UX Designer (Contract)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Designer (Contract)

Company: Trase Systems

Location: Remote

Job Type: Contract

Category: Product Design / UX / Marketing Design

Date Posted: March 31, 2026

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

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• This contract role requires a versatile UX Designer to support product, marketing, and executive teams, focusing on the user experience of AI agents and customer engagement with the brand.

• The position involves end-to-end design ownership, from conceptualization to final delivery across web, product, and presentation platforms.

• A key aspect of this role is translating complex AI concepts into intuitive and compelling user experiences, ensuring brand consistency across all touchpoints.

• Success in this role depends on strong self-direction, adaptability in a fast-paced environment, and the ability to manage diverse creative projects from inception to completion.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role title is "UX Designer," the description indicates a broader scope encompassing product, marketing, and executive presentations. This suggests a need for a designer who can not only craft user flows and interfaces but also create visually appealing and strategically aligned marketing collateral and executive-level presentations. The emphasis on "AI Agent" innovation and complex industries (Healthcare, Oil & Gas, National Security) implies a need for a designer who can grasp technical concepts and translate them into user-friendly designs for specialized audiences.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design intuitive, user-centered workflows and interfaces for agent-facing applications and internal tools, ensuring seamless user interaction with AI capabilities.

• Develop comprehensive UX flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and interaction design patterns for product features and demonstrations.

• Lead the UX and visual design strategy for the company website, optimizing for clarity, usability, brand representation, and lead generation.

• Create a wide spectrum of marketing design assets, including landing pages, digital advertisements, campaign visuals, and event-specific promotional content.

• Craft visually compelling and strategically sound executive presentation decks, tailored for both internal stakeholders and external audiences, including investor pitches and board meetings.

• Design impactful presentation materials for technical and UX conferences, ensuring alignment with product messaging, brand identity, and audience expectations.

• Own the end-to-end design process for product demonstrations, developing cohesive demo flows that effectively communicate product value and functionality.

• Collaborate closely with product managers, engineers, and marketing leads to deeply understand project requirements and translate them into effective, user-centric design solutions.

• Maintain and evolve overarching design systems and brand guidelines, ensuring visual and interactive consistency across all product interfaces, marketing materials, and communication platforms.

• Manage multiple concurrent design projects, effectively prioritizing tasks and meeting deadlines in a dynamic, fast-paced startup environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for a designer who can operate across different design disciplines: product UX/UI, web design, marketing collateral, and presentation design. The emphasis on "AI Agent" and "complex industries" suggests that candidates should be able to translate technical concepts into accessible user experiences. The requirement to "own the UX and visual design for all product demos" is a critical responsibility, indicating that demo effectiveness is a key success metric for this role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• 3–5+ years of dedicated experience in UX Design, Product Design, or a closely related creative role, either in a full-time capacity or through significant contract engagements.

Required Skills:

• UX/Product Design: Proven ability to design intuitive user flows, wireframes, prototypes, and interaction models for complex applications.

• Visual Design: Strong aesthetic sense and ability to create visually appealing and brand-aligned graphics, layouts, and interfaces.

• Tool Proficiency: Expert-level command of modern design and prototyping tools, with a strong preference for Figma.

• Presentation Design: Skill in creating clear, concise, and visually engaging presentation decks for executive and conference audiences.

• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions and rationale effectively to diverse stakeholders.

• Adaptability: Proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, managing multiple projects and adapting quickly to shifting priorities.

• Independent Work Ethic: Demonstrated capacity to take initiative, work autonomously, and drive projects forward with minimal supervision.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing specifically for AI-powered products or complex technical domains.

• Familiarity with developing and maintaining design systems and brand guidelines.

• Background in marketing design, including website UX/UI, landing pages, and digital assets.

• Experience in designing for AI Agent workflows or similar advanced technology applications.

• Previous contract or freelance experience, showcasing flexibility and project-based delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirement is mid-level, with a focus on practical application and portfolio strength rather than specific educational credentials. The strong preference for Figma indicates it's a critical tool for success. The "preferred skills" suggest that candidates with a broader range of design experience, particularly in marketing and technical domains, will have a significant advantage.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 distinct projects that demonstrate a range of design capabilities:

  • Product/UX Design: Include case studies detailing user research, problem identification, solution design (wireframes, prototypes), and final UI. Focus on intuitive workflows and user-centered solutions.
  • Website/Marketing Design: Present examples of website redesigns, landing pages, or digital marketing campaigns, highlighting user engagement and conversion optimization.
  • Presentation Design: Include examples of executive-level or conference presentations, emphasizing clarity, visual storytelling, and strategic communication.

• Clearly articulate your role and contributions in each project, especially in team-based efforts.

• Demonstrate proficiency with Figma through interactive prototypes or detailed UI mockups.

Process Documentation:

• For case studies, outline your design process:
  • Discovery & Research: How you understood user needs, business objectives, and technical constraints.
  • Ideation & Design: Your approach to sketching, wireframing, prototyping, and iterating on designs.
  • Testing & Validation: Methods used to gather feedback and validate design decisions.
  • Implementation & Handoff: How you collaborated with engineering and marketing teams for execution.
  • Impact & Iteration: Quantifiable results or qualitative improvements achieved through your designs.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is crucial for this role, serving as the primary method of assessing design capabilities. Candidates should curate their portfolio to explicitly demonstrate the breadth of skills required – product UX, marketing design, and presentation design. Each project should ideally showcase a clear design process and, where possible, the impact of the design solution.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $75 - $100 per hour

This range is typical for a contract UX Designer with 3-5 years of experience in a remote, specialized role, particularly within the technology sector. Factors influencing placement within this range will include the depth of relevant experience, specific skill set (e.g., advanced Figma proficiency, AI design experience), and the demonstrated quality of the candidate's portfolio.

Benefits:

• For Contract Role:

  • Flexible remote work arrangement.
  • Opportunity to work on cutting-edge AI technology.
  • Potential for extended contract duration based on performance and business needs.

• For Full-Time Conversion (if applicable):

  • Career track opportunity with potential for rapid advancement as the firm grows.
  • 100% employer-paid comprehensive health care (medical, dental, vision) for employee and family.
  • 14 weeks of paid maternity and paternity leave at normal pay.
  • Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO), subject to management approval.
  • Opportunities for professional development and continued learning.
  • Optional 401K, Flexible Spending Account (FSA), and equity incentives.

Working Hours:

• This is a contract role, likely requiring approximately 40 hours per week.

• As a remote position, there is inherent flexibility in scheduling, but availability for core collaboration hours and timely project delivery is expected.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hourly rate of $75-$100/hour is competitive for a contract UX designer in the US market, reflecting the specialized nature of the role and the high-demand skills. The distinction between benefits for contract vs. full-time roles is important; contract employees will not receive the extensive benefits package offered to full-time staff.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), AI Agents, Enterprise Software, Technology Consulting

Company Size: Startup (Co-founded in 2023)

Founded: 2023

Company Description: Trase Systems is an AI company focused on simplifying AI deployment and management for enterprises. They specialize in bridging the "last mile" of AI adoption with an end-to-end platform for deploying, managing, and optimizing AI. Trase is recognized for its leadership in AI Agent innovation, topping industry leaderboards. They are actively developing applications in complex sectors like Healthcare, Oil & Gas, and National Security.

Team Structure:

• As a startup, the team is likely lean, agile, and highly collaborative.

• The UX Designer will report to a Product Lead or Head of Design/Product, with close collaboration with Product Managers, Engineers, Marketing Leads, and Executives.

Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making, leveraging AI and analytics to inform product development and business strategy.

• Agile development methodologies are likely employed, requiring rapid iteration and flexibility.

• Emphasis on innovation and staying at the forefront of AI technology and its applications.

• A culture that values clear communication, problem-solving, and end-to-end ownership.

Company Website: https://www.trasesystems.com/ (Note: Actual website URL may vary, based on provided URL being a placeholder in the raw data if it was not explicitly linked). The provided URL was for the company description, not the main company website. Assuming a main website exists.

📝 Enhancement Note: Trase Systems is a rapidly growing startup in the AI space, founded by experienced individuals. This implies a fast-paced, innovative, and potentially demanding work environment. The company's focus on AI Agents and complex industries suggests a need for designers who can understand and translate sophisticated technical concepts into user-friendly interfaces.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a mid-level contract role (UX Designer) with a broad scope. While not a traditional "Operations" role (like RevOps or Sales Ops), its impact on product adoption, marketing effectiveness, and executive communication makes it critical to the go-to-market (GTM) strategy. The designer is responsible for shaping user experiences that directly influence customer acquisition, retention, and brand perception.

Reporting Structure:

• The UX Designer will likely report to a Product Manager, Design Lead, or potentially a senior executive depending on the startup's structure.

Operations Impact:

• Product Adoption: Intuitive UX for AI agents and tools directly impacts user adoption rates and overall product success.

• Brand Perception: Website and marketing design influences how potential customers perceive Trase Systems' innovation and professionalism.

• Sales Enablement: Polished product demos and executive presentations are critical tools for sales teams and leadership to convey value propositions effectively.

• Efficiency: Well-designed internal tools and workflows can improve the productivity of Trase's own teams.

Growth Opportunities:

• For Contract: Potential for contract extension or conversion to a full-time role based on performance and company growth. Opportunity to build a strong portfolio with high-impact projects in the cutting-edge AI field.

• For Full-Time (if converted): Significant opportunities for rapid career advancement within a growing startup. Potential to move into leadership roles (e.g., Lead UX Designer, Design Manager) as the company scales. Exposure to diverse industries and complex AI challenges can foster deep specialization and expertise.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is UX Designer, its strategic importance to product, marketing, and GTM makes it a vital role. The "contract" nature means growth is tied to performance and company needs, but the startup environment offers high potential for rapid advancement if converted to full-time.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. This indicates a distributed workforce with no central office requirement.

Office Location(s): Remote, so no specific physical office locations are listed as mandatory.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Despite being remote, the role requires strong collaboration with product, engineering, marketing, and executive teams. This will be facilitated through virtual communication tools and structured meetings.

• Tools & Technology: Access to modern design software (Figma is preferred) and communication platforms (e.g., Slack, Zoom, project management tools) is essential.

• Operations Team Interaction: The designer will interact with various teams to understand their needs and translate them into design solutions, acting as a key interface for visual and user experience communication.

Work Schedule:

• Approximately 40 hours per week.

• As a remote contract role, there's likely flexibility in daily hours, but clear communication regarding availability for meetings and deadlines is crucial. The focus will be on deliverables and timely completion of tasks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The fully remote nature necessitates strong self-discipline and excellent virtual communication skills. The expectation for collaboration implies regular engagement with team members through digital means.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Initial Screening: A brief call with a recruiter or hiring manager to assess basic qualifications, experience, and alignment with the role's scope and contract nature.

2. Portfolio Review & Deep Dive: A dedicated session where the candidate presents their portfolio, walking through key projects. This is a critical stage to evaluate UX thinking, visual design skills, process, and problem-solving abilities. Expect to discuss specific design challenges, your approach, and the outcomes.

3. Skills Assessment/Design Challenge: A practical exercise, potentially a short design task or a case study discussion, to assess problem-solving skills, creativity, and ability to work within constraints relevant to Trase Systems' AI focus.

4. Team/Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with potential collaborators (e.g., Product Manager, Engineer, Marketing Lead) to assess cultural fit, communication style, and ability to work cross-functionally.

5. Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader or executive to finalize the decision, discuss contract terms, and confirm fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 projects that best showcase your versatility across product UX, website/marketing, and presentation design. Prioritize projects that demonstrate impact and clear problem-solving.

• Tell a Story: For each project, frame it as a narrative: the problem, your role and process, the solution, and the results. Use visuals effectively to support your story.

• Highlight Figma Proficiency: Ensure your portfolio includes interactive Figma prototypes or detailed mockups that clearly demonstrate your command of the tool.

• Emphasize AI/Technical Context: If possible, include projects that touch upon technical domains or complex concepts, showing your ability to simplify them for users.

• Be Prepared to Discuss: Anticipate questions about your design decisions, trade-offs made, and how you handle feedback or challenging stakeholder requests.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand Trase Systems' business: Review their website, understand their AI Agent technology, and identify their target industries (Healthcare, Oil & Gas, National Security).

• Practice articulating your design process concisely.

• Be ready to discuss how you would approach designing for an AI agent workflow or a marketing campaign for a technical product.

• Prepare questions about the company's design philosophy, existing design systems, and immediate priorities for the UX Designer.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is heavily portfolio-centric. Candidates must prepare to present their work comprehensively and discuss their design thinking in detail, particularly how it applies to Trase's specific domain.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Explicitly mentioned as preferred; expect it to be the primary tool for wireframing, prototyping, UI design, and collaboration. Mastery is essential.

• Design Systems: Experience with creating, maintaining, or working within established design systems is highly valued for ensuring consistency.

• Prototyping Tools: Figma's built-in prototyping capabilities, or potentially other tools if used for specific advanced needs.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Understanding how marketing collateral and website design can integrate with CRM systems (e.g., for lead generation) is advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is the core tool. Proficiency here is non-negotiable. While not explicitly stated, understanding how design connects to broader business and marketing metrics (analytics, CRM) would be a significant advantage, demonstrating a strategic approach.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation: A drive to be at the forefront of AI technology and its applications.

• Simplicity: Making complex AI accessible and uncomplicated for enterprise leaders.

• Impact: Focusing on delivering significant value, efficiency, and cost savings through AI solutions.

• Collaboration: Working effectively across product, engineering, and marketing functions to achieve shared goals.

• Agility: Ability to adapt quickly to changing market demands and technological advancements in a startup environment.

• User-Centricity: Designing experiences that are intuitive and valuable for users, whether they are AI agents or human decision-makers.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly cross-functional and communicative, leveraging virtual tools to bridge geographic distances.

• Expect a dynamic environment where ideas are shared openly, and feedback is integral to the design process.

• The designer will likely act as a facilitator, translating technical requirements into user-friendly designs and marketing messages.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is likely fast-paced, innovative, and collaborative, typical of a well-funded tech startup. The emphasis on "AI, Uncomplicated" suggests a value placed on clarity and user-friendliness, even with complex technology.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Translating Complex AI Concepts: Designing intuitive interfaces for sophisticated AI Agent technology requires a deep understanding and ability to simplify.

• Broad Design Scope: Juggling product UX, website design, marketing collateral, and executive presentations demands significant versatility and time management.

• Startup Pace: Adapting to rapid changes in priorities, product direction, and business needs inherent to a startup environment.

• Remote Collaboration: Maintaining strong communication and design coherence across a distributed team without in-person interaction.

• Demonstrating ROI: Clearly linking design efforts to tangible business outcomes (e.g., user adoption, conversion rates, brand engagement) can be challenging but is crucial.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Cutting-Edge Technology: Gaining hands-on experience designing for advanced AI Agent applications.

• Industry Exposure: Exposure to complex industries like Healthcare, Oil & Gas, and National Security, understanding their unique design needs.

• Portfolio Enhancement: Building a robust portfolio with diverse, high-impact projects in a high-growth startup.

• Skill Diversification: Developing skills across multiple design disciplines (product, web, marketing, presentation).

• Potential for Full-Time: If performance is strong, opportunities for conversion to a full-time role with extensive benefits and growth potential.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge is the breadth of the role and the technical complexity of the product. Success will depend on a designer's ability to quickly learn, adapt, and communicate effectively across diverse design needs.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach designing an intuitive user interface for an AI Agent that needs to perform complex tasks in a specialized industry like healthcare?" (Focus on process, user research, and simplification strategies).

• "Describe a time you had to balance conflicting design requirements from product, marketing, and executive teams. How did you resolve it?" (Focus on communication, negotiation, and prioritization).

• "Walk us through a project where your design significantly impacted user engagement or conversion rates. What metrics did you track, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on data-driven design and impact demonstration).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you specifically about Trase Systems and our focus on AI Agents?" (Research Trase's mission, technology, and leadership).

• "How do you approach working in a fast-paced startup environment with evolving priorities?" (Highlight adaptability, proactivity, and resilience).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure is Key: For each project, clearly define the problem, your role, your process (research, ideation, design, testing), the solution, and the impact.

• Visual Storytelling: Use mockups, prototypes, and clear visuals to illustrate your design thinking and final output. Don't just show the final screens; show the journey.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced task completion time, positive user feedback).

• Figma Focus: Be ready to demonstrate your skills within Figma, perhaps by walking through a prototype or explaining specific features you utilized.

• Conciseness: Respect the allotted time. Be thorough but avoid getting bogged down in minor details. Focus on the most impactful aspects of your work.

📝 Enhancement Note: Prepare to discuss your process, demonstrate your Figma skills, and articulate how your design work has delivered tangible business value. Understanding Trase's AI focus and target industries is crucial for tailoring your responses.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this contract UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Greenhouse.

• Portfolio Customization: Carefully curate your portfolio to highlight projects demonstrating proficiency in product UX, website/marketing design, and presentation design. Ensure at least one project showcases your Figma skills with interactive elements.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize your 3-5+ years of relevant experience, proficiency with Figma, and experience working in fast-paced environments or on diverse creative projects. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, preparing case studies for presentation, and researching Trase Systems' mission and technology. Be ready to discuss your experience with AI or complex technical products.

• Company Research: Thoroughly review the Trase Systems website to understand their AI Agent technology, target industries, and company mission. This will be invaluable for tailoring your application and interview responses.

⚠️ 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.