Principal UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Principal UX Designer

Company: Delinea

Location: Bellevue, Washington, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: User Experience Design / Product Design

Date Posted: 2026-08-12

Experience Level: 8+ Years (Principal Level)

Remote Status: Hybrid (Seattle area preferred, fully remote considered)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end design for significant product areas within an identity security platform, demonstrating advanced product design and UX design capabilities.

• Act as a design leader and mentor, setting a high bar for craft and collaboration that influences other designers and writers across the organization.

• Drive strategic design initiatives, partnering with product and engineering leadership to shape product direction and enhance the overall user experience of complex, cross-functional solutions.

• Contribute to the evolution and championing of the Delinea Design System, ensuring consistency and scalability across the product portfolio.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Principal-level UX Designer, indicating a need for significant autonomy, strategic influence, and mentorship capabilities beyond individual contributor tasks. The focus on "complex, cross-functional, or ambiguous problems" and "shaping outcomes for Delinea's broader design and product organization" highlights the expectation of leadership and strategic impact.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conceptualize, design, and deliver complex product features from initial strategy and user research through detailed interaction models, workflows, and high-fidelity prototypes.

• Facilitate design reviews with product and engineering leadership, ensuring ambitious designs are technically feasible, well-scoped, and accurately implemented.

• Mentor junior designers, providing constructive feedback on their craft, process, and adherence to design best practices.

• Introduce and evaluate emerging design trends and technologies, including AI-assisted tools, for potential adoption within Delinea's product design practice.

• Actively contribute to the development, maintenance, and adoption of the Delinea Design System, promoting a consistent and scalable design language.

• Influence and advocate for best practices in design across the broader product and engineering organization, extending impact beyond immediate project scope.

• Collaborate closely with Product Management and Engineering teams to define product strategy and roadmap, ensuring user-centered design principles are integrated from the outset.

• Champion user-centered design methodologies and advocate for user needs throughout the product development lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a blend of hands-on design execution, strategic leadership, and team development, typical for a Principal-level role. The mention of "setting a bar for craft and collaboration" and "shaping outcomes for Delinea’s broader design and product organization" points towards a role that influences design culture and processes company-wide.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: No specific degree requirements are listed, but a strong portfolio and demonstrated experience are paramount. A degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field is often beneficial.

Experience: 8+ years of experience as a Product Designer or UX Designer with a proven track record of owning and delivering complex product areas end-to-end.

Required Skills:

• Deep expertise in interaction design and user experience principles, with a strong ability to translate complex problems into intuitive user interfaces.

• Proven leadership and project management skills, with the ability to navigate and drive forward design projects that span multiple teams and stakeholders.

• High proficiency with Figma and modern design and prototyping tools.

• Hands-on experience using AI-assisted tools in design workflows (e.g., for prototyping, research synthesis, or design-to-code handoff).

• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate design rationale and defend design decisions to senior and executive stakeholders.

• Demonstrated ability to mentor junior designers and foster a collaborative design environment.

• Experience contributing to and championing design systems. Preferred Skills:

• Background in cybersecurity, identity governance, or privileged access management.

• Experience partnering with dedicated UX researchers on complex, multi-phase research programs.

• Proficiency in data visualization, with experience designing dashboards or visualizations for data-dense products.

• Familiarity with responsive, cross-platform design principles across web, admin, and mobile surfaces.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "complex, cross-functional, or ambiguous problems" in the portfolio requirement indicates a need for candidates who can handle ambiguity and drive solutions without explicit direction. Proficiency with AI-assisted tools is a forward-looking requirement, suggesting the company is integrating cutting-edge technology into its design processes.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing end-to-end design ownership on complex, cross-functional, or ambiguous problems.

• Demonstrate leadership in design, highlighting how you've influenced product direction and team collaboration.

• Examples of how you've applied user experience principles and interaction design expertise to solve challenging user needs.

• Case studies that clearly articulate the problem, your process, your solutions, and the impact of your design work, ideally including metrics where available. Process Documentation:

• Showcase your ability to define and execute design processes, from initial strategy and user research to detailed design and collaboration with engineering.

• Provide examples of how you've managed design projects, navigated dependencies across teams, and driven them to successful delivery.

• Illustrate your experience with design systems, including contributions to or advocacy for their use and evolution.

• Demonstrate how you’ve integrated user feedback and research into your design process to iterate and improve solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is explicitly stated as a "key part of how we review candidates," underscoring its critical importance. The prompt for "complex, cross-functional design problems you’ve solved end-to-end" suggests a need for candidates who can demonstrate strategic thinking, problem-solving under ambiguity, and significant impact.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $174,000 - $218,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Competitive salaries and a meaningful bonus program.

• Comprehensive healthcare insurance.

• Pension/retirement matching.

• Comprehensive life insurance.

• Employee assistance program (EAP).

• Generous time off plans.

• Paid company holidays.

• Potential for equity (implied by industry standards for principal roles, though not explicitly stated as a distinct benefit).

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours, likely around 40 hours per week, with flexibility for hybrid work arrangements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is competitive for a Principal UX Designer role in the Seattle metropolitan area, reflecting the experience level and the nature of the technology industry. The benefits package is robust, covering essential health, financial, and well-being aspects, which is standard for senior technical roles in established tech companies.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Cybersecurity and Identity Security. Delinea focuses on securing human and machine identities through intelligent, centralized authorization, particularly in cloud-native and hybrid enterprise environments.

Company Size: Delinea is a significant player in the cybersecurity market, indicated by its established presence and strategic investment from TPG. While an exact employee count isn't provided, the scale suggests a mid-to-large enterprise environment with established processes and a global reach.

Founded: Delinea was formed from the merger of Thycotic and Centrify, bringing together decades of experience in privileged access management (PAM) and identity security. This merger implies a culture that blends established expertise with a forward-looking, integrated approach.

Team Structure:

• The User Experience team is established, with the Principal UX Designer expected to be a senior member and a go-to resource for other designers.

• This role will likely operate within a product-focused structure, collaborating closely with dedicated Product Managers and Engineering teams.

• Cross-functional collaboration is a core expectation, involving partnerships with design leadership, product leadership, and engineering leadership. Methodology:

• Delinea emphasizes AI-powered intelligence to secure identity lifecycles. This suggests a data-driven approach to product development and design.

• The company values innovation and pushing boundaries, indicating a culture that encourages experimentation and the adoption of new technologies.

• A focus on operational efficiency is highlighted by the mention of "deployment in weeks, not months" and reduced resource management compared to competitors.

Company Website: https://delinea.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Delinea's focus on identity security and its recent merger suggest a dynamic environment that values both established expertise and innovative solutions. The company's commitment to AI and operational efficiency will likely influence the design team's approach to problem-solving and tool adoption.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is at the Principal level, which signifies a senior individual contributor with leadership responsibilities. It is a position that requires not only deep craft expertise but also the ability to influence strategy, mentor others, and drive significant product initiatives. It sits above Senior Designer and below Design Director/Manager roles.

Reporting Structure: The Principal UX Designer will report to Design Leadership (e.g., Head of UX, Design Director) and will work closely with Product Management and Engineering leads for their designated product area. They will also have direct mentorship responsibilities for junior designers.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is significant:

• Directly influences the user experience and usability of Delinea's core identity security platform.

• Drives adoption and customer satisfaction through intuitive and effective design solutions.

• Contributes to the overall product strategy and roadmap by providing user-centered insights and design direction.

• Elevates the design practice within the company, influencing standards, processes, and the development of future design talent. Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to move into Design Management roles, lead larger product portfolios, or specialize further in areas like design strategy or research leadership.

• Technical Skill Development: Opportunities to deepen expertise in specific areas like AI-assisted design, complex data visualization, or advanced interaction patterns for enterprise software.

• Cross-Functional Influence: Expand influence across product, engineering, and even marketing/sales by contributing to broader GTM strategies and product positioning.

• Industry Expertise: Further develop specialization in cybersecurity and identity security design, becoming a recognized expert in a critical and growing field.

📝 Enhancement Note: The Principal level is a crucial career inflection point, offering a path towards management or deep technical specialization. The emphasis on influencing broader design practice suggests that growth is not just about individual contributions but also about shaping the team and its methodologies.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Delinea operates with a hybrid work model. For candidates in the Seattle area, a hybrid rhythm is preferred, suggesting a mix of in-office collaboration and remote work. This implies a modern office space designed for collaboration, meetings, and focused work.

Office Location(s): The primary office location mentioned is Bellevue, Washington, United States. While fully remote candidates are considered, the preference for hybrid work in the Seattle area indicates that local office presence is valued for certain aspects of the role, likely for team cohesion and spontaneous collaboration.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model encourages collaboration, likely facilitated through a mix of in-person meetings, workshops, and digital collaboration tools.

• Tools and Technology: Access to industry-standard design tools (Figma, prototyping tools) and potentially AI-assisted design technologies will be available. The company's focus on cloud-native solutions suggests a modern tech stack.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct interaction with product managers, engineers, fellow designers, and leadership, both in person and virtually, are integral to the role.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time, likely 40 hours per week. The hybrid nature offers some flexibility in terms of daily schedule, allowing for a balance between focused individual work and collaborative sessions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid preference suggests Delinea values the benefits of in-person interaction for strategic discussions, team building, and mentoring, while still offering the flexibility of remote work. This balance is common in established tech companies aiming to retain talent and foster a strong culture.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Application & Portfolio Submission: Initial screening will heavily rely on the submitted portfolio, which must demonstrate complex, end-to-end design solutions and leadership.

• Initial Screening Call: A conversation with a recruiter or hiring manager to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and understanding of the role.

• Design Exercise/Challenge: Candidates may be asked to complete a take-home design exercise or participate in a live design challenge. This will likely focus on problem-solving, strategic thinking, and design execution relevant to Delinea's product space.

• Portfolio Review & Deep Dive: An in-depth session with design leadership and potentially peers to walk through portfolio case studies, discuss design process, leadership approach, and mentorship philosophy.

• Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with Product Management and Engineering leadership to assess collaboration skills, strategic alignment, and technical understanding.

• Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership to discuss overall fit, strategic vision, and confirm alignment with company values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Impact: Clearly articulate the business and user impact of your designs. Quantify results whenever possible (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced task completion time, increased user satisfaction).

• Showcase Your Process: Detail your thought process, research methodologies, design iterations, and how you arrived at your final solutions.

• Highlight Leadership & Mentorship: Include examples of how you've led projects, influenced stakeholders, and mentored junior designers.

• Address Complexity: Emphasize projects that involved ambiguity, cross-functional challenges, or significant technical constraints.

• Tailor to Delinea: If possible, subtly align your case studies with Delinea's domain (cybersecurity, identity management) or their stated values.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Research Delinea's products, target audience (enterprises, IT admins), and the cybersecurity landscape.

• Practice Problem-Solving: Be ready to tackle ambiguous problems, define scope, and articulate your approach clearly.

• Articulate Strategy: Prepare to discuss not just what you designed, but why, connecting your design decisions to user needs and business goals.

• Demonstrate Collaboration: Think about how you would work with product managers and engineers to bring a design to life.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio that showcases "complex, cross-functional design problems" and "leadership" is paramount. Candidates should prepare to not only present their work but also to articulate their strategic thinking, problem-solving process, and ability to mentor and influence.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for UI design, prototyping, and collaboration.

• Modern Design/Prototyping Tools: Proficiency beyond Figma, potentially including tools for advanced prototyping, animation, or user flow mapping.

• AI-Assisted Design Tools: Experience with tools that leverage AI for tasks like research synthesis, design generation, prototyping assistance, or design-to-code handoff.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly listed as a designer's primary tool, understanding how to interpret and utilize data from analytics platforms (e.g., for user behavior, feature adoption) is beneficial.

• Experience with data visualization tools might be leveraged for designing dashboards or reporting interfaces. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the UX Designer role's core toolset, but understanding how products integrate into larger enterprise systems is valuable.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of AI-assisted tools indicates Delinea's commitment to leveraging modern technology. Designers are expected to be proficient with industry-standard tools like Figma and adaptable to new AI-driven workflows that enhance efficiency and creativity.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values: Delinea's core values are STRONG:

• Spirited: Bringing energy and passion to work, particularly in a mission-driven field like cybersecurity.

• Trust: Acting with integrity, reliability, and delivering on commitments, crucial for a company handling sensitive security data.

• Respect: Valuing diverse perspectives and fostering a collaborative, inclusive team environment where different ideas are heard.

• Ownership: Taking initiative, responsibility, and seeing tasks through to completion, essential for senior roles driving complex projects.

• Nimble: Adapting quickly to the fast-changing cybersecurity landscape and evolving market needs.

• Global: Embracing diverse people and ideas to drive better outcomes, reflecting Delinea's international presence.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Expect close collaboration with Product Management and Engineering, with a focus on shared ownership of product outcomes.

• Design Reviews: A culture of constructive feedback through design reviews is implied, where designs are scrutinized for craft, usability, and strategic alignment.

• Knowledge Sharing: As a Principal designer, contributing to knowledge sharing and mentoring junior team members is a key aspect of the role.

• Data-Informed: The company's focus on AI and modern technology suggests a preference for data-informed decision-making, influencing how designs are validated and iterated upon.

📝 Enhancement Note: The STRONG values provide a clear framework for cultural expectations. Candidates should demonstrate how their approach to design, collaboration, and problem-solving aligns with these principles, especially "Spirited," "Ownership," and "Nimble" in the context of a fast-paced tech environment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complexity of Enterprise Security: Designing intuitive solutions for complex cybersecurity products that cater to sophisticated enterprise users requires deep understanding and careful user research.

• Cross-Team Dependencies: Navigating design projects that span multiple product teams and engineering disciplines, requiring strong negotiation and communication skills.

• Balancing Innovation with Stability: Introducing new design paradigms or technologies (like AI) while maintaining the reliability and security expected in enterprise software.

• Mentorship at Scale: Effectively mentoring junior designers while managing significant design responsibilities for a core product area.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Cybersecurity Domain Expertise: Deepen knowledge in identity security, privileged access management, and enterprise security challenges.

• AI in Design: Explore and integrate advanced AI tools and methodologies into the design workflow.

• Design Leadership: Develop strategic leadership skills, influence product roadmaps, and contribute to shaping design culture.

• Design System Evolution: Play a key role in advancing a mature design system for a growing product portfolio.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to senior roles in complex B2B SaaS environments, particularly in cybersecurity. The growth opportunities are significant, offering paths to leadership and deep specialization.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex, ambiguous product problem you've tackled. How did you define the scope, what was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on problem framing, strategic approach, and impact).

• "How do you balance user needs with business goals and technical constraints in your design process?" (Demonstrate strategic trade-offs and holistic thinking).

• "How have you influenced product strategy or design direction at a senior level, especially when dealing with multiple stakeholders?" (Showcase leadership, negotiation, and influence).

• "Describe a time you mentored a junior designer. What was your approach, and what was the impact on their growth and your team's work?" (Highlight mentorship philosophy and effectiveness). Company & Culture Questions:

• "How do you see your role as a Principal UX Designer contributing to Delinea's mission of securing human and machine identities?" (Connect your skills to the company's purpose).

• "How do you embody Delinea's STRONG values in your work and collaborations?" (Provide specific examples for each relevant value).

• "How do you stay current with emerging design trends and technologies, particularly in enterprise software and AI?" (Demonstrate continuous learning and forward-thinking). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: For each case study, clearly outline: Problem, Your Role, Process (Research, Ideation, Design, Testing), Solution, and Impact/Outcome.

• Narrative: Tell a compelling story about your problem-solving journey. Emphasize your critical thinking and decision-making.

• Visuals: Use high-quality mockups, prototypes, user flows, and any relevant research artifacts. Ensure they are clear and support your narrative.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs.

• Address Challenges: Be prepared to discuss challenges encountered, how you overcame them, and what you learned.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will likely assess not only design craft but also strategic thinking, leadership potential, and cultural alignment. Candidates should prepare to discuss their process, impact, and how they embody Delinea's STRONG values.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Principal UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features complex, cross-functional design problems you've solved end-to-end, highlighting your leadership and mentorship capabilities. Tailor your case study selection to showcase relevant skills.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly articulate your 8+ years of experience, emphasizing achievements in product design, UX design, interaction design, and any leadership or mentorship roles. Use keywords like "Principal UX Designer," "Product Strategy," "Design Systems," "Figma," and "AI-assisted design."

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, strategic thinking, and leadership philosophy. Prepare to discuss your portfolio case studies in detail, focusing on impact and lessons learned. Research Delinea's products and their cybersecurity domain.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Delinea's mission, products, and the STRONG core values. Understand the cybersecurity industry landscape and Delinea's position within it.

⚠️ 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.