UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Designer

Company: Konecranes

Location: Genova (GE), Italy

Job Type: Full-time

Category: User Experience (UX) Design / Industrial Design

Date Posted: August 07, 2026

Experience Level: 2-5 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Design and develop intuitive and engaging user interfaces (UI) for Human-Machine Interaction (HMI) systems within port equipment and industrial machinery.

• Conduct user and customer research, including usability testing, to gather critical insights and validate design concepts for HMI products.

• Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including developers, product managers, and fellow designers, to gather requirements and translate them into user-friendly HMI designs.

• Create comprehensive user stories, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity mockups to clearly communicate design ideas and user flows.

• Maintain and evolve HMI designs within a Figma design system, ensuring consistency and scalability across products.

• Iterate on designs based on feedback from stakeholders and end-users to continuously improve the user experience.

• Ensure designs drive UX harmonization across the product portfolio and adhere to industry standards and accessibility guidelines.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is specifically focused on the Human-Machine Interface (HMI) for industrial equipment, requiring a deep understanding of user interaction in demanding, real-world environments. The emphasis on a Figma design system and AI tool usage suggests a forward-thinking design operation.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• HMI Interface Design & Development: Conceptualize, design, and develop user interfaces for complex HMI systems used in port equipment and heavy machinery, focusing on clarity, efficiency, and safety.

• User Research & Validation: Plan and execute user research activities, including interviews, surveys, and usability testing sessions, to understand user needs, pain points, and behaviors in industrial contexts.

• Prototyping & Wireframing: Create detailed wireframes, user flows, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity mockups using industry-standard design tools to visualize and test design concepts.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with product management, engineering, and other design disciplines to define requirements, provide design direction, and ensure seamless integration of UI elements into the final product.

• Design System Management: Contribute to and maintain the HMI design system within Figma, ensuring consistency in visual elements, interaction patterns, and component usage across all relevant products.

• Feedback Integration & Iteration: Systematically gather, analyze, and incorporate feedback from stakeholders, users, and testing sessions into design iterations, driving continuous improvement of the HMI experience.

• Standards & Accessibility Compliance: Ensure all HMI designs meet relevant industry standards, regulatory requirements, and accessibility guidelines to provide an inclusive and safe user experience.

• AI Tool Integration: Explore and leverage AI tools to enhance the design process, such as for generating design variations, automating repetitive tasks, or analyzing user data.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of core UX design practices and specialized HMI considerations for industrial equipment. The inclusion of "UX harmonization" and "industry standards" points to a need for strategic design thinking beyond individual product interfaces.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Master’s degree in UX Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Industrial Design, or a closely related field.

Experience: 2–4 years of professional experience in UX design, with a proven track record of designing and delivering user interfaces for complex systems.

Required Skills:

• UX Design Principles: Deep understanding and practical application of user-centered design principles, interaction design, and information architecture.

• HMI Design Expertise: Specific experience in designing Human-Machine Interfaces (HMI) for industrial equipment, embedded systems, automotive, or similar domains where clarity and efficiency are paramount.

• Design Tool Proficiency: Advanced skills in industry-leading design and prototyping tools, with a strong emphasis on Figma. Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite is also expected.

• User Research Methodologies: Proven ability to conduct user and customer research, including usability testing, user interviews, and persona development.

• Wireframing & Prototyping: Expertise in creating detailed user stories, wireframes, user flows, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity mockups.

• Agile Methodologies: Familiarity with Agile development processes and the ability to work effectively within an Agile team structure.

• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English, with the ability to articulate design decisions and rationale clearly to diverse stakeholders.

• Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a capacity to identify complex user needs and translate them into effective design solutions.

Preferred Skills:

• Qt or Similar Technologies: Familiarity with Qt or similar technologies used in embedded UI development is a significant advantage.

• AI Tool Integration: Experience using AI tools within the design process (e.g., for image generation, data analysis, or workflow automation) is a plus.

• Industrial Design Background: A background or understanding of industrial design principles can be beneficial for holistic product development.

• Accessibility Standards: In-depth knowledge of accessibility guidelines (e.g., WCAG) and their application in HMI design.

• International Teamwork: Experience working effectively in and contributing to international, cross-functional teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for a Master's degree and specific experience in industrial HMI or similar domains indicates a need for a candidate with specialized knowledge and a solid theoretical foundation in UX. The emphasis on Figma and the preference for Qt signal the current and future technology stack.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrated UX Process: A portfolio showcasing a clear and structured UX design process, from initial research and ideation through to final design and iteration.

• HMI Case Studies: Detailed case studies of HMI or industrial UI projects, illustrating problem definition, user research findings, design solutions, and quantifiable outcomes or improvements.

• System Design Examples: Examples of contributions to or creation of design systems, specifically highlighting how consistency and scalability were achieved for HMI components.

• Prototyping & Interaction: Prototypes that clearly demonstrate user flows, interaction patterns, and the overall user experience for the designed systems.

• Tool Proficiency Showcase: Evidence of proficiency in Figma for wireframing, prototyping, and design system management.

Process Documentation:

• User Research Documentation: Samples of user research plans, usability test reports, and user feedback summaries that informed design decisions.

• Wireframing & Mockup Examples: Comprehensive wireframes and high-fidelity mockups that effectively communicate design intent and functionality.

• Iterative Design Evidence: Documentation or examples showing how designs were iterated upon based on feedback, demonstrating a responsive and user-driven approach.

• Cross-functional Collaboration Artifacts: Examples of design specifications, collaboration with developers, or documentation used to communicate design requirements to engineering teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: For this role, the portfolio is critical. It needs to go beyond typical web/app UX and demonstrate a concrete understanding of designing for industrial environments where usability, safety, and efficiency are paramount. Showing contributions to a design system is a key requirement.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: The estimated annual salary range for this UX Designer position in Genoa, Italy, is between €35,000 and €44,000 gross per year. This range is based on the provided information and industry benchmarks for UX Designers with 2-4 years of experience in the Italian market, considering the full-time employment type and hybrid work arrangement.

Benefits:

• International Collaboration: Opportunity to work with a global design team and professionals from diverse backgrounds.

• Cutting-Edge Technology: Exposure to and involvement with advanced industrial HMI systems and technologies.

• High-Impact Role: The chance to significantly influence the user experience of real-world industrial equipment, contributing directly to Konecranes' product development.

• Professional Development: Potential for growth within a leading global company, with opportunities to enhance skills in industrial UX and design systems.

• Standard Italian Benefits: Access to benefits typically provided under the National Collective Bargain Agreement for employees in the metalworking and plant installation industries (CCNL metalmeccanica), which may include health insurance, retirement contributions, paid time off, and other statutory benefits.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are approximately 40 hours per week, typical for a full-time position in Italy. The hybrid work arrangement allows for a flexible combination of on-site and remote work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range of €35,000-€44,000 annually is an estimate based on the provided salary data and general market rates for a UX Designer with 2-4 years of experience in Italy. Local cost of living and the specific industry (industrial manufacturing) were considered. The National Collective Bargain Agreement (CCNL) is a significant factor in Italian compensation and benefits.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Material Handling Solutions / Industrial Equipment Manufacturing. Konecranes is a global leader in this sector, providing cranes, lifting equipment, and related services across various industries such as ports, manufacturing, and construction. This context implies a focus on reliability, safety, and efficiency in their product design.

Company Size: Konecranes has over 16,000 employees globally, indicating a large, established organization with significant resources and a structured approach to its operations and product development.

Founded: Konecranes was founded in 1967, signifying a long history and deep expertise in its field. This longevity suggests a stable company with established processes and a culture that values experience and innovation.

Team Structure:

• Global Design Team: The UX Designer will be part of a global design team, working collaboratively with other designers and potentially reporting to a Design Manager.

• Cross-Functional Integration: The role requires close collaboration with product managers, developers, and other engineering teams, indicating a matrixed or project-based team structure.

• International Collaboration: Working in international teams means exposure to diverse perspectives and working styles, requiring strong communication and adaptability.

Methodology:

• User-Centered Design (UCD): The company emphasizes a user-centered approach, integrating user research and feedback throughout the design process.

• Agile Development: Collaboration with Agile teams suggests that design processes will be iterative and aligned with sprint cycles.

• Design System Approach: The focus on maintaining a Figma design system indicates a commitment to standardized, scalable, and efficient design practices.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Konecranes' focus on material handling and industrial equipment shapes its culture towards robust, reliable, and safe solutions. The company's global presence and long history suggest a professional environment with established processes, but also an openness to innovation, as indicated by the emphasis on AI tools and a global design team.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as an intermediate-level UX Designer. It requires a solid foundation of 2-4 years of experience, demonstrating the ability to work independently on specific design tasks and contribute meaningfully to a larger design system and product development lifecycle. The responsibilities involve not just execution but also research, ideation, and collaboration.

Reporting Structure: The UX Designer will likely report to a Manager of Industrial Design or a similar lead role within the global design team. They will also work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads on specific projects.

Operations Impact: The UX Designer directly impacts the usability, efficiency, and safety of Konecranes' industrial equipment. By creating intuitive HMI systems, they contribute to improved operator performance, reduced errors, enhanced safety compliance, and ultimately, customer satisfaction and loyalty, which are critical for revenue and market position.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization in Industrial UX: Deepen expertise in UX design for complex industrial environments, becoming a subject matter expert in HMI design.

• Design System Leadership: Progress to a role where one leads the development and evolution of the HMI design system, potentially mentoring junior designers.

• Cross-Disciplinary Skill Development: Gain exposure to product management, engineering workflows, and potentially other design disciplines within Konecranes.

• Global Project Involvement: Lead or significantly contribute to UX design for major global product launches and system implementations.

• Potential for Senior/Lead UX Designer roles: With continued experience and demonstrated impact, progression to Senior UX Designer or Lead UX Designer roles is a natural career path.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a clear path for specialization in a niche but critical area of UX design. The opportunity to influence global products and contribute to a growing design system provides significant growth potential within Konecranes.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid Work Environment. This means the role involves a combination of working from the Konecranes office in Genoa and working remotely. The office environment is likely designed for collaboration and focused work.

Office Location(s): Genoa, Italy. This location places the designer within a significant industrial and port city, providing direct relevance to Konecranes' core business.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The office will likely feature collaborative zones for team meetings, brainstorming sessions, and cross-functional work with engineers and product managers.

• Design Tool Access: Access to necessary hardware and software, including high-performance workstations, design software licenses (Figma, Adobe), and potentially specialized HMI development tools.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for in-person interaction with local and global colleagues, fostering a sense of team cohesion and facilitating real-time design discussions.

• Focus Areas: Dedicated spaces for individual, focused design work, crucial for tasks like wireframing, prototyping, and detailed UI design.

Work Schedule: The work schedule is based on a standard 40-hour work week, with the hybrid model offering flexibility in balancing on-site and remote work days. This flexibility is beneficial for managing deep work sessions and team collaboration effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model in Genoa is typical for modern professional roles and should allow for a good balance between collaborative team activities in the office and focused individual design work remotely.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your CV and portfolio to assess qualifications and experience against the job requirements.

• Hiring Manager Interview: An in-depth discussion with the Hiring Manager (Johannes Tarkiainen) focusing on your UX design philosophy, HMI experience, and understanding of user-centered design principles. Expect questions related to your portfolio projects.

• Design Challenge/Case Study: A practical exercise or case study presentation where you'll be asked to solve a specific HMI design problem or present a detailed walkthrough of a past project from your portfolio, explaining your process and decisions.

• Cross-Functional Team Interview: Interviews with developers, product managers, or other designers to assess your collaboration skills, communication style, and ability to integrate into the existing team structure.

• Final Interview: Potentially a final interview with a senior leader to discuss cultural fit and overall suitability for the role and company.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight HMI Relevance: Clearly showcase projects that demonstrate your experience with industrial HMI, embedded UI, or complex system design. If direct HMI experience is limited, emphasize transferable skills from automotive, aerospace, or other complex interface design contexts.

• Detail Your Process: For each case study, walk through your complete design process: problem definition, user research methodology and findings, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, user testing, iteration, and final design. Explain why you made specific decisions.

• Showcase Figma Mastery: Include examples of your work within Figma, particularly contributions to or creation of design systems, component libraries, and interactive prototypes.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, present metrics or outcomes that demonstrate the impact of your designs (e.g., improved task completion rates, reduced error rates, increased user satisfaction scores).

• Concise Storytelling: Present your projects as compelling stories, focusing on the problem, your role, your solution, and the results.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: Research Konecranes' products and industry. Think about the challenges of designing interfaces for heavy machinery used in demanding environments (e.g., ports, construction sites).

• Practice HMI Scenarios: Prepare to discuss how you would approach common HMI design challenges, such as designing for varying lighting conditions, limited input methods, complex operational states, and safety-critical information display.

• Articulate Design Rationale: Be ready to clearly explain the reasoning behind your design choices, linking them back to user needs, business goals, and design principles.

• Embrace Iteration: Show an understanding that design is iterative. Be prepared to discuss how you would incorporate feedback and refine a design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes practical application and a deep understanding of the UX design process, particularly within the specialized context of industrial HMI. A strong, relevant portfolio is paramount for success.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core tool for wireframing, prototyping, UI design, and design system management. Proficiency is essential.

• Adobe Creative Suite: Likely includes Photoshop and Illustrator for asset creation, image manipulation, and graphic design tasks.

• Prototyping Tools: While Figma is primary, experience with other prototyping tools might be beneficial for specific needs.

Analytics & Reporting:

• User Research Platforms: Tools for conducting online surveys, usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Maze), and analyzing user feedback.

• Data Visualization Tools: Potentially used for presenting user research data or performance metrics, though not explicitly mentioned as a primary requirement.

CRM & Automation:

• Project Management Software: Tools like Jira, Asana, or Trello are commonly used for managing tasks and workflows within Agile teams.

• Collaboration Platforms: Microsoft Teams or similar for team communication, file sharing, and virtual meetings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma and the "Design System" requirement strongly indicate that deep proficiency in Figma is a non-negotiable skill for this role. Familiarity with Agile project management tools is also implied due to the collaborative environment.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Focus: A commitment to understanding and meeting the needs of end-users and customers through thoughtful design.

• Innovation & Improvement: A drive to continuously enhance product usability and user experience, embracing new technologies like AI.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Valuing open communication, shared knowledge, and mutual support within the design team and with cross-functional partners.

• Quality & Reliability: An emphasis on creating robust, dependable, and safe designs that meet high industrial standards.

• Efficiency: Striving for streamlined design processes and efficient user interactions within the products.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: A collaborative approach that involves designers working closely with product managers and engineers from concept to implementation.

• Open Feedback Culture: Encouraging constructive feedback among team members to refine designs and processes.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture that promotes sharing best practices, design patterns, and insights across the global design team.

• Global Mindset: An ability to work effectively with colleagues from diverse cultural backgrounds, respecting different perspectives and communication styles.

📝 Enhancement Note: Konecranes' values likely align with the industrial sector's focus on safety, reliability, and efficiency, complemented by a modern approach to design collaboration and innovation.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Diverse Industrial Contexts: Adapting HMI designs to suit a wide range of port equipment and industrial machinery, each with unique operational demands and user environments.

• Balancing User Needs with Technical Constraints: Navigating the technical limitations and development timelines inherent in industrial hardware and embedded systems while ensuring an optimal user experience.

• Ensuring Global Harmonization: Implementing consistent design principles and UI patterns across a global product portfolio, catering to different regional needs and standards.

• Integrating New Technologies: Effectively incorporating AI tools and other emerging technologies into the design workflow without disrupting established processes or compromising usability.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized HMI Training: Opportunities to deepen knowledge in industrial UX, safety standards, and specific HMI technologies relevant to Konecranes' product lines.

• Design System Expertise: Developing advanced skills in creating, managing, and scaling design systems for complex product ecosystems.

• Cross-Cultural Collaboration Skills: Enhancing abilities to work effectively in an international, multi-disciplinary team environment.

• Exposure to AI in Design: Gaining practical experience and insights into leveraging AI tools to enhance design productivity and innovation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge lies in applying UX principles to a highly specialized and demanding industrial domain. The growth opportunities are centered around developing deep expertise in this niche.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your approach to designing an HMI for a crane operator working in a busy port environment. What are the key considerations?" (Focus on safety, visibility, input methods, information hierarchy.)

• "Walk me through a project from your portfolio where you had to balance user needs with significant technical constraints. How did you resolve the conflict?" (Demonstrate problem-solving and negotiation skills.)

• "How would you contribute to and maintain a Figma design system for industrial HMI products? What are the benefits of such a system?" (Assess understanding of design systems and Figma.)

• "Tell me about a time you used user research to significantly influence a design decision. What was the outcome?" (Highlight research skills and impact.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you specifically about Konecranes and our work in material handling solutions?" (Show research and genuine interest.)

• "How do you approach collaboration with engineers and product managers? Can you give an example?" (Assess teamwork and communication.)

• "How do you stay updated on the latest trends in UX design, particularly in industrial or embedded UI?" (Gauge commitment to continuous learning.)

• "Describe your experience working in international teams. What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?" (Evaluate cross-cultural competence.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select Relevant Projects: Prioritize 2-3 projects that best showcase your HMI design experience, problem-solving skills, and proficiency with Figma.

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role and responsibilities, your design process (research, ideation, prototyping, testing), the solutions you implemented, and the results or impact.

• Showcase Figma Work: Be prepared to show specific examples of your Figma work, including wireframes, interactive prototypes, and your contributions to design systems.

• Explain Design Decisions: Be ready to defend your design choices, linking them back to user research, business objectives, and UX principles.

• Be Concise and Engaging: Present your work clearly and concisely, ensuring it's easy for the interviewers to follow your thought process.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong understanding of UX principles applied to industrial contexts, showcasing practical skills with Figma, and articulating a clear, user-centered design process.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Designer position:

• Submit your CV and portfolio through the 'Apply now' button by August 7th, 2026.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight your most relevant HMI design projects, user research experience, and proficiency in Figma. If direct HMI experience is limited, emphasize transferable skills from complex UI design.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly details your 2-4 years of UX experience, Master's degree, and specific skills like Figma, user research, and HMI design. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process for HMI projects and prepare to discuss case studies from your portfolio. Research Konecranes' products and industry.

• Company Research: Understand Konecranes' mission, values, and product offerings. Familiarize yourself with their industrial equipment and the operational contexts in which they are used.

⚠️ 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.