UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Designer

Company: Lely

Location: Maassluis, South Holland, Netherlands

Job Type: Full-time (Voltijds)

Category: Technology / UX/UI Design

Date Posted: November 07, 2025

Experience Level: Mid-Level (Estimated 2-5 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (3-4 days on-site per week)

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the user experience strategy for Lely's innovative robotics and data systems, focusing on farmer-robot interaction and data integration.

• Collaborate within a global, multidisciplinary UX team to ensure a consistent and intuitive user journey across all touchpoints, from mobile applications to in-cab displays.

• Translate complex agricultural technology concepts into tangible design solutions, prototypes, and user-centric experiences that enhance farm efficiency and sustainability.

• Champion a user-first approach, bridging the gap between technical capabilities, user needs, and business objectives within an Agile development framework.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role of UX Designer at Lely is positioned as a hybrid role, blending strategic thinking with hands-on design execution. The emphasis on "shaping interaction and experience" beyond just screens suggests a need for candidates comfortable with service design principles and a holistic view of the user journey. The target experience level is estimated based on the complexity of responsibilities and the expectation of independent contribution within a team.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and prototype user interfaces and interaction flows for Lely's robotic milking systems and associated data management platforms, ensuring a seamless and intuitive farmer experience.

• Conduct user research, usability testing, and gather feedback to inform design decisions and iterate on product designs, translating insights into actionable design improvements.

• Collaborate closely with product managers, researchers, engineers, and other stakeholders in multidisciplinary and Agile teams to define product requirements and design specifications.

• Develop and maintain design documentation, including wireframes, mockups, user journey maps, and interactive prototypes, to effectively communicate design concepts and solutions.

• Contribute to the evolution of Lely's design system, ensuring consistency in design language, patterns, and user experience across the product portfolio.

• Advocate for user needs and best practices in design, presenting ideas and design rationale clearly and persuasively to both technical and non-technical audiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of core UX/UI design tasks with a strategic component of shaping farmer-robot interaction. The requirement to work in multidisciplinary and Agile teams indicates a need for strong collaboration and adaptability. The emphasis on "design systems" and "service design" suggests that candidates with experience in these areas will be well-positioned.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: A Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design (e.g., Interaction Design, Graphic Design, Product Design), Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field is typically expected, though equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: Proven experience as a UX/UI Designer, Product Designer, or similar role, with a portfolio showcasing end-to-end design process and successful product launches. Experience working within an Agile development environment and in multidisciplinary teams is crucial.

Required Skills:

• Strong proficiency in UX design principles, user-centered design methodologies, and interaction design.

• Demonstrated ability to translate complex ideas into clear, intuitive, and engaging user interfaces and experiences.

• Expertise in using design and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision) for wireframing, mockup creation, and interactive prototyping.

• Experience with user research methodologies, including user interviews, usability testing, and persona development.

• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions and collaborate effectively with diverse teams and stakeholders.

• Familiarity with Agile development processes and cross-functional team collaboration.

Preferred Skills:

• Affinity with or experience in data analysis, robotics, or the agricultural sector.

• Experience with the development and application of design systems.

• Proficiency in service design methodologies and experience mapping.

• Strong visualization skills extending from initial sketches to high-fidelity, clickable prototypes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize a blend of core design skills with a need for strategic thinking and creative problem-solving. The "nice to have" skills strongly suggest that candidates with a passion for technology, data, and agriculture will have a distinct advantage. The requirement to "speak the language of developers" implies a need for understanding technical constraints and possibilities.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate a strong understanding of the end-to-end UX design process, from conceptualization and research to prototyping and final design, with clear examples of problem-solving.

• Showcase projects that highlight your ability to translate complex requirements into user-friendly interfaces and interactions, particularly those involving hardware integration or data visualization.

• Include case studies that detail your role, the challenges faced, the design decisions made, and the impact (e.g., user adoption, efficiency gains, satisfaction scores) of your work.

Process Documentation:

• Provide examples of how you document user flows, wireframes, and high-fidelity designs, ensuring clarity and consistency for development handoff.

• Show evidence of your user research and usability testing processes, including how insights were gathered and used to iterate on designs.

• Illustrate your approach to prototyping, demonstrating the ability to create interactive prototypes that effectively communicate design intent and facilitate user testing.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a UX Design role, a robust portfolio is paramount. The emphasis on process documentation and case studies will allow candidates to demonstrate not just their aesthetic skills but also their strategic thinking, problem-solving capabilities, and ability to drive tangible results through design. The mention of "hardware integration" and "data visualization" points to specific areas where portfolio examples would be highly beneficial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: The starting salary is at least €4,800 gross per month. Based on Lely's reputation, the company's innovative nature in the agritech sector, and the specified hybrid work arrangement (32-40 hours/week with significant on-site presence), a typical range for a UX Designer with 2-5 years of experience in the Netherlands could be estimated between €4,800 and €6,500 gross per month. This estimate considers the cost of living in the Netherlands, industry benchmarks for tech roles, and the specific benefits offered.

Benefits:

• A competitive starting salary of at least €4,800 gross per month, with potential for increases based on knowledge and experience.

• 27 vacation days and 13 additional leave days per year, providing ample time for rest and personal pursuits.

• A personal development budget to support continuous learning, skill enhancement, and professional growth.

• Numerous growth opportunities within Lely, fostering career advancement and specialization.

• Freedom to organize your work independently, promoting autonomy and ownership.

• Access to on-campus facilities, including padel courts, fitness classes, a gym, and a barista.

Working Hours: You will work 32-40 hours per week, with a requirement for 60-100% on-site work. Full remote work is not possible, indicating a commitment to in-person collaboration and team synergy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary information sets a clear minimum. The estimated range is based on typical Dutch market rates for UX Designers with mid-level experience in technology companies, considering the location (Maassluis) and the comprehensive benefits package. The hybrid nature of the role is factored in, as it often commands slightly different compensation than fully remote positions.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Lely operates in the AgTech (Agricultural Technology) and Robotics sector, focusing on sustainable farming solutions through automation. This industry is characterized by innovation, a strong emphasis on sustainability, and the integration of hardware, software, and data.

Company Size: Lely employs around 2,500 people worldwide, with a significant presence in over 40 countries. This size indicates a well-established organization with global reach, offering stability while maintaining an innovative spirit.

Founded: Founded in 1948, Lely has over 75 years of experience, demonstrating a deep understanding of the agricultural market and a long-standing commitment to dairy farmers. This history suggests a company with robust processes and a strong foundation, yet one that continually adapts to technological advancements.

Team Structure:

• The UX team at Lely is a dedicated unit comprising 15 designers and researchers, indicating a significant investment in user experience.

• This team likely operates with a flat hierarchy, fostering open communication and collaboration among its members.

Methodology:

• Lely is committed to an Agile development methodology, which means iterative development cycles, close collaboration with engineering teams, and a focus on delivering value incrementally.

• The company emphasizes a data-driven approach, leveraging data from robots and farms to inform decision-making and product development.

• Innovation is a core driver, with a focus on creating sustainable and profitable farming solutions through smart robotics and data systems.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Lely's deep roots in agriculture combined with its cutting-edge robotics and data solutions create a unique company culture. The emphasis on sustainability, innovation, and a global team operating within an Agile framework are key cultural aspects for potential candidates to understand. The dedicated UX team suggests a mature approach to product development.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This UX Designer role is positioned at a mid-level, typically requiring 2-5 years of experience. It involves contributing actively to design projects, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, and taking ownership of specific design tasks and features. The role is expected to be hands-on, with opportunities to influence design direction and user experience outcomes.

Reporting Structure: As a UX Designer, you will be part of a dedicated UX team of 15 designers and researchers. You will likely report to a UX Manager or Lead Designer, who oversees the team's strategy, project allocation, and professional development. Collaboration will extend across product development teams, involving product managers and engineers.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is significant, directly influencing how farmers interact with Lely's advanced robotics and data systems. By creating intuitive and efficient user experiences, this designer will contribute to increased animal welfare, improved farm flexibility, enhanced production, and ultimately, the sustainability and profitability of dairy farms worldwide. The role plays a crucial part in Lely's mission to shape the future of farming.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in areas like interaction design, service design, or user research within the agricultural technology domain.

• Leadership: Progress to a Senior UX Designer role, taking on more complex projects, mentoring junior designers, and contributing to design strategy.

• Cross-functional Development: Gain exposure to product management, engineering, and business strategy through close collaboration, potentially leading to roles in product ownership or team leadership.

• Industry Expertise: Develop specialized knowledge in AgTech, robotics, and sustainable farming, becoming a valuable asset in a rapidly growing and critical industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: The career path for a UX Designer at Lely is likely to be focused on deepening domain expertise and contributing to strategic design initiatives. The company's commitment to innovation and sustainability offers a unique environment for growth, allowing designers to make a tangible impact on a global scale.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Lely's primary office is located at Cornelis van der Lelylaan 1, Maassluis, Netherlands. This is a modern, innovative workspace designed to foster collaboration and creativity. The hybrid work model suggests a blend of focused individual work and collaborative team sessions.

Office Location(s): The primary office is in Maassluis, with potential for interaction with colleagues at other Lely Center locations globally through digital channels. The Maassluis campus offers specific amenities.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace is designed to facilitate collaboration, with dedicated areas for team meetings, brainstorming sessions, and cross-functional work.

• As part of an innovative tech company, expect access to modern design tools, software, and potentially hardware for prototyping and testing.

• Opportunities for informal interaction with colleagues from various departments (e.g., product development, engineering, research) will be abundant, fostering a rich learning environment.

Work Schedule: The role requires working 32-40 hours per week, with a significant on-site presence (60-100%). This hybrid model allows for structured workdays with flexibility in organizing personal tasks, while ensuring consistent team engagement and access to office resources.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on hybrid work and the specific on-campus amenities suggest a company that values both productivity and employee well-being. The collaborative nature of the workspace is crucial for a UX Designer who thrives on teamwork and idea exchange.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a brief call with HR or a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, interest, and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Review & Technical Interview: A session with the UX Manager and/or senior designers to present your portfolio. Be prepared to walk through 1-2 key projects, detailing your design process, problem-solving approach, user research, and the impact of your work. Expect questions about your design philosophy and how you handle design challenges.

• Cross-functional Interview: Meet with engineers, product managers, or researchers from the product teams you would collaborate with. This interview will focus on your ability to work in multidisciplinary and Agile environments, your communication skills, and your understanding of technical constraints.

• Final Interview: Potentially a conversation with a higher-level manager or director to discuss your vision, cultural alignment, and long-term potential within Lely.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Choose 2-3 projects that best showcase your skills relevant to Lely's domain (robotics, data, agriculture, complex systems) and highlight your end-to-end UX process.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed (research, ideation, design, testing), the solutions you developed, and the measurable outcomes or impact.

• Showcase Process: Include wireframes, user flows, prototypes, and how you incorporated user feedback. Demonstrate your ability to move between strategic thinking and detailed execution.

• Highlight Collaboration: If possible, mention how you collaborated with developers, product managers, or stakeholders, and how you navigated team dynamics.

• Tailor to Lely: If you have experience in AgTech, robotics, or complex hardware/software integration, emphasize these aspects.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be ready for a potential design challenge or case study, either as a take-home assignment or an in-interview exercise. This might involve a problem related to farmer interaction with a Lely product.

• Focus on demonstrating your problem-solving methodology, your ability to ask clarifying questions, and your approach to generating creative solutions within given constraints.

• Practice articulating your thought process for generating and evaluating design options, and how you would validate them with users.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a UX Designer typically places a strong emphasis on the portfolio as a tangible representation of skills and experience. Candidates should prepare to articulate their design choices and their impact thoroughly. The hybrid nature of the role means demonstrating collaboration skills will be key.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision (Expect proficiency in at least one, with Figma being a common industry standard).

• User Research & Testing: Tools for conducting remote and in-person usability tests, surveys, and interviews (e.g., UserTesting.com, Maze, Qualtrics, Lookback).

• Collaboration & Project Management: Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello (for tracking tasks, user stories, and design sprints within an Agile framework).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics: Tools that track user behavior within applications (e.g., Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel) may be used to inform design decisions.

• Data Visualization Tools: While not directly designers' tools, understanding how data is presented (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) can be beneficial for designing dashboards or reporting features.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly part of the UX designer's daily toolkit, familiarity with how CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms are used by Lely's customers (farmers) or internal sales teams could provide valuable context.

📝 Enhancement Note: Lely, as an innovative tech company, likely utilizes modern design and collaboration tools. Proficiency in industry-standard UX/UI design software is non-negotiable. Familiarity with Agile project management tools and an understanding of how data analytics inform design are also critical.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation: A drive to create new and better solutions for sustainable farming through technology.

• Sustainability: A core mission to contribute positively to the food supply chain and the environment.

• Collaboration: A strong emphasis on teamwork across diverse roles, locations, and disciplines to achieve common goals.

• Customer Focus: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of dairy farmers.

• Agility & Adaptability: The ability to respond to changing market needs and technological advancements.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Expect close working relationships with product managers, engineers, researchers, and potentially marketing and sales teams to ensure a holistic product development process.

• Agile Practices: Collaboration within Scrum or Kanban teams, involving daily stand-ups, sprint planning, reviews, and retrospectives.

• Global Communication: Working with international colleagues will require proficiency in English and an understanding of diverse communication styles and time zones.

• Open Feedback: A culture that encourages constructive feedback and open discussion to refine designs and improve products.

📝 Enhancement Note: Lely's values are deeply intertwined with its mission in AgTech. Understanding these values will help candidates frame their responses and demonstrate cultural alignment. The emphasis on collaboration, particularly in a global and Agile setting, is crucial for success in this role.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Bridging Hardware and Software: Designing intuitive user experiences that seamlessly integrate with complex robotic hardware and sophisticated data platforms.

• Diverse User Base: Catering to the needs of a wide range of farmers with varying levels of technical proficiency and farm operations.

• Data Complexity: Translating complex agricultural and operational data into actionable insights and user-friendly interfaces.

• Global Consistency: Ensuring a consistent and high-quality user experience across different regions and cultural contexts.

• Pace of Innovation: Keeping pace with rapid advancements in robotics, AI, and data science to continuously improve Lely's offerings.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Domain Expertise: Become an expert in the AgTech and robotics industry, a rapidly growing and impactful field.

• Advanced Design Skills: Opportunities to explore and implement cutting-edge UX/UI techniques, service design, and design system management.

• Cross-Disciplinary Knowledge: Gain deep insights into agricultural practices, robotics engineering, and data science.

• Global Exposure: Work with a diverse international team, enhancing cross-cultural communication and collaboration skills.

• Career Progression: Potential to advance into senior design roles, design leadership, or even product management positions within Lely.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are inherent to a role at the intersection of advanced technology and a critical industry like agriculture. Lely's investment in its UX team and its global presence provide ample opportunities for professional growth and skill development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach designing the user experience for a new feature that allows farmers to remotely monitor and control their robotic milking systems?" Focus on your process, research methods, and how you'd ensure usability and safety.

• "Describe a time you had to present a complex design concept to stakeholders who were not design-savvy. How did you ensure they understood and bought into your vision?" Be ready with a specific example from your portfolio.

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Lely and the AgTech industry?" Show genuine curiosity and research into the company's mission and products.

• "How do you see your role contributing to Lely's mission of sustainable farming?" Connect your design skills to the company's broader goals.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: For each project, begin with the problem statement, your role, the key challenges, your process (research, ideation, design, testing), the solution, and the outcomes/impact.

• Focus on Process: Don't just show final screens; explain why you made certain design decisions. Use wireframes and sketches to illustrate your thinking.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., improved task completion time, increased user satisfaction, reduced error rates).

• Interactive Elements: Be prepared to demonstrate interactive prototypes, showing the flow and user experience.

• Tailor to Lely: Emphasize any experience with hardware interaction, data visualization, or complex system design.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not just design proficiency but also strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, and cultural fit. The portfolio is the primary tool for showcasing these capabilities, so practice presenting it effectively.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on SmartRecruiters.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio clearly showcases projects relevant to complex systems, hardware-software integration, or data-driven applications. Highlight your end-to-end design process, from research to execution.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight keywords from the job description, such as "UX Design," "UI Design," "Product Design," "Agile," "multidisciplinary teams," "prototyping," and any relevant industry experience (robotics, agriculture, data). Quantify your achievements.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process and decisions, especially for projects in your portfolio. Prepare specific examples for behavioral questions related to collaboration, problem-solving, and stakeholder management.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Lely's mission, products, and recent news. Understand their commitment to sustainability and innovation in the AgTech sector.

⚠️ 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.