UX Designer – Freelance (UX Audit for Android App)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Designer – Freelance (UX Audit for Android App)

Company: Heady

Location: New York, New York, United States

Job Type: CONTRACTOR

Category: UX/Product Design

Date Posted: November 07, 2025

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Remote OK

🚀 Role Summary

• This freelance role focuses on a critical UX Audit for an existing Android application, specifically targeting warehouse employees involved in automotive parts order management and fulfillment.

• The engagement requires a deep dive into usability, adherence to Material Design 3 guidelines, and Android accessibility standards to identify areas for significant improvement.

• Success in this role hinges on the ability to analyze complex user workflows, synthesize data from various sources, and articulate clear, actionable recommendations for a product team.

• This is a project-based opportunity with a defined 5-week timeline, offering flexibility while requiring adherence to Eastern Time (ET) working hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is explicitly for a UX Designer performing an audit, not for an ongoing product design role. The focus is on evaluation and recommendation, requiring a strong analytical skillset and a comprehensive understanding of UX best practices for mobile applications, particularly within an enterprise context.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct a thorough UX audit of an existing Android application, evaluating its current state against Material Design 3 guidelines and established Android accessibility standards (WCAG, etc.).

• Perform a detailed review of the provided Figma files to assess design consistency, component library utilization, adherence to design system principles, and overall visual hierarchy.

• Analyze existing user personas and user needs documentation to ensure the audit aligns with the target audience's requirements and pain points.

• Execute a product journey audit, mapping out key user workflows (e.g., order picking, tracking, fulfillment) to identify friction points, inefficiencies, and opportunities for streamlining operations.

• Review and interpret existing product data, analytics, or user feedback to uncover patterns, common usability issues, or specific problem areas within the application.

• Develop prioritized recommendations for UI/UX improvements, carefully balancing user needs, business objectives, technical feasibility, and the adoption of modern design principles.

• Identify and document specific design opportunities that can significantly streamline warehouse operations, enhance user satisfaction, and improve overall application efficiency.

• Compile a comprehensive Findings Report, synthesizing all insights, supported by visual evidence (screenshots, annotated mockups), concrete examples, and prioritized, actionable recommendations for design and product teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a structured, analytical approach to UX evaluation. The output is a "Findings Report," indicating a deliverable focused on insights and strategic recommendations rather than direct design implementation, though visualization of opportunities is encouraged.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: 4+ years of progressive experience in UX design, UX research, or product design, with a strong emphasis on mobile application design and evaluation.

Required Skills:

• UX Audit & Evaluation: Proven experience conducting comprehensive UX audits, heuristic evaluations, and design assessments for mobile applications.

• Material Design & Android UX: Deep understanding and practical application of Material Design principles, Android design patterns, and current Android UI/UX best practices.

• Figma Proficiency: Advanced proficiency in Figma, including file organization, component libraries, design system management, and collaborative workflows.

• Accessibility Standards: Familiarity with WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and specific Android accessibility standards to ensure inclusive design.

• User Needs Analysis: Ability to analyze and interpret user personas, user needs, and product journey maps to inform design recommendations.

• Communication & Presentation: Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate complex findings and present actionable recommendations to design, product, and engineering teams.

• Problem-Solving: Demonstrated ability to identify usability issues, diagnose root causes, and propose effective solutions.

Preferred Skills:

• Enterprise/Logistics UX: Prior experience designing or auditing applications for enterprise environments, logistics, supply chain, or warehouse operations.

• UX Research & Service Design: Background or experience in formal UX research methodologies or service design principles.

• Visual Communication: Ability to quickly visualize opportunities through concept sketches, wireframes, or quick design mockups to illustrate recommendations.

• Data Analysis: Experience reviewing and interpreting product data or analytics to support UX findings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "4+ years" and "proven experience" indicates a need for a mid-to-senior level designer who can work independently and deliver high-quality analytical output. The "Nice to Haves" suggest that specific industry experience could be a significant advantage for candidates.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• UX Audit Case Studies: Showcase at least one detailed case study demonstrating a comprehensive UX audit or heuristic evaluation of a mobile application, highlighting your process, findings, and impact.

• Design System Examples: Include examples of your work with design systems, illustrating your understanding of component-based design, consistency, and scalability, particularly within Figma.

• Figma File Organization: Be prepared to demonstrate or discuss your approach to organizing complex Figma files for clarity, collaboration, and efficient handoff.

• Accessibility Integration: Provide examples or discuss how you have incorporated accessibility standards into your design process and recommendations.

Process Documentation:

• Audit Methodology: Clearly outline your systematic approach to conducting UX audits, including the specific methods, tools, and frameworks you employ.

• Recommendation Prioritization: Demonstrate your ability to prioritize recommendations based on user impact, business value, and technical feasibility, explaining your rationale.

• Figma Workflow: Detail your workflow within Figma for analysis, documentation, and potential visualization of improvements during an audit.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the project's nature, the portfolio is critical for demonstrating the candidate's ability to perform an audit. It should clearly showcase analytical rigor, diagnostic skills, and the ability to translate findings into actionable design strategies, especially within the specified toolset.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Up to $80/hour USD.

Benefits:

• Competitive Hourly Rate: Paid fairly based on demonstrated expertise and value delivered.

• Flexibility: Trust and autonomy to manage your time and workflow effectively, with a focus on results.

• Skill Development: Opportunities to expand your UX skill set and portfolio by engaging with challenging projects across various domains.

• Supportive Culture: Work within a kind, respectful, and collaborative global team environment that celebrates collective achievements.

• Remote Work: The role is remote-friendly, offering location flexibility.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week (standard full-time equivalent for a contract engagement), with a requirement to align with Eastern Time (ET) working hours for collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The compensation is explicitly stated as an hourly rate, capped at $80/hour. The benefits highlight flexibility, growth, and a positive work environment, typical for contract roles that emphasize autonomy and professional development. The ET hours requirement is crucial for candidates outside this timezone.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Digital Product Consultancy, Technology Services, Design Strategy. Heady operates in a dynamic sector, partnering with a diverse range of clients from startups to Fortune 500 companies across various industries, including automotive, logistics, and e-commerce, implying a need for adaptability and broad industry understanding.

Company Size: While not explicitly stated, the mention of a "global / remote-friendly team" and serving "Fortune 500s" suggests a medium to large, established consultancy.

Founded: Information not provided, but context suggests an established firm with a track record in digital product development.

Team Structure:

• Project-Based Teams: Freelancers are likely integrated into project-specific teams, working alongside Heady's internal staff (designers, developers, strategists) and client stakeholders.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: The role requires close collaboration with product managers, developers, and potentially other UX/UI designers.

• Client-Facing: As a consultancy, Heady's teams are client-facing, requiring strong stakeholder management and communication skills.

Methodology:

• User-Centric Design: Heady emphasizes delivering impactful technology and design solutions, suggesting a strong commitment to user-centered design principles.

• Agile & Iterative: Digital product consultancies typically employ agile methodologies, focusing on iterative development and continuous improvement.

• Data-Informed Decisions: The role involves reviewing product data, indicating a data-driven approach to design and strategy.

Company Website: www.heady.io

📝 Enhancement Note: Heady is positioned as a full-service digital product consultancy. This implies a professional, client-focused environment where quality, efficiency, and demonstrable results are paramount. The freelance nature means integration into existing project teams rather than a permanent departmental structure.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role aligns with a Senior or Lead UX Designer level, specifically for project-based work. The emphasis is on specialized expertise in UX auditing and mobile design evaluation, rather than general product ownership or team management.

Reporting Structure: The UX Designer will report to a Project Manager or a Design Lead within Heady for the duration of the engagement. Collaboration will also occur with client-side product stakeholders.

Operations Impact: The UX Designer's impact is direct and significant on the client's product success. By identifying critical usability and design flaws, the audit provides the foundational insights needed to improve user adoption, operational efficiency for warehouse employees, and ultimately, business outcomes related to order fulfillment.

Growth Opportunities:

• Portfolio Enhancement: Successfully completing this audit will add a substantial, relevant case study to the designer's portfolio, showcasing expertise in mobile UX evaluation and enterprise application analysis.

• Industry Exposure: Gaining experience with an Android application used in warehouse logistics provides exposure to a specific, critical industry vertical.

• Client Engagement Experience: Working with a digital product consultancy like Heady offers experience in client-facing roles, refining communication and stakeholder management skills.

• Potential for Extension: The role explicitly mentions the potential for extension, which could lead to further opportunities within Heady or with the client if the initial phase is successful.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a freelance role, "growth" is primarily measured by portfolio development, skill application, and potential for future engagements. This role offers a focused opportunity to deepen expertise in mobile UX audits within a professional consultancy setting.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Remote-friendly, with a requirement for ET hours. This suggests a distributed team model where collaboration primarily occurs via digital tools.

Office Location(s): While the job is posted with a New York City address, the "remote-friendly" designation and ET hours requirement indicate that the candidate can work from anywhere within the Eastern Time Zone, or be available during those hours.

Workspace Context:

• Digital Collaboration Tools: Expect to use tools like Slack, Zoom, Google Workspace, and Figma extensively for communication, file sharing, and design collaboration.

• Independent Work: The role is freelance and project-based, emphasizing self-management, autonomy, and the ability to work effectively with minimal direct supervision.

• Team Interaction: While remote, there will be opportunities for interaction with Heady's project teams and client stakeholders through scheduled meetings and asynchronous communication channels.

Work Schedule: The role is structured around a 40-hour work week, but with the flexibility inherent in freelance and remote work. The critical constraint is adherence to Eastern Time (ET) working hours for meetings and collaborative sessions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The environment is structured for independent, remote work, demanding strong self-discipline and proactive communication. The ET hours requirement is a key practical consideration for work-life balance and scheduling.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a brief call to assess experience, availability, and alignment with the role's core requirements, including familiarity with UX audits and Material Design.

• Portfolio Review & Deep Dive: A more in-depth interview focused on your portfolio. Be prepared to walk through a relevant UX audit case study, explaining your methodology, key findings, and the impact of your recommendations.

• Skills Assessment: Potential for a short design exercise or discussion on specific UX challenges related to the Android app's context (e.g., warehouse operations).

• Cultural Fit & Logistics: Discussion about your freelance working style, communication preferences, and confirmation of availability and rate.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Audit Process: Clearly articulate your structured approach to UX audits. Use visual aids within your presentation to demonstrate how you identify, analyze, and document issues.

• Showcase Material Design & Figma Expertise: Select examples that specifically demonstrate your understanding and application of Material Design principles and your proficiency in Figma for analysis and documentation.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, quantify the potential impact of your recommendations. Even for an audit, discuss how your findings could lead to improvements in efficiency, user satisfaction, or reduced error rates.

• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize any experience you have with enterprise applications, logistics, or warehouse environments, as this is a "nice to have" that can significantly differentiate your application.

• Prepare for Technical Questions: Be ready to discuss specific accessibility standards and how you evaluate them in practice.

Challenge Preparation:

• Case Study Readiness: Have a compelling UX audit case study ready to present. Focus on the "why" and "how" of your process, and the "what" of your findings and recommendations.

• Material Design 3 Knowledge: Refresh your understanding of the latest Material Design 3 guidelines and how they apply to Android applications.

• Android App Context: Consider the specific challenges of designing for warehouse employees – factors like device usage, environmental conditions, and the critical nature of their tasks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily weigh the candidate's ability to demonstrate practical, analytical UX skills through their portfolio. Preparation should focus on showcasing a structured, data-informed approach to auditing and a deep understanding of mobile UX best practices.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for reviewing existing design files and potentially creating concept visualizations or mockups. Proficiency in file organization, components, and design systems is critical.

• Communication Platforms: Slack, Zoom, or similar tools for team and client communication.

• Project Management Tools: Potentially Jira, Asana, Trello, or similar for task tracking and workflow management, depending on Heady's or the client's internal tools.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Findings Report Generation: Proficiency in creating clear, visually supported reports using presentation software (e.g., Google Slides, PowerPoint, Keynote) or dedicated documentation tools.

• Data Review Tools: Familiarity with how product data might be presented or accessed (e.g., basic analytics dashboards, user feedback repositories).

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly used for design, understanding the context of enterprise CRM or order fulfillment systems can be beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is the core tool for this role. The emphasis is on analytical and documentation tools rather than direct design implementation tools, reflecting the audit nature of the project.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Heart & Impact: Heady's stated value of "doing it all with heart" suggests a culture that prioritizes genuine care for users and delivering meaningful results.

• Collaboration & Partnership: As a consultancy, strong emphasis is placed on partnering effectively with clients and internal teams to achieve shared goals.

• Excellence & Quality: Delivering "impactful technology and design solutions" points to a commitment to high standards and professional quality.

• Kindness & Support: The mention of a "culture of kindness and support" indicates a positive, respectful, and encouraging work environment.

Collaboration Style:

• Proactive Communication: Essential for remote and freelance work, ensuring clear updates and alignment with project teams and stakeholders.

• Client-Centric Approach: Understanding client needs and objectives is paramount in a consultancy setting.

• Open Feedback: A culture that values constructive feedback for continuous improvement of both products and processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values suggest a professional yet human-centric approach to work. For a freelancer, demonstrating an ability to integrate into this collaborative and quality-focused environment is key.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scope Management: Clearly defining and managing the scope of the UX audit within the 5-week timeframe to ensure comprehensive coverage without scope creep.

• Access to Data/Users: Potentially limited access to real-time user data or direct user interaction for validation, requiring reliance on existing documentation and analytical inference.

• Balancing Constraints: Reconciling user needs with technical feasibility and business goals within the context of an existing, established application.

• Remote Collaboration: Maintaining effective communication and collaboration with a distributed team and stakeholders across different time zones.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into Enterprise UX: Gaining specialized knowledge in the unique UX challenges and requirements of enterprise applications, particularly in logistics and warehouse operations.

• Audit Framework Mastery: Refining and expanding personal methodologies for conducting UX audits and heuristic evaluations.

• Client Consultancy Experience: Enhancing skills in client communication, expectation management, and delivering high-impact strategic recommendations in a consultancy setting.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for audit-style projects, requiring strong analytical rigor and communication. The growth opportunities focus on specialization and consultancy experience, valuable for a freelance career.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for conducting a UX audit on a mobile application. What are the key phases and deliverables?" (Be prepared to discuss your systematic approach, tools, and how you prioritize findings.)

• "How do you approach evaluating an application against Material Design 3 guidelines and Android accessibility standards?" (Focus on specific criteria and methods you use for assessment.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Heady and our approach to digital product consultancy?" (Research their website, case studies, and company values.)

• "How do you typically collaborate with product managers and developers in a remote setting?" (Highlight your communication strategies and proactive engagement.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Audit Case Study: Begin with the project's objective, your role, the application's context, your methodology, key findings (supported by visuals), prioritized recommendations, and anticipated impact.

• Emphasize Data & Visuals: Use screenshots, annotations, and clear data points to support your analysis and recommendations. Show, don't just tell, the problems and potential solutions.

• Focus on Figma Proficiency: Be ready to discuss your Figma workflow, how you navigate files, and how you'd use it for audit documentation or concept visualization.

• Articulate Value: Clearly communicate the business value of your audit findings and recommendations, linking them to potential improvements in operational efficiency and user satisfaction for warehouse employees.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should center on demonstrating a structured, analytical, and practical approach to UX auditing, with a strong command of Material Design, accessibility, and Figma. The ability to communicate findings clearly and professionally is crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link on Trakstar.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features case studies of UX audits, heuristic evaluations, or mobile app reviews. Tailor your presentation to highlight your experience with Material Design, Figma, and accessibility standards.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to emphasize your experience in UX auditing, mobile UX design, and any relevant experience with enterprise or logistics applications. Use keywords from the job description such as "UX Audit," "Material Design," "Figma," and "Accessibility."

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your UX audit process, your understanding of Material Design 3, and your proficiency with Figma. Prepare to discuss how you would approach the specific challenges of auditing an Android app for warehouse employees.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Heady's services, client work, and company culture. Understand their client-centric approach and how a freelance contributor fits into their project delivery model.

⚠️ 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.