Senior UI Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UI Designer

Company: Publicis Groupe Holdings B.V (Epsilon)

Location: Chicago, Illinois, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / Creative Engineering

Date Posted: August 07, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years (Senior)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is pivotal in co-owning the visual fidelity, interaction quality, and long-term evolution of Epsilon's CORE UI design system, acting as the design-focused voice at the intersection of design and implementation.

• You will be responsible for building future-facing prototypes to explore emerging interaction patterns and next-generation UI concepts, signaling product direction before development.

• A key aspect involves leveraging AI-assisted workflows and tools to rapidly iterate on existing components and shorten build-to-code cycles without compromising quality or consistency.

• This position requires defining and championing a sophisticated motion language for the product, enhancing user experience through responsive and intuitive interactions.

• Close partnership with front-end engineers is essential to ensure design intent translates accurately into production reality, including reviewing implementations and contributing code where necessary.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role blends traditional UI Design with Creative Engineering, emphasizing a deep understanding of design systems, front-end development, and the innovative application of AI tools. The "design-focused voice" implies a strong influence on product direction and technical implementation from a design perspective.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own the ongoing evolution of Epsilon's CORE UI design system, contributing to its token architecture, component quality, and interaction standards across Figma and production code.

• Build future-facing prototypes to explore emerging interaction patterns, next-generation UI concepts, and new product directions, effectively communicating vision and intent.

• Rapidly iterate on existing components by applying AI-assisted workflows, utilizing tools like Cursor, Copilot, and v0 to shorten build-to-code cycles.

• Define and champion a comprehensive motion language for the product, including easing curves, transition choreography, loading states, and micro-interactions.

• Partner closely with front-end engineers to ensure design intent is realized in production, reviewing implementations and contributing production-quality CSS and component code when needed.

• Contribute to the design system's documentation, usage guidance, and adoption strategy to facilitate consistent and confident building across product teams.

• Stay at the forefront of AI-native design practices, identifying opportunities to accelerate exploration, reduce repetitive work, and enhance outcomes at scale.

• Collaborate with Product Designers on complex interaction flows, ensuring thoughtful design for edge cases, empty states, and loading moments.

• Mentor and set a high standard within the design organization through critiques, system reviews, and cross-functional handoffs.

• Apply WCAG accessibility standards throughout component and interaction design, advocating for inclusive experiences at the system level.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a dual focus on strategic design system management and hands-on implementation, with a strong emphasis on modern tooling like AI. The mentorship aspect suggests a senior-level contribution to team growth and quality standards.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is listed, a strong portfolio demonstrating practical application of skills is paramount. A Bachelor's degree in Design, Computer Science, HCI, or a related field is often preferred for senior roles.

Experience: Six or more years of experience in UI development, engineering, creative engineering, or a related hybrid field. A demonstrable portfolio of shipped SaaS or digital product work is mandatory.

Required Skills:

• Deep, hands-on experience contributing to and evolving a design system across both Figma (component libraries, design tokens, documentation) and code (React components, Storybook, token pipelines).

• Strong and opinionated motion sensibility: experience designing and implementing micro-interactions, transitions, and animation systems.

• Demonstrated proficiency using AI tools such as Cursor, GitHub Copilot, v0, or similar to accelerate design-to-code workflows, rapid prototyping, and component iteration.

• Fluency in high-fidelity interactive prototyping, capable of producing convincing simulations of final products.

• Working knowledge of HTML, CSS (including animations, transitions, and custom properties), and JavaScript/TypeScript sufficient for implementing and reviewing production UI.

• Excellent visual design judgment: typography, spacing, color, density, and layout decisions.

• An accessible online portfolio featuring live, interactive work and demonstrated motion and interaction work. Preferred Skills:

• Experience building or significantly contributing to a design system that scaled across multiple product teams.

• Portfolio includes motion and interaction work showcasing deliberate consideration of movement.

• Experience using AI tools not just for coding, but for fundamental design exploration and validation.

• Equal comfort with Figma for component iteration and a code editor for implementation.

• Proven ability to advocate for and ship interaction polish comparable to consumer applications within enterprise SaaS.

• Experience creating user-friendly design system documentation and component stories.

• Systems thinking approach: ability to see one-off requests as opportunities for durable patterns.

• Experience with motion libraries like Framer Motion, GSAP, or CSS @keyframes.

• Experience leading prototyping initiatives that shaped product strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize a hybrid skill set, bridging the gap between design and engineering. The explicit mention of AI tools and design systems indicates a forward-thinking approach to product development. The portfolio requirements are stringent, focusing on tangible, interactive, and motion-rich examples.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase of at least six years of relevant work experience, with a strong emphasis on shipped SaaS or complex digital products.

• Detailed case studies demonstrating your direct contributions to evolving or building design systems, including Figma component libraries, design tokens, and code implementation (e.g., React components, Storybook).

• Examples of motion design and interaction work, detailing the process behind creating micro-interactions, transitions, and animation systems that enhance usability and responsiveness.

• Specific projects illustrating the application of AI tools (e.g., Cursor, Copilot, v0) in accelerating design-to-code workflows, prototyping, or component iteration, with clear outcomes.

• High-fidelity interactive prototypes that effectively simulate final product experiences, demonstrating complex interaction flows and edge cases.

• Demonstrations of visual design judgment, including typography, spacing, color, and layout, applied at both the component and product-surface levels.

• Evidence of applying WCAG accessibility standards within your design and implementation work. Process Documentation:

• Case studies should clearly outline your process for defining, implementing, and iterating on design system components.

• Detail your approach to collaborating with product designers and front-end engineers, including handoff procedures, implementation reviews, and code contributions.

• Illustrate your methodology for exploring and prototyping new interaction patterns and product directions.

• Show how you document and advocate for design system usage, adoption, and best practices across product teams.

• Examples of how you've applied AI tools within your design process, documenting the workflow and the impact on efficiency or quality.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements are highly specific, demanding evidence of design system expertise, hands-on coding ability, and innovative use of AI. Demonstrating a systematic approach to design and collaboration is crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: USD $67,800.00 - USD $126,000.00 Annually.

Benefits:

• Time to Recharge: Flexible time off (FTO), 15 paid holidays.

• Time to Recover: Paid sick time.

• Family Well-Being: Parental/new child leave, childcare & elder care assistance, adoption assistance.

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• Retirement Savings: 401(k) plan.

• Professional Development: Tuition assistance, professional development programs, employee recognition, charitable donation matching.

• Wellness & Support: Health coaching and counseling, commuter benefits.

Working Hours:

The role is advertised as Full-Time, with an expected 40 hours per week. While specific flexibility is not detailed, the mention of "Flexibility" as a company pillar suggests a degree of adaptability in work scheduling, which is common in hybrid environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is a broad estimate for a Senior UI Designer role in Chicago, considering the experience level and the company's industry. The benefits package is comprehensive, reflecting Epsilon's commitment to employee well-being and professional growth, aligning with typical offerings for full-time positions at large, established companies.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Epsilon operates within the Data, Technology, and Services sector, specifically focusing on powering the marketing and advertising ecosystem. They leverage extensive data processing, advanced AI, and proprietary technology to provide comprehensive marketing solutions.

Company Size: Epsilon is a global company with over 9,000 employees, indicating a large, established organization with significant resources and established processes.

Founded: While the exact founding date of Epsilon isn't provided, its long history in the industry (decades of experience) suggests a mature company with deep expertise and a stable market presence.

Team Structure:

• The role exists within a design organization that is "design-focused" and has a "seat at the table," implying design is valued and integrated into product strategy.

• Collaboration is expected with Product Design and Engineering teams, suggesting a cross-functional, agile development environment.

• The Senior UI Designer is expected to mentor other designers, indicating a potential for leadership within the design team.

• The team operates with a hybrid work model, fostering a blend of in-office collaboration and remote flexibility. Methodology:

• Epsilon emphasizes data-driven decision-making and advanced AI in its operations.

• The company promotes innovation through cutting-edge solutions and forward-thinking approaches.

• The role itself involves a blend of design system management, prototyping, and creative engineering, utilizing AI-assisted workflows for efficiency.

• A strong focus on user experience, accessibility (WCAG), and interaction quality is embedded in the team's methodology.

Company Website: https://careers.publicisgroupe.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Epsilon's culture is built on pillars of people-centricity, collaboration, growth, innovation, and flexibility. This suggests an environment where employees are supported, encouraged to work together, develop their careers, push boundaries, and adapt. The company's values (integrity, winning together, innovation, respect, accountability) further define its operational ethos.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior-level position, signifying a high degree of autonomy, expertise, and influence. The role requires not only execution but also ownership of key design system components, strategic prototyping, and mentorship. It sits at the critical junction of design and engineering, requiring a deep understanding of both disciplines.

Reporting Structure: While not explicitly detailed, Senior UI Designers typically report to a Design Lead, Head of Design, or a Director of Product/Engineering. They are expected to collaborate closely with front-end engineers and Product Designers, indicating a matrixed reporting or strong cross-functional partnership.

Operations Impact: This role has a significant impact on the product's visual quality, user experience, and development efficiency. By owning and evolving the CORE UI design system, the Senior UI Designer directly influences the consistency, usability, and scalability of Epsilon's enterprise SaaS products. Their work on prototypes also shapes future product strategy. The integration of AI tools aims to elevate both the speed and quality of product development.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design System Leadership: Opportunity to become a recognized expert and leader in design system evolution, influencing its direction and adoption across a large organization.

• Creative Engineering Specialization: Deepen expertise in the hybrid field of creative engineering, leveraging cutting-edge AI tools to redefine design-to-code workflows.

• Mentorship & Team Development: Grow leadership skills by mentoring junior designers and setting high standards for quality and innovation within the design team.

• Product Strategy Influence: Contribute to shaping future product directions through advanced prototyping and exploration of new interaction patterns.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Enhance collaboration and understanding across Product Design, Engineering, and potentially Marketing/Advertising technology domains.

📝 Enhancement Note: The Senior UI Designer role offers substantial growth potential, moving beyond execution to strategic ownership and leadership. The emphasis on design systems and AI integration positions this role at the forefront of modern product development practices within a large enterprise.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The job is listed as hybrid, indicating a blend of in-office collaboration and remote work. The physical office location in Chicago is at 35 West Wacker Drive.

Office Location(s): Chicago, Illinois, United States. This is a major metropolitan hub, offering access to a vibrant tech and design community.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: As a hybrid role, expect a mix of focused individual work and collaborative sessions in the office. The company culture emphasizes collaboration and people-centricity, suggesting an environment that supports teamwork and mutual respect.

• Tools & Technology: The role requires proficiency with design tools like Figma and coding environments, including IDEs for JavaScript/TypeScript, CSS, and potentially specialized AI coding assistants. Access to robust development and design infrastructure is implied.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct interaction with front-end engineers, product designers, and other stakeholders within the design organization are integral to the role.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is likely 40 hours per week, typical for a full-time position. The hybrid nature and emphasis on "Flexibility" as a company pillar suggest that specific daily start/end times may offer some adaptability, accommodating individual work styles and needs while ensuring project timelines are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The Chicago office location places the employee in a key business district. The hybrid model aims to balance the benefits of in-person collaboration with the flexibility of remote work, a common and often effective approach for senior creative and technical roles.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or Talent Acquisition will likely review applications and portfolios for basic qualifications.

• Portfolio Review: A deep dive into your online portfolio, focusing on design system contributions, motion design, AI tool usage, and shipped SaaS products. Be prepared to discuss your specific contributions and decision-making processes.

• Technical/Design Interview: This will likely involve discussions on design principles, system thinking, interaction design, and potentially live coding or design exercises. Expect questions about your experience with Figma, React, CSS, and AI tools.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration Interview: Assess your ability to partner effectively with Product Designers and Engineers. Questions may focus on handoffs, feedback loops, and resolving design/implementation discrepancies.

• Behavioral/Cultural Fit Interview: Evaluate alignment with Epsilon's values (integrity, collaboration, innovation, respect, accountability) and pillars (people-centricity, collaboration, growth, innovation, flexibility).

• Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership to discuss strategic vision and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Showcase projects that directly align with the job description: design systems, AI-assisted workflows, complex SaaS interfaces, and compelling motion/interaction design.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process (especially how you used AI and design systems), your solutions, and the impact/results. Use visuals, prototypes, and code snippets effectively.

• Highlight AI & Design System Expertise: Dedicate sections or specific examples to demonstrate your proficiency with AI tools for design/dev acceleration and your deep understanding of design system principles and implementation.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Include live links to interactive prototypes and shipped products. For motion design, provide clear video demonstrations or interactive examples.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your work (e.g., improved efficiency, reduced development time, increased adoption rates).

Challenge Preparation:

• Design System Thinking: Be ready to discuss how you would approach building or evolving a design system, including token architecture, component governance, and adoption strategies.

• AI Integration Scenarios: Prepare to discuss hypothetical scenarios where AI tools could be used to solve specific design or development challenges.

• Motion & Interaction Design: Practice articulating your design rationale for micro-interactions and transitions, and how they contribute to user experience.

• Code-Design Collaboration: Prepare examples of how you've effectively collaborated with engineers, bridging gaps and ensuring design fidelity.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to assess a blend of hard skills (design, coding, AI), soft skills (collaboration, mentorship), and cultural fit. A strong, targeted portfolio is the most critical component for success in this role.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (extensive experience with component libraries, design tokens, documentation).

• Prototyping Tools: High-fidelity interactive prototyping capabilities are essential. Tools like Framer, Principle, or advanced Figma prototyping are likely utilized.

• AI Design/Development Assistants: Cursor, GitHub Copilot, v0, Framer AI, or similar tools for accelerating design-to-code workflows, rapid prototyping, and component iteration.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Design System Documentation: Storybook is explicitly mentioned for React components, serving as a central hub for component documentation and examples.

• Component Libraries: Experience building and maintaining component libraries within a design system framework.

CRM & Automation:

• Front-End Development:

  • Languages: HTML, CSS (including custom properties, animations, transitions), JavaScript, TypeScript.
  • Frameworks/Libraries: React (for component implementation).
  • Styling: CSS-in-JS or other modern CSS methodologies.

• Motion Libraries: Framer Motion, GSAP, CSS @keyframes are mentioned as preferred.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack is modern and forward-leaning, emphasizing a strong command of design systems, front-end development (particularly React), and the integration of AI tools. Proficiency in Figma and Storybook is foundational.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• People Centricity: Focus on employee well-being and creating an environment where colleagues care about each other. This translates to supportive team dynamics and a focus on work-life balance.

• Collaboration: Working together, supporting one another, and collectively achieving goals. Expect a highly collaborative environment with frequent cross-functional interaction.

• Growth: Endless opportunities for growth through learning, development, and career advancement. The company actively supports professional development.

• Innovation: Driving progress through cutting-edge solutions and forward-thinking approaches. This role is at the heart of innovation by leveraging AI and evolving design systems.

• Flexibility: Creating a balance between work and personal life, and encouraging adaptability to solve problems creatively. This applies to work schedules and problem-solving methodologies.

• Integrity: Acting with honesty and strong moral principles.

• Work Together to Win Together: Emphasizing teamwork and shared success.

• Innovate with Purpose: Driving progress with thoughtful, goal-oriented solutions.

• Respect All Voices: Valuing diverse perspectives and fostering an inclusive environment.

• Empower with Accountability: Holding individuals and teams responsible for their contributions and outcomes.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The role is designed for deep collaboration with Product Design and Engineering, requiring seamless communication and shared ownership.

• Process Review & Feedback: A culture that likely encourages constructive feedback on designs, code implementations, and system updates. The emphasis on mentorship suggests a willingness to guide and learn from peers.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of best practices, learnings from AI tool usage, and design system insights across teams to foster continuous improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: Epsilon's culture is strongly aligned with modern workplace values, prioritizing employee well-being, collaborative achievement, and continuous improvement through innovation and learning. The combination of pillars and explicit values creates a comprehensive framework for how employees are expected to operate and interact.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Bridging Design and Code: Continuously ensuring the fidelity between design intent and production code, especially with evolving design systems and AI-generated outputs.

• Design System Adoption: Driving the adoption and consistent use of the CORE UI design system across numerous product teams, which can be a significant organizational challenge.

• AI Tool Integration: Effectively integrating new AI tools into established workflows without compromising quality, security, or established design principles.

• Balancing Innovation with Stability: Exploring cutting-edge interaction patterns and AI capabilities while maintaining the stability and reliability of an enterprise SaaS product.

• Mentorship at Scale: Providing effective mentorship to a growing design team while managing individual responsibilities.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Design System Mastery: Deepen expertise in advanced design system architecture, governance, and scaling strategies.

• AI & Creative Engineering: Become a leader in applying AI to design and development processes, exploring new tools and methodologies.

• Advanced Interaction Design: Develop skills in creating sophisticated animations, micro-interactions, and dynamic user interfaces for complex enterprise applications.

• Cross-Disciplinary Skill Growth: Enhance understanding of front-end engineering principles and product management strategies.

• Industry Conferences & Certifications: Potential for participation in design and technology conferences, workshops, and relevant certifications.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are inherent to roles at the forefront of design and technology, requiring adaptability and continuous learning. The growth opportunities are substantial, offering a path to specialized expertise and leadership within a dynamic industry.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your experience building or evolving a design system. What were the key challenges, and how did you drive adoption?" (Focus on your process, collaboration, and impact.)

• "How have you used AI tools (like Cursor, Copilot, v0) in your design or development workflow? Provide a specific example of how it accelerated your work or improved quality." (Be ready to detail the tool, your specific use case, and the outcome.)

• "How do you approach designing and implementing micro-interactions and animations to enhance user experience in enterprise SaaS? What are your considerations for performance and accessibility?" (Articulate your motion design philosophy and technical approach.)

• "Walk me through a time you had to bridge a significant gap between design intent and engineering implementation. What was your strategy?" (Highlight collaboration, problem-solving, and communication skills.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in Epsilon and this specific role? What about our focus on AI and design systems resonates with you?" (Research Epsilon's recent work, values, and mention specific aspects of the job description that excite you.)

• "How do you see yourself contributing to our collaborative culture and helping to mentor other designers?" (Connect your experience and leadership style to Epsilon's pillars and values.)

• "How do you ensure that your design decisions are data-driven or aligned with business objectives, especially when exploring new concepts?" (Discuss your approach to user research, A/B testing, and strategic alignment.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your portfolio to highlight your most relevant projects first. For each project, use a clear narrative: Problem, Your Role, Process (emphasizing AI/Design Systems), Solution, and Results.

• Showcase AI & Design System Depth: Dedicate specific slides or sections to demonstrate your mastery of design systems and AI tools. Use visuals, code snippets, and interactive demos to illustrate your contributions.

• Motion & Interaction Focus: Ensure your motion design examples are dynamic and clearly convey the intended user experience. Use video or interactive prototypes effectively.

• Be Ready to Code (or Discuss Code): While not explicitly stated as a live coding interview, be prepared to discuss your code implementation, CSS strategies, and React component structures.

• Engage and Discuss: Treat the portfolio review as a conversation. Be ready to answer in-depth questions about your decisions, challenges, and learnings.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong understanding of design systems, proficiency with modern AI tools, a keen eye for motion and interaction design, and the ability to collaborate effectively across disciplines. Quantifiable results and clear articulation of process are key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UI Designer position:

• Submit Your Application: Utilize the provided link on the Publicis Groupe careers site to formally submit your application.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Tailor your online portfolio to prominently feature your most relevant work, emphasizing design systems, AI-assisted workflows, motion design, and shipped SaaS products. Ensure it's accessible and easy to navigate.

• Optimize Your Resume: Highlight keywords from the job description, such as "UI Design," "Design Systems," "Figma," "React," "CSS," "AI," "Prototyping," and "SaaS." Quantify achievements where possible.

• Prepare for Portfolio Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio, clearly articulating your role, process, challenges, and the impact of your work, particularly regarding design systems and AI tool usage.

• Research Epsilon & Publicis Groupe: Understand the company's mission, values, and recent work. Familiarize yourself with their approach to marketing technology, AI, and design to articulate your alignment during interviews.

⚠️ 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.