UI Designer Confirmé

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UI Designer Confirmé

Company: Thales

Location: Carquefou, France

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: User Interface (UI) Design / User Experience (UX) Design

Date Posted: 2026-02-19

Experience Level: 2-5 years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is critical for designing and evolving user interfaces within Thales's User Centric Solution Engineering department, focusing on applications for critical information systems and digital transformation projects.

• The UI Designer will be instrumental in translating complex user needs and UX research into intuitive, responsive, and aesthetically coherent digital interfaces that align with client identities.

• The position requires a strong collaborative approach, working closely with UX Designers and development teams in an agile environment to ensure seamless technical implementation of designed solutions.

• A key aspect of this role involves applying and evolving a Design System, ensuring consistency and efficiency across multiple projects while maintaining a high standard of user experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is "UI Designer Confirmé", the responsibilities and required experience (3+ years, Bac+5) indicate a mid-level to experienced professional. The role is situated within a specialized "UX Agency" under the "User Centric Solution Engineering" department, highlighting a strong focus on user-centered design principles within Thales's digital services and IT operations. The mention of "critical information systems" and "national defense secret" suggests a high-security environment, requiring careful consideration for candidates.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Identify client challenges and define appropriate design methodologies to address them effectively.

• Collaborate with clients to design fluid, understandable, and user-friendly interfaces.

• Create high-definition mockups and prototypes based on established UX research and exploration phases.

• Apply and contribute to the evolution of the company's Design System across various interface designs.

• Develop user interfaces for complex technical and business problems, ensuring clarity and efficiency.

• Translate content, layout, and functional requirements into intuitive and responsive user experiences.

• Ensure the design and styling are coherent and align with the client's brand identity and Thales's design standards.

• Conduct user testing sessions to gather feedback and iterate on designs as necessary.

• Support development teams during the technical implementation of designed interfaces, providing clear specifications and guidance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities heavily emphasize a user-centric approach, moving beyond pure aesthetics to focus on usability, understandability, and client needs. The inclusion of "defining methodology" and "client challenges identification" suggests a proactive role in the design process, not just execution.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Master's degree (Bac +5) in Design, with a specialization in UI Design, or equivalent in Web Design or Digital Design.

Experience: Minimum of 3 years of professional experience in user interface (UI) design.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience in designing user interfaces for complex applications.

• Proficiency in creating high-definition mockups, wireframes, and prototypes.

• Strong understanding and application of Design Systems.

• Experience working within an Agile development environment.

• Familiarity with the Design Thinking methodology.

• Good knowledge of graphic design and interface design principles.

• Mastery of mockup and prototyping tools such as Sketch and Figma.

• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite tools (Photoshop, Illustrator).

• Sensitivity to user-centered design problems and ability to collaborate effectively with UX Designers.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with After Effects for motion design or advanced prototyping.

• Experience in iterative user testing and incorporating feedback.

• Understanding of technical constraints and collaboration with development teams.

• Knowledge of accessibility standards in UI design.

• Experience in industrial or strategic contexts, potentially within defense or aerospace sectors.

📝 Enhancement Note: The specified tools (Sketch, Figma, Adobe Suite) are industry standard for UI designers. The requirement for Agile and Design Thinking experience points to a collaborative, iterative design process within the team. The mention of "complex problems" and "strategic industrial contexts" suggests a need for analytical thinking and problem-solving skills beyond basic UI execution.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a range of UI design projects, demonstrating problem-solving skills and user-centric design thinking.

• Examples of high-definition mockups, wireframes, and interactive prototypes.

• Case studies that highlight the design process from initial concept to final implementation, including user testing insights and iterative improvements.

• Demonstrations of how a Design System was applied or evolved within a project.

Process Documentation:

• Showcasing the ability to translate UX research into actionable UI designs.

• Evidence of working within an Agile framework and collaborating with technical teams.

• Examples of applying Design Thinking principles to solve user interface challenges.

• Documentation of user testing methodologies and feedback incorporation strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a UI Designer role, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to go beyond just showcasing visuals to demonstrating the designer's thought process, problem-solving capabilities, and understanding of user needs and technical implementation. Highlighting experience with Design Systems and Agile methodologies will be crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for experienced UI Designers (3-5 years) in the Pays de la Loire region of France, an estimated annual gross salary range could be between €40,000 and €55,000. This estimate considers the company's reputation, the strategic importance of the role, and the requirement for a Master's degree.

Benefits:

• Attractive compensation package.

• Continuous skills development through training programs.

• Access to internal academies and communities for professional growth.

• An inclusive and caring work environment.

• Respect for work-life balance.

• Potential for security clearance, opening doors to high-impact projects.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week, typical for full-time employment in France. The hybrid work arrangement suggests flexibility in structuring these hours, balancing on-site collaboration with remote work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is an estimate based on French market data for experienced UI designers and the specified location. The benefits package highlights Thales's commitment to employee development and well-being, which is attractive for professionals in specialized technical fields. The hybrid nature of the role offers flexibility.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Advanced Technologies (Defense & Security, Aeronautics & Space, Cyber & Digital). Thales is a global leader in high-technology solutions, investing heavily in R&D, particularly in AI, cybersecurity, quantum computing, and cloud technologies.

Company Size: Approximately 81,000 employees worldwide, indicating a large, established, and globally present organization. This size offers stability and broad career opportunities.

Founded: Thales has a long history, tracing its roots back to the early 20th century, signifying deep expertise and sustained innovation in its core sectors.

Team Structure:

• The role is within the "UX Agency," a national team of UX and UI Designers under the "User Centric Solution Engineering" department.

• This department focuses on designing and developing core business applications with a strong user-centric approach.

• Collaboration is expected with UX Designers, developers, and potentially client stakeholders.

Methodology:

• Emphasis on user-centered design principles, ensuring solutions are useful, usable, desirable, and motivating.

• Application of Design Thinking methodology for problem-solving.

• Agile development practices for iterative design and development cycles.

• Focus on creating intuitive and responsive user experiences.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Thales's culture is built on technological excellence, innovation, and a commitment to security and trust. The UX Agency's structure within a larger engineering department suggests a blend of specialized design focus with broader engineering and business objectives. The "User Centric Solution" ethos is central to the team's mission.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This "UI Designer Confirmé" (Experienced UI Designer) role is positioned at a mid-level. It requires independent contribution to design tasks, application of established methodologies, and collaboration within a team, but likely involves guidance from senior designers or UX leads on highly complex strategic initiatives.

Reporting Structure: The UI Designer will report to a lead within the UX Agency, likely a UX Design Lead or Manager. They will work closely with UX Designers and report to project managers or engineering leads for specific project assignments.

Operations Impact: The UI Designer's work directly impacts the usability and adoption of critical applications for Thales's clients. By creating intuitive and effective user interfaces, they contribute to client satisfaction, operational efficiency, and the successful digital transformation of customer businesses. In a defense context, effective UI can also be critical for mission success and user safety.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in UI design, Design Systems, or specific design tools.

• Leadership: Progress to a Senior UI Designer role, mentoring junior designers, or leading design efforts on larger projects.

• UX Transition: Develop stronger UX skills to transition into a hybrid UI/UX Designer or a dedicated UX Designer role.

• Cross-functional: Gain exposure to other areas of Thales's digital transformation, potentially moving into product design, research, or project management roles within the tech divisions.

• Skill Development: Continuous learning through internal academies, training programs, and participation in industry conferences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The career path for a UI Designer at a company like Thales offers opportunities to hone specialized skills within a large organization, potentially leading to leadership roles or broader tech career advancements, especially given the company's investment in R&D and digital transformation.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is hybrid, indicating a mix of on-site work at the Carquefou office and remote work. This suggests a modern office environment designed for collaboration, with dedicated workspaces and meeting areas.

Office Location(s): Carquefou, located near Nantes, France. This area offers a balance of industrial and technological development with a good quality of life.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace will likely be dynamic and collaborative, fostering interaction within the UX Agency and with development teams.

• Access to necessary design tools and technologies (Sketch, Figma, Adobe Suite) will be provided.

• Opportunities for knowledge sharing, design critiques, and team events are expected within the UX Agency and the broader User Centric Solution Engineering department.

• The environment might involve working on projects with high security requirements, necessitating adherence to specific protocols.

Work Schedule: Standard 40-hour work week, with flexibility afforded by the hybrid arrangement. This allows for personal scheduling while ensuring availability for team meetings and collaborative sessions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model indicates a modern workplace that balances flexibility with the need for in-person collaboration, crucial for design teams. The Carquefou location offers a professional setting within a region known for its economic and technological activity.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or HR representative will likely conduct an initial screening to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Review & Technical Interview: Candidates will be asked to present their portfolio, discussing specific projects, design decisions, and problem-solving approaches. This is a critical stage to evaluate UI design skills, understanding of user-centered principles, and tool proficiency. Expect questions about your process, how you handle feedback, and your experience with Design Systems.

• Team/Hiring Manager Interview: An interview with the hiring manager and possibly senior members of the UX Agency. This will focus on team fit, collaboration skills, understanding of Agile methodologies, and how you approach complex design challenges.

• Potential Security Clearance Process: Given the nature of Thales's work, a security clearance process will be mandatory for the selected candidate, which involves background checks and may extend the overall hiring timeline.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Showcase 3-5 of your strongest, most relevant projects. Prioritize those demonstrating UI design expertise, Design System application, and user-centric problem-solving.

• Tell a Story: For each project, explain the problem, your role, the design process (including UX collaboration, wireframing, high-fidelity mockups, prototyping), the tools used, the challenges faced, and the final outcome/impact.

• Highlight Design System Work: Explicitly detail your experience with Design Systems, including how you applied them, contributed to them, or adapted them for specific projects.

• Showcase Tool Proficiency: Be ready to discuss your mastery of tools like Sketch, Figma, and Adobe Creative Suite, and potentially present live examples or interactive prototypes.

• Focus on User-Centricity: Emphasize how your designs address user needs and contribute to intuitive, responsive experiences.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for hypothetical design challenges or case studies that require you to outline your approach to designing an interface for a complex problem within Thales's domain.

• Practice articulating your design rationale clearly and concisely, justifying your decisions based on user needs, best practices, and potential business objectives.

• Be ready to discuss how you would collaborate with UX designers and developers to bring a design to life.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process at Thales will likely be thorough, involving multiple stages to assess technical skills, collaborative abilities, and suitability for a high-security environment. The portfolio is the cornerstone of the evaluation for this UI design role.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• UI Design & Prototyping: Sketch, Figma. These are essential for creating wireframes, high-fidelity mockups, and interactive prototypes.

• Graphic Design: Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator). For image editing, asset creation, and graphic elements.

• Potential Advanced Tools: Adobe After Effects (for motion design/animating UI elements), other prototyping tools.

Analytics & Reporting: While not explicitly mentioned for UI designers, understanding how UI impacts user behavior metrics (e.g., task completion rates, engagement) is beneficial. Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics or specific product analytics platforms could be a plus for understanding user testing outcomes.

CRM & Automation: Not directly applicable to the core UI design function, but understanding how designs integrate into broader digital workflows and platforms is advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Sketch and Figma, along with Adobe Creative Suite, is non-negotiable for this role. Highlighting any experience with motion design tools or analytics platforms that inform design decisions would be a strong differentiator.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Technological Excellence: A core value at Thales, driving innovation and high-quality solutions.

• Trust & Security: Paramount in their operations, especially in defense and security sectors. Design must uphold these principles.

• User-Centricity: Ensuring that user needs and experience are at the forefront of all design decisions.

• Collaboration & Innovation: Fostering an environment where ideas are shared, and teams work together to create cutting-edge solutions.

• Continuous Improvement: A commitment to ongoing learning and refining processes and designs.

Collaboration Style:

• Agile & Iterative: Working in sprints, with frequent feedback loops and adaptations.

• Cross-functional: Strong collaboration expected with UX Designers, developers, product managers, and potentially client representatives.

• Open Communication: Encouraging dialogue, design critiques, and knowledge sharing within the UX Agency and development teams.

• Proactive Engagement: Taking initiative to identify design opportunities and contribute to strategic discussions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture at Thales, particularly within its tech divisions, emphasizes precision, security, and innovation. The UX Agency's ethos of user-centricity aligns with these broader organizational values.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complex Industrial Contexts: Designing for critical systems in defense, aerospace, or security requires a deep understanding of user needs, high stakes, and stringent requirements.

• Balancing Aesthetics with Functionality: Creating interfaces that are both visually appealing and highly functional, especially for complex technical applications.

• Evolving Design Systems: Keeping pace with the evolution of Design Systems and ensuring their consistent application across diverse projects.

• Security Clearance Process: Navigating the potentially lengthy and rigorous security clearance procedure.

• Adapting to Client Needs: Translating diverse client requirements and brand identities into coherent and effective UI designs.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Training: Access to Thales's internal academies and training programs for advanced UI/UX techniques, new tools, and industry best practices.

• Mentorship: Opportunities to learn from experienced UX/UI designers and potentially senior leaders within the organization.

• Exposure to High-Impact Projects: Working on projects with national strategic importance, providing unique learning experiences and significant portfolio additions.

• Industry Trends: Staying current with the latest advancements in UI design, user experience research, and digital technologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for experienced designers in high-stakes industries, offering significant opportunities for professional growth and skill development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex UI challenge you faced and how you approached it using Design Thinking principles." - Prepare a case study detailing your process, focusing on problem identification, user needs analysis, design iterations, and final solution.

• "How do you ensure consistency and scalability in your UI designs, particularly when working with a Design System?" - Be ready to discuss your experience with Design Systems, their benefits, and how you apply them.

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Thales and specifically about working on UI design for critical information systems?" - Research Thales's mission, recent projects, and their commitment to technology and security.

• "How do you approach staying updated with the latest UI design trends and technologies?" - Discuss your methods for continuous learning, including industry publications, conferences, and online communities.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your presentation logically: Introduction of the project/problem, your role, your process (research, ideation, design, testing), key design decisions and rationale, your contributions, and the outcome/impact.

• Visuals: Use high-quality mockups, interactive prototypes, and clear visuals. Ensure they are easily viewable and understandable.

• Storytelling: Frame each project as a narrative. Explain the 'why' behind your design choices, not just the 'what'.

• Focus on Impact: Quantify results where possible (e.g., improved task completion rates, positive user feedback scores, efficiency gains) or describe qualitative improvements in user experience.

• Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design choices, challenges, and alternatives you considered.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating not just design skill, but also a strategic, user-centric, and collaborative mindset, crucial for a role in a large, complex organization like Thales.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UI Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Thales careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your resume highlights your 3+ years of UI design experience, proficiency in Sketch, Figma, and Adobe Creative Suite, and experience with Design Systems and Agile methodologies. Tailor your resume to include keywords from the job description.

• Portfolio Preparation: Curate your portfolio to showcase 3-5 of your strongest UI design projects. Focus on projects that demonstrate complex problem-solving, user-centric design, and ideally, experience with Design Systems. Be ready to present these projects with clear narratives about your process and impact.

• Interview Practice: Prepare to discuss your portfolio in detail, articulate your design process, and answer questions about your experience in Agile environments and your understanding of user-centered design principles. Practice explaining your design decisions and how you collaborate with teams.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Thales's mission, its key sectors (Defense, Aeronautics, Cyber, Digital), and its commitment to innovation and security. Understand the value of a "User Centric Solution" within their context.

⚠️ 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. The security clearance requirement is a significant factor and may influence the hiring timeline and candidate eligibility.