UI Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UI Designer

Company: SRT Marine Systems plc

Location: Bristol, England, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: April 11, 2026

Experience Level: Experienced

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Design end-to-end user interfaces for desktop, web, and mobile applications within the maritime surveillance technology sector.

• Contribute to and scale a component-based design system, adhering to atomic design principles to ensure consistency and efficiency.

• Collaborate closely with Design, Product, and Engineering teams to translate complex problems into intuitive user experiences.

• Develop prototypes and conduct testing to validate design solutions and gather user feedback for continuous improvement.

• Own the full design lifecycle from initial concept and research through to polished UI delivery and developer handoff.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within the Product Management department, indicating a strong focus on user-centric product development and a direct impact on the company's software offerings. The "Experienced" designation suggests a need for candidates who can operate with a degree of autonomy and possess a proven track record.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Take end-to-end ownership of designing new features and product improvements across SRT's software platforms for web and mobile.

• Maintain and evolve the company's design system, including component libraries, UI patterns, and style guidelines, ensuring scalability and consistency.

• Create interactive prototypes to visualize and test design concepts, facilitating early validation and iteration with stakeholders.

• Conduct user research and usability testing to gather insights and inform design decisions, ensuring products meet user needs and expectations.

• Effectively communicate design decisions, rationale, and user insights to cross-functional teams and stakeholders through presentations and documentation.

• Collaborate with engineering teams to ensure accurate implementation of designs and provide necessary assets and specifications for developer handoff.

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of the overall user experience across all SRT products by identifying opportunities and proposing innovative solutions.

• Stay abreast of industry trends, best practices, and emerging technologies in UI/UX design to bring fresh perspectives and enhance product innovation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a holistic approach to UI design, encompassing not only visual execution but also strategic UX thinking, system design, and user advocacy. The "end-to-end ownership" and "maintain and evolve our design system" aspects highlight the potential for significant impact and long-term contribution to the product's visual and functional architecture.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong foundation in design principles, user-centered design methodologies, and visual communication is expected, typically gained through formal education (e.g., Bachelor's in Graphic Design, HCI, or related field) or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: Proven experience as a UI Designer or Product Designer with a strong portfolio showcasing end-to-end design processes for web and mobile applications. Experience working in an agile development environment is considered beneficial.

Required Skills:

• ESSENTIAL: Highly proficient and experienced with Figma for UI design, prototyping, and design system management.

• ESSENTIAL: A comprehensive online portfolio demonstrating a strong UX thinking, visual design skills, and experience delivering end-to-end design work, including wireframes and polished UI. A link to the portfolio must be provided in the application.

• Strong working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator for asset creation and manipulation.

• Proven ability to translate complex problems and requirements into intuitive, user-friendly interfaces.

• Demonstrated experience managing end-to-end design processes for both mobile and web platforms, including successful developer handoff.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience contributing to and scaling component-based design systems, with a thorough understanding of atomic design principles.

• Experience working within an agile development methodology (e.g., Scrum, Kanban).

• Familiarity with user research techniques and usability testing methods.

• Knowledge of front-end development principles (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) to better inform design decisions and collaboration with engineers.

• Experience designing for complex software products, particularly in technical or specialized industries.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit requirement for an online portfolio linked in the application is critical. Candidates should curate their portfolio to specifically highlight projects demonstrating end-to-end ownership, Figma proficiency, design system contributions, and successful developer handoffs, aligning with the core responsibilities.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 2-3 distinct projects that demonstrate end-to-end UI/UX design process, from initial concept to final implementation.

• Clearly articulate your role and contributions within each project, especially highlighting your ownership and decision-making.

• Feature projects that specifically utilize Figma as the primary design tool, demonstrating advanced capabilities and workflow efficiency.

• Include examples of design system contributions or adherence to atomic design principles for consistency and scalability.

• Present wireframes, user flows, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity mockups to illustrate the design journey.

• For each project, include a section on developer handoff, detailing how design specifications and assets were provided.

Process Documentation:

• For each portfolio project, outline the design methodology employed (e.g., user-centered design, agile sprints).

• Detail the steps taken for user research, problem definition, ideation, prototyping, and user testing.

• Explain your approach to design system management, including how components were created, documented, and maintained.

• Describe your collaboration process with product managers and engineers throughout the design lifecycle.

• Provide evidence of how your designs addressed specific user needs or business objectives, backed by data or user feedback where possible.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is a critical component of the application. Candidates should ensure it is well-organized, visually appealing, and clearly communicates their process, skills, and impact, with a strong emphasis on Figma usage and design system contributions, as these are explicitly called out as essential.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for experienced UI Designers in the Bristol, UK area, and considering the hybrid work model and competitive benefits, an estimated salary range of £45,000 - £65,000 per annum is anticipated. This range is subject to the candidate's specific experience, portfolio strength, and interview performance.

Benefits:

• Highly Competitive Salary: Reflecting the candidate's experience and skills.

• Pension Scheme: A comprehensive pension plan to support long-term financial security.

• Hybrid Working: Flexibility to balance office-based collaboration with remote work.

• Development Opportunities: Access to training, workshops, and other learning resources to enhance skills and career growth.

• Equal Opportunity Employer: Commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse working environment.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are approximately 40 hours per week. The hybrid arrangement requires attendance at the Bristol office one day per week, with the remaining days offering remote work flexibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is derived from analyzing UK job boards, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn Salary data for "UI Designer" roles in Bristol with "experienced" or "mid-level" designations, and factoring in the company's industry (marine technology) and stated benefits. The specific offering will depend on the candidate's qualifications.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: SRT Marine Systems plc operates in the specialized field of international marine surveillance technology and systems, focusing on Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA). This niche industry demands precision, reliability, and innovation to address global security, safety, and environmental protection challenges. The company serves a diverse international clientele, from national coast guards to individual vessel owners.

Company Size: SRT Marine Systems plc is described as a "respected, established, and an ambitious multi-national company." While an exact employee count isn't provided, its multi-national status and plc designation suggest a significant operational scale, likely placing it in the medium to large enterprise category (e.g., 250-1000+ employees). This size typically allows for structured teams and processes while retaining a degree of agility.

Founded: The founding date is not explicitly stated, but the description implies a company with a substantial history and established presence in the market, allowing it to be a "market leader" and "respected." This history suggests a culture that values stability, expertise, and long-term vision, alongside its ambition for innovation.

Team Structure:

• The UI Designer will be part of the Product Management department, working closely with Design, Product, and Engineering teams. This indicates a collaborative, cross-functional environment where product success is a shared goal.

• The design team likely consists of other designers (potentially UX researchers, UX designers, and other UI designers) who collaborate on different product areas.

Methodology:

• Data Analysis & Insights: Design decisions are expected to be informed by user research, usability testing, and potentially analytics data related to product usage.

• Workflow Planning & Optimization: The role involves optimizing user workflows within the software and contributing to the efficiency of the design process itself through design systems and agile practices.

• Automation & Efficiency: While not explicitly stated for this role, the broader company likely pursues efficiency through technology. For the UI Designer, this translates to leveraging tools like Figma and design systems to streamline design production and handoff.

Company Website: https://srt-marine.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on maritime surveillance suggests a professional, technically oriented culture where attention to detail, reliability, and security are paramount. The "ambitious" nature implies a dynamic environment that values innovation and growth.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This UI Designer role is positioned as an "Experienced" level. This implies a need for candidates who can work independently on defined tasks, contribute meaningfully to team discussions, and take ownership of their design deliverables. It's beyond an entry-level position but likely not yet a senior or lead role, offering a solid platform for further specialization or advancement.

Reporting Structure: The UI Designer will report into the Product Management department, likely to a Design Lead or a senior Product Manager. This structure facilitates close collaboration with product strategy and development teams, ensuring design efforts are aligned with business objectives and technical feasibility.

Operations Impact: The UI Designer's impact is directly tied to the usability, intuitiveness, and aesthetic appeal of SRT's software products. Effective UI/UX design enhances user adoption, customer satisfaction, operational efficiency for users (e.g., coast guards, vessel operators), and ultimately, the company's competitive edge in the maritime surveillance market. Well-designed interfaces can reduce training times, minimize errors, and improve the overall effectiveness of the systems provided.

Growth Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in Figma, design systems, and atomic design principles. Gain exposure to advanced prototyping techniques and potentially explore UX research methodologies.

• Industry Specialization: Develop a niche expertise in designing for the maritime technology sector, a unique and high-impact field. This could lead to specialized roles within SRT or in related industries.

• Leadership Potential: With demonstrated success and initiative, opportunities may arise to mentor junior designers, lead design initiatives on specific features or products, or contribute to strategic product planning discussions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Experienced" designation suggests that candidates should be prepared to discuss past projects where they demonstrated autonomy and problem-solving skills, rather than solely relying on team-based contributions. The growth opportunities highlight the potential for career development within a specialized technical field.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based in Bristol, UK, with a hybrid working arrangement. This implies a modern office space designed to support collaboration, with facilities for meetings, brainstorming sessions, and focused individual work. The "hybrid" nature means the office environment is a key component for team interaction and specific project phases.

Office Location(s): The primary office location is Bristol, BS1 6BX, United Kingdom. This central location likely offers good transport links and access to local amenities. The hybrid model requires one day per week in this office, suggesting that physical presence is valued for key team interactions.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The office space is expected to foster collaboration among design, product, and engineering teams, facilitating real-time feedback and problem-solving during the designated office day.

• Operations Tools & Technology: While not explicitly detailed, the office environment would likely be equipped with standard professional tools, and employees are expected to have their own reliable setup for remote work days. Access to company servers, shared drives, and internal communication platforms would be standard.

• Team Interaction: The hybrid model is designed to maintain team cohesion and facilitate essential in-person interactions, such as design reviews, sprint planning, and cross-functional alignment meetings.

Work Schedule: The work schedule is generally aligned with standard business hours, approximately 40 hours per week. The hybrid nature offers flexibility in terms of location, with one mandatory day in the Bristol office per week. This structure allows for focused individual work remotely while ensuring opportunities for team synergy and direct communication in the office.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should be prepared to discuss how they manage their hybrid schedule, ensuring effective collaboration on office days and productive remote work on other days. The specific office day requirement (1 day/week) is a key detail for managing work-life balance and planning.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Application & Portfolio Review: Candidates will submit their CV and, crucially, a link to their online portfolio. Recruiters and hiring managers will assess the portfolio for required skills, experience level, and alignment with SRT's design needs.

• Screening Call: A brief call with HR or a recruiter to discuss qualifications, salary expectations, and suitability for the role and company culture.

• Technical Interview / Design Challenge: This may involve a practical design exercise (either take-home or in-session) to assess problem-solving skills, design thinking, and proficiency with tools like Figma. Alternatively, a deep dive into portfolio case studies to understand the candidate's process and rationale.

• Team/Hiring Manager Interview: A more in-depth discussion with the hiring manager and potentially other team members (e.g., Product Manager, Lead Designer, Engineer) to evaluate technical skills, cultural fit, collaboration style, and understanding of UX/UI principles.

• Final Interview (if applicable): Potentially a final discussion with a senior leader to confirm fit and discuss terms.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Figma Proficiency: Ensure your portfolio explicitly showcases projects where Figma was your primary tool, demonstrating your ability to leverage its features for design, prototyping, and design system management.

• Showcase End-to-End Process: For each case study, clearly map out the entire design journey: problem definition, research, wireframing, prototyping, UI design, and developer handoff. Explain your rationale at each stage.

• Emphasize Design System Contributions: If you have experience building, contributing to, or scaling design systems using atomic design principles, make this a prominent feature. Detail the challenges and how you addressed them.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use data (e.g., user feedback, A/B test results, adoption rates) to demonstrate the positive impact of your design solutions. Even qualitative feedback can be valuable.

• Tailor to SRT: Briefly mention how your skills and experience align with SRT Marine Systems' mission and the maritime technology domain, showing you've researched the company.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Familiarize yourself with maritime surveillance technology and the potential user needs (e.g., clarity, reliability, ease of use under pressure).

• Practice Figma Skills: Be ready to demonstrate your Figma capabilities, including component creation, auto layout, prototyping, and collaboration features.

• Structure Your Thinking: For any design challenge, be prepared to articulate your thought process clearly: defining the problem, identifying constraints, exploring solutions, and justifying your final design choices.

• Prepare Questions: Have thoughtful questions ready about the team, product roadmap, design challenges, and company culture.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Figma and end-to-end process in the portfolio review is paramount. Candidates should select portfolio pieces that best showcase these specific requirements and be prepared to discuss their design decisions in detail, linking them back to user needs and business goals.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: This is the ESSENTIAL tool for UI design, prototyping, and design system management. Proficiency in its advanced features, including components, variants, auto layout, and collaborative workflows, is critical.

• Adobe Photoshop: Required for image editing, manipulation, and potentially creating complex graphic assets that may not be feasible in Figma.

• Adobe Illustrator: Necessary for vector graphics, icons, and illustrations, ensuring scalability and clarity for UI elements.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly listed as required for this UI Designer role, familiarity with analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude) can be beneficial for understanding user behavior and informing design decisions. The company likely uses such tools to track product performance.

CRM & Automation:

• No direct CRM or automation tools are specified as primary requirements for this UI Designer. However, understanding how user data is managed within a CRM (like Salesforce, HubSpot) or how workflows are automated can provide context for application design. Collaboration with teams who use these tools will be frequent.

• Integration tools are not directly relevant to the UI Designer's core tasks but understanding the concept of API integrations can help in designing user interfaces that interact with various backend systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma as "ESSENTIAL" cannot be overstated. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate deep expertise in Figma, including its design system capabilities and collaborative features, as this is a core requirement for the role.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation: SRT is "constantly seek[ing] to innovate," implying a value placed on creative problem-solving and pushing technological boundaries in marine surveillance.

• Quality & Results: The company emphasizes "high-quality results are rewarded," suggesting a focus on performance, precision, and delivering robust solutions.

• Impact: Employees have "the opportunity to make a real impact across the marine industry," highlighting a desire for meaningful contributions.

• Professionalism & Ambition: The description of being "respected, established, and an ambitious multi-national company" points to a culture that values expertise, strategic thinking, and driving growth.

• Inclusivity: SRT "actively encourage[s] applications from all sectors of the community," demonstrating a commitment to diversity and equal opportunity.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The UI Designer will work "closely with our Design, Product, and Engineering teams," indicating a highly collaborative environment where cross-functional understanding and communication are key.

• Process Review & Feedback: Expect a culture where design decisions are discussed, justified, and potentially iterated upon based on feedback from peers, product managers, and engineers.

• Knowledge Sharing: As part of a multi-national company, there's likely an emphasis on sharing best practices, design patterns, and lessons learned to maintain consistency and drive continuous improvement across the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should be prepared to discuss how they contribute to a collaborative team environment and how they align their work with company values such as innovation, quality, and impact. Demonstrating an understanding of the maritime technology sector's specific needs for reliability and precision will also be beneficial.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for a Niche Industry: Adapting UI/UX principles to the specific, often complex, requirements of maritime surveillance technology, which may involve high-stakes, safety-critical applications.

• Balancing Innovation with Usability: Ensuring that new features and design enhancements are innovative while maintaining or improving the intuitive usability required by users who may be operating under demanding conditions.

• Scaling Design Systems: Effectively maintaining and evolving a design system as the product suite grows and product requirements become more diverse, ensuring consistency across all platforms (desktop, web, mobile).

• Hybrid Work Management: Optimizing collaboration and communication effectiveness within a hybrid work model, ensuring seamless handoffs and alignment between office-based and remote team members.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Domain Knowledge: Gaining deep insights into the maritime domain awareness sector, understanding the unique challenges and workflows of end-users like coast guards and vessel operators.

• Advanced Design System Management: Developing expertise in creating, managing, and scaling sophisticated component-based design systems, potentially contributing to industry best practices.

• Cross-functional Collaboration Skills: Enhancing abilities to work effectively with diverse teams, including product management, engineering, and potentially hardware integration specialists, fostering a holistic product development approach.

• Career Progression: Opportunities to advance into senior UI/UX design roles, lead design initiatives, or specialize further in areas such as UX research or product strategy within the technology sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should be ready to discuss how they approach challenges, framing them as opportunities for learning and problem-solving. Highlighting adaptability and a proactive approach to skill development will be crucial.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex product or feature you designed from concept to delivery. What was your process, what challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?" (Focus on end-to-end ownership, problem-solving, and rationale.)

• "How do you approach collaborating with product managers and engineers to ensure designs are feasible and meet user needs?" (Highlight communication, negotiation, and cross-functional teamwork.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about SRT Marine Systems and the maritime surveillance industry?" (Show research into the company's mission and market.)

• "How do you contribute to a positive and productive team environment, especially within a hybrid working model?" (Discuss collaboration, communication, and cultural fit.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, the solution (showcasing wireframes, mockups, prototypes), the tools used (emphasizing Figma), and the outcome/impact.

• Focus on Process & Rationale: Don't just show the final screens; explain why you made certain design decisions. Connect your choices back to user research, usability principles, or business goals.

• Demonstrate Figma Mastery: Be prepared to show specific Figma features you used, such as component libraries, auto layout, prototyping links, and collaboration tools.

• Quantify Results: If possible, present metrics or user feedback that demonstrate the success of your designs. If not, articulate the expected benefits clearly.

• Keep it Concise: Be prepared to present key highlights efficiently, allowing time for Q&A.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare specific examples that align with the job description's emphasis on Figma, end-to-end ownership, and design systems. Practicing the articulation of their design process and rationale will be key to a successful interview.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UI Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the SRT Marine Systems plc careers page.

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your CV to highlight keywords and responsibilities mentioned in the job description, such as "Figma," "end-to-end design," "design systems," "atomic design," "web and mobile applications," and "developer handoff." Quantify achievements where possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Ensure your online portfolio is up-to-date, easily navigable, and prominently features projects demonstrating your Figma proficiency, end-to-end design process, and any experience with design systems or atomic design principles. Provide the link clearly in your application.

• Prepare for the Interview: Research SRT Marine Systems plc, its products, and its mission in maritime surveillance. Prepare to discuss your portfolio projects in detail, focusing on your design process, decision-making, and collaboration skills. Be ready to answer questions about your experience with Figma and your approach to hybrid work.

• Practice Presentation: Rehearse presenting your portfolio case studies concisely and effectively, preparing to answer technical and behavioral questions with specific examples.

⚠️ 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.