Staff UX/UI Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Staff UX/UI Designer

Company: Robots and Pencils

Location: Remote (Colombia, Canada)

Job Type: Full-time

Category: UX/UI Design & Product Strategy

Date Posted: 2026-08-11T18:17:40

Experience Level: 6+ Years Professional Experience

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive end-to-end design strategy and execution for complex, multi-platform client engagements, ensuring high-quality user experiences.

• Lead the architecture, governance, and adoption of design systems to ensure consistency, scalability, and flexibility across diverse product portfolios.

• Define and champion UX research strategy, embedding robust methodologies to ensure data-driven insights actively shape product direction and client strategy.

• Champion the adoption and integration of AI-powered design workflows and tools to enhance efficiency, creativity, and delivery velocity within the Experience team.

• Actively contribute to and drive improvements in design operations and processes to optimize team delivery, collaboration, and overall effectiveness.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior individual contributor with significant strategic influence, focusing on both high-level design strategy and hands-on execution. The emphasis on "Staff" level indicates a need for deep expertise, leadership in design thinking, and the ability to mentor and elevate other designers. The company's focus on applied AI and enterprise operations suggests that the ideal candidate will have experience designing for complex systems and translating technical capabilities into user-centric solutions.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define and articulate comprehensive design strategies for major client engagements, leading the full spectrum of UX/UI design for complex, multi-platform products.

• Own the architecture, governance, and evolution of design systems, ensuring their scalability, consistency, and effective adoption across multiple teams and product lines.

• Lead the development and implementation of UX research strategies, including methodology selection, integration into delivery processes, and ensuring research findings directly inform product strategy and client decision-making.

• Champion the integration and adoption of AI-assisted design tools and workflows (e.g., Figma AI, Claude) to drive efficiency, enhance creative output, and accelerate product delivery.

• Drive initiatives to improve design operations and processes, aiming to optimize the Experience team's delivery capabilities, collaboration, and overall effectiveness.

• Lead internal initiatives that support business development, marketing efforts, and the continuous advancement of the design practice within Robots & Pencils.

• Serve as a senior design voice and strategic partner to leadership and clients, influencing product direction and ensuring design alignment with business objectives.

• Collaborate closely with engineers, strategists, and delivery leads to ensure design decisions are aligned with technical feasibility and business goals.

• Facilitate workshops, design sprints, and collaborative sessions with clients and cross-functional teams to drive ideation and strategic alignment.

• Mentor junior and mid-level designers, fostering their professional growth, craft development, and confidence in their practice.

• Establish and uphold design quality standards and a robust critique culture to elevate the collective craft of the design team.

• Make informed design decisions by carefully considering tradeoffs between usability, business objectives, and technical constraints.

• Drive internal initiatives such as marketing, business development, and the evolution of the design practice.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic leadership, hands-on design execution, and operational improvement. The emphasis on "driving design operations and process improvements" and "leading internal initiatives" indicates that this role extends beyond client work to actively shaping the internal workings of the Experience team. The mention of AI-assisted design tools is a key differentiator, requiring candidates to be proactive in adopting and championing new technologies within the design workflow.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating equivalent knowledge and experience in UX/UI design, product design, or a related field is essential.

Experience: 6+ years of professional experience in UX/UI design, with a significant focus on product design and a proven track record in complex, multi-platform environments.

Required Skills:

• Expert proficiency in Figma, including advanced capabilities in component management, auto-layout, and prototyping.

• Deep experience in design system architecture, governance, and driving cross-team adoption for scalability and consistency.

• Extensive experience leading UX research strategy, including selecting appropriate methodologies, integrating research into agile delivery cycles, and translating insights into actionable product recommendations.

• Proven ability to define design strategy for complex products or large-scale client engagements.

• Demonstrated experience presenting design concepts, strategies, and insights to leadership and clients, with a strong ability to influence decision-making.

• Track record of successfully mentoring junior and mid-level designers, fostering their skill development and professional growth.

• Strong experience with AI-assisted design tools (e.g., Figma AI, Claude) and a proactive approach to leading their adoption within a team.

• Experience facilitating workshops, design sprints, and collaborative sessions with diverse stakeholders, including clients and cross-functional teams.

• Ability to make strategic design decisions by balancing usability, business goals, and technical constraints. Preferred Skills:

• Service design expertise, with an understanding of how to map and optimize user journeys across various touchpoints.

• Experience in Design Operations (DesignOps), focusing on optimizing design team processes, tools, and workflows.

• Deep multi-platform design experience, understanding the nuances of designing for web, mobile, and potentially other enterprise interfaces.

• Experience in enterprise software design or B2B product development.

• Familiarity with applied AI concepts and their impact on user interfaces and workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize a senior-level individual contributor profile with deep expertise in core design disciplines and a strong understanding of how to operationalize design processes. The explicit mention of AI-assisted design tools suggests a forward-thinking approach by the company, and candidates will be expected to demonstrate practical experience or a strong aptitude in this area. The preference for service design, DesignOps, or multi-platform depth indicates areas where candidates can further differentiate themselves.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase end-to-end design process for at least two complex, multi-platform projects, detailing problem definition, research, ideation, prototyping, and final design implementation.

• Include a dedicated section or case study demonstrating expertise in design system architecture, governance, and its impact on product consistency and development efficiency.

• Present examples of how UX research insights directly influenced product strategy and design decisions, illustrating the research-to-impact pathway.

• Highlight experience with AI-assisted design tools, showcasing how these tools were leveraged to enhance design workflows, improve efficiency, or generate creative solutions.

• Demonstrate leadership in design, including examples of mentoring junior designers, facilitating workshops, or driving process improvements. Process Documentation:

• Detail your approach to defining and documenting design strategies for complex engagements, including how you align with client business objectives and technical constraints.

• Illustrate your methodology for establishing and maintaining design system governance, including how you manage contributions, updates, and adoption across teams.

• Provide examples of how you embed UX research into agile delivery processes, from methodology selection to synthesizing findings and driving actionable outcomes.

• Showcase examples of how you have championed and led the adoption of new tools or processes, such as AI-assisted design workflows, within a team setting.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Staff UX/UI Designer role, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to go beyond showcasing final UI screens to demonstrating strategic thinking, process maturity, and leadership. Candidates should be prepared to articulate not just what they designed, but why, and how their process led to measurable impact. The emphasis on design systems, research strategy, and AI tools means these should be prominent and well-documented aspects of their portfolio.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: The provided job description notes a salary range of $XXX USD - $XXX USD. Without specific figures, a typical range for a Staff UX/UI Designer in a remote-first, global technology company with a focus on AI and enterprise solutions, requiring 6+ years of experience, would likely fall between $120,000 - $180,000 USD annually.

Benefits:

• Paid time off: Comprehensive leave policies for vacation, personal days, and holidays.

• Medical insurance: Coverage for healthcare needs, likely including options for comprehensive plans.

• Dental insurance: Coverage for dental care services.

• Vision insurance: Coverage for eye care and vision-related needs.

• 401(k): Retirement savings plan with potential company matching contributions for eligible employees.

Working Hours: The role is listed with an AI-derived figure of 40 working hours per week. As a remote position, there will likely be flexibility in scheduling, with expectations for core availability during overlapping business hours for collaboration with teams in Canada and Colombia, and potentially other global delivery centers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is currently a placeholder. Based on industry benchmarks for Staff-level UX/UI Designers in technology firms specializing in AI and consulting, and considering the remote-first nature with a global team, a competitive range would be expected. The benefits package is standard for a professional role in North America and Europe, with the 401(k) specifically relevant for employees in the US. The mention of "eligible employees" for 401(k) suggests potential geographic limitations or employment status requirements.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Applied AI Engineering and Enterprise Software Development. Robots & Pencils operates at the intersection of advanced technology (AI) and business application, focusing on integrating AI into enterprise operations to deliver tangible results. This positions them as a forward-thinking technology consultancy and engineering firm.

Company Size: The company has delivery centers in multiple global regions and employs teams that average 15+ years of experience, suggesting a mature, senior-heavy, and potentially agile organizational structure. While specific numbers aren't given, the distributed nature and focus on "seniority by design" implies a team that values expertise and efficiency over sheer headcount.

Founded: Founded in 2009, Robots & Pencils has over a decade of experience, evolving from its origins to become a specialist in applied AI engineering. This history suggests a company that has adapted to technological shifts and built a solid reputation.

Team Structure:

• The Experience team likely comprises senior UX/UI designers, UX researchers, and strategists, working in a lean, cross-functional model.

• Reporting structure is likely flat, with designers reporting to a Design Lead or Head of Experience, and collaborating closely with engineering and strategy leads on client engagements.

• Cross-functional collaboration is a cornerstone, with designers working hand-in-hand with engineers, strategists, and product managers within client project teams. Methodology:

• Data analysis and insights methods are central, driven by UX research and client business metrics to ensure AI solutions are effective and user-centric.

• Workflow planning and optimization strategies are applied to client delivery processes, aiming for rapid deployment (30-45 days for AI production) and continuous improvement.

• Automation and efficiency practices are inherent, especially with the focus on AI co-workers and AI-assisted design workflows.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is described as "smaller, faster, and more senior by design." This implies a high-performance environment where experienced professionals are empowered to make decisions and drive outcomes quickly. The focus on "shipping things that actually ship" and delivering "measurable results" underscores a results-oriented approach. The AI focus is a significant differentiator, suggesting that candidates should be comfortable and excited about working with cutting-edge technologies.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This Staff UX/UI Designer role represents a senior individual contributor path. It's a leadership position within the design discipline, focused on strategic impact, technical mastery, and mentorship, rather than direct people management. The role requires owning significant parts of client engagements and internal practice development.

Reporting Structure: The designer will likely report to a senior leader within the Experience team (e.g., Head of Experience, Director of Design) and will work closely with Project Leads, Engineering Managers, and Client Stakeholders on a project-by-project basis.

Operations Impact: The UX/UI Designer's work directly impacts the success of client engagements by ensuring that AI solutions are not only technically sound but also highly usable, intuitive, and aligned with business objectives. This role is critical in translating complex AI capabilities into practical, value-generating "AI co-workers" that integrate seamlessly into enterprise operations. Their design decisions influence client adoption, user satisfaction, and ultimately, the measurable business results achieved through the implemented AI systems.

Growth Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Opportunity to deepen expertise in AI-assisted design, advanced design systems, and complex enterprise UX/UI challenges.

• Leadership Development: Grow into a lead design role on larger, more strategic engagements, or take on more significant responsibilities in shaping the design practice and mentoring junior talent.

• Specialization: Develop expertise in specific industry verticals (e.g., Healthcare, Finance, Manufacturing) where Robots & Pencils operates, or in advanced areas like Service Design or DesignOps.

• Client Relationship Management: Enhance skills in client communication, strategic consultation, and influencing senior stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Staff" designation signifies a senior individual contributor role, emphasizing expertise and influence. Growth here is typically through taking on more complex and strategic projects, leading design initiatives, and mentoring, rather than necessarily moving into direct people management unless desired and available. The company's structure, with senior teams, suggests ample opportunity for experienced professionals to make a significant impact and grow their influence.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company operates a distributed, remote-first model with delivery centers globally. While there may be physical offices in some locations, the primary mode of work for this role is remote. This suggests a reliance on digital collaboration tools and asynchronous communication.

Office Location(s): Remote work is available for candidates located in Colombia and Canada. This indicates a focus on regions where the company has established delivery capabilities or legal entities.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace is digital and highly collaborative, relying heavily on tools like Figma, Slack, video conferencing, and project management software.

• Access to advanced design tools and AI-powered platforms is expected, enabling designers to work efficiently and creatively from their remote locations.

• Opportunities for interaction with the broader design team and other functional groups (engineering, strategy) will be facilitated through structured virtual meetings, workshops, and informal digital channels.

Work Schedule: The role requires 40 hours per week, typical for full-time employment. Given the distributed nature of the teams across Canada and Colombia, there will be an expectation for some overlap in working hours to facilitate real-time collaboration and client meetings. Flexibility likely exists for the majority of the workday, allowing individuals to manage their time effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote-first nature of Robots & Pencils is a key aspect of its work environment. Candidates should be comfortable with and effective in a distributed team setting, possessing strong self-management skills and proficiency in virtual collaboration tools. The company's emphasis on speed and efficiency suggests a dynamic and responsive work culture, even within a remote setup.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio by a recruiter to assess foundational qualifications and alignment with the role.

• Hiring Manager/Design Lead Interview: A conversation focused on your experience, design philosophy, leadership approach, and how you've handled complex design challenges. This is where your portfolio will be discussed in detail.

• Design Challenge/Workshop Simulation: You may be asked to present a case study from your portfolio or participate in a simulated workshop/design sprint to assess your strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, and collaborative approach. This could involve presenting a specific design problem and your proposed solution.

• Cross-functional Team/Leadership Interview: An interview with engineers, strategists, or senior leadership to evaluate your ability to collaborate, communicate, and influence across disciplines and at a senior level.

• Final Interview: Potentially a discussion with senior leadership to assess cultural fit, strategic alignment, and overall suitability for the Staff Designer role.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your portfolio to clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process, the solutions, and the measurable outcomes for each project. Prioritize case studies that demonstrate end-to-end ownership, design strategy, and impact.

• Highlight Design Systems & AI: Dedicate specific sections or detailed case studies to your experience with design system architecture, governance, and your practical application of AI-assisted design tools. Show how you used them and the benefits.

• Showcase Research Strategy: Clearly explain your approach to UX research strategy, methodology selection, and how research insights translated into tangible design decisions and product improvements.

• Emphasize Leadership & Mentorship: Include examples of how you've mentored designers, led workshops, or influenced design practices. Quantify impact where possible (e.g., "improved team efficiency by X%," "guided junior designer to successfully deliver Y feature").

• Tailor to Robots & Pencils: Research the company's work, especially their AI engineering focus and client engagements. Frame your experiences in a way that resonates with their mission and methodology.

Challenge Preparation:

• Case Study Deep Dive: Be prepared to walk through one or two key projects from your portfolio in detail, focusing on your strategic decision-making, problem-solving process, and the impact of your design.

• Design System Thinking: Anticipate questions about how you approach building, scaling, and governing design systems, especially in diverse and complex product environments.

• AI Integration: Prepare to discuss your experience or perspective on integrating AI tools into design workflows, the benefits, and potential challenges.

• Collaboration Scenarios: Think about how you handle disagreements with engineers, stakeholders, or clients regarding design direction. Practice articulating your rationale and finding collaborative solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to assess not only design craft but also strategic thinking, leadership potential, and cultural fit. The emphasis on AI and design systems means candidates should be ready to showcase specific examples and articulate their methodologies in these areas. A well-structured portfolio that highlights process and impact will be crucial for success.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Expert proficiency is a mandatory requirement. This includes advanced use for UI design, prototyping, design system management, and collaborative workflows.

• AI-assisted Design Tools: Strong experience with tools like Figma AI and Claude is expected, indicating a need for candidates who are at the forefront of adopting AI in design.

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma, familiarity with other prototyping tools might be beneficial for specific project needs.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly listed for designers, an understanding of how design impacts key metrics will be crucial. Familiarity with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude) and dashboarding tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) to interpret user behavior data and measure design impact would be advantageous. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly part of the designer's core tools, but an understanding of how CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and automation platforms are used within enterprise operations could provide valuable context for designing integrated solutions.

• Collaboration & Project Management: Slack, Jira, Confluence, and similar tools are essential for remote team collaboration and project tracking.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack heavily emphasizes Figma and AI-assisted design tools. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate their mastery of Figma and their proactive engagement with AI in the design process. While not core responsibilities, awareness of analytics and enterprise systems will demonstrate a broader understanding of the business context.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Doer Mentality: A proactive approach to identifying and solving problems without waiting for explicit direction. This aligns with the company's fast-paced, results-oriented culture.

• Continuous Learning & Humility: Recognizing the rapid evolution of AI and technology, and demonstrating a commitment to ongoing learning and acknowledging knowledge gaps.

• Direct & Constructive Communication: Valuing honest feedback and direct conversations that aim to improve the work, rather than avoiding difficult discussions.

• Obsession with Craft: A deep commitment to quality, attention to detail, and taking pride in producing exceptional work that can be stood behind.

• Ownership & Accountability: Taking full responsibility for commitments, admitting mistakes promptly, and supporting teammates without blame.

• Client Focus & Professionalism: Treating client businesses with the same care as their own, taking the work seriously while maintaining a balanced perspective.

• Resourcefulness: Thriving under constraints (budget, timeline, team size) and using them as opportunities for innovation and efficiency.

• Collaboration with Peers: Valuing and contributing to a high-caliber team where experienced professionals push each other to achieve excellence.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Seamless collaboration with engineering, strategy, and client teams is fundamental to their agile, project-based delivery model.

• Process Improvement Culture: An environment that encourages continuous feedback and iteration on internal processes to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture where experienced team members share insights, best practices, and lessons learned to elevate the collective expertise.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is clearly defined by a set of strong values that emphasize proactivity, expertise, accountability, and a passion for delivering high-quality work. Candidates will be evaluated on how well their personal values and work style align with these principles. The emphasis on "seniority by design" means that a collaborative yet independent and highly competent approach is expected.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Rapidly Evolving AI Landscape: Keeping pace with the continuous advancements in AI technology and understanding how to best integrate new capabilities into design solutions and workflows.

• Balancing Client Demands with Internal Practice: Managing the demands of multiple client engagements while also contributing to the growth and evolution of the internal design practice.

• Designing for Complex Enterprise Systems: Creating user-friendly interfaces and intuitive workflows for complex enterprise operations that may involve intricate data, multi-user interactions, and legacy systems.

• Scaling Design Systems in Dynamic Environments: Ensuring design systems remain robust, scalable, and adaptable as product portfolios and client needs evolve rapidly.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Design Specialization: Opportunities to become a leader in AI-assisted design workflows and applied AI product development.

• Industry Exposure: Working across diverse industries (Consumer Products, Retail, Education, Energy, Financial Services, Healthcare, Manufacturing) provides broad exposure to different business challenges and user needs.

• Design Leadership: Developing leadership skills through mentoring, leading design strategy on major accounts, and contributing to internal design practice development.

• Continuous Skill Enhancement: Access to resources and a culture that supports staying current with design trends, AI advancements, and new methodologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are inherent to a cutting-edge AI engineering firm operating in a fast-paced consulting environment. The growth opportunities are substantial for a senior designer looking to deepen their expertise in AI, design strategy, and leadership within a highly experienced team.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you defined the design strategy for a complex, multi-platform product. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on strategic thinking, end-to-end ownership, and impact.)

• "How do you approach building and governing a design system at scale, ensuring adoption across multiple teams and products? Provide specific examples." (Highlight experience with architecture, governance, and cross-team collaboration.)

• "Walk us through your process for developing a UX research strategy for a new engagement. How do you ensure insights directly influence product direction?" (Demonstrate research planning, methodology selection, and insight-to-action.)

• "How have you leveraged AI-assisted design tools (like Figma AI or Claude) in your workflow? What benefits did you see, and what are the potential challenges?" (Showcase practical experience and forward-thinking adoption.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "Robots & Pencils emphasizes being 'smaller, faster, and more senior by design.' How does this resonate with your working style and career aspirations?" (Align your responses with values like ownership, efficiency, and expertise.)

• "How do you mentor junior designers and contribute to a team's collective craft and critique culture?" (Provide specific examples of your mentorship and leadership in improving design quality.)

• "Describe a situation where you had to make difficult design decisions involving significant tradeoffs between usability, business goals, and technical constraints. How did you navigate it?" (Assess your decision-making process and ability to balance competing priorities.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling is Key: For each project, craft a compelling narrative that clearly outlines the problem, your role and approach, the key decisions made, the solutions implemented, and the measurable impact.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs. This could include improvements in user satisfaction, task completion rates, conversion rates, or development efficiency.

• Showcase Process Maturity: Clearly articulate your design process, highlighting your strategic thinking, research methodologies, and how you leveraged tools like Figma and AI effectively.

• Highlight Leadership & Collaboration: Point out instances where you led initiatives, mentored others, facilitated workshops, or collaborated effectively with cross-functional teams and clients.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your design choices, research findings, and the challenges you faced. Be ready to defend your decisions with clear rationale.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not only design skills but also strategic thinking, leadership capabilities, and alignment with the company's values. Candidates need to be ready to articulate their experience with design systems, AI tools, and research strategy with concrete examples. The portfolio presentation is a critical component.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Staff UX/UI Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Greenhouse platform.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your 6+ years of experience, expert Figma proficiency, design system leadership, UX research strategy expertise, and any experience with AI-assisted design tools. Use keywords from the job description.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio prominently features end-to-end case studies demonstrating design strategy, design system architecture, research integration, and AI tool utilization. Prepare to walk through 1-2 key projects in detail.

• Prepare for Strategy & Culture Fit: Anticipate questions about your design philosophy, leadership approach, how you handle complex challenges, and how you align with Robots & Pencils' values of ownership, speed, and craft.

• Research Robots & Pencils: Understand their focus on applied AI engineering, their client industries, and their "senior by design" approach to team building.

⚠️ 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.