digital applications.
• A strong emphasis will be placed on translating business requirements into intuitive and effective design solutions, ensuring a human-centered approach that meets user needs and business objectives.
• The position requires a blend of creative thinking, technical proficiency in design tools like Figma, and a collaborative spirit to foster innovation within the Cat Digital team.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is Senior UX/UI Designer, the responsibilities and focus on digital solutions, telematics, AI capabilities, and connected assets position this role within the broader "Technology" and "Digital Solutions" operational categories. The emphasis on enterprise applications and supporting specific product suites like VisionLink and Energy Management (Electrification) indicates a need for designers who can navigate complex B2B platforms.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the full design lifecycle for digital products, from conceptualization and user research to final design specifications and developer hand-off, ensuring a seamless transition from ideation to implementation.
• Translate complex business requirements, captured in tools like Aha! or Azure DevOps, into intuitive and visually appealing user interface designs and user experience flows using Figma.
• Proactively identify opportunities to enhance the user experience of existing digital applications, ensuring they remain competitive, user-friendly, and aligned with current design best practices.
• Facilitate and participate in design thinking workshops and ideation sessions, fostering a collaborative environment to generate innovative solutions for digital challenges.
• Conduct user research, usability testing, and gather feedback to inform design decisions, ensuring that solutions are grounded in user needs and validated through data.
• Collaborate closely with product managers, development teams, and stakeholders to ensure design solutions are technically feasible, meet business objectives, and deliver exceptional user value.
• Champion user-centered design principles across the organization, advocating for the end-user and ensuring design consistency and quality across all digital touchpoints.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary responsibilities emphasize a hands-on approach to design, requiring the candidate to execute tasks from research to hand-off. The mention of "Equipment Management," "VisionLink," and "Energy Management (Electrification)" suggests a need for designers capable of understanding industrial or heavy equipment contexts and the data associated with connected assets. The translation of requirements from Aha!/Azure DevOps highlights the need for agile development process familiarity.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While specific educational requirements are not detailed, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or a related field is typically expected for a Senior UX/UI Designer role. A strong portfolio demonstrating equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: A minimum of 5-10 years of professional experience in UX/UI design, with a significant focus on digital product development and enterprise applications, is recommended for this Senior-level position.

Required Skills:

• Creativity: Demonstrated ability to generate original ideas and apply them to solve complex design problems in a business context.
• Decision Making & Critical Thinking: Proficient in analyzing situations, evaluating design options, and making informed, data-driven decisions to achieve optimal outcomes.
• Human-Centered Design (HCD): Deep understanding and practical application of HCD principles to empathize with users and create solutions that effectively meet their needs.
• User Experience (UX) Design: Expertise in UX design tools, methodologies, and best practices for creating user-friendly and engaging digital experiences.
• User Interface (UI) Design: Strong skills in designing effective, intuitive, and visually appealing graphical user interfaces for desktop and mobile applications.
• Figma Proficiency: Expert-level technical skills in Figma for designing, prototyping, and collaborating on user interfaces.
• Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams, actively contributing ideas and fostering a positive team dynamic.
• Adaptability: A proactive and adaptable mindset, willing to learn, speak up, and contribute to a dynamic team environment.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing specifically for complex enterprise applications.
• A "UX generalist" profile, comfortable across various stages of the design process rather than solely specialized.
• Significant experience in mobile application design and a passion for mobile technology.
• Familiarity with telematics, AI capabilities, and data-driven design approaches.
• Experience with product management tools like Aha! or Azure DevOps for requirement translation.
• Understanding of web trends and the ability to integrate them into organizational infrastructure.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Considerations For Top Candidates" section provides strong indicators for preferred skills, emphasizing a generalist UX approach, mobile experience, and technical/collaboration skills. The requirement for Figma expertise is explicitly stated and crucial.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• End-to-End Case Studies: Showcase 2-3 comprehensive case studies demonstrating your involvement in the entire design process, from initial problem identification and UX research through to final UI design and successful implementation or hand-off.
• Problem-Solution Alignment: Clearly articulate the user or business problem addressed in each case study, the design process followed, and how your design solutions specifically solved that problem.
• Quantifiable Impact: Where possible, include metrics or evidence of the impact of your designs, such as improvements in user engagement, task completion rates, conversion metrics, or user satisfaction scores.
• Tool Proficiency Examples: Include examples that highlight your expertise in Figma, showcasing complex layouts, interactive prototypes, and design system elements.

Process Documentation:

• Demonstrate experience in translating business requirements (e.g., from Aha! or Azure DevOps) into actionable design specifications.
• Provide examples of how you have supported existing digital applications by identifying areas for UX enhancement and implementing design improvements.
• Showcase your ability to document design decisions, user flows, and interaction patterns clearly for development teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior UX/UI Designer role, the portfolio is critical. It needs to demonstrate not just aesthetic skill but also strategic thinking, problem-solving capabilities, and the ability to navigate complex requirements within an enterprise environment. Highlighting experience with specific tools and methodologies mentioned in the job description (Figma, HCD, Aha!, Azure DevOps) will be advantageous.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $110,520.00 - $179,640.00 USD per year.

Benefits: Caterpillar offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits
• Paid time off plan (Vacation, Holidays, Volunteer time)
• 401(k) savings plans
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• Health Lifestyle Programs
• Employee Assistance Program
• Voluntary Benefits and Employee Discounts
• Career Development opportunities
• Incentive bonus program
• Disability benefits
• Life Insurance
• Parental leave
• Adoption benefits
• Tuition Reimbursement

Note: Some benefits also apply to part-time employees.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are typically 40 hours per week, aligning with full-time employment. While the role is on-site, the company culture may offer some flexibility within operational needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is specific to the US market and is based on the job listing. For a Senior UX/UI Designer role in the Westminster, Colorado area, this range is competitive and reflects the experience level and responsibilities. The benefits listed are extensive and typical for a large Fortune 100 company like Caterpillar, emphasizing employee well-being and professional growth.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Heavy Equipment Manufacturing, Technology, Digital Solutions. Caterpillar Inc. is a global leader in the construction and mining equipment industry, with a significant and growing focus on digital transformation through its Cat Digital division. This industry context means that design solutions often need to be robust, reliable, and cater to professional users in demanding environments. Company Size: Large Enterprise (Fortune 100 company). This implies a structured environment with established processes, opportunities for scale, and significant resources. For operations professionals, this means potential for large-scale impact and exposure to complex organizational structures. Founded: Caterpillar was founded nearly 100 years ago, bringing a legacy of innovation and reliability. Its focus on sustainability and a reduced-carbon future highlights a forward-thinking approach.

Team Structure:

• The role is within Cat Digital, the technology and digital arm of Caterpillar. This division likely comprises various specialized teams, including UX/UI design, product management, engineering, data science, and analytics.
• The design team likely operates within a matrixed structure, reporting to design leadership while collaborating closely with product teams focused on specific areas like Equipment Management, VisionLink, and Electrification.
• Cross-functional collaboration is a cornerstone of the role, requiring close partnerships with product managers, software engineers, researchers, and potentially business stakeholders from various Caterpillar divisions.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Emphasis on using data, analytics, and user research to inform design decisions and measure impact.
• Agile Development: The mention of Aha!/Azure DevOps suggests an agile or hybrid agile development methodology, where design is integrated into iterative development cycles.
• Human-Centered Design: The core philosophy guiding product development, ensuring that user needs are at the forefront of all design efforts.

Company Website: https://www.caterpillar.com/ and https://www.caterpillar.com/en/company/about-us.html

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding Caterpillar's dual nature as a manufacturing giant and a burgeoning tech company is key. Cat Digital operates with a tech-centric mindset within a large industrial corporation, requiring designers to balance innovation with enterprise-level requirements and robustness.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior UX/UI Designer role, indicating a level of expertise and autonomy. It signifies a professional who can lead design initiatives, mentor junior designers, and operate effectively within complex project environments. The scope includes supporting critical product areas like Equipment Management and Electrification, suggesting significant responsibility.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX/UI Designer will likely report to a Design Manager or Director within Cat Digital. They will collaborate extensively with Product Managers and Engineering leads for specific product lines (e.g., VisionLink, Energy Management).

Operations Impact: The work of a Senior UX/UI Designer directly impacts the usability, adoption, and effectiveness of Caterpillar's digital solutions. By improving user experience, this role contributes to increased customer satisfaction, operational efficiency for dealers and customers, and ultimately, the success of Caterpillar's digital strategy and revenue generation through enhanced product offerings.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Potential to move into Lead UX/UI Designer roles, managing design projects or small teams, and influencing design strategy.
• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas like industrial UX, data visualization for heavy equipment, or electrification interfaces.
• Cross-Functional Mobility: Opportunities to move into Product Management, UX Research leadership, or other roles within the broader Cat Digital organization.
• Continuous Learning: Access to professional development resources, conferences, and training to keep skills current with emerging technologies and design trends.

📝 Enhancement Note: For operations professionals, understanding the career path within a large, established company like Caterpillar is important. This role offers a clear progression from individual contributor to potential leadership, with opportunities to specialize in high-impact areas like electrification and data analytics.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site. The role is based in Westminster, Colorado, indicating a need for physical presence in the office. This environment is typical for large corporations, fostering in-person collaboration and team cohesion.

Office Location(s): Westminster, Colorado; Chicago, Illinois; Peoria, Illinois. While the primary posting is Westminster, the mention of Chicago and Peoria suggests these may be other key locations for Cat Digital or related functions, potentially offering internal mobility or collaboration with teams in those regions.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The office environment likely includes collaborative workspaces, meeting rooms, and potentially dedicated design studios to facilitate brainstorming and team interaction.
• Technology Access: Employees will have access to necessary hardware, software (including Figma), and IT support to perform their roles effectively.
• Team Interaction: Regular opportunities for face-to-face interaction with design peers, product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders, promoting a strong sense of team and integrated workflow.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time, typically around 40 hours per week. While on-site, Caterpillar generally supports a productive work-life balance, though specific schedules may vary based on project needs and team collaboration requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement is a key factor. For operations roles, this often translates to a more structured and predictable work environment with direct access to colleagues and resources, which can be beneficial for complex problem-solving and collaborative design efforts.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will likely conduct an initial phone screen to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.
• Portfolio Review & Presentation: Candidates will be asked to present their portfolio, showcasing 2-3 key projects that demonstrate their skills, process, and impact relevant to the role's requirements (e.g., enterprise applications, mobile design, complex data visualization). Be prepared to discuss your design decisions, challenges, and outcomes in detail.
• Technical/Skills Interview: This may involve a practical design exercise or a deeper dive into specific UX/UI concepts, tools (especially Figma), and design thinking methodologies.
• Behavioral/Team Fit Interview: Discussions will focus on collaboration, problem-solving, handling feedback, and how you would integrate into the Cat Digital team culture. Expect questions about your experience with HCD, creativity, and critical thinking.
• Final Round: Potentially a meeting with senior leadership or stakeholders to discuss strategic alignment and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best align with the job description's emphasis on enterprise applications, mobile experience, and complex problem-solving.
• Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly outline the problem, your role, the process you followed, your key contributions, the design solutions, and the measurable impact.
• Showcase Figma Mastery: Demonstrate proficiency with Figma's advanced features, including interactive prototyping, component libraries, and collaboration tools.
• Emphasize HCD: Clearly articulate how user research, testing, and human-centered principles guided your design decisions.
• Be Prepared for "Why": Anticipate questions about your rationale behind specific design choices and how you handled constraints or challenges.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Exercise: Be ready for a take-home design challenge or an in-person/virtual whiteboard exercise. Focus on breaking down the problem, articulating your approach, and presenting a well-reasoned solution, even if not fully polished.
• Process Walkthrough: Practice explaining your design process concisely and effectively, highlighting your problem-solving skills and ability to work within constraints.
• Stakeholder Communication: Prepare to discuss how you would communicate design concepts and rationale to non-design stakeholders, such as product managers and engineers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a Senior role at a company like Caterpillar will be rigorous. A strong portfolio is paramount, and candidates should be prepared to articulate their process, decision-making, and impact with data and detailed examples.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Explicitly mentioned and required. This will be the primary tool for UI design, prototyping, and collaboration. Proficiency in its advanced features is essential.
• Aha! / Azure DevOps: Used for translating business requirements. Familiarity with how design integrates into these product management/workflow tools is beneficial.
• UX Research Tools: While not specified, tools like UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, or similar platforms for conducting remote usability testing and gathering user feedback are common.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics Platforms: Experience with tools like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or similar for understanding user behavior on digital platforms.
• Data Visualization Tools: Familiarity with tools like Tableau, Power BI, or custom dashboards for analyzing user data and presenting insights.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: While not directly a CRM role, understanding how UX/UI design impacts CRM adoption and user workflows within related systems (e.g., Salesforce, Dynamics 365) can be valuable.
• Project Management Software: Beyond Aha!/Azure DevOps, general proficiency with tools like Jira, Asana, or Trello for task management and team coordination.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is the cornerstone of the required technical stack for this role. Beyond that, a conceptual understanding of how design interfaces with requirement management, analytics, and broader enterprise systems is expected for a Senior UX/UI Designer in a large organization.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation & Progress: Caterpillar's commitment to building a better, more sustainable world translates to a culture that values forward-thinking and innovation in its digital solutions.
• Customer Focus: A strong emphasis on meeting customer needs, ensuring that digital products deliver tangible value and solve real-world problems for customers and dealers.
• Collaboration: Working effectively across diverse teams and functions to achieve common goals, fostering an environment where ideas are shared and built upon.
• Integrity & Excellence: Upholding high standards in all aspects of work, from design quality and technical execution to ethical conduct and business practices.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: A strong inclination towards using data and analytics to inform design choices, measure success, and drive continuous improvement.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Designers are expected to work seamlessly with product managers, engineers, researchers, and business stakeholders, fostering a shared understanding of goals and challenges.
• Open Communication: A culture that encourages open dialogue, constructive feedback, and the sharing of ideas across all levels and disciplines.
• Agile & Iterative: A collaborative approach that embraces agile methodologies, allowing for iterative design, rapid prototyping, and continuous refinement based on feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated values, such as "building a better world" and "customer focus," are critical to understand. For operations roles, this means aligning design decisions with these overarching principles and demonstrating how the digital solutions contribute to Caterpillar's mission.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complexity of Enterprise Systems: Designing for complex, data-rich enterprise applications like VisionLink and Energy Management requires a deep understanding of user workflows and technical constraints.
• Balancing Innovation with Legacy Systems: Integrating new digital solutions and user experiences with existing, potentially older, enterprise infrastructure and processes.
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring consistent design vision and execution across multiple product teams and stakeholder groups within a large organization.
• Rapid Technological Evolution: Staying abreast of emerging technologies (e.g., AI, IoT, electrification interfaces) and integrating them effectively into user experiences.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Skills: Opportunities to deepen expertise in areas like interaction design for complex systems, data visualization, and mobile-first design strategies.
• Industry Immersion: Gaining in-depth knowledge of the heavy equipment, construction, and mining industries, understanding the unique challenges and needs of Caterpillar's customers.
• Emerging Technologies: Exposure to and application of cutting-edge technologies like IoT, telematics, and electrification, particularly within the context of industrial equipment.
• Mentorship & Leadership: Opportunities to be mentored by senior designers and potentially mentor junior team members, developing leadership capabilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the need for a pragmatic and adaptable designer who can navigate complexity. The growth opportunities are substantial, offering deep industry immersion and exposure to advanced technological applications.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex enterprise application you designed. What were the biggest challenges, and how did you overcome them?" (Focus on process, problem-solving, and user impact).
• "How do you approach translating business requirements from tools like Aha! or Azure DevOps into user-centered designs?" (Highlight your understanding of requirement interpretation and design translation).
• "Walk us through a project where you significantly improved the user experience of an existing digital product. What metrics did you use to measure success?" (Emphasize data-driven approaches and quantifiable results).
• "How do you balance user needs with technical constraints and business objectives in your design process?" (Demonstrate pragmatic problem-solving and collaboration).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Caterpillar's mission and the Cat Digital division?" (Show research into Caterpillar's industry, sustainability focus, and digital transformation).
• "How do you contribute to a collaborative team environment, especially when working with engineers and product managers?" (Provide examples of your collaboration style and conflict resolution).
• "How do you stay updated on the latest UX/UI trends and technologies, particularly those relevant to industrial or enterprise applications?" (Show a commitment to continuous learning).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, follow a clear story: Problem -> Your Role -> Process -> Solution -> Impact.
• Deep Dive on Figma: Be ready to demonstrate specific Figma features used, such as component libraries, auto layout, prototyping, and collaboration workflows.
• Highlight HCD Principles: Explicitly state how user research, personas, journey maps, and usability testing informed your decisions.
• Quantify Impact: Present metrics clearly, explaining how your design contributed to business goals or user success. If direct metrics aren't available, use qualitative feedback or demonstrable improvements.
• Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate detailed questions about your design choices, challenges encountered, and alternative solutions considered.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a blend of creative problem-solving, technical proficiency (especially in Figma), and a strong understanding of human-centered design principles within an enterprise context.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX/UI Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Caterpillar Careers portal.
• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects that demonstrate experience with enterprise applications, mobile design, and complex data visualization. Emphasize your proficiency with Figma and your human-centered design process.
• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your years of experience, key skills (Creativity, HCD, UX/UI Design, Figma, Collaboration), and achievements relevant to the job description. Use keywords from the listing naturally.
• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on clear storytelling, articulating your design rationale, and demonstrating the impact of your work. Prepare answers for common UX interview questions and behavioral scenarios.
• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Caterpillar's business, its digital initiatives (Cat Digital), its commitment to sustainability, and its core products (e.g., VisionLink, Electrification). Understand how UX/UI design contributes to these strategic goals.

⚠️ 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.