Senior UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Designer

Company: CivilGrid

Location: Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / User Experience

Date Posted: 2026-08-17T00:00:00

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the end-to-end user experience design for CivilGrid's core platform, focusing on complex spatial and workflow data.

• Act as a strategic partner to Product Managers and Engineers, influencing product scope and translating technical constraints into intuitive user interfaces.

• Design and refine user-facing features that simplify the interaction with dense, high-stakes spatial data, including utility lines, project boundaries, and permits.

• Collaborate closely with UX researchers and conduct lightweight user testing to ensure designs are grounded in customer workflows and validated for usability.

• Contribute to the development and evolution of CivilGrid's design system, promoting consistency, craft, and scalability across the product.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Senior UX Designer within a Series A startup. The emphasis on "end to end design," "thought partner," and "raising the design bar" suggests a high degree of autonomy and influence. The target audience for the platform (civil engineers, GIS teams, field crews) and the nature of the data (spatial, utility records) indicate a need for expertise in data-dense interfaces and potentially geospatial visualization. The hybrid work model and specific location requirement (Greater Boston area) are critical for candidates to note.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the design process from initial concept, user flows, wireframing, and high-fidelity mockups to final shipped product for assigned feature areas.

• Collaborate proactively with Product Management to define product strategy, user stories, and requirements, ensuring design alignment with business objectives.

• Work hand-in-hand with Engineering teams to understand technical limitations and opportunities, ensuring feasible and scalable design solutions.

• Translate complex datasets (e.g., utility records, geotechnical data, jurisdictional requirements) into clear, efficient, and user-friendly interfaces.

• Conduct user interviews, usability testing, and gather feedback to iterate on designs and validate user needs.

• Champion the company's design system, contributing new components and patterns, and ensuring adherence to established design principles for consistency and quality.

• Actively participate in design reviews, providing constructive feedback to peers and receiving feedback to continuously improve designs.

• Prototype and present design solutions to stakeholders, effectively communicating the rationale and user benefits.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of individual contribution and collaborative influence. The emphasis on "partnering with PMs and engineers as a true thought partner" and "shaping scope" indicates that this role requires not just execution but also strategic input. The need to design for "dense, structured data" and "spatial and workflow data" points to a specific set of design challenges and required skills beyond typical UI design.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

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

Experience: 6+ years of professional product design experience, with a significant portion focused on complex, data-dense, or technical B2B software products.

Required Skills:

• Proven ability to design end-to-end user experiences for complex B2B applications.

• Strong portfolio demonstrating a deep understanding of user-centered design principles, with clear examples of problem-solving, reasoning behind decisions, and successful product outcomes.

• Expertise in designing for dense, structured data (e.g., maps, tables, layered information) and translating complex information into intuitive interfaces.

• Proficiency in industry-standard design and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, InVision).

• Ability to work autonomously from ambiguous problem statements to shippable design solutions.

• Excellent collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions effectively to technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Experience with or strong understanding of technical constraints and working within them.

• A proactive approach to shipping and iterating on designs based on user feedback and business needs.

• Experience contributing to or actively using design systems to ensure product consistency and efficiency. Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing for maps, GIS, CAD, or other spatial/geospatial products.

• Prior industry experience in Utilities, Construction, or Civil Engineering.

• Experience building or maturing a design system at an early-stage company.

• Familiarity with user research methodologies and conducting lightweight testing.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "6+ years" experience requirement, coupled with the mention of "complex, data-dense, or technical B2B products," suggests that candidates with experience in enterprise software, SaaS platforms dealing with intricate data, or specialized industry tools will be highly valued. The emphasis on a portfolio that showcases "reasoning behind key decisions" and "end-to-end thinking" is critical, indicating that static screen designs alone will not suffice; candidates must demonstrate their strategic thought process. Bonus points for geospatial or industry-specific experience are strong indicators of desired domain knowledge.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing end-to-end product design projects, with a strong emphasis on complex B2B applications.

• Detailed case studies that clearly articulate the problem, your design process, key decisions, trade-offs considered, and the impact of your solutions.

• Visual examples of wireframes, user flows, high-fidelity mockups, and interactive prototypes.

• Evidence of how you translated complex spatial or data-intensive information into user-friendly interfaces.

• Demonstrations of your ability to work within technical constraints and collaborate effectively with engineering teams.

• Examples of your contribution to or utilization of design systems. Process Documentation:

• Case studies should ideally detail your approach to user research, usability testing, and iterative design based on feedback.

• Provide insights into how you collaborated with product managers and engineers throughout the design lifecycle.

• Showcase your methodology for translating ambiguous requirements into actionable design solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is paramount for this role. It needs to go beyond just polished visuals. Candidates must present a narrative that explains their strategic thinking, problem-solving approach, and the tangible impact of their design decisions, especially concerning complex data and technical B2B environments. Demonstrating an understanding of how designs integrate with underlying technical realities and contribute to a cohesive design system is crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $127,700 - $150,210 per year.

Benefits:

• Company-funded medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• Medical plans available at no cost to the employee.

• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for health and dependent care.

• Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO) with a culture encouraging its use.

• 401(k) plan.

• Meaningful early-stage equity.

• Flexible, remote-friendly work environment.

Working Hours: The standard full-time workweek is assumed to be 40 hours. The hybrid model requires at least 2 days per week in the Boston office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is specific and should be considered competitive for a Senior UX Designer role in the Boston area. The inclusion of "meaningful early-stage equity" is a significant differentiator for a Series A startup, offering substantial upside potential. The benefits package is comprehensive, with the highlight of company-funded insurance and medical plans at no employee cost, which is a strong selling point. The explicit mention of unlimited PTO and a culture encouraging its use is also a positive indicator for work-life balance.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software / Technology, specifically focused on Infrastructure Technology (Civil Design, Utilities, Engineering).

Company Size: Series A startup, indicating a relatively small but rapidly growing team. This typically means a dynamic, fast-paced environment with significant opportunities for impact.

Founded: CivilGrid was founded by industry insiders with deep experience in utilities and civil engineering, suggesting a company culture built on domain expertise and a strong understanding of customer pain points.

Team Structure:

• The role reports to the Head of Product, indicating a clear reporting line within the product development function.

• As a Senior UX Designer, you will likely be part of a growing product and design team, collaborating closely with Product Managers and Software Engineers.

• Cross-functional collaboration is a core tenet, with designers expected to work closely with PMs, engineers, and UX researchers. Methodology:

• Data-driven design: Emphasis on grounding design decisions in real customer workflows and data.

• Iterative development: A "default to shipping" mentality encourages rapid iteration and getting designs in front of users early.

• Customer proximity: Building close relationships with customers (utilities, engineering firms) to understand their needs and inform product development.

• Agile/Lean principles: Implied by the fast-paced startup environment and focus on shipping quickly.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture appears to be a blend of startup agility and deep industry focus. The founders' background suggests a pragmatic approach to problem-solving within the infrastructure sector. The "small, but rapidly growing team" context implies that new hires will have a significant opportunity to influence processes and culture, but also need to be comfortable with ambiguity and a fast pace. The "high-trust team" and "real ownership" aspects are key cultural indicators.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Individual Contributor. This level implies a high degree of autonomy, expertise, and the ability to mentor others. The role is expected to "own design end to end" and "raise the design bar."

Reporting Structure: Reports directly to the Head of Product, providing visibility and direct influence on product strategy and roadmap. This structure is typical for senior roles in startups, allowing for direct interaction with leadership.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct and significant impact on CivilGrid's success by shaping the core user experience of a platform critical for infrastructure projects. Effective UX design can lead to:

• Increased user adoption and satisfaction.

• Reduced project costs and timelines for customers.

• Prevention of costly "dig-ins" and errors.

• Enhanced collaboration among engineering and field teams.

• Competitive differentiation in the infrastructure technology market. Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership in Design: Opportunity to shape the future of UX and design practices within a growing startup, potentially leading to a Design Lead or Manager role as the team expands.

• Domain Expertise: Deepen knowledge in the critical Utilities, Civil Engineering, and Geospatial data sectors, becoming a highly specialized designer in a high-demand field.

• Product Strategy Influence: Contribute significantly to product strategy and roadmap decisions due to close collaboration with Product leadership.

• Mentorship: As a senior member, opportunities to mentor junior designers and contribute to their professional development.

• Equity Growth: Potential for significant financial growth through early-stage equity as the company scales.

📝 Enhancement Note: This Senior UX Designer role offers a compelling growth trajectory within a rapidly scaling startup. The emphasis on individual ownership, strategic influence, and potential for leadership makes it attractive for ambitious designers. The specific industry focus provides an opportunity to develop niche expertise that can be highly valuable. The combination of base salary, equity, and impactful work defines a strong career advancement path.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model. The company emphasizes "in-person collaboration where it matters" and "remote-friendly flexibility otherwise." This suggests a structured approach to hybrid work, balancing the benefits of face-to-face interaction with the flexibility of remote work.

Office Location(s): Boston, MA. Candidates are required to be based in the Greater Boston area and work from the Boston office at least 2 days per week.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model and emphasis on in-person collaboration imply a workspace designed to foster teamwork, idea sharing, and spontaneous discussions. Expect shared office spaces, meeting rooms, and potentially open-plan areas.

• Tools & Technology: Access to modern design tools and software required for UX/UI design, prototyping, and collaboration. The company likely provides necessary hardware and software licenses.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct interaction with Product Managers, Engineers, UX Researchers, and potentially founders, facilitating a cohesive product development process.

Work Schedule: While the specific working hours are not detailed beyond the 40-hour standard, the "unlimited PTO" and "remote-friendly flexibility" suggest a focus on results and output rather than strict time-logging, common in many tech startups. However, the hybrid requirement necessitates adherence to office days.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work environment in Boston is a key aspect. It's not fully remote, requiring a commitment to being in the office a couple of days a week. This setup aims to capture the benefits of both in-person collaboration and remote flexibility. Candidates should consider the commute and their comfort level with this structured hybrid approach. The emphasis on "shipping work that matters" and "real ownership" suggests a culture that values productivity and impact.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a brief call with a recruiter or hiring manager to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Review: A dedicated session where candidates present their portfolio, walking through 1-2 key projects. This is crucial for evaluating end-to-end design thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills. Expect to discuss your process, rationale, and outcomes.

• Design Challenge/Exercise: May involve a take-home assignment or an in-person/virtual design exercise to assess practical skills in problem-solving, ideation, and design execution within a given timeframe. This could involve designing a feature for their platform or solving a specific UX problem related to spatial data.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially other designers to assess collaboration style, technical understanding, and ability to integrate into the team.

• Final Interview: May involve a discussion with senior leadership (e.g., Head of Product, CEO/CTO) to assess strategic alignment, cultural fit, and overall suitability for the role and company.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Wisely: Select 2-3 projects that best showcase your experience with complex B2B products, data-dense interfaces, and end-to-end design ownership. Prioritize projects demonstrating your problem-solving process.

• Tell a Story: Structure your presentation around a narrative: the problem, your approach, key decisions, challenges, solutions, and measurable outcomes. Use visuals effectively but focus on the why behind your design choices.

• Highlight Impact: Quantify results whenever possible (e.g., "reduced research time by X%," "improved conversion rates by Y%," "decreased error rates"). If quantitative data isn't available, articulate the qualitative impact on user workflows and business goals.

• Showcase Process: Clearly illustrate your design process, from research and ideation to iteration and final implementation. Include wireframes, user flows, and prototypes to demonstrate your thinking.

• Address Technical Constraints: Be prepared to discuss how you factored technical limitations into your designs and collaborated with engineers.

• Design System Contribution: If applicable, showcase your experience with design systems, highlighting how you contributed to or utilized them for consistency and efficiency.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Research CivilGrid, its platform, target users (civil engineers, utilities, municipalities), and the industry (infrastructure renewal, underground utility data).

• Focus on Problem-Solving: For any design challenge, first ensure you deeply understand the problem statement. Ask clarifying questions if needed.

• Think Spatially & Data-Intensive: Practice designing interfaces for complex spatial data, maps, layers, and structured information. Consider how users navigate, filter, and interpret this data.

• Prioritize & Justify: In a timed challenge, focus on delivering a coherent solution rather than perfection. Be ready to justify your design choices based on user needs and business goals.

• Communicate Clearly: Practice articulating your design decisions concisely and effectively, both verbally and visually.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes a strong portfolio presentation and practical design skills. Candidates should prepare to articulate their design process, demonstrate strategic thinking, and showcase their ability to handle complex data within a B2B context. The emphasis on "shipping early and often" suggests that interviewers will be looking for pragmatism and a focus on delivering value.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable given industry trends and Ashby ATS usage), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop), InVision, or similar.

• User Research & Testing: Tools like UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, or internal methods for gathering user feedback and conducting usability studies.

• Collaboration & Communication: Slack, Zoom, Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides), Jira (for tracking work with engineering).

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly mentioned for UX, understanding how to interpret product analytics (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics) to inform design decisions would be beneficial.

• Experience with data visualization tools could be advantageous given the nature of the product. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly relevant to the UX role's primary tools, but understanding how user data flows from CRM or other business systems into the product might be helpful context.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job description doesn't explicitly list tools, proficiency in modern design and prototyping software like Figma is almost a given for a Senior UX role in a tech startup. The mention of "design system" implies usage of tools that support component libraries and design system management. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience with a broad range of UX tools and potentially their ability to adapt to new ones.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A strong focus on building for real customer workflows and needs, particularly within the utilities and civil engineering sectors.

• Impact & Ownership: A culture that values direct contribution, taking ownership of projects, and having a tangible impact on the company's success and customers' work.

• Speed & Agility: The "move fast, ship work that matters" ethos points to a preference for rapid iteration and efficient execution, typical of a Series A startup.

• Collaboration & Trust: A high-trust environment where team members are expected to collaborate effectively, provide direct feedback, and work together towards common goals.

• Craftsmanship & Quality: While emphasizing speed, there's also a commitment to "raising the design bar," suggesting a value placed on producing high-quality, well-crafted user experiences.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Partnerships: Designers are expected to be integral partners with Product Managers and Engineers, influencing product direction and working through trade-offs collaboratively.

• Direct Feedback Culture: The team likely embraces open and direct communication, where constructive feedback is regularly exchanged to improve designs and processes.

• Proximity to Customers: Collaboration extends to close interaction with end-users, ensuring that designs are validated and refined based on real-world usage.

• Design System Integration: Collaborative efforts to build and maintain a design system, ensuring consistency and efficiency across the product.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture at CivilGrid seems geared towards high-achieving individuals who thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative startup environment. The emphasis on customer proximity and impact suggests a mission-driven team. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate how they embody these values, particularly in their approach to collaboration and problem-solving.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Complexity: Translating highly dense, technical, and spatial data (utility lines, permits, jurisdictional requirements) into an intuitive and usable interface is a significant design challenge.

• Balancing Speed and Quality: In a startup environment, there's constant pressure to ship quickly. A key challenge will be maintaining high design quality and user experience standards while meeting aggressive timelines.

• Evolving Design System: As a growing company, the design system is likely still maturing. Contributing to its evolution and ensuring consistent adoption across the product can be demanding.

• Domain Specificity: Gaining deep expertise in the nuanced world of civil engineering, utilities, and geospatial data requires significant learning and adaptation.

• Ambiguity: Working in a startup often involves dealing with ambiguity in requirements and priorities; navigating this effectively will be crucial.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Domain Expertise: Become a specialist in designing for the infrastructure and utilities sector, a niche but critical market.

• Design System Leadership: Play a key role in growing and refining CivilGrid's design system, a valuable skill for future roles.

• Product Strategy Influence: Gain experience in shaping product strategy and roadmap decisions through close collaboration with leadership.

• Mentorship & Team Building: Opportunity to mentor junior designers and contribute to building a strong design culture as the team scales.

• Exposure to Early-Stage Growth: Experience the dynamics of a rapidly growing Series A company, providing insights into scaling operations, product, and design functions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for a senior role in a growing tech company, particularly one operating in a specialized B2B domain. Overcoming these challenges offers significant opportunities for professional growth, making the role attractive for ambitious designers looking to make a substantial impact.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design for complex, data-dense information. What was your approach, and what were the key challenges?" (Focus on process, data translation, and user comprehension.)

• "How do you balance the need for rapid iteration with maintaining design quality and a cohesive user experience?" (Highlight your understanding of agile design principles and trade-offs.)

• "Walk us through a project where you significantly influenced product scope or strategy through your design expertise." (Demonstrate your ability to be a strategic thought partner.)

• "How would you approach designing a feature for our platform that requires integrating multiple layers of spatial data, such as utility lines, project boundaries, and permit information?" (Prepare a hypothetical approach based on your understanding of the domain and your design process.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about CivilGrid and our mission to modernize infrastructure renewal?" (Showcase your research and genuine interest in the company's domain.)

• "How do you see yourself contributing to our design system and raising the design bar at CivilGrid?" (Align your skills and aspirations with their stated values.)

• "Describe your ideal collaboration style with Product Managers and Engineers in a startup environment." (Emphasize proactive communication, feedback exchange, and mutual respect.)

• "How do you stay updated on the latest UX trends and best practices, especially those relevant to B2B or data-intensive applications?" (Demonstrate a commitment to continuous learning.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Begin with a brief overview of CivilGrid and the role's context. Then, dive into your chosen case studies, clearly outlining the problem, your design process, key decisions, and measurable outcomes.

• Focus on Process & Rationale: For each project, explain why you made certain design choices. Detail your research, user flows, wireframes, and how you iterated based on feedback.

• Highlight Data & Spatial Design: If possible, showcase projects that involved complex data or spatial elements. Explain how you simplified these for users.

• Showcase Collaboration: Mention how you partnered with PMs, engineers, and other stakeholders throughout the process.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about specific design decisions, technical constraints, and trade-offs. Be honest about what you learned and how you would approach similar situations differently.

• Demonstrate Enthusiasm: Convey your passion for design and your excitement about the opportunity to contribute to CivilGrid's mission.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, problem-solving skills in complex data environments, and a collaborative, results-oriented mindset. Candidates should be ready to articulate their process and the impact of their work, tailoring their responses to CivilGrid's specific industry and challenges.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your experience with complex B2B products, data-dense interfaces, and end-to-end design ownership. Use keywords from the job description such as "UX design," "product design," "spatial data," "B2B software," and "design systems."

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest projects that best exemplify your skills in complex B2B design, problem-solving, and collaboration. Ensure each case study clearly articulates the problem, your process, your decisions, and the impact.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice presenting your portfolio, focusing on storytelling, clear articulation of your design process, and the rationale behind your key decisions. Be ready to discuss trade-offs and quantifiable outcomes.

• Research CivilGrid: Thoroughly understand CivilGrid's platform, its target market (utilities, civil engineering), its mission, and its company culture. This will enable you to tailor your responses and demonstrate genuine interest.

⚠️ 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.