UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Designer

Company: AprilAire

Location: Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: User Experience (UX) Design / Product Design

Date Posted: June 22, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the design and execution of exceptional user experiences across AprilAire's suite of product platforms, ensuring consistency, usability, and alignment with strategic business objectives.

• Drive user-centered design initiatives by translating user needs, research insights, and business requirements into intuitive, engaging, and accessible digital interfaces.

• Champion cross-platform consistency for mobile applications, embedded systems, and other digital touchpoints, fostering a cohesive user journey.

• Collaborate strategically with cross-functional teams, including product management, engineering, and research, to ensure technical feasibility and successful adoption of design solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is titled "UX Designer," the responsibilities and qualifications suggest a strong emphasis on product design, system design, and potentially UX architecture, particularly given the mention of "UX architecture," "platform expansion," and "design system architecture." The role appears to be a mid-to-senior level position with significant ownership.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end UX design process, from conceptualization and wireframing to prototyping and final design delivery, for new and existing product features.

• Develop and maintain comprehensive design documentation, including user flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and detailed specifications, to guide development teams.

• Conduct and advocate for user research and usability testing to gather insights, validate design decisions, and measure UX outcomes against defined metrics.

• Collaborate closely with product managers to define product strategy and roadmap from a user experience perspective, identifying opportunities for innovation and improvement.

• Partner with engineering teams to ensure the accurate implementation of designs, providing clear guidance on visual elements, interactions, and responsive behavior across different devices and platforms.

• Maintain and evolve the company's design system, ensuring component-driven design principles are applied consistently and efficiently across all product interfaces.

• Monitor and analyze system usage metrics and user feedback to identify areas for UX enhancement, driving iterative improvements and system adoption.

• Serve as a subject matter expert on UX best practices, accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG), and inclusive design principles, embedding them into the product development lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of hands-on design execution and strategic involvement. The emphasis on "usability planning, testing, insight development, and documentation" indicates a need for a candidate who can manage the full research and design lifecycle, not just visual design. The mention of "manufacturing" experience suggests a focus on product interfaces that might interact with physical goods or industrial processes.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Interaction Design, Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), or a closely related field from a four-year college or university. Experience:

• 5+ years of progressive experience in User Experience (UX) Design, with a strong preference for experience within the manufacturing industry or designing complex product ecosystems. Required Skills:

• UX Design Principles: Deep understanding of core UX principles, user-centered design methodologies, and information architecture.

• Interaction Design: Proven ability to design intuitive and engaging user interactions across various platforms.

• Design Systems: Expertise in architecting and implementing robust design systems, including component-driven design and style guides.

• Prototyping & Wireframing: Advanced proficiency in creating low-fidelity wireframes and high-fidelity interactive prototypes.

• Visual Design: Strong visual design skills with an understanding of typography, color theory, and layout principles.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Exceptional ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with product managers, engineers, researchers, and other stakeholders.

• User Research & Usability Testing: Familiarity with modern UX research methodologies and hands-on experience conducting usability testing.

• Accessibility Standards: Knowledge of accessibility standards such as WCAG and commitment to inclusive design practices.

• Front-end Awareness: Understanding of how design translates to code, including concepts like design tokens and component libraries.

• Tool Proficiency: Advanced mastery of industry-standard design tools, including Figma, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe Photoshop.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing for multiple device ecosystems, including mobile applications and embedded interfaces.

• Ability to simplify complex workflows into intuitive and user-friendly systems.

• Strategic thinking capabilities, balanced with a hands-on, execution-oriented approach.

• Excellent documentation and presentation skills for articulating design rationale and outcomes.

• Strong prioritization skills and the ability to make sound decisions in fast-paced, dynamic environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "manufacturing" experience is a key differentiator. Candidates should be prepared to discuss how their UX skills apply to products or systems within an industrial or hardware context, potentially involving IoT, embedded interfaces, or complex user workflows related to physical products. The emphasis on design systems and component libraries indicates a need for scalability and efficiency in design.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a range of UX design projects, demonstrating your ability to translate user needs and business goals into effective digital solutions.

• Projects should highlight your process, including user research, wireframing, prototyping, and final UI design, with a clear explanation of your role and contributions.

• Demonstrate experience with design system architecture, component libraries, and ensuring cross-platform consistency.

• Include case studies that showcase your ability to simplify complex workflows and solve user problems, ideally with examples related to hardware, embedded systems, or product interfaces.

• Evidence of user-centered design practices, including usability testing methodologies and how user feedback informed design iterations. Process Documentation:

• Examples of detailed UX documentation, such as user flows, journey maps, wireframes, and interactive prototypes, that effectively communicate design intent to development teams.

• Demonstrate how you have utilized user feedback and analytics to inform design decisions and drive iterative improvements.

• Showcase your approach to maintaining consistency across different platforms and devices, potentially through the lens of a design system.

📝 Enhancement Note: For this role, the portfolio is paramount. Candidates should curate their best work, ensuring it clearly articulates their design process, problem-solving approach, and impact. Specifically, projects demonstrating experience with complex systems, hardware integration, or manufacturing-related interfaces will be highly regarded. The ability to articulate the "why" behind design decisions and quantify the impact will be critical.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Based on industry benchmarks for a UX Designer with 5-10 years of experience in the Wisconsin region, the estimated salary range is between $90,000 - $130,000 annually. This estimate considers the hybrid work model and the specific industry focus. Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• Retirement savings plan with company match (e.g., 401(k)).

• Paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays.

• Opportunities for professional development, training, and conference attendance.

• Hybrid work model offering flexibility between remote and in-office work.

• Potential for employee stock options or profit-sharing (company-dependent). Working Hours:

• Standard full-time work hours, typically around 40 hours per week. The hybrid nature of the role allows for flexibility in scheduling, with an expectation of availability during core business hours for collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimation based on typical compensation for UX Designers with 5-10 years of experience in a mid-sized Midwestern city with a manufacturing focus. Actual compensation may vary based on the candidate's specific qualifications, experience, and negotiation. AprilAire's benefits package is expected to be competitive for a company of its size and industry.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning), Air Quality Solutions, and Manufacturing. AprilAire is a well-established brand in the indoor air quality market, known for its commitment to product performance and customer well-being.

Company Size: AprilAire is part of Research Products Corporation, a mid-sized manufacturing company. This suggests a company culture that blends established industry practices with a focus on innovation and product development.

Founded: AprilAire was founded in 1954. This long history indicates a stable company with deep expertise in its field, likely fostering a culture of reliability and long-term vision.

Team Structure:

• The UX Designer will likely be part of a Product Development or Engineering team, working within a Product Management structure.

• They will report to a Design Lead, UX Manager, or potentially a Director of Product.

• Close collaboration is expected with Product Managers, Software Engineers (both front-end and back-end), Hardware Engineers, UX Researchers (if available), and Marketing/Sales teams. Methodology:

• AprilAire is expected to employ a structured product development process, likely incorporating elements of Agile methodologies for software components.

• User-centered design principles will be key, with an emphasis on understanding the needs of homeowners and potentially HVAC professionals.

• Data analysis and user feedback will be leveraged to inform design decisions and product improvements, especially concerning product adoption and performance metrics.

Company Website: https://careers.aprilaire.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on manufacturing and indoor air quality suggests a culture that values tangible product quality, reliability, and innovation that directly impacts user comfort and health. The role will likely involve designing for both consumer-facing products (e.g., smart thermostats, air purifiers) and potentially interfaces for HVAC professionals.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a mid-to-senior level UX Designer. It requires significant independent work, strategic input, and the ability to mentor or guide junior designers if the team grows. The scope includes ownership of day-to-day UX project work and strategic contributions to future UX architecture.

Reporting Structure: The UX Designer will report to a manager or lead within the product development or engineering department. They will work collaboratively with cross-functional teams, acting as a design advocate and partner.

Operations Impact: The UX Designer's impact will be measured by the usability, adoption, and overall effectiveness of AprilAire's product platforms. By creating intuitive and valuable user experiences, they will contribute directly to customer satisfaction, product differentiation, and potentially increased sales and market share. Improved UX can also lead to reduced support costs and enhanced brand loyalty.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas of UX design, such as interaction design for embedded systems, design system management, or UX research methodologies.

• Leadership: Potential to grow into a Senior UX Designer role, leading larger projects, mentoring junior designers, or taking on UX strategy responsibilities.

• Cross-functional Advancement: Develop a strong understanding of product management and engineering, potentially leading to roles in product ownership or technical program management.

• Industry Expertise: Become a subject matter expert in UX for the HVAC and manufacturing sectors, a niche but critical area.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a solid foundation for career growth within a specialized industry. The emphasis on design systems and cross-platform design suggests opportunities to develop expertise in scalable design solutions, which are highly valued in product development.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is a hybrid role, meaning employees will split their time between working remotely and in the AprilAire office located in Sun Prairie, WI. This offers a blend of focused work at home and collaborative interaction in the office.

Office Location(s): Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. This location is in the Madison metropolitan area, offering a balance between a strong local economy and a quality of life typically found in Midwestern cities.

Workspace Context:

• The office environment is likely collaborative, designed to foster teamwork and innovation. Expect shared workspaces, meeting rooms, and potentially areas for informal brainstorming.

• Access to necessary design tools and technology will be provided by the company, including software licenses and potentially hardware.

• Opportunities for direct interaction with product managers, engineers, and other members of the product development team will be frequent, facilitating seamless design handoffs and feedback loops. Work Schedule:

• The standard work schedule is full-time, approximately 40 hours per week. The hybrid arrangement allows for flexibility, with specific in-office days likely determined by team needs and project requirements. The company expects prompt communication and availability during core working hours for effective collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model suggests a company that trusts its employees and values a balance between work-life integration and in-person team synergy. Candidates should be comfortable with structured collaboration and independent work.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A brief call with HR or a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, salary expectations, and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A more in-depth conversation with the hiring manager (Keyan Stremikis) to discuss experience, role expectations, and strategic thinking.

• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: This is a critical stage where candidates will present their portfolio, discuss their design process, and potentially complete a take-home design challenge or a live design exercise. Expect questions about how you approach problem-solving, handle ambiguity, and collaborate.

• Cross-functional Team Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders from product management, engineering, and potentially other design team members to assess collaboration skills and technical understanding.

• Final Interview: Potentially a final conversation with a senior leader to confirm fit and discuss overall vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Focus on 3-5 of your strongest, most relevant projects. Prioritize quality over quantity.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, your process, the challenges faced, your solutions, and the measurable impact or outcomes. Use visuals effectively.

• Highlight Process: Showcase your methodology – user research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, testing, and iteration. Explain why you made certain decisions.

• Demonstrate System Thinking: Include examples that showcase your understanding of design systems, cross-platform consistency, and component-driven design.

• Address Manufacturing Context: If possible, include projects relevant to hardware, embedded systems, or complex product interfaces. If not, explain how your transferable skills apply.

• Accessibility & Inclusivity: Explicitly mention and demonstrate how you incorporate accessibility and inclusive design principles.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Brief: If given a take-home challenge, meticulously read and understand all requirements. Ask clarifying questions if needed.

• Focus on Process: Even in a timed exercise, demonstrate your thought process. It's often more important than a perfect final deliverable.

• Time Management: Allocate your time wisely across research, ideation, design, and presentation.

• Presentation Skills: Be prepared to walk through your work clearly and concisely, articulating your design rationale and potential trade-offs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is the most critical component for this role. Candidates should be prepared to dive deep into their projects, demonstrating not just design execution but also strategic thinking and a deep understanding of the UX lifecycle. The company's interest in manufacturing suggests a need for candidates who can think about the entire product ecosystem, not just digital interfaces.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Expected to be the primary tool for UI design, wireframing, and prototyping. Proficiency in its collaborative features and component management is essential.

• Adobe Creative Suite: Specifically Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop for graphic assets, image editing, and potentially creating visual elements.

• Prototyping Tools: While Figma has robust prototyping capabilities, familiarity with other tools like InVision, Axure, or Adobe XD might be beneficial.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics Platforms: Experience with tools like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or similar for understanding user behavior on digital platforms.

• User Feedback Platforms: Familiarity with tools for collecting and analyzing user feedback (e.g., surveys, in-app feedback widgets).

• Data Visualization Tools: Basic understanding of how designs translate to dashboards and reports from tools like Tableau or Power BI, though not necessarily direct use.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a UX tool, awareness of how CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms integrate with user-facing products can be helpful for understanding the broader customer journey.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Figma and Adobe products is clear. Candidates should highlight their proficiency and experience in leveraging these tools for complex design projects, especially within a team environment. Understanding how UX designs integrate with front-end development and potentially backend systems is also crucial.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A strong commitment to understanding and advocating for the user's needs in all design decisions.

• Collaboration: A belief in the power of teamwork, encouraging open communication and shared problem-solving across departments.

• Innovation: A drive to continuously improve products and user experiences through creative thinking and embracing new technologies.

• Quality & Reliability: A focus on delivering well-crafted, robust, and dependable solutions, reflecting AprilAire's legacy in manufacturing.

• Efficiency: Valuing streamlined processes and effective systems to maximize productivity and deliver value efficiently.

Collaboration Style:

• AprilAire likely fosters a collaborative environment where cross-functional teams work closely together. Expect regular team meetings, design reviews, and joint problem-solving sessions.

• The company values clear communication and constructive feedback, essential for aligning diverse perspectives towards common product goals.

• A culture of continuous learning and improvement is probable, encouraging team members to share knowledge and best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's long history in manufacturing and its focus on indoor air quality suggest a culture that values practical solutions, reliability, and a commitment to user well-being. The UX Designer will need to integrate these values into their design philosophy.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Diverse Needs: Juggling the requirements of different product platforms (mobile, embedded, web) and user types (consumers, professionals) while maintaining consistency.

• Manufacturing Integration: Designing intuitive interfaces for products that may involve complex hardware or industrial processes, requiring a unique blend of digital and physical product understanding.

• Design System Evolution: Continuously developing and advocating for the adoption of the design system across a growing product suite.

• Translating Complex Workflows: Simplifying intricate user journeys and product functionalities into easily understandable and usable interfaces.

• Hybrid Work Dynamics: Effectively collaborating and maintaining strong team cohesion in a hybrid work environment.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized UX: Deepen expertise in UX for embedded systems, IoT, or hardware-adjacent product design.

• Design System Leadership: Take on more responsibility in managing and expanding the company's design system.

• Industry Insights: Gain in-depth knowledge of the HVAC and indoor air quality market, understanding user needs and industry trends.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Develop a broader understanding of product management, engineering, and manufacturing processes.

• Professional Certifications: Opportunities to pursue relevant UX certifications or attend industry conferences.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should be prepared to discuss how they would approach these challenges, demonstrating adaptability, problem-solving skills, and a proactive learning mindset. The growth opportunities are substantial for someone looking to build expertise in a specialized area of UX.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to balance user needs with technical constraints. How did you resolve it?" (Focus on problem-solving, negotiation, and finding optimal solutions.)

• "How do you approach designing for multiple platforms or device ecosystems? Can you walk us through an example?" (Highlight your process for ensuring consistency and platform-specific optimizations.)

• "Tell us about your experience with design systems. How have you contributed to or utilized one?" (Emphasize your understanding of component-driven design, scalability, and maintenance.)

• "How do you incorporate user research and usability testing into your design process? Provide an example of how user feedback significantly impacted your design." (Showcase your commitment to user-centered design and data-driven decisions.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about AprilAire and our industry?" (Research the company's products, mission, and values. Connect your passion for UX to their domain.)

• "How do you approach collaboration with engineers and product managers, especially in a hybrid environment?" (Discuss your communication style, feedback mechanisms, and proactive engagement strategies.)

• "How do you ensure accessibility and inclusive design in your work?" (Be ready to discuss specific techniques and standards like WCAG.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Start with the "Why": Clearly articulate the business problem or user need you addressed in each project.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (screenshots, prototypes, flows) to illustrate your process and final designs.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use metrics (e.g., increased conversion, reduced error rates, improved task completion time) to demonstrate the success of your designs.

• Explain Your Role: Be explicit about your contributions, especially in team projects.

• Prepare for Deep Dives: Be ready to answer detailed questions about your design choices, trade-offs, and challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: Prepare to discuss your portfolio in detail, focusing on your problem-solving approach, design rationale, and the impact of your work. Be ready to articulate how your experience, particularly in complex systems or manufacturing-related design, aligns with AprilAire's needs.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the AprilAire careers portal (https://careers.aprilaire.com).

• Curate your resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your 5+ years of UX design experience, specifically mentioning any experience in manufacturing, product design, or complex systems. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare your portfolio: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date, showcases your best work with detailed case studies, and clearly articulates your design process and impact. Prioritize projects demonstrating design system experience, cross-platform design, and problem-solving for complex workflows.

• Research AprilAire: Familiarize yourself with AprilAire's products, company mission, and values to tailor your application and interview responses. Understand their position in the HVAC and air quality market.

• Practice your presentation: Rehearse walking through your portfolio projects, focusing on clear articulation of your process, design decisions, and outcomes. Be prepared for potential design challenges.

⚠️ 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.