Senior UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Designer

Company: CAE

Location: Krakow, Poland

Job Type: Full-time

Category: User Experience (UX) Design

Date Posted: June 12, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Design intuitive and user-centric digital solutions for the Flightscape platform, focusing on critical flight operations tools.

• Drive the end-to-end UX design process, from user research and requirement definition to high-fidelity UI design and usability testing.

• Collaborate closely with Product Owners, Business Analysts, and Engineering teams to deliver modern, scalable, and future-ready user experiences.

• Develop and maintain design systems, reusable components, and comprehensive design documentation to ensure visual consistency and efficient developer handoff.

• Actively contribute to the continuous improvement of UX by analyzing product performance data and user feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is specifically for a Senior UX Designer with a strong emphasis on mobile design expertise, crucial for the aviation software context. The "Flightscape" platform suggests a need for designers who can handle complex, data-intensive applications with high stakes for user error. The role requires a blend of strategic thinking, hands-on design execution, and strong collaboration skills.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive user research, including interviews, surveys, contextual inquiry, and competitive analysis, to identify user needs and translate them into actionable insights, personas, and user journeys.

• Define and document clear product requirements, information architecture, and interaction flows to ensure intuitive and user-centered digital experiences.

• Create low- to high-fidelity wireframes and interactive prototypes to effectively explore, communicate, and validate design concepts and interaction logic.

• Develop polished, high-fidelity UI designs, ensuring strong visual consistency, adherence to brand guidelines, and compliance with accessibility standards (WCAG).

• Contribute to the development, maintenance, and evolution of design systems, including reusable components, style guides, and comprehensive documentation.

• Plan, execute, and synthesize findings from usability tests, iteratively refining designs based on user feedback and performance data.

• Collaborate effectively with product management, engineering, and other cross-functional teams throughout the entire product development lifecycle, from ideation to delivery.

• Prepare detailed design specifications, assets, redlines, and interaction requirements to facilitate a smooth and efficient handoff to development teams.

• Monitor product performance post-launch, proposing and implementing continuous UX improvements informed by analytics, user feedback, and evolving business requirements.

• Present design rationales, facilitate ideation workshops, and effectively communicate design decisions and strategic vision to diverse stakeholder groups.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for a UX professional who can operate independently and strategically, not just execute tasks. The emphasis on "aviation software design environment or similarly complex technological products" and "complex interaction logic" suggests a requirement for a designer experienced in high-stakes, professional software where clarity and efficiency are paramount.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in System Design Engineering, Software Engineering, Human Computer Interaction, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: 5+ years of experience in an aviation software design environment or with similarly complex technological products.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated expertise in conducting user research methodologies such as interviews, surveys, contextual inquiry, heuristic evaluations, and competitive analysis, with a proven ability to extract actionable insights.

• Proven experience in structuring content, navigation systems, taxonomy, and user flows to achieve clarity and optimal usability.

• Proficiency in designing intuitive interactions, behaviors, and micro-interactions through a user-centered design approach.

• Experience planning, conducting, and synthesizing usability tests, and applying findings to iterate and improve designs.

• Strong understanding of core UX deliverables, including personas, empathy maps, journey maps, and scenario-based design.

• Expertise in visual design principles including layout, typography, visual hierarchy, spacing, imagery, color theory, and accessibility-driven design (adhering to WCAG standards).

• Experience designing polished interfaces for web, mobile, and multi-platform systems.

• Proficiency with modern design and prototyping tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, FigJam/Miro, Framer, or Axure.

• Ability to create low- to high-fidelity prototypes, including those with complex interaction logic.

• Experience preparing detailed design specifications, assets, redlines, and interaction requirements for developer handoff.

• Strong understanding of HTML, CSS, responsive design principles, accessibility standards, and design-technology constraints (coding is not required).

• Ability to define UX strategy, align design decisions with business goals, and influence product direction.

• Experience facilitating ideation sessions, design sprints, discovery workshops, and cross-functional meetings.

• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with product managers, engineers, researchers, data teams, and business stakeholders.

• Experience producing comprehensive UX documentation, including specifications, interaction guidelines, research summaries, and design system contributions. Preferred Skills:

• Experience specifically within the aviation or aerospace industry.

• Deep understanding of mobile-first design principles and patterns.

• Familiarity with AI and data-driven optimization concepts in design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The extensive list of required skills indicates a need for a highly experienced and versatile UX professional. The emphasis on "aviation software design environment or similarly complex technological products" suggests that candidates with experience in mission-critical systems, enterprise software, or complex data visualization will be highly considered. The requirement for defining UX strategy and influencing product direction points to a senior-level individual contributor role with significant autonomy.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase at least 2-3 detailed case studies demonstrating the end-to-end UX design process for complex digital products, ideally including mobile applications.

• Highlight your role and specific contributions within each project, especially in user research, information architecture, interaction design, and UI execution.

• Include examples of user research artifacts (personas, journey maps), wireframes, prototypes, and final UI designs.

• Demonstrate your ability to iterate on designs based on user testing and feedback, showing the impact of your changes.

• Provide evidence of experience with design systems, component libraries, and collaboration with engineering teams for implementation. Process Documentation:

• Portfolio pieces should clearly articulate the design process followed for each project, emphasizing a user-centered methodology.

• Detail how you gathered requirements, conducted user research, translated insights into design solutions, and validated those solutions.

• Showcase your approach to creating and maintaining design documentation, including specifications and style guides, for seamless developer handoff.

• Include examples of how you've contributed to or utilized design systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is critical for this role. Candidates should be prepared to walk through their process, explain their design decisions with clear rationale, and demonstrate how their work directly addressed user needs and business objectives. Given the complexity of aviation software, expect questions about how you handle ambiguity, technical constraints, and high-stakes decision-making within your designs.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: PLN 15,400 - 23,100 gross per month.

Benefits:

• MyBenefit

• Multisport card

• Private Medical Care (LuxMed)

• Travel Insurance (in conjunction with LuxMed)

• Life Insurance (UNUM)

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)

• Employee Referral Program

• Eyeglasses Reimbursement

• LinkedIn Learning access

• Bereavement leave

• Volunteer leave

• Maternal allowance supplement (10 weeks in the first year after birth or adoption)

• Employee Capital Plans (PPK) - 1.5% contribution

Working Hours: Standard 40-hour work week, with the expectation of on-site presence in Krakow.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is for gross monthly pay in Polish Zloty. This range reflects a senior-level UX Designer position in Krakow. The extensive benefits package indicates a commitment to employee well-being and professional development, which is attractive for long-term career growth. The mention of "flight operations" and "complex technological products" suggests the salary is benchmarked against specialized technical roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Aerospace & Defense, Aviation Training & Simulation. CAE is a global leader in providing simulation and training solutions for aviation, defense, and healthcare. The company's mission is to "help make the world a safer place" through advanced technology and simulation.

Company Size: CAE is a large, established global corporation with a significant international presence. This size implies structured processes, potential for internal mobility, and a wide array of resources and technologies.

Founded: CAE was founded in 1947, giving it a long history of innovation and expertise in its core fields. This longevity suggests stability, deep industry knowledge, and a culture that values experience and continuous adaptation.

Team Structure:

• The UX Design team likely operates within a product development or engineering division, supporting specific product lines like Flightscape.

• Roles will include Product Owners, Business Analysts, UX Designers, UI Developers, and Software Engineers, fostering a collaborative, cross-functional environment.

• Reporting structure is likely hierarchical within the engineering or product management framework, with Senior UX Designers expected to lead initiatives and mentor junior team members.

• Cross-functional collaboration is essential, requiring close partnerships with product management for defining strategy, and engineering for implementation. Methodology:

• Data analysis and insights are central to Flightscape's success, meaning UX designs will be informed by user research, product analytics, and performance metrics.

• Workflow planning and optimization strategies will be key, as the platform aims to boost operational efficiency and profitability for airlines.

• Automation and efficiency practices are embedded in the Flightscape platform itself, suggesting a team that values streamlined processes and technological advancement.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: CAE's mission-driven approach ("safer world") and long history suggest a culture that values professionalism, safety, and long-term impact. The Flightscape platform's focus on operational efficiency and advanced technology indicates a forward-thinking, innovation-driven environment. The team structure emphasizes collaboration across disciplines, which is vital for complex software development.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is classified as a Senior UX Designer. This level implies a significant degree of autonomy, expertise, and responsibility. Senior designers are expected to lead complex projects, mentor junior team members, contribute to UX strategy, and influence product direction. They are key contributors to the design process and are often seen as subject matter experts in their domain.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Designer will likely report to a UX Lead, Design Manager, or Head of Product/Engineering. They will work closely with Product Owners and directly collaborate with Software Engineers and Business Analysts on a day-to-day basis.

Operations Impact: The UX Designer's impact is crucial for the success of the Flightscape platform. By creating intuitive, efficient, and user-friendly interfaces for flight operations tools, they directly contribute to:

• Increased Operational Efficiency: Streamlining complex tasks for airline staff, reducing errors, and saving valuable time.

• Enhanced Profitability: Enabling better decision-making through data-driven insights and optimized workflows, leading to cost savings and revenue improvements.

• Improved Passenger Experience: Indirectly, by ensuring smoother operations that positively impact flight schedules and service delivery.

• Adoption and Usability: Driving the adoption of new technologies and features by ensuring they are accessible and easy to use for the target audience.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in aviation UX, mobile design for professional environments, or complex data visualization.

• Leadership: Transition into a UX Lead or Design Manager role, overseeing a team and strategic design initiatives.

• Cross-functional Expertise: Gain deeper understanding of product management, business analysis, or software engineering through close collaboration.

• Mentorship: Develop leadership and coaching skills by mentoring junior designers.

• Industry Influence: Contribute to shaping the future of UX in the critical aviation sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title is key here. Candidates should expect to be challenged with complex design problems and have a strong voice in product decisions. Growth potential is significant, moving into leadership or highly specialized technical roles within CAE's aviation or simulation divisions. The impact is directly tied to the operational efficiency and safety of flight operations, which is a compelling aspect for ambitious design professionals.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The position is office-based in Krakow, Poland. This suggests a traditional work environment where in-person collaboration, team cohesion, and access to office resources are prioritized.

Office Location(s): Krakow, Poland. This location offers a vibrant professional ecosystem and access to a skilled talent pool.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace will likely be collaborative, with open-plan areas or dedicated team zones designed to foster interaction between UX, product management, and engineering.

• Access to modern design tools and technology will be standard, supporting complex design and prototyping workflows.

• Opportunities for direct interaction with fellow designers, product managers, and engineers will be frequent, enabling rapid feedback loops and shared problem-solving.

Work Schedule: A standard 40-hour work week is expected. While specific flexibility details are not provided, typical senior roles in such environments allow for some autonomy in managing one's schedule, provided project deadlines and collaborative needs are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "office-based" requirement is important for candidates who prefer or thrive in a structured, in-person work setting. This environment is conducive to spontaneous collaboration and team building, which is often beneficial for complex projects requiring deep understanding and alignment.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or Recruiter call to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Presentation & Technical Interview: A critical stage where candidates present their portfolio, walking through 1-2 key case studies. This will involve discussing their process, design decisions, challenges faced, and outcomes achieved. Expect in-depth questions about their UX methodology, research techniques, and problem-solving skills.

• Team/Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion with the hiring manager and potentially other senior members of the UX or product team. This interview will focus on strategic thinking, leadership potential, collaboration style, and how the candidate aligns with the team's culture and CAE's values.

• Take-home Assignment/Design Challenge (Possible): While not explicitly stated, some companies may issue a small design challenge to assess practical skills and problem-solving approach. If so, it will likely be focused on a specific scenario relevant to aviation operations.

• Final Interview/Debrief: Potentially a final conversation with a higher-level manager or stakeholder to confirm fit and discuss final terms.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Storytelling: Structure your case studies as narratives. Clearly define the problem, your approach, the solutions you designed, and the measurable impact.

• Process Focus: Emphasize your thought process and methodology. Explain why you made certain design decisions, not just what you designed.

• Quantifiable Results: Where possible, include metrics demonstrating the success of your designs (e.g., improved task completion rates, reduced error rates, increased user satisfaction).

• Visual Clarity: Ensure your portfolio is well-organized, visually appealing, and easy to navigate. Use high-quality mockups and prototypes.

• Tailor to CAE: Highlight projects that demonstrate experience with complex systems, professional software, or mobile applications. Show an understanding of the aviation industry if possible.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Familiarize yourself with common challenges and workflows in airline operations (e.g., flight planning, crew management, in-flight operations, maintenance).

• Problem-Solving Framework: Be ready to apply a structured problem-solving approach. Identify the core issue, brainstorm solutions, consider constraints, and outline a design plan.

• Focus on User Needs: Even in a technical context, always bring it back to the user and their goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio presentation and potential design challenge means candidates must be highly prepared to articulate their value and process. Given the domain's critical nature, expect questions probing how they handle ambiguity, technical constraints, and ensure the safety and efficiency of their designs.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (primary expectation), Sketch, Adobe XD, Framer, Axure. Experience with FigJam or Miro for collaborative ideation and whiteboarding is also expected.

• User Research & Testing: Tools for conducting interviews, surveys, and usability tests (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, SurveyMonkey, Google Forms).

• Collaboration & Documentation: Tools like Jira, Confluence, Slack, Microsoft Teams for project management, communication, and documentation.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Proficiency with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude) to understand user behavior and product performance.

• Ability to interpret data and translate insights into design improvements. CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a CRM role, an understanding of how user data is managed and leveraged within systems is beneficial.

• Familiarity with workflow automation concepts as they relate to user experience design.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is explicitly mentioned as a modern design tool, suggesting it's a preferred or primary tool. A strong candidate will be proficient in at least one of these tools and adaptable to others. The inclusion of collaboration and analytics tools indicates a need for a designer who integrates seamlessly into a modern product development workflow.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Safety & Reliability: Reflecting CAE's mission, a paramount value in aviation software. Designs must prioritize accuracy, prevent errors, and ensure system reliability.

• Efficiency & Optimization: Driving operational excellence for airlines through streamlined workflows and smart design.

• Innovation & Adaptability: Embracing new technologies (AI, automation) and continuously improving products to meet evolving market demands.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Working effectively across diverse teams (product, engineering, business) to achieve shared goals.

• User-Centricity: Placing the needs and workflows of airline operators at the forefront of all design decisions.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Expect a highly collaborative environment where UX designers work hand-in-hand with product managers, business analysts, and engineers from concept to deployment.

• Process Review Culture: Openness to feedback on designs and processes, with a culture of continuous improvement and iterative refinement.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of best practices, research findings, and design patterns within the UX team and across product teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture at CAE, particularly within a product development team supporting critical operations, will likely emphasize professionalism, rigorous execution, and a commitment to the company's safety-oriented mission. Designers must be comfortable working in a structured environment while also being proactive and collaborative.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complexity of Domain: Designing for aviation operations involves highly complex workflows, stringent regulations, and critical decision-making processes where errors can have significant consequences.

• Balancing User Needs with Technical Constraints: Integrating advanced features and data insights while ensuring simplicity, usability, and adherence to technical limitations.

• Evolving Technology Landscape: Keeping pace with advancements in AI, automation, and data analytics to continuously enhance the Flightscape platform.

• Global User Base: Designing for diverse users across different airlines and regions, each with unique operational procedures and preferences.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Aviation UX Training: Opportunities to deepen understanding of the aviation industry and its specific UX challenges.

• Advanced Design Tool Proficiency: Staying current with and mastering cutting-edge UX/UI design and prototyping tools.

• Leadership Development: Mentorship and training programs to develop skills for leading design projects and teams.

• Exposure to AI/ML in Design: Learning how to integrate AI-driven insights and features into user experiences.

• Industry Conferences & Certifications: Support for attending relevant UX and aviation industry events.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to working with mission-critical software in a highly regulated industry. The growth opportunities are substantial for a designer looking to make a significant impact and build a specialized career path within a leading aerospace company.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design for a complex, professional software application with high-stakes user decisions. What were the key challenges and how did you address them?" (Focus on your process, risk mitigation, and user empathy).

• "How do you approach defining UX strategy for a new feature or product? Walk us through your process from understanding business goals to delivering a validated design." (Highlight your strategic thinking, collaboration, and research methods).

• "Imagine you need to design a new dashboard for flight controllers that integrates real-time data from multiple sources. What would be your first steps, and how would you ensure the design is both informative and actionable?" (Demonstrate your ability to handle data visualization, prioritize information, and consider user workflows). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about CAE and the Flightscape platform specifically? How does our mission to 'make the world a safer place' resonate with your professional values?" (Research CAE's mission and values, and connect them to your own motivations).

• "How do you typically collaborate with product managers and engineers? Describe a situation where you had a disagreement with a technical team and how you resolved it." (Showcase your teamwork, communication, and conflict-resolution skills).

• "How do you measure the success of your UX designs? What metrics do you typically track, and how do you use them for continuous improvement?" (Prepare to discuss quantitative and qualitative metrics relevant to operational efficiency and user satisfaction). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Concise Storytelling: Focus on the narrative of each case study – problem, your solution, and the outcome. Aim for 5-7 minutes per case study.

• Highlight Your Role: Clearly articulate your specific contributions, especially in areas like research, strategy, and complex problem-solving.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals effectively. Demonstrate prototypes, explain interaction flows, and showcase your UI design skills.

• Prepare for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your design decisions, trade-offs made, and how you handled challenges. Be ready to defend your choices with data and user-centered reasoning.

• Demonstrate Adaptability: Show how you can adapt your process and designs to different project needs and constraints.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a deep understanding of the UX process, strong strategic thinking, excellent collaboration skills, and the ability to design for complex, mission-critical applications. Be ready to articulate how your work directly contributes to business objectives and operational efficiency.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the CAE careers portal.

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight experience with complex software, aviation or similar industries, mobile design, and key UX methodologies (user research, information architecture, prototyping, usability testing). Quantify achievements wherever possible.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio is polished, well-organized, and features 2-3 robust case studies that showcase your end-to-end UX process, problem-solving skills, and impact. Be ready to present this virtually or in person.

• Research CAE and Flightscape: Understand the company's mission, values, and the specific products within the Flightscape platform. Familiarize yourself with the aviation industry's operational challenges.

• Practice Your Presentation: Rehearse your portfolio walkthrough and be prepared to answer common UX interview questions, focusing on strategy, collaboration, and problem-solving relevant to this role.

⚠️ 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.