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 / Software Engineering

Date Posted: 2026-04-21

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote (US)

🚀 Role Summary

• This role focuses on designing and delivering end-to-end user journeys for AI-native intelligent physical logistic systems, blending cutting-edge AI capabilities with proactive and trustworthy user experiences.

• You will be instrumental in defining and building reusable design system components tailored for AI-driven applications, ensuring consistency and scalability across multiple platforms.

• The position requires close collaboration with front-end engineering teams and partner teams to translate complex requirements into intuitive and performant user interfaces for both customer-facing and internal tools.

• A key aspect of this role involves understanding customer and user needs within the Supply Chain and Logistics industry, and applying human-centered design principles to elevate the user experience of BNSF's technology.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title includes "Software Engineer," the description strongly emphasizes UX Design and Product Design responsibilities, particularly in the context of AI-native experiences within the Supply Chain and Logistics sector. The seniority indicated by "Sr/Staff" and the salary range suggest a lead or principal-level UX designer role. The "L5" and "L6" salary bands further reinforce this, aligning with senior to staff-level individual contributor roles in tech.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Independently own and lead the design and successful implementation of end-to-end user journeys across specific product areas, working seamlessly with front-end development and cross-functional teams.

• Translate customer and user requirements into innovative designs that leverage cutting-edge AI capabilities to deliver proactive, trustworthy, and intuitive experiences across various surfaces, including mobile and desktop.

• Drive user adoption and key performance metrics through iterative design processes, actively engaging with customers and end-users to gather feedback and refine solutions.

• Champion the strategic reuse of UX patterns and design system components, fostering consistency and efficiency by connecting dots across diverse user experiences.

• Apply a strong technical understanding of front-end stacks to design and advocate for performant, scalable, and maintainable user experiences.

• Actively engage with engineering, product, and business teams, utilizing tools like Figma for creating mocks, prototypes, and design specifications, ensuring clear communication and alignment throughout the development lifecycle.

• Bring best practices in UX design to the Supply Chain industry, demonstrating a deep understanding of Supply Chain and Logistics roles, personas, and their specific expectations for technology tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic design leadership and hands-on execution, typical of a Senior or Staff UX Designer. The emphasis on AI-native experiences and supply chain logistics provides crucial context for candidates to tailor their application and portfolio. The mention of "shipping end to end user journeys" and "driving metrics and adoption" indicates a focus on tangible impact and product delivery.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• A Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience is required, ideally at the intersection of Computer Science, Interaction Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), or a related field.

Experience:

• Minimum of 6 years of progressive experience in Product Design, specifically driving UX initiatives alongside technical teams.

• Proven capability in designing scalable UX solutions collaboratively with engineering teams.

• Demonstrated experience working with modern design tools, AI-driven experiences, and responsive platforms.

Required Skills:

• Expertise in Product Design and UX Design principles, with a strong portfolio showcasing end-to-end user journey design.

• Proficiency with modern design tools such as Figma, for creating mocks, prototypes, and design specifications.

• Working knowledge of front-end technology stacks and their implications for UX design.

• Experience designing AI-driven and multimodal experiences.

• Understanding of design systems and their application in creating scalable and consistent user interfaces.

• Familiarity with usability principles and techniques to ensure user-centered design.

Preferred Skills:

• Career experience blending Design and Product roles, demonstrating a clear definition of product strategy ("what") and a solid understanding of technical implementation ("how").

• Familiarity and genuine interest in Supply Chain and rail-related products and technologies.

• A curious mindset and willingness to innovate at the forefront of UX evolution in an AI-native, intelligent, multi-modal world.

• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver iterative solutions in fast-paced, dynamic environments, showcasing a bias for action.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize a blend of deep UX expertise, technical understanding of front-end development, and a strategic approach to product design, particularly within the context of AI and complex industries like supply chain. The distinction between "required" and "preferred" skills helps candidates prioritize their preparation. The emphasis on "AI-native" and "multimodal" experiences suggests the company is looking for forward-thinking designers.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing end-to-end user journeys for complex products, ideally including AI-driven or data-intensive applications.

• Demonstrations of how you have translated user needs and business requirements into tangible UX solutions, highlighting problem definition, ideation, and final design.

• Examples of your collaboration with engineering teams, illustrating how you’ve worked side-by-side to implement designs effectively.

• Case studies that detail the design process, including research, wireframing, prototyping, user testing, and iteration.

Process Documentation:

• Clearly articulate your design process, from initial concept and user research through to final delivery and iteration, emphasizing how you integrate AI capabilities.

• Provide examples of how you have used metrics (e.g., adoption rates, user satisfaction) to inform design decisions and measure the success of your solutions.

• Document your experience with tools like Figma, detailing how you leverage them for collaboration, prototyping, and design handoff.

• Showcase your understanding of front-end constraints and how you factor them into your design process to ensure performant and feasible experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role of this seniority and focus on AI-native experiences, a portfolio is critical. It should not only showcase visual design but also the strategic thinking, problem-solving methodology, and collaborative process involved in delivering impactful UX solutions. Emphasis on AI integration and supply chain context will be highly valued.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $150,000 - $250,000 USD per year.

• This range is allocated as follows: L5: $150,000 - $200,000; L6: $200,000 - $250,000.

Benefits:

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

• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive health care options (medical, dental, vision), telemedicine, mental health support, cancer support, and a high-quality care network.

• Financial Support: Health Savings Account (HSA) with employer contributions, life insurance, and disability insurance (provided at no cost).

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

• Perks: Discounts on travel, gym memberships, counseling services, and wellness support.

• Incentives: Annual bonus (Incentive Compensation Program).

• Time Off: Generous leave / time off policies.

Working Hours:

• This is a full-time position, typically around 40 hours per week.

• While fully remote, employees may occasionally be required to travel up to 20% to the corporate headquarters in Fort Worth, TX, for in-person meetings. Travel expenses will be covered by BNSF.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is substantial, reflecting the Sr/Staff level and the specialized nature of UX design with AI and industry-specific knowledge. The comprehensive benefits package, including unique offerings like the Railroad Retirement program and extensive family support, is a significant draw. The travel requirement, though limited, is important for candidates to note.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Freight Rail Transportation / Technology. BNSF Railway is one of the largest freight transportation networks in North America, operating across 28 western states and 3 Canadian provinces. The BNSF | Tech division is focused on leveraging technology to innovate and transform the future of freight rail.

Company Size: BNSF Railway is a large enterprise, employing a significant number of individuals, which implies a structured corporate environment with extensive resources and complex operational processes.

Founded: While the founding date isn't explicitly stated in the provided text, BNSF has a long history in rail transportation, evolving into a modern, technology-focused organization. This legacy suggests a company that values stability, long-term vision, and adaptation.

Team Structure:

• The BNSF | Tech division likely comprises various specialized technology teams, including dedicated UX design, product management, and software engineering groups.

• This role is positioned within a team focused on customer-centric, data-driven, and human-centered UX design, with a specific emphasis on integrating AI capabilities.

Methodology:

• The vision for BNSF | Tech is to build customer-centric, data-driven, and human-centered UX, integrating AI to elevate products and tools.

• This involves a focus on designing "AI-native intelligent physical logistic systems," suggesting an agile and innovative approach to developing advanced technological solutions.

• Emphasis is placed on turning cutting-edge AI capabilities into meaningful, proactive, and trustworthy experiences.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding BNSF's position as a major player in freight rail and its strategic investment in technology (BNSF | Tech) is key. The company's commitment to safety, inclusion, and leveraging AI for operational excellence provides a backdrop for the UX design function. The size of the organization suggests opportunities for broad impact but also potential for navigating complex corporate structures.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a Sr/Staff level, indicating significant autonomy, responsibility, and the expectation to lead design initiatives. It's a senior individual contributor role that requires deep expertise in UX design, particularly within the context of AI and complex industry domains. The "L5" and "L6" salary bands further confirm this senior to staff-level classification.

Reporting Structure: While not explicitly detailed, a Sr/Staff UX Designer typically reports to a UX Design Manager, Director of Product Design, or potentially a Head of Technology/Product. They work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads.

Operations Impact: This role has the potential to significantly impact BNSF's operational efficiency and customer satisfaction by designing intuitive and powerful AI-driven tools. By improving the user experience of critical logistics systems, this role can directly contribute to streamlined operations, reduced errors, enhanced decision-making, and ultimately, cost savings and improved service delivery in the freight rail industry.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in AI-driven UX, multimodal interfaces, and human-centered design within the supply chain and logistics domain.

• Leadership: Transition into lead or principal designer roles, mentoring junior designers, and shaping the overall UX strategy for BNSF | Tech. Potential for moving into management roles over time.

• Cross-Functional Development: Gain a deeper understanding of AI technologies, front-end development, and the intricacies of the freight rail industry, broadening skill sets beyond core UX.

• Impactful Projects: Contribute to transformative projects that leverage AI to redefine freight logistics, offering significant professional development and portfolio-building opportunities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The Sr/Staff designation is crucial. It implies that candidates are expected to operate with a high degree of independence, influence design direction, and potentially mentor others. The growth opportunities highlight a path for continued development within a specialized and impactful area of technology.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is a fully remote position within the contiguous 48 states of the United States. While remote, there is an expectation of occasional travel (up to 20%) to the corporate headquarters in Fort Worth, TX, for in-person meetings.

Office Location(s): Remote within the US. Occasional travel to Fort Worth, TX.

Workspace Context:

• Remote Collaboration: The primary work environment will be remote, requiring strong self-discipline and effective virtual communication skills. Candidates should have a suitable home office setup.

• Tools & Technology: Access to modern design tools (e.g., Figma) and collaboration platforms is essential. BNSF | Tech aims to integrate AI and cutting-edge technologies, suggesting a forward-thinking tech stack.

• Team Interaction: Despite being remote, there will be opportunities for interaction through virtual meetings, design reviews, and collaborative sessions with engineering, product, and business teams. The required travel to Fort Worth also provides opportunities for in-person team building and strategic alignment.

Work Schedule:

• The role is full-time, typically around 40 hours per week.

• While remote, flexibility may exist within standard working hours, though collaboration with teams across different time zones will require some coordination.

📝 Enhancement Note: The fully remote nature is a significant benefit, but the requirement for occasional travel to Texas should be factored in by candidates. The company's focus on technology and AI suggests a dynamic and potentially fast-paced work environment, even within a large, established corporation.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess experience alignment with the role's requirements, particularly in UX design, AI, and supply chain context.

• Hiring Manager/Team Interview: Typically involves discussing your background, motivation for applying, and high-level understanding of UX principles and AI-driven design. This may include behavioral questions.

• Design Challenge/Portfolio Deep Dive: You will likely be asked to present and walk through specific projects from your portfolio, explaining your design process, rationale, challenges faced, and outcomes achieved. This is a critical stage to demonstrate your problem-solving skills and strategic thinking. A design challenge focused on a relevant problem (e.g., designing an AI feature for logistics) may also be part of this stage.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with engineering and product stakeholders to assess your ability to collaborate effectively, communicate technical concepts, and integrate user needs with business objectives.

• Final Interview: May involve senior leadership to discuss overall fit, strategic thinking, and long-term potential within BNSF | Tech.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-4 of your strongest projects that best showcase your end-to-end UX process, especially those involving complex problem-solving, AI/data-driven features, or B2B/enterprise applications.

• Storytelling is Key: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the design process (research, ideation, prototyping, testing), key decisions made, challenges overcome, and the measurable impact or outcomes.

• Highlight AI & Industry Context: Emphasize any experience or understanding related to AI-native design, multimodal interfaces, or specific industry knowledge (like supply chain/logistics). If you don't have direct industry experience, articulate how your transferable skills and learning agility apply.

• Showcase Collaboration: Detail how you worked with engineers, product managers, and other stakeholders. Include examples of design handoffs and how you ensured design fidelity.

• Visual Clarity & Brevity: Ensure your presentation is visually appealing, easy to follow, and concise. Be prepared to go deeper on specific aspects if asked.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Research BNSF's business, the freight rail industry, and common challenges in supply chain logistics. Consider how AI can address these.

• Focus on Process: For any design challenge, emphasize your structured approach: defining the problem, identifying user needs, brainstorming solutions, sketching, prototyping, and outlining how you'd test and iterate.

• AI Integration: Think about how AI can enhance user experiences in a logistics context – predictive analytics, intelligent routing, proactive alerts, automated decision support, etc.

• Presentation Skills: Practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely. Be ready to explain your design decisions and trade-offs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize the candidate's portfolio and their ability to articulate a strategic design process, especially concerning AI and industry-specific applications. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate not just design skills but also a strong understanding of product development and collaboration.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (explicitly mentioned), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator), InVision, Axure RP.

• Collaboration & Project Management: Jira, Confluence, Slack, Microsoft Teams.

• User Research & Testing: UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, Qualtrics.

Analytics & Reporting:

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

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a CRM role, understanding of how UX impacts customer-facing tools and internal operational systems is beneficial. Familiarity with how data flows from CRM/ERP systems can inform design decisions.

• Experience with workflow automation concepts can be advantageous for designing efficient user processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is essential. Experience with design systems and tools that facilitate collaboration and user research is also highly valued. While not a direct engineering role, a working understanding of front-end stacks implies familiarity with tools and processes used in software development lifecycles.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Safety First: A deeply ingrained value in the rail industry, extending to the digital realm through secure and reliable systems.

• Inclusion & Belonging: BNSF is committed to a culture where all employees are included, belong, and have equal opportunity to achieve their full potential.

• Excellence: Striving for high standards in all aspects of work, from operational execution to technological innovation.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Leveraging data and analytics to inform strategic choices and measure impact, a core tenet of operations and technology.

• Customer-Centricity: A primary focus on understanding and serving the needs of BNSF's customers, both internal and external.

• Innovation: Actively seeking new ways to improve processes, leverage technology (especially AI), and set new standards in the industry.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: This role requires extensive collaboration with engineering, product management, and business stakeholders. Expect a team environment where diverse perspectives are valued.

• Iterative & Agile: The emphasis on shipping end-to-end journeys and iterating based on user feedback suggests an agile and iterative approach to design and development.

• Open Communication: Given the remote nature and the complexity of the industry, clear, proactive, and transparent communication will be crucial for success.

• Shared Ownership: Fostering a sense of shared ownership for product success across design, product, and engineering teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated values of safety, inclusion, and excellence, combined with the tech division's focus on data-driven and customer-centric design, paint a picture of a professional and impact-oriented workplace. Candidates should align their responses and approach with these values.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Complexity: Translating the intricate processes of freight rail and supply chain logistics into intuitive AI-driven user experiences requires deep domain understanding and creative problem-solving.

• AI Integration: Effectively blending cutting-edge AI capabilities into user interfaces to create proactive, trustworthy, and truly beneficial experiences, rather than just adding AI for its own sake.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Navigating the needs and priorities of diverse teams (engineering, product, business) within a large enterprise to ensure successful design implementation.

• Remote Collaboration: Maintaining strong team cohesion, clear communication, and effective design iteration in a fully remote setting, while also managing occasional travel requirements.

• Legacy Systems & Innovation: Balancing the need to integrate with or improve upon existing systems while pushing forward with innovative, AI-native solutions.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI & ML Expertise: Gaining hands-on experience designing for AI-native applications, understanding ML model outputs, and shaping human-AI collaboration.

• Supply Chain Domain Mastery: Developing a deep understanding of the freight rail and logistics industry, its workflows, challenges, and opportunities for technological improvement.

• Design System Leadership: Contributing to and potentially leading the evolution of a comprehensive design system for AI-driven products.

• Senior/Staff Level Growth: Developing leadership skills, strategic thinking, and the ability to influence product direction at an enterprise level.

• Industry Exposure: Continuous learning through industry trends, conferences, and internal BNSF knowledge sharing related to technology and logistics.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are significant but directly tied to the growth opportunities. Candidates who thrive on solving complex problems and are eager to learn in specialized domains will find this role rewarding. The company's emphasis on AI and its specific industry context offers a unique learning curve.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex user journey you designed from concept to launch. What were the key challenges, and how did you overcome them, especially concerning data or AI integration?" (Focus on end-to-end process, problem-solving, and AI/data relevance.)

• "How do you approach designing for AI-native experiences? What principles guide you in making AI outputs proactive and trustworthy for users?" (Assess understanding of AI UX principles.)

• "Walk us through a project where you collaborated closely with engineering teams. How did you ensure successful implementation of your designs, and what was the outcome?" (Evaluate collaboration and communication skills.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in BNSF Railway and our BNSF | Tech division, specifically this UX role?" (Demonstrate research into the company, industry, and role.)

• "How do you see your design philosophy aligning with our values of safety, inclusion, and customer-centricity?" (Connect your approach to BNSF's stated values.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: For each project, use a clear narrative: Problem -> Your Role -> Process -> Solution -> Impact/Results.

• Quantify Outcomes: Whenever possible, use metrics (adoption rates, efficiency gains, error reduction) to demonstrate the value of your design work.

• Technical Feasibility: Be prepared to discuss the technical considerations and trade-offs you made, demonstrating an understanding of front-end capabilities.

• AI/Data Focus: Specifically highlight how you incorporated AI or leveraged data in your designs and the rationale behind those decisions.

• Concise Delivery: Practice your presentation to ensure it's within the allotted time, allowing for Q&A. Be ready to dive deeper into specific aspects upon request.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not only UX expertise but also strategic thinking, adaptability, and the ability to apply design principles to complex, AI-driven, and industry-specific challenges. The portfolio is the primary tool for showcasing these capabilities.

📌 Application Steps

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

• Submit Your Application: Utilize the provided link to submit your application through the BNSF jobs portal.

• Tailor Your Resume: Ensure your resume highlights your 6+ years of experience in product design, UX design, and any relevant experience with AI-driven features, design systems, front-end collaboration, and enterprise-level applications. Use keywords from the job description.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select your most impactful projects demonstrating end-to-end UX design, AI integration, and collaborative product development. Prepare a clear narrative for each project, focusing on problem-solving, process, and measurable outcomes.

• Prepare for the Design Challenge/Portfolio Review: Practice presenting your portfolio projects, focusing on articulating your design process, strategic decisions, and how you’ve driven user adoption and business impact. Be ready to discuss AI-native design principles and your understanding of the supply chain context.

• Research BNSF: Familiarize yourself with BNSF Railway's business, its role in freight transportation, and the vision of BNSF | Tech. Understand the company's commitment to safety, inclusion, and leveraging technology.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.