Senior UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Designer

Company: Chefman

Location: Mahwah, NJ (Hybrid)

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design/User Experience Operations

Date Posted: 2026-06-23T21:28:44

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end user experience (UX) design process for Chefman's connected kitchen products, from initial concept through to final implementation and product launch.

• Drive the evolution and maintenance of a robust design system, ensuring consistency, scalability, and efficiency across all product interfaces.

• Foster strong collaborative partnerships with product management, engineering, and other cross-functional teams to translate user needs and business objectives into intuitive and impactful design solutions.

• Leverage user research methodologies and AI-assisted design tools to inform design decisions, validate concepts, and optimize the user journey for complex kitchen appliances.

• Champion user-centric design principles and advocate for the user throughout the product development lifecycle, ensuring a seamless and delightful customer experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Senior UX Designer," the responsibilities and experience requirements (8-10 years) suggest a role that is more senior than a typical mid-level position, potentially aligning with a Lead or Principal UX Designer in some organizations. The focus on "connected kitchen experiences" indicates a product-centric role within a hardware/software integrated environment. The "Product Design/User Experience Operations" category is inferred due to the emphasis on process ownership, design system contribution, and collaboration with development, which are core to operationalizing design within a product team.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own the complete UX design lifecycle, including user flows, wireframing, prototyping, and creating detailed design specifications for development handoff.

• Develop, maintain, and contribute to the company's design system, creating reusable components, patterns, and comprehensive documentation to ensure design consistency and accelerate development.

• Collaborate closely with engineers to ensure faithful implementation of designs, providing ongoing support, clarification, and feedback throughout the build and testing phases.

• Partner with Product Managers to gather and refine product requirements, identify user needs, and navigate technical and business constraints to deliver optimal design outcomes.

• Conduct and integrate user research findings (interviews, usability testing, synthesis of existing data) to validate design hypotheses and iteratively improve user experience.

• Proactively explore and implement AI-assisted design tools to enhance design quality, streamline workflows, and improve overall team efficiency.

• Present and articulate design rationale, user insights, and strategic recommendations to stakeholders across various departments, including executive leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize ownership ("Lead UX design end-to-end," "take ownership") and contribution to scalable design infrastructure ("contribute to and help evolve our design system"). This indicates a role that is not just execution-focused but also strategic in shaping the design practice itself. The mention of AI-assisted tools suggests a forward-thinking team looking to optimize design processes.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Interaction Design, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, or a related field is typically expected for roles of this caliber. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: 8-10 years of professional experience in UX design, product design, or a closely related field, with a proven history of successfully delivering digital products from concept to launch.

Required Skills:

• Figma Proficiency: Advanced skills in Figma, including creation and management of complex design files, components, variants, auto layout, and collaborative workflows.

• Design System Expertise: Hands-on experience building, contributing to, and maintaining design systems, including design tokens, component libraries, and style guides.

• End-to-End UX Design: Demonstrated ability to lead the full design process: user research, information architecture, user flows, wireframing, prototyping, and detailed visual design.

• Interaction Design Principles: Deep understanding of usability best practices, human-computer interaction principles, and accessibility standards.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively with product managers, engineers, researchers, and other stakeholders to achieve shared goals.

• User Research Application: Experience in conducting and applying insights from user research, including usability testing, interviews, and surveys.

• AI-Assisted Design Tools: Familiarity and practical experience with emerging AI-powered design tools and a curiosity for their application in design workflows.

• Communication & Presentation: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate design decisions and rationale to diverse audiences.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing for IoT devices or connected home products.

• Familiarity with agile development methodologies.

• Experience with animation and motion design principles.

• Knowledge of front-end development concepts (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) to better inform design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "8-10 years" experience requirement positions this as a senior individual contributor role, expected to operate with significant autonomy and influence. The emphasis on Figma and design systems is critical, as these are fundamental tools for scalable product design operations. The inclusion of AI-assisted tools points to a team that embraces innovation in its operational processes.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• End-to-End Case Studies: Showcase 2-3 comprehensive case studies detailing your process from problem definition to shipped product. Each case study should clearly articulate the user problem, your role, the design process, key decisions, challenges, and the final outcome/impact.

• Design System Contributions: Include specific examples of your work on design systems, such as custom components, style guides, design tokens, or documentation you've created or contributed to.

• Prototyping & Interaction: Demonstrate your prototyping skills with interactive examples that illustrate complex user flows or innovative interaction patterns.

• User Research Integration: Highlight how user research informed your design decisions within your case studies, showing the impact of user feedback on the final product.

• Shipped Products: Where possible, include examples of products you have designed that are live and in market.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design: Illustrate your ability to map out and design efficient user workflows that streamline complex tasks.

• System Implementation: Provide examples of how you have implemented or contributed to the implementation of design system components and guidelines.

• Metrics & Impact: Clearly present how you measured the success of your designs, using key performance indicators (KPIs) or qualitative feedback to demonstrate impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior UX Designer role, the portfolio is paramount. It serves as the primary evidence of the candidate's ability to execute and operate within a structured design process. The emphasis on "end-to-end" and "design system contributions" directly aligns with the responsibilities, indicating that the hiring team will be looking for demonstrated experience in these areas.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $115,000 - $135,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.

• 401(k) retirement plan with company match.

• Paid time off (PTO), including vacation, sick leave, and holidays.

• Potential for performance-based bonuses.

• Employee discounts on Chefman products.

• Opportunities for professional development and training.

• Hybrid work environment offering flexibility.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours, estimated at 40 hours per week. The hybrid arrangement allows for flexibility in scheduling workdays between home and office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is a good benchmark for a Senior UX Designer in the New Jersey area, considering the specified experience level (8-10 years) and the cost of living. This range is competitive for the market. The inclusion of "Hybrid" in the location details strongly implies flexibility beyond a strict 9-to-5, which is a key benefit for many professionals.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Consumer Electronics / Kitchen Appliances with a focus on Smart Home Technology. Chefman is innovating by integrating digital connectivity and smart features into everyday kitchen appliances, creating a unique intersection of hardware, software, and user experience.

Company Size: Chefman is likely a medium to large-sized company (based on typical Greenhouse ATS usage for established brands), indicating a structured organization with established processes but also room for impact and innovation. This size suggests resources for design tools and research, but also the need for clear operational processes to maintain consistency.

Founded: Chefman has a history in the kitchen appliance market, suggesting a stable company with evolving product lines. This history likely means a mix of established product development processes and a forward-looking approach to adopting new technologies like AI and connected features.

Team Structure:

• The UX Designer will likely be part of a dedicated Product Design or User Experience team, which may include other UX/UI designers, UX researchers, and potentially UX writers.

• This team will report into a Director or VP of Product, Design, or Engineering.

• Close collaboration is expected with Product Managers, Software Engineers (front-end and back-end), Hardware Engineers, and potentially Marketing or Brand teams. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Emphasis on using user research and analytics to inform design decisions.

• Agile Development: Likely follows agile or iterative development cycles, requiring close partnership with engineering.

• Design System-Centric: A strong reliance on and contribution to a centralized design system for efficiency and consistency.

• User-Centric Approach: Commitment to understanding and solving user problems through thoughtful design.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding Chefman's industry context is crucial. They are not just a hardware company; they are building connected experiences. This means the UX designer needs to think about both the physical product interaction and the digital interface, as well as the ecosystem of connected features. The hybrid nature of the company (hardware + software) implies a need for strong cross-functional communication and process alignment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a "Senior UX Designer," indicating a level of expertise and autonomy where the individual is expected to lead significant design initiatives, mentor junior designers, and contribute to the strategic direction of UX within their product area. It's a key individual contributor role focused on driving design excellence and operationalizing design practices.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Designer will likely report to a UX Design Manager, Director of Product Design, or potentially a Director of Product Management. They will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads on specific product development squads or feature teams.

Operations Impact: The Senior UX Designer's work directly impacts user adoption, satisfaction, and retention for Chefman's connected products. By creating intuitive and efficient user experiences, they contribute to product success, brand loyalty, and ultimately, revenue growth. Their contributions to the design system also improve the efficiency and scalability of the entire product development organization.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership in Design: Potential to grow into a Lead UX Designer, Principal UX Designer, or UX Manager role, overseeing larger projects or managing a team.

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in areas like IoT design, AI integration in UX, or complex system design.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Develop strong partnerships across product, engineering, and marketing, potentially leading to roles with broader product strategy responsibilities.

• Mentorship: Opportunities to mentor junior designers and contribute to the overall growth of the design team's capabilities and processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title implies a trajectory. The candidate should be able to articulate how they have influenced product strategy and design processes in previous roles, demonstrating readiness for greater responsibility. The growth opportunities highlight the potential for career advancement within a company that values design.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model, allowing for a blend of in-office collaboration and remote work flexibility. The in-office days are crucial for team building, brainstorming, and in-depth collaborative sessions.

Office Location(s): Mahwah, New Jersey. This location offers a suburban setting with proximity to New York City, providing a balance of a focused work environment and access to urban amenities.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: Expect access to meeting rooms, whiteboarding areas, and open spaces designed to foster collaboration among cross-functional teams.

• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design software (Figma), collaboration tools, and potentially user research labs or equipment. The emphasis on AI tools suggests they are investing in modern design technology.

• Team Interaction: Regular opportunities to interact with designers, product managers, and engineers in person, facilitating rapid iteration and problem-solving.

Work Schedule: While the core role is full-time (approx. 40 hours/week), the hybrid nature allows for some flexibility in how and where the work is performed, with specific expectations for in-office presence to be clarified by the hiring team. This flexibility is beneficial for deep work and focused design tasks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid aspect is a significant factor for work-life balance and team dynamics. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their preferred hybrid model and how they maintain productivity and collaboration in both environments. The Mahwah location suggests a professional, potentially campus-like environment conducive to focused work.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will likely conduct an initial call to assess overall fit, experience, and salary expectations.

• Portfolio Review & Presentation: A dedicated session (often with design leadership and/or team members) where you present your portfolio, focusing on 2-3 key case studies. Be prepared to discuss your process, decision-making, and impact.

• Design Challenge/Exercise: You may be given a small design problem or asked to critique an existing design, either in a timed session or as a take-home assignment. This assesses your problem-solving skills and design approach.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers and Engineers to evaluate your collaboration style, communication skills, and understanding of development constraints.

• Final Interview: A meeting with a senior leader (e.g., VP of Product/Design) to discuss strategic alignment, cultural fit, and long-term potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure Your Presentation: Start with a high-level overview of the project and your role, then dive into details of your process, challenges, solutions, and outcomes.

• Tell a Story: Frame your case studies as narratives that highlight your problem-solving skills and design thinking.

• Quantify Impact: Use metrics and data wherever possible to demonstrate the success of your designs. If direct metrics aren't available, use qualitative feedback or user testing results.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about specific design choices, trade-offs, and alternative solutions you considered.

• Highlight Design System Work: Clearly articulate your contributions to design systems and their impact on efficiency and consistency.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a challenge, ensure you fully understand the problem statement and any constraints. Ask clarifying questions.

• Define Your Approach: Clearly state your assumptions and the methodology you will use to tackle the problem.

• Focus on Process: Demonstrate your thought process, even if you can't complete a full solution within the given time. Prioritize key user flows or interactions.

• Consider Trade-offs: Discuss potential trade-offs and future iterations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for senior design roles is heavily portfolio-driven. Candidates must be adept at communicating their design process and the impact of their work. The inclusion of cross-functional interviews highlights the collaborative nature of the role. The "AI-assisted design tools" mention might lead to questions about how they would integrate these into their workflow or leverage them in a design challenge.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core design and prototyping tool. Mastery is expected, including advanced features like components, variants, auto layout, and collaborative features.

• Design System Management Tools: Familiarity with how design systems are built, maintained, and consumed within Figma (e.g., using libraries, tokens, shared styles).

• Prototyping Tools: While Figma has robust prototyping capabilities, experience with other tools like InVision, Principle, or After Effects for more advanced animations might be beneficial but not essential.

• User Research Platforms: Tools like UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, or internal tools for conducting and analyzing usability tests and user interviews.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics Tools: Experience with tools like Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel, or Pendo to understand user behavior and measure product performance.

• Data Visualization Tools: Familiarity with tools that can present data clearly, even if not directly used for creation (e.g., Tableau, Looker).

CRM & Automation:

• Project Management Tools: Jira, Asana, Trello for tracking tasks, sprints, and project progress.

• Collaboration Suites: Slack, Microsoft Teams for daily communication and team coordination.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is the central pillar of this role's toolset. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their proficiency and how they leverage its advanced features for design system work and collaboration. The mention of AI-assisted tools suggests an openness to adopting new technologies that enhance design operations.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and solving user problems, ensuring that every design decision prioritizes the user experience.

• Collaboration: Fostering a team environment where open communication, feedback, and cross-functional partnership are valued and actively practiced.

• Excellence & Craftsmanship: Striving for high-quality design execution, attention to detail, and a polished final product.

• Innovation: Encouraging the exploration of new ideas, technologies (like AI), and approaches to design and problem-solving.

• Efficiency & Scalability: Building robust design systems and processes that enable the team to work effectively and deliver consistent results across multiple products.

Collaboration Style:

• Partnership with Engineering: Working hand-in-hand with developers to ensure designs are implemented accurately and efficiently, with a mutual understanding of constraints and possibilities.

• Integrated Product Development: Seamlessly integrating with Product Management to align design strategy with business goals and user needs.

• Open Feedback Loops: Encouraging a culture where constructive feedback is regularly exchanged among designers and across disciplines to continuously improve the product.

• Knowledge Sharing: Actively participating in design critiques, sharing best practices, and contributing to the collective knowledge base of the design team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values highlight a modern, user-focused design team that embraces collaboration and technological advancement. Candidates should be prepared to discuss how their personal values and work style align with these principles, providing specific examples of how they've embodied them in past roles.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing User Needs with Business/Technical Constraints: A common challenge in product design, requiring strong negotiation and problem-solving skills to find optimal solutions that satisfy all stakeholders.

• Scaling Design Systems: Ensuring the design system remains effective, up-to-date, and well-adopted as the product suite and team grow.

• Integrating AI Tools Effectively: Learning and strategically integrating new AI-assisted design tools into established workflows without disrupting productivity or compromising quality.

• Designing for Connected Experiences: Navigating the complexities of designing for hardware, embedded software, mobile apps, and cloud services in a cohesive manner.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design System Training: Opportunities to deepen expertise in design system architecture, governance, and implementation.

• AI in Design Workshops: Training and exploration into leveraging AI for ideation, content generation, automation, and pattern recognition in design.

• Product Strategy Involvement: Gaining exposure to product strategy discussions and contributing to the long-term vision for Chefman's connected product ecosystem.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Opportunities to learn about hardware development, software engineering principles, and market dynamics within the smart home industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for a senior role in a growing tech-focused company. The growth opportunities are particularly strong given the company's focus on connected experiences and emerging technologies like AI, offering a chance to be at the forefront of innovation in kitchen appliance design.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led the design of a complex feature or product from concept to launch. What was your process, what challenges did you face, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on end-to-end ownership, problem-solving, and impact.)

• "How do you approach building or contributing to a design system? What are the key considerations for scalability and adoption?" (Highlight your understanding of design system operations and best practices.)

• "How have you used user research to inform and validate your design decisions? Can you provide an example?" (Demonstrate your user-centric approach and ability to translate research into actionable design.)

• "How do you see AI-assisted design tools evolving the UX design process? How would you integrate them into your workflow at Chefman?" (Show your forward-thinking perspective and practical application of new technologies.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Chefman and its mission in the connected kitchen space?" (Research the company, its products, and its vision.)

• "How do you collaborate with engineers and product managers? Describe a situation where you had to navigate conflicting priorities or technical constraints." (Showcase your teamwork and communication skills.)

• "What are your thoughts on the importance of design consistency across hardware and software interfaces?" (Relate to Chefman's product ecosystem.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on 2-3 Strong Case Studies: Select projects that best demonstrate your end-to-end process, design system contributions, and problem-solving abilities.

• Clearly Define Your Role: Be explicit about your responsibilities and contributions within each project.

• Showcase Your Process: Walk through your steps, from discovery and research to ideation, prototyping, testing, and final implementation.

• Articulate Design Rationale: Explain why you made certain design decisions, referencing user needs, business goals, and technical considerations.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, present metrics or qualitative feedback that demonstrate the success and impact of your work.

• Prepare for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your design choices, trade-offs, and alternative approaches.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should heavily focus on demonstrating a senior-level understanding of design processes, collaboration, and the ability to drive impact. The emphasis on AI tools presents a unique opportunity to showcase innovation and adaptability. Candidates should practice articulating their portfolio case studies concisely and compellingly.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Chefman careers portal on Greenhouse.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your resume and portfolio are tailored to highlight your experience in end-to-end UX design, design systems, and working with cross-functional teams.

• Case Study Selection: Choose 2-3 of your strongest projects for your portfolio that best showcase your senior-level capabilities and alignment with the job description.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on clarity, conciseness, and demonstrating your design thinking and impact.

• Research Chefman: Understand their product offerings, brand, and mission, particularly their approach to connected kitchen experiences and smart technology.

⚠️ 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.