Senior UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Designer

Company: Materialise

Location: Leuven, Belgium

Job Type: Full time

Category: UX/Product Design (Focus on B2B Software & Workflow Optimization)

Date Posted: 2026-08-04

Experience Level: 8+ years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end UX design for complex, enterprise-grade B2B software, focusing on real-world workflows and expert user needs.

• Drive product discovery, problem framing, design execution, validation, and delivery within a cross-functional product team.

• Elevate design quality through critique, mentoring, and setting high standards for interaction design, information architecture, and user flows.

• Leverage modern AI tools as a practical component of the design workflow to enhance efficiency and output.

• Contribute significantly to a maturing design system, ensuring seamless integration between design and front-end code.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior individual contributor with significant influence, emphasizing a "craft-first" approach combined with modern, AI-augmented design practices. The focus on "dense, real-world workflows" and "expert users" indicates a need for deep understanding of complex B2B domains, likely within manufacturing or engineering, rather than consumer-facing applications.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own the complete UX design lifecycle for designated complex product areas, from initial problem definition and user research to final design validation and developer handoff.

• Independently plan and execute user research activities, including interviews, usability testing, journey mapping, and card sorting, translating insights into actionable design decisions.

• Develop comprehensive design deliverables such as information architecture, user flows, wireframes, and interactive prototypes that account for edge cases and error states.

• Construct realistic, high-fidelity prototypes using UI component libraries and front-end code snippets to accurately simulate product behavior.

• Actively participate in the design system's evolution and collaborate closely with Product Management and Engineering from the early stages of product development.

• Integrate AI tools (e.g., Claude Code, ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot) across the design process to accelerate workflows, ensuring rigorous verification of all AI-generated outputs.

• Mentor junior designers, provide constructive design critique, and champion best practices to foster a high-performing design team environment.

• Proactively identify and surface design risks, document key decisions, and ensure consistent progress and timely delivery of design work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "building realistic prototypes using UI component libraries and front-end code" suggests a need for designers who can bridge the gap between design and development, understanding technical constraints and possibilities. The requirement to "use AI across your workflow" indicates a forward-thinking approach to design tooling and a need for candidates comfortable with experimenting and integrating new technologies.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design (e.g., Interaction Design, Graphic Design, HCI), Computer Science, or a related field is typically expected for senior roles. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: Minimum of 8 years of professional experience in UX design, with a strong focus on complex B2B, enterprise, SaaS, technical, or workflow-heavy products. Proven track record of owning design projects from discovery through delivery.

Required Skills:

• Complex B2B/Enterprise UX Design: Extensive experience designing for intricate, workflow-intensive B2B or enterprise software environments.

• End-to-End Design Ownership: Demonstrated ability to manage the entire design process, from problem identification and research to final delivery and iteration.

• User Research & Validation: Proficiency in planning and conducting qualitative and quantitative user research (interviews, usability testing, journey mapping, card sorting) and using findings to shape design outcomes.

• Interaction Design & IA: Strong craft in information architecture, user flow design, and interaction design, with a portfolio showcasing well-reasoned and complete design solutions.

• Prototyping: Expertise in creating realistic, interactive prototypes using UI component libraries and basic front-end code (HTML/CSS understanding is beneficial).

• Design System Contribution: Experience contributing to and actively using design systems, with an understanding of design tokens and their connection to code.

• AI Tool Integration: Builder-level fluency with AI tools such as Claude Code, ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, and VS Code for practical design applications, including code generation and workflow automation. Critical judgment for verifying AI outputs is essential.

• Communication & Feedback: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate design decisions, respond constructively to feedback, and document processes.

• Ownership & Drive: Strong sense of ownership, proactive problem-solving, risk identification, and a commitment to driving projects to completion.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in technical, manufacturing, or engineering industries.

• Proven ability to mentor junior designers and contribute to raising the overall design quality of a team.

• Familiarity with agile development methodologies and cross-functional team collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "builder-level AI fluency" is a critical and differentiating requirement. Candidates should be prepared to discuss specific examples of how they've integrated AI into their design process, what tools they use, and how they manage the risks and benefits of AI-assisted design. The emphasis on proximity to front-end code suggests that candidates with a foundational understanding of web technologies will have an advantage.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies: Detailed case studies showcasing at least 2-3 complex B2B or enterprise software design projects. Each case study should clearly articulate the problem, your role, the design process, key decisions, challenges, and measurable outcomes.

• Evidence-Led Design: Demonstrate how user research, data, and stakeholder input informed your design decisions and led to tangible improvements.

• Workflow & IA Focus: Include examples of complex workflow designs, information architecture diagrams, and user flows that illustrate your ability to structure and simplify intricate processes.

• Prototyping Examples: Showcase interactive prototypes, ideally built with component libraries or code snippets, that demonstrate realistic user interactions and behaviors.

• Design System Contribution: If applicable, include examples of your contributions to a design system, explaining your role and impact.

• AI Integration Examples: Be prepared to discuss how you've used AI in your design process and present any relevant outputs or examples.

Process Documentation:

• Research & Discovery: Evidence of structured approaches to user research, problem framing, and stakeholder alignment.

• Design Iteration: Documentation illustrating the iterative nature of your design process, including how feedback was incorporated.

• Collaboration & Handoff: Examples of how you collaborated with Product Management and Engineering, including documentation for design handoff.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is crucial for demonstrating the required 8+ years of experience and the ability to handle complexity. Candidates should focus on showcasing their strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, and the tangible impact of their designs, rather than just visual aesthetics. Explicitly detailing the use of AI in case studies will be highly advantageous.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Senior UX Designer with 8+ years of experience in Leuven, Belgium, a competitive salary range would typically fall between €65,000 and €90,000 annually, depending on the specific skills, depth of experience, and negotiation.

Benefits:

• Flexible Work Arrangements: Offering autonomy in organizing tasks and work flexibility aligns with the company's trust-based culture.

• Professional Development Opportunities: Encouragement and support for career growth, skill development, and potentially further education or certifications.

• Collaborative Environment: A people-centered space with colleagues invested in mutual support and growth.

• Impactful Work: Opportunity to shape product experiences in a complex, innovative environment with significant real-world impact.

• Health & Wellness: Standard Belgian benefits package typically includes comprehensive health insurance, pension contributions, and paid time off.

• Innovation Culture: Environment that fosters autonomy, encourages initiative, and supports career development.

Working Hours: The role specifies a full-time employment type, with the input data suggesting 40 hours per week. The company culture emphasizes autonomy and flexibility, suggesting that while a standard work week is expected, there may be flexibility in daily scheduling.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on industry benchmarks for senior UX Designers in Western Europe, specifically Belgium, considering the cost of living and typical compensation structures for tech roles in that region. The benefits listed are inferred from the "Why join us" section and typical offerings for similar roles in the EU tech sector.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Materialise operates within the Software, Art & Design, Technology, Manufacturing, and Engineering sectors, with a specific focus on additive manufacturing (3D printing) software solutions. This means the company is at the intersection of advanced technology and industrial application.

Company Size: Materialise is a significant player in its field, likely falling into the "Large Enterprise" category based on typical industry structures for companies involved in specialized software and manufacturing solutions. A larger company size often implies more structured processes, larger teams, and potentially more established career paths, but also a need for strong individual contributors to drive change within specific product areas.

Founded: Materialise was founded in 1990. This long history suggests a stable, established company with deep expertise in its domain, likely having navigated significant technological shifts and market evolutions. This longevity can indicate a robust business model and a culture that values long-term vision and innovation.

Team Structure:

• Cross-functional Product Team: The Senior UX Designer will join a small, cross-functional product team, implying close collaboration with Product Managers and Engineers. This structure facilitates rapid iteration and shared ownership.

• Reporting Structure: The role reports to the UX Manager, indicating a dedicated design leadership function that provides guidance, mentorship, and strategic direction for the design team.

• Collaboration Patterns: The culture values collaboration, openness, and feedback. Designers are expected to invest in people around them, suggesting a strong emphasis on teamwork and knowledge sharing across disciplines.

Methodology:

• Evidence-Led Design: The team emphasizes data-driven decision-making, using user research and evidence to guide design.

• Modern Design Practices: Integration of AI tools into the workflow highlights a commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technologies for efficiency and innovation.

• Agile Development: While not explicitly stated, the mention of cross-functional teams and close collaboration with engineering strongly suggests an agile or iterative development approach.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's long history and focus on additive manufacturing software suggest a deep technical domain. Candidates should be prepared to understand the complexities of these workflows. The emphasis on "expert users" implies a need for designers who can handle sophisticated interfaces and workflows, rather than simple, consumer-oriented ones.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Individual Contributor role. It signifies a high level of expertise and autonomy, responsible for leading significant design initiatives independently. It's a position where the individual is expected to be a primary driver of design strategy and execution for their product area.

Reporting Structure: Reporting to the UX Manager provides a direct line of leadership for design strategy, career development, and performance feedback. This structure ensures alignment with broader design goals while allowing for individual specialization within product teams.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on the usability, efficiency, and adoption of Materialise's enterprise B2B software. By improving complex workflows, the Senior UX Designer contributes to the overall efficiency and scalability of their clients' additive manufacturing operations, thereby directly influencing customer satisfaction, retention, and Materialise's market competitiveness. The emphasis on "UX has real impact" highlights this direct contribution to business success.

Growth Opportunities:

• Deep Domain Expertise: Opportunity to become an expert in the complex field of additive manufacturing software, a specialized and growing industry.

• Design Leadership & Mentorship: Potential to grow into a design lead role or formally mentor junior designers, as suggested by the "nice to have" requirement.

• Influence on Design Systems & Practices: Opportunity to significantly influence the company's design system and overall design methodology, including the integration of new tools like AI.

• Career Progression: Potential pathways could lead to Principal UX Designer, Design Manager, or specialized roles within product strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title, coupled with the expectation of leading design work and mentoring, suggests a clear path for growth. Candidates should highlight instances where they've taken initiative, led complex projects, and influenced design direction or team practices in their discussions.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based in Leuven, Belgium, and is described as "Hybrid." This suggests a mix of in-office work for collaboration, team building, and focused work, alongside remote work flexibility.

Office Location(s): The primary location is Leuven, Belgium. Specific details about the office facilities, such as collaborative spaces, quiet zones, or access to specialized equipment, are not provided but can be assumed to support a professional, innovation-focused environment.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office likely provides spaces for team meetings, brainstorming sessions, and cross-functional collaboration with Product and Engineering.

• Tools & Technology: Access to standard professional design software, hardware, and potentially specialized tools relevant to 3D modeling or manufacturing workflows. The company's emphasis on AI suggests integrated AI development tools.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for informal and formal interactions with fellow designers, product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders to foster a connected and efficient working environment.

Work Schedule: Full-time (40 hours/week) with a hybrid arrangement. The company culture emphasizes trust and autonomy, suggesting flexibility in how the 40 hours are structured, provided deliverables are met and collaborative needs are fulfilled.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature implies candidates should be comfortable working both independently from a home office and collaboratively in a physical office setting, requiring strong self-management skills and effective communication across different work modes.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio to assess experience, skills, and cultural fit.

• Design Exercise/Challenge: Candidates may be asked to complete a take-home design challenge or a live design exercise focused on a complex workflow problem, requiring them to demonstrate their problem-solving process, research approach, and design rationale.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A deep dive into selected case studies from the candidate's portfolio, focusing on their role, process, decision-making, and impact. This is where AI integration and evidence-led design will be scrutinized.

• Team & Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with the UX Manager, Product Managers, and Engineers to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and ability to integrate into the cross-functional team.

• Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership to discuss strategic fit and long-term vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure Your Case Studies: For each case study, clearly outline: Problem Statement, Your Role & Responsibilities, Target Users, Research & Discovery Methods, Design Process & Iterations, Key Design Decisions & Rationale, Solutions (with visuals/prototypes), Challenges Faced, Outcomes & Impact (quantified where possible), and Lessons Learned.

• Highlight Complexity: Emphasize projects that involved intricate workflows, technical constraints, or demanding user groups.

• Showcase AI Integration: Be ready to present specific examples of how you used AI tools (Claude Code, ChatGPT, etc.) to accelerate your process, generate ideas, or assist with coding for prototypes. Be transparent about your verification process.

• Demonstrate Evidence-Led Design: Clearly show how research and data influenced your design choices at each stage.

• Prototype Realism: Ensure prototypes are interactive and representative of the final product, leveraging component libraries where applicable.

• Articulate Your Thinking: Be prepared to walk through your thought process for each design decision, explaining the "why" behind your solutions.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: If a challenge is provided, research additive manufacturing and Materialise's products to grasp the context of the problem.

• Focus on Process: Demonstrate a structured approach to problem-solving, starting with understanding the user and the problem space before jumping into solutions.

• Embrace Constraints: Show how you work within technical or business constraints, and how you would approach edge cases and error states.

• AI as a Tool: Consider how you might leverage AI during a timed challenge, while still maintaining critical oversight.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize the candidate's ability to handle complexity, demonstrate a rigorous design process, and effectively integrate modern tools like AI. Candidates should prepare to defend their design decisions with data and articulate their unique contributions.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• UX Design Software: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD (or similar industry-standard tools for wireframing, prototyping, and UI design).

• Prototyping Tools: InVision, Marvel, or advanced prototyping features within design tools.

• AI Design Assistants: Claude Code, ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, VS Code (for integrating AI into code-based prototyping and workflow automation).

• User Research Platforms: UserTesting.com, Maze, Lookback, or similar for remote usability testing and feedback collection.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics: Tools like Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude (for understanding user behavior within the software).

• Data Visualization: Tableau, Power BI, or in-app dashboards (for presenting user data and design impact).

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: Salesforce, HubSpot (less direct for UX, but understanding data flow is helpful for B2B context).

• Project Management: Jira, Asana, Trello (for managing design tasks and collaborating with engineering).

• Design System Management: Tools for documenting and managing design system components and guidelines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of AI tools like Claude Code, ChatGPT, and GitHub Copilot indicates they are not just preferred but integral to the role's workflow. Candidates should be ready to discuss their hands-on experience with these tools in a design context, not just general awareness.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Work That Matters: A strong sense of purpose, contributing to tangible improvements in manufacturing and potentially healthcare through advanced technology. Expectation to care about the difference your work makes.

• People-Centered Space: Emphasis on mutual support, collaboration, and investing in colleagues. Designers are expected to contribute to the team's strength beyond their individual tasks.

• Environment of Trust: Autonomy is valued; designers are trusted with expertise and given space to organize their work and make decisions. This comes with an expectation to deliver on commitments.

• Career Ready to Build: Encouragement for employees to take initiative in their own development and shape their careers proactively.

• Pragmatism & Thoughtfulness: Balancing the need to meet deadlines with a deep consideration for complexity and user needs.

• Proactive & Curious: A mindset of taking initiative, exploring new ideas, and taking pride in delivering high-quality work.

Collaboration Style:

• Open and Feedback-Oriented: Designers are expected to be collaborative, open to feedback, and see it as a way to improve, not as criticism.

• Cross-functional Integration: Close working relationships with Product Management and Engineering are fundamental, requiring clear communication and shared understanding.

• Knowledge Sharing: The culture likely encourages sharing insights, best practices, and learnings within the design team and across departments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture appears to balance a results-driven, innovative environment with strong emphasis on teamwork, trust, and individual growth. Candidates should be prepared to discuss how they embody these values in their daily work and interactions.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Complexity: Designing for intricate, real-world B2B workflows requires deep understanding and the ability to simplify without losing essential functionality.

• Balancing AI Integration: Effectively leveraging AI tools while maintaining design integrity, user focus, and ethical considerations. This includes verifying AI outputs and managing potential biases or inaccuracies.

• Raising Design Bar: Continuously improving the quality and impact of UX design within the organization, especially in a technical domain where UX might be less mature.

• Cross-functional Alignment: Ensuring consistent understanding and buy-in for UX principles and designs across Product and Engineering teams.

• Evolving Technology: Staying abreast of advancements in AI, design tools, and additive manufacturing technologies to ensure designs remain relevant and cutting-edge.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialization in Additive Manufacturing: Deep dive into a rapidly growing and technologically advanced industry.

• Advanced AI in Design: Becoming an expert in integrating AI tools into complex design workflows, potentially leading to new methodologies.

• Mentorship & Leadership: Opportunities to mentor junior designers, lead design initiatives, and develop leadership skills.

• Design System Evolution: Contributing to the strategic direction and growth of Materialise's design system.

• Industry Conferences & Training: Access to relevant conferences, workshops, and training programs to enhance UX skills and industry knowledge.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are directly tied to the role's core responsibilities and the company's innovative environment. Candidates should be prepared to discuss how they have successfully navigated similar challenges and how they see these opportunities as avenues for professional growth.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design for a complex, workflow-heavy B2B product. What were the main challenges, and how did you approach them?" (Focus on process, user research, and handling complexity).

• "How have you used AI tools like ChatGPT or GitHub Copilot in your UX design process? Can you provide a specific example, and how did you ensure the quality and accuracy of the output?" (Crucial for assessing AI fluency and judgment).

• "Walk us through a case study where user research significantly changed the direction of your design. What methods did you use, and what was the impact?" (Demonstrates evidence-led design).

• "How do you approach contributing to or evolving a design system? What is your understanding of design tokens?" (Assesses understanding of scalable design and code collaboration).

• "Describe a situation where you had to provide constructive feedback to a peer or mentor a junior designer. What was your approach?" (Evaluates mentorship and collaboration skills). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Materialise and the additive manufacturing industry?" (Assess genuine interest and research).

• "How do you embody our values of 'Work that Matters' and 'People-Centered Space' in your daily work?" (Gauge cultural fit).

• "How do you handle working autonomously in a hybrid environment, and what's your approach to ensuring collaboration with remote and in-office colleagues?" (Assesses self-management and hybrid work skills). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Frame your case studies as compelling narratives. Start with the problem, introduce the users, detail your journey through the design process, highlight key decisions and learnings, and conclude with the impact.

• Visuals: Use high-quality visuals, including user flows, wireframes, prototypes (live if possible), and research artifacts. Clearly label and explain each element.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased task completion rates, reduced error rates, improved user satisfaction scores).

• AI Integration Section: Dedicate a portion of your presentation to showcasing how you've used AI, demonstrating specific tools and outputs, and explaining your critical evaluation process.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Expect detailed questions about your process, rationale, and any challenges encountered. Be honest and transparent.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to speak extensively about their experience with complex B2B software, their research methodologies, and, most importantly, their practical application of AI tools in the design process. The ability to articulate the "why" behind every decision will be key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workday link: https://materialise.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/Materialise_Jobs/job/Leuven-Materialise/Senior-UX-Designer_JR104508

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your most relevant and impactful B2B/enterprise design projects. Ensure each case study clearly demonstrates your end-to-end design process, problem-solving skills, research validation, and, crucially, how you've integrated AI tools. Prepare to discuss the "builder-level AI fluency" requirement with specific examples.

• Optimize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your 8+ years of experience in complex software design, your proficiency in user research, interaction design, prototyping, and design systems. Use keywords from the job description such as "B2B software," "enterprise," "workflow-heavy," "user research," "prototyping," "design systems," and "AI tools."

• Prepare Your Portfolio Presentation: Practice walking through your selected case studies, focusing on clear storytelling, demonstrating your thought process, and articulating the impact of your work. Be ready to answer in-depth questions about your design decisions and your AI integration strategies.

• Research Materialise: Familiarize yourself with Materialise's mission, products, and the additive manufacturing industry. Understand their company values and how your approach to design aligns with their culture of trust, collaboration, and innovation.

⚠️ 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.