Sr/Staff Software Engineer (UX Design) (Remote - US)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Sr/Staff Software Engineer (UX Design)

Company: BNSF Railway

Location: Remote - US

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: UX Design / Product Design Operations

Date Posted: May 07, 2026

Experience Level: 6+ Years (Mid to Senior/Staff)

Remote Status: Fully Remote (US-based)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the design and delivery of end-to-end user journeys for AI-native intelligent physical logistic systems, a core focus for BNSF's technological advancement.

• Drive the creation of reusable design system components and ensure the development of performant, user-centric experiences across diverse platforms (mobile, desktop).

• Collaborate closely with front-end engineering and product teams to translate cutting-edge AI capabilities into proactive, trustworthy, and impactful user experiences.

• Champion human-centered design principles and data-driven iteration to enhance user adoption and key performance metrics within the supply chain and logistics domain.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role title "Sr/Staff Software Engineer (UX Design)" suggests a hybrid engineering and design focus, implying a need for strong technical understanding alongside user experience expertise. This role is positioned within BNSF's "BNSF | Tech" division, indicating a strategic initiative to modernize operations through technology and AI, with a particular emphasis on customer-facing and internal tools. The emphasis on "AI-native intelligent physical logistic systems" points to a forward-thinking approach to digital transformation in the freight rail industry.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Independently own the design and successful launch of end-to-end user journeys for designated product areas, maintaining close collaboration with front-end development and cross-functional partner teams.

• Translate complex customer and user requirements into intuitive designs, seamlessly integrating advanced AI capabilities to deliver proactive and trustworthy experiences across various digital touchpoints.

• Drive user engagement and adoption metrics through iterative design processes, actively incorporating feedback from both external customers and internal users.

• Champion the adoption and expansion of UX principles and design system components to foster consistency and reusability across multiple AI-driven experiences and product lines.

• Leverage a technical understanding of front-end development stacks to design and advocate for performant, scalable, and efficient user interfaces.

• Actively engage with engineering, product, and business teams, utilizing prototyping and design tools such as Figma to visualize and refine user flows and interfaces.

• Apply best practices within the Supply Chain and Logistics industry, demonstrating a deep understanding of the roles, personas, and specific expectations of users interacting with BNSF's digital tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a significant degree of autonomy and ownership, characteristic of a Senior or Staff-level role. The emphasis on "AI-native," "proactive and trustworthy experiences," and "intelligent physical logistic systems" underscores the innovative nature of the role and the company's strategic direction. The requirement to understand Supply Chain and Logistics roles suggests a need for domain expertise or a strong ability to quickly acquire it.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Minimum of 6 years of progressive experience in Product Design, with a proven track record of driving UX initiatives alongside technical teams.

Required Skills:

• Product Design & UX Expertise: Proven capability in end-to-end user journey design, user research, wireframing, prototyping, and user testing.

• AI-Driven Experiences: Understanding and experience in designing for AI-powered features, focusing on proactive, intelligent, and trustworthy interactions.

• Design Systems: Experience in creating, maintaining, and advocating for reusable design system components and patterns.

• Modern Design Tools: Proficiency with industry-standard design and prototyping tools such as Figma.

• Front-end Understanding: Working knowledge of front-end development stacks (e.g., HTML, CSS, JavaScript frameworks) to inform design decisions and collaborate effectively with engineers.

• Usability Principles: Solid understanding of usability principles, heuristics, and modern UX research methodologies.

• Customer/Persona Understanding: Ability to grasp customer and user requirements, and to translate them into effective design solutions, with a focus on Supply Chain and Logistics personas.

Preferred Skills:

• Engineering/CS Foundation: A strong foundation in Engineering or Computer Science, or a deep core UX Design background, enabling effective partnership with technical teams.

• Hybrid Design/Product Roles: Career experience blending Design and Product management responsibilities, demonstrating a clear vision for product direction and a solid grasp of implementation ("how").

• Agile/Fast-Paced Environments: Proven bias for action and experience managing multiple priorities, delivering iterative solutions in dynamic settings.

• Supply Chain/Rail Interest: Familiarity with and genuine interest in Supply Chain, logistics, and rail-related products and technologies.

• Multi-modal & AI-Native Design: Curiosity and a willingness to innovate at the forefront of UX evolution for AI-native, intelligent, and multi-modal systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Sr/Staff" designation, combined with the 6+ years of experience and the preference for a Bachelor's degree, indicates a role requiring significant expertise and leadership. The blend of "Software Engineer" in the title with "UX Design" responsibilities strongly suggests that candidates with a technical background who have transitioned into UX, or UX professionals with a deep understanding of technical constraints and capabilities, will be highly valued. The emphasis on "AI-native" and "intelligent physical logistic systems" requires candidates to demonstrate forward-thinking design approaches.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase end-to-end user journey designs for complex digital products, demonstrating a clear problem, solution, and impact.

• Feature examples of design system components developed or contributed to, highlighting reusability and scalability.

• Include case studies that illustrate collaboration with engineering and product teams, detailing the design process from ideation to implementation.

• Present work that demonstrates an understanding of AI-driven experiences or intelligent systems, explaining how user needs were met through advanced technology.

Process Documentation:

• Document your approach to user research, persona development, and requirement gathering for complex systems.

• Illustrate your methods for iterative design, prototyping, and user testing, specifically how feedback influenced the final design.

• Provide examples of how you have worked with engineering teams to ensure design feasibility and performance optimization.

• Detail your contributions to or understanding of design operations, including how design processes are streamlined and integrated into development workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Sr/Staff UX Design role, a portfolio is crucial. It should not only display visual design skills but also strategic thinking, problem-solving abilities, and the capacity to lead design initiatives. The emphasis on AI and complex systems means portfolios should ideally show experience with data-informed design, predictive interfaces, or systems that manage physical logistics. Demonstrating an understanding of how design impacts operational efficiency and customer satisfaction within an industrial context like freight rail will be highly advantageous.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• L5 Level: $150,000 - $200,000 per year

• L6 Level: $200,000 - $250,000 per year

Benefits:

• Retirement: Industry-leading 401(k) and renowned Railroad Retirement program.

• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive health care options (medical, dental, vision, telemedicine, mental health, cancer support) with high-quality care networks. Health Savings Account (HSA) with employer contributions.

• Insurance: Life and disability insurance provided at no cost.

• Family Support: Parental leave, pediatric and family building support, adoption/surrogacy reimbursement, and a dependent care spending account with employer match.

• Perks: Access to discounts on travel, gym memberships, counseling services, and wellness support.

• Incentive Compensation: Annual bonus eligibility through the Incentive Compensation Program.

• Time Off: Generous leave and time off policies.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time position, typically around 40 hours per week.

• Employees may work from anywhere within the contiguous 48 states of the United States.

• Occasional travel (up to 20%) to corporate headquarters in Fort Worth, TX for in-person meetings is required, with travel expenses covered by BNSF.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is competitive for Senior/Staff level UX Design roles in the US, especially for remote positions. The explicit mention of L5 and L6 levels suggests a clear career progression path within BNSF | Tech. The benefits package is extensive, typical of large, established companies, with a notable emphasis on retirement programs (including Railroad Retirement) and family support, reflecting BNSF's long history and commitment to its employees.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Freight Rail Transportation / Logistics Technology. BNSF operates one of the largest freight transportation networks in North America, serving diverse industries and playing a critical role in the U.S. economy. The "BNSF | Tech" division is focused on leveraging technology, including AI, to innovate and transform this traditional industry.

Company Size: Large enterprise (likely thousands of employees, given BNSF's operational scale). This implies a structured environment with established processes but also opportunities for impact within a significant organization.

Founded: BNSF Railway has a long history, tracing its roots back to mid-19th-century railroads. This historical depth provides stability and a strong foundation, while the "BNSF | Tech" division represents a commitment to future-oriented innovation.

Team Structure:

• The role sits within BNSF | Tech, focused on UX Design for AI-native systems.

• Expect collaboration with front-end engineers, product managers, data scientists, and potentially other UX designers and researchers.

• The team is likely structured to support specific product lines or strategic initiatives within the broader freight rail operations.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Emphasis on using metrics and user feedback to drive design decisions and product iteration.

• Agile Development: Likely follows agile methodologies for software development, requiring close collaboration and iterative design cycles.

• Human-Centered Approach: Commitment to building customer-centric experiences, integrating AI to enhance user interactions.

• Design Systems: Focus on building and leveraging robust design systems for efficiency and consistency across platforms.

Company Website: https://jobs.bnsf.com/us/en

📝 Enhancement Note: BNSF's position as a major freight rail operator means technology plays a crucial role in optimizing complex logistics. The "BNSF | Tech" division is clearly investing in modernizing these operations. The culture likely balances traditional industrial values (safety, reliability) with a growing emphasis on innovation and digital transformation. Understanding the unique challenges and opportunities within the freight rail industry will be key for success in this role.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Senior/Staff level UX Designer. It implies a significant level of individual contribution, ownership, and potential mentorship capabilities. A Staff level often signifies expertise in a specific domain or the ability to tackle the most complex technical and design challenges.

Reporting Structure: The Sr/Staff UX Designer will likely report to a UX Design Manager or Lead within the BNSF | Tech organization. They will work collaboratively with Product Managers, Software Engineers, and potentially other specialized roles like AI/ML engineers or data scientists.

Operations Impact: This role has direct potential to impact operational efficiency and customer satisfaction by designing intuitive and effective digital tools for internal and external users. By shaping AI-native experiences, the designer can influence how BNSF manages its vast logistics network, potentially leading to cost savings, improved delivery times, and enhanced customer loyalty.

Growth Opportunities:

• Technical Specialization: Deepen expertise in AI-driven UX design, multi-modal interfaces, and advanced design systems.

• Leadership Development: Potential to mentor junior designers, lead design initiatives for major projects, or transition into management roles.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Gain in-depth knowledge of the freight rail industry, supply chain logistics, and the application of technology in these domains.

• Strategic Influence: Contribute to the strategic vision for BNSF's digital transformation and the future of its customer-facing and internal platforms.

• Career Progression: Advancement from Sr. to Staff UX Designer, or into roles like Principal UX Designer, UX Manager, or Product Management within the tech division.

📝 Enhancement Note: The Sr/Staff designation suggests a clear path for growth, either through deepening technical expertise as an individual contributor or moving into leadership. The unique domain of freight rail logistics combined with cutting-edge AI presents a distinctive opportunity for career development. Candidates should consider how their contributions will directly influence the operational backbone of a major national infrastructure company.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote (US-based). This offers flexibility for employees to work from their preferred location within the contiguous 48 states.

Office Location(s): While the role is remote, occasional travel (up to 20%) to BNSF's corporate headquarters in Fort Worth, TX, is required for in-person meetings. Travel expenses will be covered by BNSF.

Workspace Context:

• Flexibility: The remote nature allows for a personalized work environment, potentially enhancing focus and work-life balance.

• Technology-Enabled: As a tech-focused role within a large corporation, expect access to standard collaborative software and potentially specialized design and development tools.

• Cross-Functional Interaction: Despite being remote, the role demands active engagement and collaboration with distributed teams across engineering, product, and business functions through digital communication channels.

• Industry Context: Working within the freight rail sector means the digital tools designed will support critical, often time-sensitive, operational processes.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approximately 40 hours per week) are expected. While remote, adherence to core working hours for team collaboration and responsiveness is generally required. The nature of logistics may sometimes require flexibility for critical issue resolution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The fully remote nature with required travel is a common structure for senior roles in large companies. Candidates should be comfortable with distributed collaboration tools and be prepared for occasional travel to the headquarters. The work environment will be influenced by BNSF's established corporate culture, blended with the dynamic, tech-forward approach of the BNSF | Tech division.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or recruiter screen to assess basic qualifications, interest, and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion with the hiring manager to delve into experience, technical skills, and role expectations. This is where your understanding of AI-UX and logistics will be evaluated.

• Portfolio Review & Technical Deep Dive: A critical stage where you will present your portfolio, walking through 2-3 key case studies. Expect detailed questions about your design process, decision-making, collaboration with engineers, and impact on user metrics. This may include design challenges or scenario-based questions.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with potential peers (e.g., engineers, product managers) to assess collaboration style and technical acumen.

• Final Interview/Executive Review: Potentially a final discussion with a senior leader to confirm fit and strategic alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-4 projects that best showcase your experience with complex systems, AI-driven features, end-to-end journey design, and collaboration with technical teams. Prioritize projects with clear impact and measurable results.

• Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the design process (research, ideation, iteration, testing), the technical considerations, and the final outcome/impact. Use visuals effectively.

• Highlight AI/Complex Systems: Specifically address how you approached designing for AI or complex logistical challenges. Explain your thought process for building trust and ensuring utility.

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

• Be Ready for Technical Questions: Given the "Software Engineer" title, be prepared to discuss front-end implications, design system architecture, and how your designs integrate with technical constraints.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Challenge: You might receive a hypothetical problem related to logistics, AI, or user experience within BNSF's domain. Prepare to outline your approach, conduct quick research, sketch solutions, and present your rationale.

• System Design: Be ready to discuss how you would approach designing a specific feature or system, considering user needs, technical feasibility, and scalability.

• Process & Collaboration: Prepare to articulate your workflow, how you handle feedback, resolve design disagreements, and collaborate with diverse teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a Sr/Staff role at a large company like BNSF will be rigorous. The portfolio review is paramount. Candidates should prepare to defend their design decisions with data and logic, and demonstrate a deep understanding of the UX lifecycle within an agile, engineering-centric environment. Emphasizing how your design work directly contributes to business objectives and operational efficiency will be key.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (explicitly mentioned), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite.

• Collaboration: Jira, Confluence, Slack, Microsoft Teams.

• User Research: Tools for surveys, interviews, usability testing platforms (e.g., UserTesting.com, Maze).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Experience with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics) to understand user behavior and measure design impact.

CRM & Automation:

• Understanding of how CRM systems (like Salesforce, though not explicitly mentioned for UX) and automation tools impact user workflows and data management.

Emerging Technologies:

• Experience or strong interest in AI/ML platforms and their application in user interfaces.

• Understanding of multi-modal interaction design principles.

📝 Enhancement Note: While Figma is mentioned, proficiency in a range of design and collaboration tools is expected. For this role, a strong understanding of how UX design integrates with front-end development stacks and potentially AI/ML pipelines is critical. Candidates should be prepared to discuss how they use data and analytics to inform and validate design choices.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Safety & Reliability: As a railway company, safety is paramount. This likely translates into a culture that values robust, dependable, and error-free solutions.

• Customer-Centricity: A stated focus on building customer-facing products, indicating a drive to understand and serve user needs effectively.

• Innovation & Transformation: The BNSF | Tech division embodies a forward-thinking approach, valuing new ideas, AI integration, and the transformation of traditional operations through technology.

• Efficiency & Optimization: Given the nature of logistics, there's likely a strong emphasis on optimizing processes, workflows, and resource utilization.

• Inclusion & Belonging: BNSF explicitly states commitment to a culture where all employees are included, belong, and have equal opportunity.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Expect close collaboration with engineering, product management, and potentially business stakeholders. A collaborative, communicative style is essential.

• Data-Informed Discussions: Decisions and discussions are likely grounded in data, user research, and performance metrics.

• Iterative Feedback Loops: A culture that embraces constructive feedback and uses it for continuous improvement of designs and processes.

• Proactive Communication: Given the remote nature and complexity of operations, proactive communication and clear articulation of design rationale are highly valued.

📝 Enhancement Note: The combination of a traditional industry like rail with a modern tech division means the culture will likely be a blend. Candidates should appreciate the importance of reliability and safety inherent in BNSF's core business, while also embracing the innovative and agile mindset required for digital transformation. Demonstrating an understanding of these dual aspects will be key.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complexity of Logistics: Designing for the intricate and often time-sensitive processes within freight rail logistics presents a significant challenge. Understanding diverse user needs across operations (e.g., dispatch, maintenance, customer service) is crucial.

• AI Integration Nuances: Successfully integrating AI capabilities into user experiences requires careful consideration of user trust, transparency, and the potential for AI errors. Designing for "proactive and trustworthy" experiences is a key challenge.

• Legacy Systems & Modernization: Balancing the need for innovative, AI-native designs with existing systems and infrastructure can be complex.

• Remote Collaboration: Maintaining strong team cohesion and effective communication in a fully remote setting requires deliberate effort and strong interpersonal skills.

• Domain Expertise Acquisition: Quickly developing a deep understanding of the supply chain and rail industry to design relevant and impactful solutions.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI/ML UX Specialization: Become a leader in designing user experiences for AI-driven applications in a complex industrial setting.

• Supply Chain & Logistics Domain Mastery: Gain unparalleled knowledge of how technology impacts one of North America's critical infrastructure sectors.

• Design System Leadership: Contribute significantly to the evolution and expansion of BNSF's design system, impacting multiple product lines.

• Cross-Disciplinary Skill Building: Work closely with engineers and data scientists, enhancing understanding of technical capabilities and data analysis.

• Industry Conferences & Training: Potential opportunities to attend relevant UX, AI, and industry-specific conferences or pursue certifications.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are inherent to pioneering new technology in a traditional industry. The growth opportunities are significant, offering a chance to shape the future of a major player in the logistics sector through innovative UX design. Candidates who thrive on tackling complex, impactful problems will find this role rewarding.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you designed an AI-driven feature. What were the key considerations for user trust and transparency?"

• "How would you approach designing a system to optimize freight train scheduling, considering real-time data and potential disruptions?"

• "Walk me through your process for developing a reusable component for a design system. How do you ensure adoption by engineering teams?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about BNSF Railway and the freight rail industry?"

• "How do you stay updated on the latest trends in AI and UX design?"

• "Describe your experience working in a remote, cross-functional team environment."

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Begin with a brief overview of BNSF | Tech and the role's context. Then, present 2-3 projects, dedicating sufficient time to each. For each project:

  • Problem Statement: Clearly define the user problem or business challenge.
  • Your Role & Process: Detail your specific contributions and the design methodology used (research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, testing). Emphasize collaboration.
  • Key Decisions & Rationale: Explain critical design choices, especially those involving AI or complex logic, and why you made them.
  • Outcome & Impact: Present the results, using metrics where possible. Discuss lessons learned.

• Engagement: Be prepared for interactive questions throughout your presentation. Treat it as a collaborative discussion rather than a lecture.

• Tailor Examples: If possible, subtly tailor your examples to hint at an understanding of logistics or operational efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: Prepare specific examples that demonstrate your ability to handle complex problems, work with technical teams, and drive measurable outcomes. For AI-related questions, focus on user-centricity, ethical considerations, and how you simplify complex technology for the end-user. Showing genuine interest in BNSF's mission and the logistics industry will be a significant advantage.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Sr/Staff Software Engineer (UX Design) position:

• Submit your application through the BNSF careers portal via the provided URL.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight experience in product design, UX design, AI-driven experiences, design systems, and collaboration with engineering teams. Use keywords from the job description. Quantify achievements with metrics where possible.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate your strongest case studies, focusing on end-to-end journeys, AI integration, and collaboration with technical teams. Ensure it's easily accessible and clearly showcases your process and impact.

• Research BNSF: Understand BNSF's business, its role in the supply chain, and its commitment to technology and innovation through BNSF | Tech. Familiarize yourself with the company's values and mission.

• Practice Interview Responses: Prepare answers to common UX interview questions, strategy questions related to AI and complex systems, and behavioral questions about collaboration and problem-solving. Practice presenting your portfolio concisely and engagingly.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with BNSF Railway before making application decisions. The role title suggests a blend of engineering and design, so highlighting both aspects in your application and interview will be beneficial.