Mid-weight UX/UI Designer (SCATS) - Temporary opportunity for 24 months

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Mid-weight UX/UI Designer (SCATS) - Temporary Opportunity

Company: Transport for NSW

Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Job Type: Temporary Full-Time

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

Date Posted: April 20, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-weight (3+ years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (2 days in office)

🚀 Role Summary

• This role focuses on designing user-centered digital products and solutions for a global traffic management platform, directly impacting operational efficiency for government authorities.

• The UX/UI Designer will be instrumental in translating complex user needs and requirements into intuitive and effective design solutions for traffic engineers and related end-users.

• You will collaborate with a multidisciplinary team, including Product Managers, Product Owners, Business Analysts, Software Engineers, and Subject Matter Experts, to ensure designs meet both user needs and business objectives.

• The position involves a strong emphasis on user research, workflow analysis, and the creation of detailed design artifacts, including wireframes, user flows, and interactive prototypes.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is for a UX/UI Designer, the context of a "global traffic management platform" and its impact on government operations indicates a strong need for understanding complex systems, data visualization, and process optimization, which are highly relevant to operations-focused roles. The "SCATS" acronym likely refers to a specific Traffic Management System (e.g., Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System), suggesting a specialized domain.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive user research to understand the needs, pain points, and workflows of traffic engineers and other end-users of the SCATS platform.

• Analyze existing user flows and map out new, optimized user journeys to enhance system usability and efficiency.

• Develop detailed wireframes, user interface designs, and information architecture to support the development of innovative, user-centered products and solutions.

• Create and present clear, validated design solutions to cross-functional teams and senior stakeholders, effectively communicating design rationale and impact.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers, Product Owners, and Business Analysts to gather and define product requirements, ensuring alignment with strategic goals.

• Work with Software Engineers to ensure designs are technically feasible and implemented accurately, maintaining design integrity throughout the development lifecycle.

• Develop and maintain interactive prototypes to test design concepts and gather user feedback before full-scale development.

• Contribute to the definition of product workflows for the global traffic management platform, focusing on seamless integration and operational effectiveness.

• Participate in usability testing sessions to validate design decisions and identify areas for improvement.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in UX, UI, or Product Design roles, or demonstrated readiness to step up to a mid-weight level.

• Proven experience in web or mobile application design, product design, UX, or UI design.

Required Skills:

• User Research Methods: Firm understanding of various user research techniques and the ability to apply insights to inform design decisions.

• User Flow Mapping: Expertise in creating and analyzing user flows to understand and optimize user journeys.

• Wireframing & UI Design: Proficiency in creating low-fidelity wireframes and high-fidelity user interface designs.

• Usability Testing: Experience in planning, conducting, and analyzing usability tests to validate design effectiveness.

• Stakeholder Communication: Ability to deliver clear and compelling presentations to senior stakeholders, articulating design strategies and outcomes.

• User-Centered Design Principles: Deep understanding and application of user-centered design methodologies.

• Collaborative Problem-Solving: Ability to work effectively within a diverse team environment, contributing to collective problem-solving.

Preferred Skills:

• Interactive Prototyping: Ability to produce interactive prototypes to showcase design concepts and user interactions.

• Figma Design Systems: Experience working with and contributing to Figma design systems.

• Agile/Scrum Methodologies: Familiarity with agile development processes and collaboration within scrum teams.

• Data Visualization: Experience in designing interfaces for data-rich applications, particularly relevant for traffic management systems.

• Understanding of Traffic Management Systems: Familiarity with concepts related to traffic light coordination, connected vehicles, or emergency vehicle prioritization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The prompt specifies "Mid-weight UX/UI Designer," implying a need for independent work, problem-solving, and mentorship potential. The emphasis on a "global traffic management platform" suggests that experience with complex, data-intensive systems and enterprise-level applications would be highly advantageous, aligning with operations-centric requirements for efficiency and large-scale implementation.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies: Showcase 2-3 detailed case studies demonstrating your UX/UI design process from problem identification to final solution. These should highlight your contributions, design decisions, and the impact of your work.

• Problem-Solving: Clearly articulate the user problems or business challenges addressed in each case study.

• Process Documentation: Include examples of your work in user research, user flows, wireframing, prototyping, and final UI design.

• Metrics & Impact: Quantify the results or impact of your designs where possible (e.g., improved task completion rates, reduction in errors, user satisfaction scores). For this role, demonstrating how designs improve operational efficiency for traffic engineers is key.

• System Context: If possible, include examples of designs for complex systems, enterprise software, or data-intensive applications.

Process Documentation:

• User Research Reports: Examples of user research summaries, persona development, and journey maps.

• Design Artifacts: Samples of wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity UI mockups.

• Usability Testing Findings: Reports or summaries of usability testing sessions and how feedback informed design iterations.

• Design System Contributions: If applicable, examples of contributions to or utilization of design systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role involving a "global traffic management platform," the portfolio should ideally demonstrate experience with complex data visualization, dashboard design, and systems that support operational decision-making. Highlighting a systematic approach to design, including robust research and testing, is crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Flexible Work Options: The role offers flexible working arrangements, including hybrid work.

• Temporary Contract: Opportunity for a fixed-term engagement for 24 months, providing focused project experience.

• Professional Development: Exposure to a world-class, global platform and the opportunity to work with seasoned UX/UI designers.

• Impactful Work: Contribute to essential public infrastructure and services, directly impacting traffic management and public safety.

• Team Collaboration: Work within an expert team and collaborate with various stakeholders to deliver innovative solutions.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours are expected, likely around 35-40 hours per week, with flexibility for hybrid work arrangements. Two days per week are typically based in the Sydney CBD office.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on the role's seniority (Mid-weight), location (Sydney, Australia), and sector (Government). Benefits are drawn directly from the job description, emphasizing flexibility and the nature of the contract.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Government & Public Sector, Transportation, Technology Infrastructure. Transport for NSW is responsible for the strategic planning, management, and delivery of integrated transport services across New South Wales.

Company Size: Large enterprise (Transport for NSW is a major government department with a significant workforce).

Founded: Transport for NSW was established in 2011, consolidating various transport agencies. This implies a modern, integrated approach to transport management.

Team Structure:

• Reporting: The role reports into the Senior Manager (User Experience).

• Team Composition: You will be part of an existing team of seasoned UX and UI designers.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Close collaboration with Product Managers, Product Owners, Business Analysts, Software Engineers, and end-users (traffic engineers, government authorities).

Methodology:

• User-Centered Design: A strong emphasis on understanding and meeting user needs through research and iterative design.

• Agile Development: Implied through collaboration with Product Owners and Software Engineers, suggesting iterative development cycles.

• Data-Driven Insights: The nature of traffic management systems suggests that design decisions will be informed by data and performance metrics.

Company Website: https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/

📝 Enhancement Note: Transport for NSW operates within a government framework, which typically emphasizes public service, accountability, and robust processes. The "global traffic management platform" suggests a focus on reliability, scalability, and efficiency in critical infrastructure.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Mid-weight UX/UI Designer, indicating a level of autonomy and responsibility for specific design tasks and contributions to project outcomes. It's a step beyond junior roles, requiring independent problem-solving and a solid understanding of the design process.

Reporting Structure: Reporting to a Senior Manager (User Experience) within a dedicated UX/UI design team. This structure provides mentorship and guidance while allowing for individual contribution.

Operations Impact: The role's direct impact is on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of traffic management operations through better technology. This involves designing systems that help government authorities manage traffic more effectively, coordinate traffic lights, enable connected vehicles, and manage emergency vehicle prioritization. The success of these designs directly translates to operational improvements and potentially public safety enhancements.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in UX/UI design for complex, data-intensive systems within the transportation and government sectors.

• Platform Expertise: Become a subject matter expert on the SCATS global traffic management platform.

• Cross-Functional Skill Development: Enhance skills in collaborating with product management, engineering, and business analysis teams.

• Project Leadership: Potential to lead design initiatives for specific features or modules within the platform.

• Mentorship: Opportunity to learn from senior designers and potentially mentor junior team members in the future.

📝 Enhancement Note: The temporary nature of the role (24 months) suggests it might be project-specific, offering a focused opportunity for significant contribution and skill development within that timeframe. Growth would likely be within the scope of the project or through demonstrating capabilities for future roles within Transport for NSW.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model, with a blend of remote work and office-based collaboration.

Office Location(s): Pitt Street, Sydney CBD. This central location offers good accessibility via public transport.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The role emphasizes collaboration with a diverse team, suggesting an environment that values teamwork and open communication.

• Tools and Technology: Access to necessary design tools (e.g., Figma) and potentially specialized traffic management software for context.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities to interact with experienced designers, product teams, and subject matter experts in traffic management.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours with flexibility, allowing for focused work on design tasks and project deliverables, accommodating hybrid work arrangements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The Sydney CBD office location is a key detail for candidates considering the commute. The hybrid model implies a need for self-discipline and effective remote communication, alongside in-person collaboration for key activities.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of application and resume, potentially followed by a brief HR screening call.

• Portfolio Presentation: A key stage likely involving a presentation of your portfolio to the hiring manager and design team. This is where you'll showcase your process, case studies, and problem-solving skills.

• Technical/Design Interview: A deeper dive into your UX/UI skills, methodologies, and experience. This might include discussions on specific design challenges or a practical design exercise.

• Stakeholder/Team Interview: Meeting with Product Managers, Product Owners, or other key team members to assess collaboration style and cultural fit.

• Final Interview: Potentially with the Senior Manager (User Experience) or a higher-level stakeholder.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize projects that showcase experience with complex systems, data visualization, or operational efficiency improvements. Highlight your process for understanding user needs in a technical or operational context.

• Showcase Your Process: Clearly demonstrate your thinking from problem identification, research, ideation, design, testing, and iteration. Use visuals to illustrate each stage.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs. For this role, focus on how your designs improve operational workflows for traffic engineers.

• User-Centricity: Ensure your portfolio clearly articulates how user needs were at the forefront of your design decisions.

• Be Prepared to Discuss: Be ready to talk in-depth about your contributions, challenges faced, and lessons learned for each project.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Exercise: Be prepared for a design exercise, which might involve analyzing a problem statement related to traffic management and proposing a solution, or refining an existing interface. Focus on your process and rationale.

• Scenario-Based Questions: Expect questions about how you would handle specific design challenges, stakeholder disagreements, or user research scenarios.

• Understanding of SCATS: Research the SCATS system and its function to understand the operational context of your design work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a "global traffic management platform" and the specific mention of "traffic engineers" means candidates should prepare to discuss how they approach designing for technical users and operational workflows. The portfolio review is likely to be rigorous.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Explicitly mentioned as a preferred tool for design systems. Proficiency in Figma is highly desirable.

• Sketch/Adobe XD: While Figma is preferred, experience with other industry-standard design tools is valuable.

• Prototyping Tools: Tools like InVision, Principle, or Figma's built-in prototyping capabilities.

Analytics & Reporting:

• User Analytics Platforms: Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics, Mixpanel, or Amplitude for understanding user behavior (though less direct for this role, understanding data is key).

• Performance Monitoring Tools: Awareness of how system performance data informs design improvements.

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly mentioned, but understanding how user feedback and operational data are collected and managed within larger systems would be beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is called out as a preferred tool, indicating its importance in the team's workflow. A strong understanding of design systems and their implementation is crucial.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A core value, focusing on understanding and meeting the needs of end-users, particularly traffic engineers.

• Collaboration: Emphasis on working effectively within a multidisciplinary team and with stakeholders.

• Innovation: Driving innovative solutions to complex problems in traffic management.

• Impact: A focus on delivering solutions that improve operational efficiency and public services.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilizing research and data to inform design choices.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Close working relationships with Product Managers, Product Owners, Business Analysts, and Software Engineers.

• Feedback Exchange: An environment that likely encourages constructive feedback on designs and processes.

• Knowledge Sharing: Opportunities to learn from and share knowledge with experienced designers and subject matter experts.

📝 Enhancement Note: As a government agency, Transport for NSW likely values public service, efficiency, and a structured approach to problem-solving, alongside innovation.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complexity of Traffic Management: Designing for a sophisticated, real-time operational system with critical safety implications.

• Diverse User Needs: Balancing the needs of various stakeholders, including operational staff, management, and potentially the public.

• Legacy Systems Integration: Potentially working with or replacing elements of existing complex systems.

• Stakeholder Management: Navigating requirements and feedback from multiple departments and levels within a large organization.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Domain Expertise: Gaining deep knowledge of traffic management systems and operations.

• Advanced UX/UI Techniques: Enhancing skills in designing for complex data, operational dashboards, and enterprise-level applications.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Improving ability to work effectively with technical and business teams.

• Government Sector Experience: Gaining insight into the workings of a major government transport authority.

📝 Enhancement Note: The temporary nature of the role (24 months) presents a challenge in terms of long-term impact but offers a focused opportunity for intensive learning and contribution.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design for a complex operational system. What were the key challenges, and how did you address them?" (Focus on your process, research, and how you simplified complexity.)

• "How would you approach understanding the needs of traffic engineers who use the SCATS system?" (Highlight your user research methodologies and empathy.)

• "Walk us through a project in your portfolio where your design had a significant positive impact on operational efficiency." (Quantify results and explain your role.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working for Transport for NSW and specifically on the SCATS platform?" (Show research into the organization and the specific project.)

• "How do you approach collaboration with Product Managers, Engineers, and Business Analysts?" (Illustrate your teamwork and communication skills.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your presentation logically, starting with the problem, your approach, your contributions, the solution, and the outcome/impact.

• Visuals: Use high-quality visuals of your work, including wireframes, user flows, and final UI designs.

• Storytelling: Tell a compelling story for each case study, highlighting your critical thinking and problem-solving journey.

• Focus on Process: Be prepared to discuss why you made certain design decisions, not just what you designed.

• Tailor to SCATS: Connect your past experiences to the specific challenges and context of the SCATS platform and traffic management operations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview will likely assess not only design skills but also the ability to operate within a government context, understand operational needs, and collaborate effectively within a large organization.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX/UI Designer position:

• Submit Your Application: Apply through the official Transport for NSW careers portal by the closing date of May 4th, 2026.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest case studies that best demonstrate your UX/UI process, problem-solving skills, and experience with complex systems or operational tools. Emphasize projects where you improved efficiency or user workflows.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your experience in user research, wireframing, UI design, prototyping, and collaboration. Use keywords from the job description such as "UX Design," "UI Design," "Product Design," "User Research," "Wireframing," "Usability Testing," "Figma," and "Traffic Management."

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio, focusing on clearly articulating your design process, decision-making, and the impact of your work. Be ready to discuss your experience with Figma and design systems.

• Research Transport for NSW: Understand the organization's mission, values, and its role in public transport. Familiarize yourself with the SCATS system and its importance in traffic management.

⚠️ 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.