Sr Designer - UX - New York

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Sr Designer - UX

Company: Photon

Location: New York, New York, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: UX/UI Design & Product Experience Operations

Date Posted: 2026-08-22

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Shape the future of user interfaces and client interactions by delivering refined, user-friendly experiences.

• Translate intricate business and user challenges into clear, elegant, and user-friendly design solutions.

• Leverage data insights and user research to inform design choices and validate assumptions.

• Articulate complex design concepts and necessary trade-offs to diverse stakeholders, ensuring alignment with user needs.

• Integrate AI technology to enhance UX processes and develop strategic AI-driven design solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Senior UX Designer, implying a need for strategic thinking, leadership in design initiatives, and mentorship capabilities within the design team, even if not explicitly stated as a management role. The emphasis on "design leader" and "design owner" suggests a high level of autonomy and responsibility for design outcomes. The inclusion of "operations" in the category is inferred from the need to integrate design standards into engineering workflows and manage the user experience lifecycle, which are core operational functions within GTM and product development.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop intuitive wireframes, prototypes, and mock-ups using advanced design tools, primarily Figma, championing user-centered design principles.

• Conduct user research, usability testing, and gather feedback to continuously refine and optimize designs for evolving user needs.

• Facilitate design thinking workshops and prepare comprehensive documentation to translate complex business requirements into actionable design strategies.

• Champion the user in all aspects of the role, considering their experience and the impact of changes on workflows and performance.

• Collaborate closely with end-users and engineering teams to deeply understand requirements, ensure seamless handoffs, and deliver intuitive, frictionless user experiences.

• Explore and utilize AI technology tools to enhance UX process efficiency and develop strategic AI-driven design solutions within product designs.

• Architect and design solutions with a comprehensive, end-to-end workflow mindset for users.

• Dissect and analyze user feedback to transform it into clear, actionable insights that drive design improvements.

• Create user-focused tickets with clarity and intent to facilitate smooth development cycles.

• Stay abreast of the latest trends and best practices in UX design and the financial services industry, proactively introducing innovative solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of creative design execution and strategic operational integration. The emphasis on "design architecture," "integrating standards into engineering workflows," and "actionable insights from feedback" points to a need for strong process management and operational understanding, typical of senior roles in product experience operations. The AI integration aspect is a forward-looking responsibility that requires adaptability and a proactive approach to technology adoption.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

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

Experience: Over six years of dedicated UX design experience with a proven track record of delivering sophisticated user experiences.

Required Skills:

• Advanced proficiency in UX design principles and methodologies.

• Expertise in utilizing advanced design tools, particularly Figma, for wireframing, prototyping, and mock-up creation.

• Strong ability to translate complex business and user challenges into elegant, user-friendly design solutions.

• Proven experience in conducting user research, usability testing, and synthesizing feedback into actionable insights.

• Excellent stakeholder communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex design decisions and trade-offs to non-design audiences.

• Demonstrated ability to integrate design standards and principles into engineering workflows.

• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.

• Collaborative mindset with experience in cross-functional team environments. Preferred Skills:

• Experience within the financial services industry.

• Familiarity with AI technology tools and their application in UX design.

• Experience facilitating design thinking workshops and preparing comprehensive documentation.

• Knowledge of design systems and their implementation.

• Understanding of accessibility standards and best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required experience level of "over six years" and the emphasis on "sophisticated understanding" and "design leader" suggest a role that requires not just execution but also strategic input and potential mentorship. The "design architecture" responsibility implies a need for understanding how individual designs fit into a larger system, a key operational consideration for scalable product development.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A strong portfolio showcasing at least six years of UX design work with a focus on end-to-end user experience design, from conceptualization to implementation.

• Demonstrations of complex problem-solving through design, with clear articulation of the problem, your process, and the user/business impact.

• Examples of wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity mock-ups developed using tools like Figma.

• Case studies detailing user research methodologies, usability testing findings, and how feedback influenced design iterations.

• Evidence of integrating design guidelines and standards into engineering workflows or contributing to design systems.

• Examples of translating intricate business requirements into actionable design strategies. Process Documentation:

• Showcase documentation of design processes, including design thinking workshops, user journey maps, and user flow diagrams.

• Provide examples of how you have documented design decisions, rationale, and trade-offs for stakeholder communication.

• Demonstrate experience in creating user-focused tickets or documentation for engineering teams to ensure clear communication and efficient development cycles.

• Include examples of how you have analyzed user feedback and transformed it into actionable design improvements.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior UX Designer role, a portfolio is critical. The emphasis should be on demonstrating a strategic approach to design, problem-solving capabilities, and the ability to operate within established frameworks and collaborate with engineering. The portfolio needs to reflect not just visual design skills but also process ownership and impact on business objectives.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: USD $39,000 - $139,000 per year.

Explanation of Range: This range is based on the provided information and industry benchmarks for Senior UX Designers in New York City. The specific compensation will be determined by the candidate's actual experience, qualifications, and demonstrated impact on previous projects. The lower end may represent candidates with foundational senior experience, while the higher end reflects extensive expertise and a strong portfolio demonstrating significant contributions.

Benefits:

• Medical insurance

• Vision insurance

• Dental insurance

• 401k retirement plan

• Variable pay/incentives

• Paid time off

• Paid holidays

Working Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week, with potential for some flexibility depending on project needs and deadlines. As an on-site role, standard office hours are expected.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is quite broad. For a Senior UX Designer in New York City with 5-10 years of experience, the upper end of the range ($139,000) is more aligned with typical market rates. The lower end ($39,000) is significantly below market for a senior role in this location and experience bracket, potentially indicating a very specific candidate profile or a misunderstanding in the initial data. It's crucial for candidates to negotiate based on their demonstrated value and market research.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services, Technology. Photon operates within the intersection of technology and financial services, suggesting a need for designers who understand regulatory environments and the criticality of user trust and security.

Company Size: The job posting is from Oracle Cloud's recruitment platform, and the company size is not directly provided. However, the use of such a platform for recruitment often indicates a medium to large organization with established HR and recruitment processes.

Founded: The founding date of "Photon" is not provided.

Team Structure:

• The Senior UX Designer will likely be part of a Product Design or UX team, reporting to a Design Lead or Head of Product Design.

• This role requires close collaboration with Product Managers, Engineers, Researchers, and potentially Marketing and Sales teams to ensure a cohesive user experience across the product lifecycle.

• The emphasis on integrating design standards into "engineering workflows" suggests a structured approach to product development. Methodology:

• Design decisions are expected to be data-driven, leveraging user research, usability testing, and analytics.

• A strong emphasis on user-centered design principles and translating business requirements into actionable design strategies.

• The integration of AI technology suggests a forward-thinking approach to design processes and product innovation.

• Collaboration is key, with an expectation of facilitating design thinking workshops and working closely with cross-functional teams.

Company Website: https://www.photon.com (Inferred from domain_derived)

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the "Sr Designer - UX" title and the emphasis on "design leader" and "sophisticated understanding," the company likely values design as a strategic function. The financial services context implies a need for rigor, attention to detail, and a focus on security and compliance within design solutions.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior-level individual contributor role within the UX design function. It requires a high degree of autonomy, strategic input, and the ability to influence design direction. The role focuses on operationalizing design excellence by integrating standards and best practices into development workflows.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Designer will likely report to a Design Manager, Director of Product Design, or a similar leadership role. They will collaborate extensively with Product Managers and Engineering Leads.

Operations Impact: The Senior UX Designer's work directly impacts user adoption, satisfaction, and retention by ensuring intuitive and effective product experiences. Their ability to translate business needs into user-friendly designs contributes to revenue generation and operational efficiency by reducing support issues and improving conversion rates. The integration of AI solutions also points to a forward-looking impact on product scalability and innovation.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership: Potential to lead design initiatives, mentor junior designers, and contribute to the development of the design team's capabilities and processes.

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas of UX, such as AI-driven design, financial services UX, or design systems.

• Strategic Influence: Contribute to product strategy and roadmap development through design insights and user advocacy.

• Cross-functional Mobility: Potential to move into roles with broader product management or GTM operations responsibilities, leveraging their deep understanding of user needs and product development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title and responsibilities indicate a clear path for growth into leadership, either as a lead designer, design manager, or a specialized UX architect. The operational aspect of this role (integrating into workflows, stakeholder communication) also provides a strong foundation for broader GTM or product operations roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site. The role is based in New York City, suggesting a dynamic, professional office environment.

Office Location(s): 115 W 30th ST STE 910, New York, NY 10001-4000. This location is in a central Manhattan area, likely accessible via public transportation.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace is expected to be collaborative, encouraging interaction with designers, product managers, and engineers.

• Access to industry-standard design tools and technologies, including Figma, will be provided.

• The environment likely supports a data-driven approach, with opportunities to engage with user research findings and performance metrics.

• A focus on continuous improvement and staying updated with industry trends will be encouraged.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time work hours (approximately 40 hours per week) are expected, with the need for flexibility to meet project deadlines. As an on-site role, consistent physical presence in the office will be required.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in a major city like New York implies a professional, potentially fast-paced environment. Candidates should be prepared for in-person collaboration and a structured work week, though flexibility for critical project phases is common in senior design roles.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review applications and portfolios to assess basic qualifications and experience.

• Portfolio Presentation/Design Challenge: Candidates will likely be asked to present their portfolio, highlighting key projects and their design process. A design challenge or case study, focused on a real-world problem relevant to Photon's business, may be administered. This will assess problem-solving, design thinking, and communication skills.

• Stakeholder Interviews: Interviews with product managers, engineering leads, and potentially other designers to evaluate collaboration, technical understanding, and cultural fit.

• Final Interview: A discussion with senior leadership to assess strategic thinking, leadership potential, and overall alignment with the company's vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best showcase your end-to-end UX process, problem-solving abilities, and impact. Tailor your selection to highlight experience relevant to financial services and AI if possible.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem statement, your role and responsibilities, the design process you followed (research, ideation, prototyping, testing), the key decisions you made, and the measurable outcomes or impact.

• Highlight Process & Rationale: Emphasize why you made certain design decisions, the trade-offs you considered, and how you incorporated user feedback and data.

• Showcase Tools: Clearly mention the tools used, especially Figma, and demonstrate proficiency.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced task completion time, increased user satisfaction scores) to demonstrate the business value of your design work.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Business: Research Photon's products, services, and target audience, particularly within the financial services sector.

• Practice Problem-Solving: Be prepared to tackle a hypothetical design problem. Think about how you would approach understanding the user, defining the problem, ideating solutions, and justifying your recommendations.

• Articulate Trade-offs: Practice explaining the pros and cons of different design approaches and why you would choose one over another, considering business constraints and user needs.

• Prepare Questions: Have thoughtful questions ready for the interviewers about the team, the product roadmap, design challenges, and company culture.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior UX role, the interview process will heavily scrutinize the candidate's ability to think strategically, solve complex problems, and communicate effectively. The portfolio presentation is a critical opportunity to demonstrate these skills and showcase operational rigor in design.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for wireframing, prototyping, mock-ups, and collaborative design. Expect to be a power user.

• Prototyping Tools: While Figma is primary, familiarity with other prototyping tools might be beneficial for specific use cases.

• Design Systems: Experience with or contributing to design systems is highly valued for ensuring consistency and efficiency.

Analytics & Reporting:

• User Analytics Platforms: Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics, Mixpanel, or Amplitude to understand user behavior and inform design decisions.

• Usability Testing Tools: Experience with platforms for conducting remote or in-person usability tests and gathering qualitative feedback.

• Data Visualization Tools: Ability to interpret data and present findings clearly, potentially using tools like Tableau or Looker (though direct use might be by analysts).

CRM & Automation:

• Project Management Tools: Proficiency with tools like Jira, Asana, or Trello for managing design tasks, workflows, and collaborating with engineering.

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

• AI Technology Tools: Openness to exploring and utilizing emerging AI tools for design assistance, content generation, or workflow automation.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is a non-negotiable requirement. The mention of "AI integration" suggests an openness to or a need for familiarity with AI-powered design tools or platforms that leverage AI for user insights or workflow automation. Understanding how design integrates with engineering workflows via project management tools is also key.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User Advocacy: A deep commitment to understanding and championing the user's needs and experience in all design decisions.

• Data-Driven Innovation: Utilizing data and research to inform design choices and drive continuous improvement, while also being open to exploring innovative solutions like AI.

• Collaboration & Communication: Valuing open communication, constructive feedback, and strong partnerships with cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, etc.).

• Excellence & Craftsmanship: A dedication to high-quality design, attention to detail, and continuous learning to maintain and elevate design standards.

• Problem-Solving: Approaching challenges with a critical, analytical mindset, seeking elegant and effective solutions.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Expect to work closely with product managers to define requirements and engineers to ensure feasibility and smooth implementation. This involves active participation in team meetings and discussions.

• Iterative Design: A culture that embraces iterative design, where feedback is regularly sought and incorporated to refine solutions.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of best practices, design patterns, and lessons learned within the design team and across departments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "user advocacy," "data-driven decisions," and "collaboration" points to a modern, user-centric design culture. The need to integrate design into "engineering workflows" and the mention of "AI integration" suggest a forward-looking and efficient operational approach to product development.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing User Needs with Business Constraints: Effectively translating complex financial services requirements and business objectives into user-friendly designs while managing technical limitations and timelines.

• Integrating AI Seamlessly: Exploring and implementing AI tools and solutions in a way that genuinely enhances the user experience without introducing unnecessary complexity or alienating users.

• Communicating Design Rationale: Clearly articulating complex design decisions and trade-offs to non-design stakeholders who may have different priorities or levels of understanding.

• Staying Ahead of Trends: Continuously learning and adapting to the rapidly evolving landscape of UX design, AI technology, and the financial services industry.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Methodologies: Opportunities to deepen expertise in areas like service design, advanced user research techniques, or generative design with AI.

• Industry Conferences & Training: Potential support for attending relevant UX, AI, or financial services industry conferences and workshops.

• Mentorship: Access to senior design leaders for guidance and career development.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Gaining deeper insights into product strategy, engineering processes, and business operations through close collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the complexity of a senior role in a regulated industry with emerging technologies. The growth opportunities are geared towards developing both technical design expertise and strategic, operational leadership within the product development lifecycle.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to translate a complex business requirement into a simple, elegant user experience. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on problem definition, ideation, and impact).

• "How do you approach incorporating AI into a user workflow? What are the potential benefits and risks you consider?" (Assess understanding of AI's role in UX and strategic thinking).

• "Walk us through a project where you had to make significant design trade-offs. How did you decide, and how did you communicate those decisions to stakeholders?" (Evaluate decision-making, communication, and stakeholder management). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working in the financial services industry, and how do you think UX design plays a role here?" (Gauge industry interest and strategic perspective).

• "How do you stay current with UX trends, especially concerning AI and new technologies?" (Assess commitment to continuous learning and forward-thinking).

• "Describe your ideal collaboration style with product managers and engineers." (Evaluate teamwork and cross-functional integration skills). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: Begin with a high-level overview of your career and then dive into 2-3 key projects. For each project, clearly state the problem, your role, your process, your key contributions, and the quantifiable results.

• Emphasize Process and Rationale: Don't just show pretty screens. Explain why you made design decisions, the research that supported them, and any challenges or trade-offs encountered.

• Showcase Figma Mastery: Be ready to discuss your workflow in Figma, any custom components or libraries you've used, and how you collaborate within the tool.

• Connect to Photon's Context: Where possible, draw parallels between your past experiences and Photon's industry or potential product challenges. Demonstrate an understanding of how your skills can benefit their specific business.

📝 Enhancement Note: Prepare to discuss your design process in detail, emphasizing how you operationalize design to achieve business and user goals. Be ready to articulate your strategic thinking, especially regarding AI integration and stakeholder management, as these are key differentiators for a senior role.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided Oracle Cloud link.

• Tailor your resume: Highlight your 6+ years of UX design experience, proficiency in Figma, and any experience in financial services or with AI technologies. Quantify your achievements with metrics where possible.

• Curate your portfolio: Select projects that best demonstrate your end-to-end UX process, problem-solving skills, and impact. Ensure it's easily accessible and clearly organized.

• Prepare your portfolio presentation: Practice walking through your selected projects, focusing on your process, rationale, and outcomes. Be ready to discuss how you integrate design into engineering workflows and communicate with stakeholders.

• Research Photon: Understand their products, services, and the financial services landscape. Prepare thoughtful questions about the role, team, and company culture.

⚠️ 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.

---