UX/UI Designer (FAP-BC-PM-2026-26-GRAP)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX/UI Designer (FAP-BC-PM-2026-26-GRAP)

Company: CERN

Location: Geneva, Switzerland

Job Type: Full-time Contract

Category: UX/UI Design, Software Engineering, IT, Research & Development

Date Posted: 2026-02-13

Experience Level: 2-6 years post-graduation (Master's) or up to 3 years post-graduation (PhD)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is crucial for enhancing the usability and consistency of CERN's diverse portfolio of support applications through the development and maintenance of a robust Design System.

• The UX/UI Designer will be instrumental in creating intuitive, visually appealing, and user-centered interfaces for web and mobile applications, directly impacting user experience for internal teams and potentially external stakeholders.

• Key responsibilities include the end-to-end design process, from conceptualization and wireframing to user research, usability testing, and collaboration with development teams to ensure design integrity.

• The position requires a strong understanding of user-centered design principles, agile methodologies, and the ability to support the adoption of design standards across multiple product teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the raw job description focuses on UX/UI Design, the context of CERN's Business Computing (FAP-BC) group and the "Software Engineering and IT" field of work indicates a strong emphasis on the practical application of design principles within a scientific and technical environment. The role is framed as a contract position, likely for a specific project duration, focusing on building and scaling a Design System to support internal application development.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and evolve UI design patterns, components, and style guides, ensuring they align with CERN's Design System standards and are readily adoptable by product teams.

• Collaborate closely with UX colleagues to define and propose a governance model for the Design System, seeking approval from BC Management to ensure its long-term viability and effectiveness.

• Actively support the adoption and integration of the Design System across various product teams, providing guidance and resources to facilitate its seamless implementation.

• Design wireframes, interactive prototypes, and final user interfaces for a range of web-based and mobile applications, prioritizing user needs and business objectives.

• Apply user-centered design principles and iterative design methodologies throughout the design lifecycle to create intuitive, efficient, and visually appealing interfaces.

• Conduct user research, including interviews and surveys, and perform usability testing to gather critical feedback for design iteration and improvement.

• Work in close partnership with developers and product managers to ensure design integrity is maintained throughout the development process and that implemented interfaces accurately reflect the intended user experience.

• Document and present design work, research findings, and usability test results to stakeholders, effectively communicating design decisions and their rationale.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize not just creation but also governance, adoption support, and cross-functional collaboration, which are critical for a Design System role. The mention of specific projects like APT, Public Outreach, and EDH suggests the need for adaptability and the ability to apply design principles across different application contexts within CERN.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Master's degree in Design, Graphic Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field.

Experience:

• 2 to 6 years of professional post-graduation experience in UX/UI Design if holding a Master's degree.

• A maximum of 3 years of professional post-graduation experience if holding a PhD.

• Demonstrated experience in designing end-to-end user interfaces, from initial concept through to validated designs.

• Proven experience collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams, including Product Managers, Developers, and Business Analysts, in an agile environment.

• Experience in applying user research or usability testing methods to validate design decisions and iterate on designs based on feedback.

• Experience working within agile frameworks, incorporating early feedback from users, stakeholders, and developers into design deliverables.

Required Skills:

• UX/UI Design: Expertise in designing intuitive and visually appealing user interfaces for web and mobile applications, with a strong command of design tools like Figma.

• User-Centred Design Principles: Deep understanding of fundamental principles of user-centered design and iterative design methodologies to effectively address user needs and expectations.

• User Research: Ability to conduct user research, gather relevant data on user needs and behaviors, and leverage this information to inform and justify design decisions.

• Prototyping and Wireframing: Proficiency in creating wireframes and interactive prototypes to visualize and validate design concepts with stakeholders.

• User Testing and Feedback: Skill in conducting usability testing and gathering feedback to assess and iteratively improve designs.

• Design System Development: Experience in creating and maintaining UI design patterns, components, and style guides.

• Agile Methodologies: Familiarity and experience working within agile development frameworks.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in supporting the adoption and governance of Design Systems.

• Familiarity with front-end development principles to facilitate collaboration with developers.

• Experience with international scientific organizations or research institutions.

• Commitment to learning French to facilitate communication and integration within the CERN environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirements are specific regarding the degree type and years of post-graduation experience, reflecting CERN's fellowship/contract structure. The emphasis on both technical design skills and soft skills like collaboration and communication is critical for this role. The preference for learning French is a common requirement for international organizations.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing end-to-end UX/UI design projects, demonstrating your process from research to final validated design.

• Examples of wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity UI designs for web and mobile applications.

• Case studies detailing user research methodologies employed, usability testing results, and how feedback was incorporated into design iterations.

• Demonstration of experience in applying user-centered design principles and iterative design methodologies.

Process Documentation:

• Evidence of documenting design work, research findings, and usability test results for stakeholder communication.

• Examples of how you have collaborated within agile frameworks, incorporating feedback at various stages of the design and development process.

• Demonstrated ability to present design work and rationale to diverse audiences, including technical and non-technical stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: For this role, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to clearly illustrate the candidate's ability to not only create beautiful and functional interfaces but also to rigorously apply a user-centered process, conduct research, and contribute to scalable design solutions like a Design System. The emphasis on documentation and presentation skills is also key for stakeholder management within a large organization like CERN.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• 30 days of paid leave per year, plus an additional 2 weeks during the annual closure period.

• Comprehensive health insurance coverage for the individual, their spouse, and children.

• Membership in the CERN Pension Fund.

• Family, child, and infant monthly allowances, based on individual circumstances.

• A relocation package, including an installation grant and travel expenses, depending on individual circumstances.

• Possibility of contract extension up to a maximum of 36 months.

Working Hours:

• 40 hours per week.

• The work arrangement is hybrid, offering flexibility between on-site and remote work.

📝 Enhancement Note: CERN provides a highly competitive and comprehensive benefits package, particularly for contract staff, including tax-free stipends, excellent health and pension benefits, and relocation assistance. The stipend range is benchmarked against similar roles in the Geneva area for specialized scientific and technical contract positions. The hybrid work arrangement is also a significant benefit for work-life balance.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Nuclear Research, Particle Physics, Advanced Science and Technology, Scientific Computing, IT Infrastructure.

Company Size: CERN is a large international organization with a significant number of employees and fellows, operating across multiple sites. The Business Computing (FAP-BC) group is a specialized department within this larger structure.

Founded: CERN was founded in 1954. Its mission has evolved, but its core remains pushing the boundaries of scientific discovery through international collaboration.

Team Structure:

• The Business Computing (FAP-BC) group is part of CERN's IT department, focusing on developing and maintaining applications that support the organization's operational needs.

• The UX/UI Designer will likely report to a group leader or a project manager within FAP-BC, working within project-specific teams.

Methodology:

• CERN operates on principles of scientific rigor, international collaboration, and innovation. In the IT realm, this translates to adopting modern software development practices, including agile methodologies.

• Data-driven decision-making is prevalent, especially in research, but also in optimizing internal processes and application development.

• Emphasis is placed on robust documentation, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement to tackle complex scientific and technical challenges.

Company Website: https://home.cern/ and https://careers.cern/

📝 Enhancement Note: CERN's culture is unique, blending cutting-edge scientific research with a highly international and collaborative working environment. The Business Computing group operates within this framework, prioritizing robust IT solutions that enable scientific progress. The emphasis on collaboration and shared goals is paramount, and candidates should be prepared for a diverse workforce and a commitment to scientific excellence.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a specialized contract position, typically for individuals with a few years of post-graduate experience. It's focused on contributing expert skills in UX/UI design and Design System development rather than a management track. The title "UX/UI Designer" and the specific responsibilities suggest a mid-level specialist role.

Reporting Structure: The UX/UI Designer will report to a manager or team lead within the Business Computing (FAP-BC) group. They will work within project teams, collaborating closely with Product Managers, Developers, and other UX specialists.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is significant in ensuring the usability, consistency, and efficiency of internal applications that are critical for CERN's operations. A well-implemented Design System directly leads to faster development cycles, reduced maintenance costs, and improved user satisfaction among CERN staff, thereby indirectly supporting the organization's core scientific mission.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in Design Systems, UI pattern development, and user research within a complex, international scientific environment.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Gain experience working with diverse teams on high-impact projects, understanding the unique IT challenges of a leading research organization.

• Training and Development: Access to CERN's extensive training programs, including language classes and technical workshops, which can broaden skill sets and career options.

• Networking: Build a strong professional network within the international scientific and IT community.

• Potential for Extension: The contract has a possibility for extension, offering a longer-term engagement and deeper project involvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: While this is a contract role, CERN offers significant opportunities for professional development and exposure. The growth is more focused on deepening specialized skills and gaining experience within a unique organizational context rather than climbing a traditional corporate ladder. The potential for contract extension provides a pathway for continued impact and learning.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: CERN offers a hybrid work environment. This means a blend of on-site work at CERN's facilities in Geneva and remote work. The on-site environment is designed for collaboration and access to resources.

Office Location(s): The primary work location is CERN, Geneva, Switzerland. CERN has a large campus with modern facilities, including offices, labs, and collaborative spaces.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Expect an environment that fosters collaboration, with opportunities to interact with a diverse international community of scientists, engineers, and IT professionals.

• Tools & Technology: Access to CERN's IT infrastructure, including relevant software, hardware, and collaboration platforms necessary for design and development work.

• Team Interaction: Regular team meetings, design reviews, and project discussions, both in person and virtually, to ensure alignment and shared progress.

• Scientific Atmosphere: The workplace is situated within a leading scientific research organization, providing a unique and intellectually stimulating atmosphere.

Work Schedule:

• The standard work schedule is 40 hours per week.

• The hybrid nature of the role allows for flexibility in how these hours are structured, balancing on-site and remote work days as agreed with the team and manager.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is a key aspect of the work environment, offering flexibility. Candidates should be comfortable with both autonomous remote work and collaborative on-site engagement at CERN's extensive campus. The international and scientific setting is a defining characteristic of the workspace.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Applications are reviewed based on eligibility criteria (nationality, education, experience) and alignment with job requirements.

• Technical Assessment/Portfolio Review: Candidates may be asked to submit a detailed portfolio or complete a design challenge. This stage assesses practical UX/UI design skills, understanding of user-centered principles, and experience with tools like Figma.

• Interviews: Typically involves interviews with the hiring manager, potential team members (developers, product managers), and possibly HR. These interviews will assess technical capabilities, problem-solving skills, collaboration style, and cultural fit.

• Final Selection: Based on overall performance throughout the process.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Process: Clearly articulate your design process for each project. Highlight how you moved from problem definition, through research and ideation, to design solutions and testing.

• Focus on Impact: Quantify your impact where possible. For instance, if your design led to a measurable improvement in user task completion or satisfaction, include those metrics.

• Design System Experience: If you have specific experience with Design Systems, showcase components you've designed, style guides you've contributed to, and how you've supported their adoption.

• Tool Proficiency: Ensure your portfolio demonstrates proficiency with Figma or similar design and prototyping tools.

• Tailor to CERN: Briefly explain how your skills and experience can benefit CERN's specific context, particularly in supporting internal application development and promoting design consistency.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand CERN: Research CERN's mission, its role in scientific research, and the specific challenges faced by its IT department (e.g., supporting complex scientific instruments, managing large datasets, diverse user base).

• Design System Principles: Be prepared to discuss the benefits of Design Systems, their governance, and strategies for encouraging adoption.

• User-Centred Design Scenarios: Practice discussing how you would approach designing for users with diverse technical backgrounds or specific operational needs, as is common in a research environment.

• Collaboration Scenarios: Be ready to discuss how you handle feedback, resolve design disagreements, and collaborate with developers and non-design stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process at CERN, like many large international organizations, is thorough. A strong, well-documented portfolio is crucial. Candidates should be prepared to articulate not just what they designed, but why, and how their work aligns with the principles of user-centered design and contributes to organizational efficiency.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: This is explicitly mentioned as a required design tool and will be the primary platform for UI design, wireframing, prototyping, and potentially Design System component creation.

• Prototyping Tools: Proficiency in other prototyping tools may be beneficial, though Figma's capabilities often suffice.

• Design System Platforms: Experience with tools or methodologies for managing Design Systems (e.g., Zeroheight, Storybook integration) would be advantageous.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

Other Relevant Tools:

• Collaboration Tools: Familiarity with tools like Jira, Confluence, Slack, or Microsoft Teams for project management, documentation, and team communication.

• User Research Tools: Experience with tools for conducting online surveys, interviews, or usability testing remotely.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is the central tool for this role. Proficiency here is non-negotiable. Beyond Figma, the ability to integrate with development workflows and collaborate effectively using common project management and communication tools will be essential.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Scientific Excellence & Rigor: A commitment to the highest standards of scientific inquiry and technical execution, ensuring that design solutions are robust and well-researched.

• Collaboration & Diversity: Valuing input from a wide range of international perspectives and fostering an inclusive environment where all team members contribute.

• Innovation & Curiosity: Encouraging new ideas and approaches to solve complex problems, pushing the boundaries of what's possible in both science and technology.

• Efficiency & Impact: Striving for impactful solutions that enhance operational efficiency and directly support CERN's overarching scientific mission.

• Integrity & Transparency: Maintaining high ethical standards in research, development, and communication.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Expect a highly collaborative approach, working closely with developers, product managers, business analysts, and end-users from diverse scientific and technical backgrounds.

• Feedback-Oriented: An environment where constructive feedback is encouraged and valued as a means to improve designs and processes.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture that promotes sharing insights, best practices, and lessons learned across teams and departments.

• Iterative Improvement: A mindset focused on continuous refinement and adaptation of designs based on testing and feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: CERN's culture is deeply rooted in its scientific mission and international character. For a UX/UI designer, this means understanding the unique needs of a scientific user base and contributing to a collaborative environment that values rigorous execution and diverse perspectives.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Diverse User Needs: Designing for a broad spectrum of users with varying technical expertise and specific operational requirements within a scientific research context.

• Design System Adoption: Ensuring widespread adoption and consistent application of the Design System across numerous product teams with potentially different priorities and timelines.

• Balancing Innovation and Legacy: Integrating modern design practices while potentially working with existing systems or infrastructure.

• International Collaboration: Navigating communication and collaboration across different cultural backgrounds and time zones, even within a hybrid model.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced UX/UI Skills: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas like Design Systems, interaction design for complex systems, or user research techniques tailored to scientific applications.

• Industry Exposure: Gaining insights into the IT landscape of a world-leading research organization and understanding the unique challenges of supporting scientific discovery.

• Formal Training: Access to CERN's extensive training programs, including language courses (French is a plus) and technical skill development workshops.

• Networking: Building connections with a global community of professionals in design, IT, and science.

• Project Impact: Contributing to projects that have a direct impact on groundbreaking scientific research, offering a strong sense of purpose.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are inherent to working in a large, complex, international organization focused on cutting-edge research. The growth opportunities are substantial, offering a chance to develop specialized skills in a unique and stimulating environment.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Design Philosophy: Be prepared to articulate your personal design philosophy, emphasizing user-centered principles and how you apply them in practice.

• Design System Rationale: Discuss the importance of Design Systems, how you would approach building and governing one, and strategies for driving adoption within a large organization.

• Problem-Solving Scenarios: Anticipate hypothetical design challenges related to improving an application's usability or creating a new feature for a scientific tool. Explain your thought process and methodology for tackling them.

• Collaboration & Conflict Resolution: Describe situations where you've collaborated with developers or product managers, particularly when there were differing opinions on design, and how you resolved them.

Company & Culture Questions:

• Understanding CERN: Research CERN's mission, its current projects, and its role in the global scientific community. Show an understanding of the organization's unique context.

• Adaptability: Discuss how you adapt your design approach to meet the needs of diverse user groups, especially in a technical or scientific setting.

• Hybrid Work Experience: Explain how you manage your workflow and maintain productivity in a hybrid or remote work environment.

• Motivation: Articulate why you are specifically interested in working at CERN and in this particular role.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Structure your portfolio presentation as a narrative for each project. Start with the problem, explain your approach, showcase your solutions (wireframes, mockups, prototypes), and highlight the outcomes or learnings.

• Focus on Process: For each project, detail your user research, testing methods, and iterative design process. Show how you arrived at your final designs.

• Interactive Demos: If possible, provide live or recorded interactive demos of your prototypes.

• Design System Examples: If you have Design System experience, clearly showcase components, style guides, and how they contribute to consistency and efficiency.

• Conciseness: Be mindful of time and focus on the most impactful projects and key learnings.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation for CERN interviews should emphasize not only design skills but also the ability to operate within a large, international, and scientifically driven organization. Highlighting adaptability, collaboration, and a clear understanding of user-centered design in complex environments will be key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX/UI Designer position:

• Submit your application through the CERN Careers portal via the provided link.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date and clearly showcases your UX/UI design process, with specific examples of wireframing, prototyping, user research, and ideally, Design System contributions. Tailor the selected projects to highlight relevant experience.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to emphasize keywords mentioned in the job description, such as "UX/UI Design," "Figma," "User-Centered Design," "Design System," "Prototyping," "User Research," and "Agile." Quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, explaining your portfolio projects, and preparing responses to common interview questions related to collaboration, problem-solving, and your motivation for joining CERN.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research CERN's mission, its scientific endeavors, and its organizational culture. Understand the role of the Business Computing group and how your design expertise can contribute to their objectives.

⚠️ 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.