Senior UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Designer

Company: Buildout

Location: United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / UX Operations

Date Posted: 2026-04-28

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Design and deliver intuitive user experiences for complex commercial real estate brokerage operations, directly impacting product vision and strategy.

• Spearhead the integration of AI-native design and prototyping tools to accelerate the product development lifecycle, multiplying design output.

• Develop and ship agentic AI experiences, defining how users will interact with intelligent systems to drive efficiency and trust in automated workflows.

• Conduct rigorous user research (qualitative, quantitative, ethnographic) to validate design decisions and champion the voice of the customer within product development.

• Mentor a team of UX and Product Designers, fostering a collaborative environment and guiding them in leveraging AI within their design practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as Senior UX Designer, implying a significant level of autonomy, strategic contribution, and leadership potential. The emphasis on AI-native tools and agentic AI suggests a forward-thinking design approach within a rapidly evolving technological landscape. The operations aspect is derived from the focus on "brokerage operations," "workflows," and "systems," indicating that the UX design directly supports and optimizes business processes within the commercial real estate sector.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design user experiences that simplify the complexities of CRE brokerage operations, making them easy to navigate and understand for agents and brokerages.

• Drive the development and launch of new products, playing a key role in shaping the future of the commercial real estate industry through innovative design.

• Utilize AI-native design and prototyping tools (e.g., Cursor, Figma Make, Claude, Lovable) to rapidly iterate from concept to working prototypes, significantly reducing development time.

• Design and implement agentic AI experiences, establishing clear patterns for user interaction with intelligent systems and building trust in AI-driven workflows.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers, Developers, Stakeholders, and Customers to define product vision, strategy, and roadmap, ensuring a cohesive user journey.

• Act as the primary advocate for the customer, translating user needs and feedback into actionable design insights and communicating design decisions effectively to build organizational empathy.

• Produce comprehensive design artifacts, including diagrams, sketches, wireframes, prototypes, and visual designs, to clearly articulate user journeys and solutions for development handoff and validation.

• Develop and maintain accurate user personas based on ongoing research, ensuring designs are consistently aligned with target user needs and intended outcomes.

• Build and present compelling design visions, grounded in user understanding and strategic objectives, to gain stakeholder buy-in and foster confidence in proposed solutions.

• Actively participate in weekly UX meetings to share insights, provide constructive feedback, and contribute to the collective knowledge base of the design team.

• Mentor junior UX and Product Designers, offering guidance on design best practices, process optimization, and the effective integration of AI tools into their workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of hands-on design execution, strategic product input, and leadership through mentorship, all within the context of optimizing complex business operations through user-centered design. The emphasis on AI integration is a critical differentiator for this role, requiring candidates to not only design but also to conceptualize and implement novel AI-driven user interactions.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

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

Experience: 5+ years of professional experience as a User Experience (UX) Designer, Product Designer, or in a similar role, with a proven track record of shipping thoughtful workflows and experiences.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated expertise in UX/UI design principles and methodologies, with a strong portfolio showcasing detailed design processes and impactful outcomes.

• Proven experience designing and shipping agentic AI experiences that solve real customer problems, with a clear point of view on user-AI interaction patterns and trust-building strategies.

• Proficiency in leveraging AI-native design and prototyping tools (e.g., Claude, Cursor, v0, Figma Make, Lovable) to accelerate ideation, prototyping, and validation at an increased pace.

• Experience with SaaS product portfolios, including new product introduction and lifecycle management.

• Strong understanding of web technologies, platforms, and frameworks, including their constraints, and a passion for building and maintaining complex, scalable systems.

• Expertise in conducting user research activities, including qualitative, quantitative, and ethnographic methods, to discover user needs and validate design solutions.

• Fluency in Figma for wireframing, prototyping, and visual design, with the ability to translate concepts from sketches to polished designs.

• Deeply collaborative by default, with a demonstrated ability to work effectively with Product Managers, Engineers, and Stakeholders.

• Excellent communication skills to articulate design decisions, build user empathy, and present design visions clearly to diverse audiences.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working in a startup environment, demonstrating adaptability and a proactive approach to problem-solving.

• Familiarity with the Commercial Real Estate (CRE) industry and its specific operational workflows.

• Experience leading design sprints and workshops to drive consensus and accelerate design thinking.

• Knowledge of responsive web design and mobile design best practices.

• Experience with user journey mapping and persona development and maintenance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements strongly emphasize hands-on experience with cutting-edge AI design tools and the ability to design for "agentic AI," which goes beyond standard UI design. This suggests the company is at the forefront of AI integration in its product offerings and seeks designers who can lead this innovation. The portfolio requirement specifically calls for examples demonstrating the use of AI tools and their impact on design outcomes.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio link submitted with the application, showcasing recent and relevant UX/UI design projects.

• Detailed descriptions of the design process for each project, highlighting problem definition, user research, ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration.

• Specific examples demonstrating the application of AI-native tools (e.g., Claude, Cursor, Figma Make) in the design process and their impact on project outcomes, ideally showcasing a 5x speed improvement or similar efficiency gains.

• Case studies of designing and shipping agentic AI experiences, detailing how user interactions with intelligent systems were defined and implemented to solve real customer problems.

• Examples of complex systems design within a SaaS product portfolio, showcasing an understanding of maintainability and scalability.

Process Documentation:

• Illustrate your approach to user research, from planning and execution to synthesis and application in design workflows.

• Document your process for translating incomplete requirements into consistent, usable experiences across responsive web and mobile platforms.

• Showcase your methods for collaborating with Product Managers, Engineers, and Stakeholders throughout the design lifecycle, including feedback loops and co-creation.

• Provide examples of how you have mentored other designers, including guidance on integrating AI into their design practices and workflow optimization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is critically important for this role, with a specific emphasis on demonstrating proficiency with AI-native design tools and the ability to design for agentic AI. Candidates must be prepared to showcase how these advanced tools have been integrated into their workflow to achieve faster, more impactful design outcomes.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $110,000 - $150,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive insurance and benefits package including:

  • Two medical plan options.
  • 100% coverage of employee dental and vision insurance premiums.
  • Health Savings Account (HSA) seed contribution.
  • Company-paid Short-Term Disability (STD), Long-Term Disability (LTD), and Life Insurance.
  • Telemedicine services.
  • Annual wellness benefit of $400.

• Policies promoting work-life harmony:

  • Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO).
  • 14 paid company holidays.
  • Paid parental leave.
  • Give back days.

• Retirement savings: 401(k) with a 4% company match and immediate vesting.

• Remote work support:

  • Monthly remote work reimbursement ($600/year) to support distributed team members.
  • Annual in-person company kickoff event (travel expected).

• Opportunities for professional growth and development within a supportive team environment.

Working Hours: Full-time, approximately 40 hours per week, with a focus on flexibility and work-life balance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is competitive for a Senior UX Designer role in the US market, especially for a fully remote position. The benefits package is robust, emphasizing health, well-being, and work-life balance, which are attractive to experienced professionals. The remote work reimbursement is a practical perk for a fully distributed team.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, specifically focused on AI-powered solutions for Commercial Real Estate (CRE) brokerages. Buildout is positioned as an "AI deal engine," automating critical workflows from lead generation to commission processing.

Company Size: While not explicitly stated, the context of having an SVP, Product and a team of UX/Product Designers suggests a growing, mid-sized to large organization, likely past the early startup phase but still maintaining an entrepreneurial spirit.

Founded: Buildout was founded with the mission to transform CRE brokerages through intelligent automation. The company's focus on AI and automation indicates a forward-thinking and innovative culture.

Team Structure:

• The role reports to the SVP, Product, indicating a senior leadership connection.

• The Senior UX Designer will mentor a small team of UX and Product Designers, suggesting a hierarchical structure within the design function that allows for both individual contribution and team leadership.

Methodology:

• AI-Native Design: A core methodology involving the use of AI tools (Cursor, Claude, Figma Make) to accelerate the design process and multiply output.

• Data-Driven Design: Emphasis on user research (qualitative, quantitative, ethnographic) to inform design decisions and validate impact.

• Agile Development: Implied through rapid iteration, prototyping, and close collaboration with development teams.

• User-Centricity: A strong focus on understanding and advocating for the customer ("voice-of-the-customer").

Company Website: https://www.buildout.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Buildout's culture appears to be a blend of entrepreneurial drive, technological innovation (especially AI), and a strong emphasis on user experience and operational efficiency. The company is actively investing in AI as a core differentiator, which will likely shape the day-to-day work and strategic direction for this role.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior UX Designer role, representing a mid-to-senior level position within the design function. It involves not only individual contribution but also leadership through mentorship and strategic input into product vision. The role is critical for optimizing the operational efficiency of CRE brokerages through user-centered design and AI integration.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Designer reports directly to the SVP, Product. This provides a direct line of communication to executive leadership and significant visibility into product strategy and company direction. The role also involves direct mentorship of junior designers.

Operations Impact: The design work directly impacts the operational efficiency and profitability of Buildout's clients (CRE brokerages). By simplifying complex workflows and integrating AI, the designs enable brokers to close more deals faster, making Buildout a critical component of their business operations. The role is instrumental in shaping the "AI deal engine" and advancing the commercial real estate industry's technological capabilities.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Opportunity to lead and mentor a team of designers, developing management and team-building skills.

• AI Design Specialization: Deepen expertise in designing for AI and agentic systems, becoming a leader in this emerging field within the CRE tech space.

• Product Strategy Influence: Contribute directly to product vision and strategy, gaining experience in high-level decision-making and market positioning.

• Industry Expertise: Develop specialized knowledge in Commercial Real Estate technology and operations, becoming a subject matter expert.

• Cross-Functional Advancement: Potential to move into Product Management, Design Leadership roles, or other strategic positions within the company based on performance and interest.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant growth potential, particularly in the rapidly evolving field of AI-driven design. The direct reporting to the SVP of Product and the mentorship responsibilities provide clear pathways for career advancement within both design and product leadership.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. This means the primary work environment is home-based, requiring self-discipline and effective remote collaboration tools.

Office Location(s): Open across most of the United States, allowing for flexibility in where employees reside within the country.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Although remote, the culture emphasizes deep collaboration, utilizing tools and processes to foster teamwork across dispersed teams. Regular UX meetings and close work with PMs and developers are integral.

• Technology Stack: Access to and utilization of advanced AI-native design and prototyping tools (Cursor, Figma Make, Claude, Lovable) as well as industry-standard tools like Figma.

• Team Interaction: Frequent interaction with Product Managers, Developers, Stakeholders, and Customers through virtual meetings, Slack, and other communication platforms. The annual in-person kickoff provides a crucial opportunity for in-person connection.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time, with approximately 40 hours per week. While the company offers flexible PTO, the core work schedule will be dictated by project needs and team collaboration requirements, often aligning with standard US business hours to facilitate cross-functional communication.

📝 Enhancement Note: The fully remote nature of this role necessitates strong self-management skills and proficiency with remote collaboration tools. The annual kickoff is a key event for building team cohesion and fostering relationships within the distributed workforce.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Application & Portfolio Submission: Submit your resume and a link to a portfolio that clearly showcases your design process, AI tool usage, and shipped agentic AI experiences.

2. Initial Screening: A brief call with a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and interest in the role.

3. Design Challenge/Case Study Presentation: A practical exercise, likely involving a design problem related to CRE operations or AI integration. You will be expected to present your process, rationale, and solutions, demonstrating your ability to use AI tools and design for complex systems.

4. Interviews with Product and Engineering: Discussions with Product Managers and Engineering leads to evaluate technical skills, collaboration style, problem-solving approach, and understanding of system constraints.

5. Interview with SVP, Product: A final interview with George Mountis to discuss strategic vision, leadership potential, mentorship approach, and overall fit with the company's direction.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight AI Integration: Clearly demonstrate how you've used AI-native tools (Claude, Cursor, Figma Make) to accelerate your design process and achieve superior outcomes. Quantify the impact where possible (e.g., "reduced prototyping time by X%," "explored Y more design concepts").

• Showcase Agentic AI: Feature projects where you've designed for agentic AI experiences. Explain the user interaction patterns, how trust was built, and the specific problems solved.

• Detail Your Process: For each project, walk through your methodology: user research, problem definition, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, user testing, and iteration. Explain your rationale at each step.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, include metrics or qualitative feedback demonstrating the success of your designs in terms of user adoption, efficiency gains, or problem resolution.

• Tailor to Buildout: Research Buildout's products and target market (CRE brokerages) and try to align your portfolio examples with their business.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Problem Space: Familiarize yourself with the challenges faced by CRE brokers and brokerages. Consider how AI can address these.

• Practice with AI Tools: Ensure you are comfortable using tools like Claude, Cursor, or Figma Make for rapid ideation and prototyping.

• Structure Your Presentation: Be prepared to articulate your design process, strategic thinking, and decision-making rationale clearly and concisely within a set time limit.

• Focus on Collaboration: Be ready to discuss how you would collaborate with PMs, engineers, and stakeholders to bring your design to life.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process heavily emphasizes practical skills, particularly in AI-driven design and portfolio presentation. Candidates should prepare to not only showcase their work but also to articulate their thought process and strategic approach to using advanced tools.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core design tool for wireframing, prototyping, and visual design.

Proficiency is essential.

• AI-Native Design & Prototyping Tools: Crucial tools for this role. Candidates must be proficient in at least one or more of the following, with demonstrated experience in accelerating design workflows:

  • Claude / Lovable: AI assistants for ideation, content generation, and potentially code generation.
  • Cursor: An AI-first code editor that integrates with LLMs for code generation and understanding, useful for prototyping and developer handoff.
  • v0 / Figma Make: Tools for generating UI elements and prototypes from prompts, enabling rapid visual exploration.

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma, familiarity with other advanced prototyping tools may be beneficial.

Analytics & Reporting:

• User Research Platforms: Tools for conducting and synthesizing user interviews, surveys, and usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Hotjar).

• Product Analytics: While not explicitly a UX responsibility, understanding how to interpret data from tools like Amplitude, Mixpanel, or Google Analytics would be beneficial for validating design impact.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot): Understanding how user interactions within the Buildout platform might connect with or influence CRM data for brokerages.

• Workflow Automation Tools: Awareness of how designed workflows integrate with underlying automation logic within the Buildout platform.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of AI-native tools like Cursor, Claude, and Figma Make is a significant differentiator. Candidates are expected to not only be proficient in standard design tools but also to actively leverage AI to enhance their productivity and design capabilities.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Empathy: A core value, driven by the need to deeply understand the complex operations of CRE brokerages and translate those needs into user-friendly solutions.

• Innovation & AI Integration: A commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology, particularly AI, to automate processes and create intelligent systems that drive efficiency.

• Collaboration: A strong emphasis on working cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, and other stakeholders to achieve shared goals.

• Efficiency & Speed: A culture that values rapid iteration and accelerated development cycles, particularly through the use of AI-native tools.

• Quality & Craftsmanship: While speed is important, there's an expectation of delivering high-quality, usable, and thoughtful user experiences.

Collaboration Style:

• Deeply Collaborative: The ideal candidate is "deeply collaborative by default," preferring to co-create with others rather than working in isolation.

• Cross-Functional Integration: Seamless integration with Product Managers and Developers is expected, forming a tight-knit product development unit.

• Open Communication: Regular feedback exchange through UX meetings, design reviews, and direct communication channels is encouraged.

• User-Centricity: The team champions the "voice-of-the-customer," ensuring that user needs and feedback are central to all design and product decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Buildout fosters a culture that balances rapid innovation with a deep understanding of its users' operational needs. The emphasis on AI and collaboration suggests a dynamic and forward-thinking environment where designers are empowered to influence product direction.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Agentic AI: Defining novel interaction patterns for AI systems that brokers will trust and effectively utilize. This requires balancing automation with user control and understanding.

• Simplifying Complexity: Translating the intricate workflows of CRE brokerage operations into intuitive and easy-to-navigate user experiences.

• Rapid Iteration with AI: Effectively integrating AI-native tools into the design process to achieve significant speed improvements without compromising design quality or user experience.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring that design visions are effectively communicated and understood across diverse teams (Product, Engineering, Sales, Customer Support) to maintain cohesive product development.

• Mentoring Junior Designers: Guiding and developing the skills of other designers, particularly in the adoption of new AI design methodologies.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Design Specialization: Become a leader in designing AI-powered product experiences, a highly in-demand skill set.

• Product Strategy Influence: Gain direct experience in shaping the strategic direction of a rapidly growing SaaS product.

• Leadership & Mentorship: Develop strong leadership and mentoring capabilities by guiding a team of designers.

• Industry Expertise: Deepen knowledge of the Commercial Real Estate technology landscape and its operational challenges.

• Exposure to Executive Leadership: Direct interaction with the SVP, Product provides valuable insights into executive decision-making and business strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents significant challenges but also offers unparalleled growth opportunities, especially for professionals interested in the intersection of AI, UX design, and enterprise software. The ability to navigate these challenges will be key to success and career advancement.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you used AI-native design tools to significantly accelerate your design process. What was the outcome, and how did you validate its effectiveness?" (Focus on showcasing AI tool proficiency and impact.)

• "How would you approach designing an 'agentic AI' feature for a CRE broker that automates lead qualification? What are the key considerations for building trust in such a system?" (Assess understanding of agentic AI and user trust.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Buildout's mission to be the 'AI deal engine' for CRE brokerages?" (Demonstrate understanding of the company's value proposition.)

• "How do you foster collaboration and empathy within a fully remote team, especially when working with Product Managers and Engineers?" (Assess remote collaboration and communication skills.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Start with the "Why": Begin each case study by clearly articulating the problem you were trying to solve and the user needs addressed.

• Show, Don't Just Tell (AI Focus): For projects involving AI tools, visually demonstrate the tools in action or use screenshots/annotations to highlight their role in your process. Explain the strategic advantage they provided.

• Narrate the Journey: Guide your audience through your design process, explaining your decisions at each stage, especially how user research informed your choices.

• Quantify Impact: Present metrics or qualitative feedback that demonstrate the success of your designs. For AI-driven features, highlight efficiency gains or user adoption rates.

• Connect to Buildout: Where possible, draw parallels between your portfolio work and the challenges Buildout aims to solve for CRE brokerages.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating practical application of AI design tools, strategic thinking for complex operational workflows, and strong collaborative capabilities. Articulating the "how" and "why" behind design decisions, especially those involving AI, will be critical.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Ashby link, ensuring you include a direct link to your online portfolio.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight specific projects that showcase your experience with AI-native design tools, agentic AI design, and complex SaaS workflows. Quantify the impact of your work wherever possible.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 5+ years of experience, proficiency in Figma and AI design tools, and any relevant SaaS or CRE industry background. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio, focusing on articulating your design process, decision-making rationale, and the impact of your work, especially regarding AI integration. Prepare to discuss your mentorship approach.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Buildout, its products, and its position in the CRE tech market. Understand their AI-driven mission and how your skills align with their operational goals.

⚠️ 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.

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