UX Designer II

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Designer II – LeapSpace (AI Focused)

Company: Remitly

Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands (Primary), London, United Kingdom (Secondary)

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: UX/UI Design, Product Design, Technology

Date Posted: May 21, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years implied)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Design and develop intuitive, trustworthy AI-driven user experiences for LeapSpace, an AI-assisted research workspace.

• Create high-quality user flows, journeys, and UI designs with a strong emphasis on visual craft and attention to detail.

• Collaborate closely within a cross-functional squad and across design teams to ensure a cohesive and consistent product experience.

• Utilize research, data, and testing to validate and iteratively improve design solutions in a fast-paced, experimental environment.

• Contribute to the development and maintenance of scalable design systems for cross-team reuse and consistency.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "UX Designer II" title, coupled with the implied experience level and the emphasis on collaboration within a squad and with other designers, suggests a mid-level role requiring autonomy and the ability to contribute significantly to design strategy and execution. The focus on AI-powered experiences and a fast-paced environment indicates a need for adaptability and a proactive approach to problem-solving.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Translate complex user needs and research insights into elegant and effective design solutions that drive user adoption and engagement.

• Design intuitive and trustworthy AI-driven experiences, ensuring clarity and user confidence in AI functionalities.

• Develop high-fidelity user flows, detailed journeys, and polished UI designs with a keen eye for visual quality and brand consistency.

• Balance the demands of speed, experimentation, and interface quality in a dynamic, agile development environment.

• Engage in cross-team collaboration, constructively challenging ideas and communicating design rationale clearly to product managers, engineers, and researchers.

• Contribute to the growth and maintenance of scalable design systems, promoting cross-team reuse and ensuring adherence to design principles.

• Proactively identify opportunities for experience improvements and gaps in current workflows, extending beyond immediate project ownership.

• Leverage user research, quantitative data, and usability testing to validate design decisions and drive continuous improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic thinking (translating user needs, identifying gaps) and hands-on execution (UI design, prototyping, system contribution). The emphasis on AI-driven experiences and cross-team collaboration points to the need for strong communication and the ability to influence without direct authority.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design (e.g., Interaction Design, Graphic Design, Human-Computer Interaction), or a related field, or equivalent practical experience is typically expected for a UX Designer II role.

Experience:

• Solid experience in UX and interaction design, with a portfolio demonstrating a strong understanding of user-centered design principles and methodologies.

• Proven ability to translate user needs and business requirements into intuitive and effective design solutions.

• Experience working in agile, cross-functional teams, preferably in a product development environment.

• Experience contributing to or working with design systems.

• Experience designing for AI-powered features or complex data-driven applications is a strong plus. Required Skills:

• UX Design: Proficient in user research, persona development, journey mapping, wireframing, and information architecture.

• Interaction Design: Ability to define user flows, interaction patterns, and microinteractions that enhance usability.

• Visual Design (UI): Strong aesthetic sensibility, with a keen eye for layout, typography, color, and overall visual appeal.

• Prototyping: Skilled in creating interactive prototypes (e.g., in Figma) to effectively communicate design concepts and gather feedback.

• Figma Proficiency: Demonstrated expertise in using Figma for design, prototyping, and collaboration.

• Collaboration: Excellent interpersonal skills for effective teamwork with product managers, engineers, researchers, and other designers.

• Communication: Ability to articulate design decisions, present work clearly, and provide constructive feedback.

Preferred Skills:

• User Research: Experience conducting user interviews, usability testing, and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data.

• Design Systems: Experience contributing to or maintaining design systems, including component libraries and style guides.

• AI/ML Design: Specific experience designing user interfaces for AI-powered features or machine learning applications.

• Data Visualization: Familiarity with designing effective ways to present complex data insights.

• Agile Methodologies: Understanding of agile development processes and how design integrates within them.

• Problem-Solving: Ability to tackle complex design challenges with creative and practical solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "II" in UX Designer II typically signifies a professional with 2-5 years of experience, capable of working independently on defined tasks and contributing to broader project goals. The emphasis on Figma, AI-driven experiences, and design systems suggests specific technical and domain-focused requirements.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A curated collection of 3-5 case studies that showcase your UX and UI design process from problem identification to final solution.

• Each case study should clearly articulate the problem statement, your role, the design process undertaken, key decisions made, and the impact of the design.

• Demonstrations of your ability to translate user needs and research into tangible design outcomes.

• Examples of complex user flows, interaction design patterns, and visually polished UI designs.

• Evidence of your ability to work within or contribute to design systems and ensure design consistency. Process Documentation:

• Showcase your approach to user research, including methods used and how insights informed design decisions.

• Detail your wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity design stages, highlighting iterative improvements.

• Present how you collaborated with engineering and product teams to bring designs to life.

• Include examples of how you have used data or user feedback to validate and refine designs.

• Demonstrate your understanding of design system principles and how you apply them.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a UX Designer II role, portfolios should demonstrate not just aesthetic skill but a clear, repeatable design process. Case studies should highlight problem-solving abilities, collaboration, and the tangible impact of their design work, particularly in the context of AI or complex digital products.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a UX Designer II in Amsterdam, Netherlands, the estimated salary range is €55,000 - €75,000 annually, depending on experience, specific skills, and negotiation. In London, UK, the range could be £50,000 - £70,000 annually.

Benefits:

• Flexible working arrangements to support work-life balance.

• Company pension and insurance scheme coverage after 3 months of employment.

• Option for employer-paid internet services.

• Generous leave entitlements (vacation, personal days, etc.).

• Access to Employee Resource Groups with dedicated time for volunteering.

• Extensive learning and development resources, including training and workshops.

• Access to Well-being & Employee Assistance Programs for health and support.

• RECARES days: 2 days per annum to support chosen charities and causes.

• Access to various employee offers and discounts.

• Additional benefits specific to the office location.

Working Hours: The role is full-time, with an implied standard working week of 40 hours. The company promotes flexible working hours, allowing for adjustments to start and end times to optimize productivity and work-life integration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary ranges are based on industry benchmarks for UX Designers with 2-5 years of experience in major European tech hubs like Amsterdam and London. Benefits are compiled directly from the provided text, emphasizing the company's commitment to employee well-being and professional development.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, Information Services, Publishing (Elsevier is part of RELX). The specific product, LeapSpace, operates within the AI-focused research and academic sector, aiming to transform how researchers discover, analyze, and share knowledge.

Company Size: Elsevier is a large, established organization (part of RELX, a global provider of information and analytics). This means access to significant resources, established processes, and a broad network of professionals, but also potentially more structure and longer decision-making cycles compared to a startup.

Founded: Elsevier has a long history, founded in 1880, indicating a stable and experienced organization. RELX itself was founded in 1957. This longevity suggests a strong market position and a deep understanding of its industries.

Team Structure:

• The role is part of a cross-functional "squad" focused on LeapSpace, implying a collaborative, agile team structure with dedicated product managers, engineers, and researchers.

• Designers within LeapSpace form a close, collaborative group, emphasizing open communication, constructive feedback, and mutual support.

• Designers also collaborate across squads to ensure consistency and reuse of design patterns and principles. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decisions: The team uses research, data, and testing to validate and improve designs.

• Agile & Experimental: Operates in a fast-paced, experimental environment where quick visualization and prototyping are common.

• Collaborative Design: Emphasizes sharing work, giving/receiving feedback, and leaving ego at the door to achieve the best outcomes together.

• Focus on Craft & Cohesion: High bar for design quality, with a goal of creating a cohesive, intentional, and thoughtfully designed end-to-end product experience.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is described as balancing a "high craft bar" with "speed and experimentation" and a "strong collaboration culture." The emphasis on "low-ego, highly collaborative teamwork" and leaving "ego at the door" is crucial for candidates to understand the expected interpersonal dynamics.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is a UX Designer II, typically representing a mid-level position (2-5 years of experience). It implies a progression from entry-level design roles, where the designer is expected to take ownership of specific features or product areas, contribute independently to design solutions, and collaborate effectively with a cross-functional team.

Reporting Structure: While not explicitly detailed, designers in squad-based environments usually report to a Design Lead, Design Manager, or Head of Design, who oversees multiple squads or product areas. The role involves significant collaboration with Product Managers and Engineering Leads within their immediate squad.

Operations Impact: The UX Designer II plays a critical role in shaping the user experience of LeapSpace, an AI-assisted research workspace. Their impact is directly tied to user adoption, engagement, and the overall effectiveness of the platform in helping researchers discover, analyze, and share knowledge. By contributing to intuitive and trustworthy AI-driven experiences, they enable scientific advancement and knowledge discovery at scale, directly contributing to the company's mission.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in AI/ML design, user research methodologies, or design systems.

• Leadership Potential: Progression to Senior UX Designer roles, leading design initiatives for larger product areas or mentoring junior designers.

• Cross-Squad Mobility: Potential to move into design roles on other product teams within Elsevier or RELX, gaining exposure to different domains and challenges.

• Design System Contribution: Opportunity to take on more responsibility in evolving and governing the design system, influencing design standards across the organization.

• Learning & Development: Access to extensive learning resources, workshops, and potentially conferences to stay updated on UX trends and AI design best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "II" designation strongly suggests an expectation of growing autonomy and contribution beyond basic task execution, aiming for a role where the designer can independently drive design outcomes for specific product features or components.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The primary location is Amsterdam, Netherlands, and a secondary location is London. The description implies an on-site work arrangement, suggesting a physical office environment where collaboration and team interaction are facilitated. The company promotes a healthy work-life balance.

Office Location(s):

• Amsterdam, Netherlands: Radarweg address suggests a modern business district location.

• London, United Kingdom: Specific office details are not provided, but London is a major global tech hub.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The description emphasizes a "fast-paced, collaborative environment" and a "close, collaborative design team." This suggests an open-plan office setup or dedicated collaboration spaces designed to foster interaction and idea sharing.

• Tools & Technology: Proficiency in design tools like Figma is required, indicating that the workspace will be equipped with modern design software and hardware.

• Team Interaction: Designers work closely with product managers, engineers, and researchers in squads, implying regular team syncs, design reviews, and joint problem-solving sessions.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time (40 hours/week) with the benefit of "working flexible hours," allowing employees to adjust their start and end times to maximize productivity and personal needs. This flexibility is key for operations roles that often require deep focus time.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is on-site, the emphasis on "flexible hours" indicates a modern approach to work within the office, balancing structured work with personal needs. The collaboration aspect is central to the workspace context.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a recruiter screen to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: A key stage where candidates present their portfolio, walking through 1-2 case studies. This is often followed by a design exercise or a more in-depth discussion of design problems, potentially involving a take-home assignment or an on-the-spot problem-solving session.

• Hiring Manager/Team Interview: Discussion with the Hiring Manager and/or members of the design squad to assess technical skills, problem-solving approach, collaboration style, and understanding of AI-driven design.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior design leader to discuss strategic thinking, career aspirations, and overall fit with the company culture.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Storytelling: Structure your case studies as narratives. Clearly outline the problem, your approach, your specific contributions, the challenges you faced, and the measurable outcomes.

• Process Focus: Highlight your design process, demonstrating how you move from research and ideation to iteration and final design. Show your thinking, not just the final screens.

• AI/Complexity Emphasis: If possible, include projects that demonstrate your experience with AI, complex data, or intricate user flows. Explain how you made these complex areas intuitive.

• Visual Craft: Ensure your portfolio is visually polished and reflects your attention to detail and aesthetic sensibility.

• Conciseness: Be prepared to present your work concisely and answer questions thoughtfully. Focus on the most relevant projects for this role.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Product: Research LeapSpace and Elsevier's mission. Understand the challenges researchers face and how AI can assist them.

• Design Principles: Be ready to discuss core UX and UI design principles, especially as they apply to AI-driven products (e.g., transparency, control, trust, explainability).

• Problem-Solving Scenarios: Prepare for questions that involve hypothetical design problems related to the LeapSpace product or similar AI applications. Practice articulating your thought process, trade-offs, and decision-making criteria.

• Collaboration Scenarios: Think about how you would handle disagreements with engineers or product managers, or how you would integrate feedback from various stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on AI-driven experiences and a "fast-paced environment" suggests that interviewers will be looking for candidates who can not only design aesthetically pleasing interfaces but also solve complex problems efficiently and collaboratively, with a strong understanding of user needs in an AI context.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: This is explicitly mentioned as a required proficiency. It will be the primary tool for UI design, prototyping, and collaboration.

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma's native capabilities, other tools like InVision or Adobe XD might be used or expected for more complex prototyping.

• Design Systems: Experience with tools and methodologies for managing design systems (e.g., Storybook, Zeroheight, or internal tools).

Analytics & Reporting:

• User Analytics Platforms: Tools like Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel, or Pendo for tracking user behavior, feature adoption, and conversion rates.

• A/B Testing Tools: Platforms like Optimizely or VWO for experimenting with design variations.

• Data Visualization Tools: Potentially Tableau, Power BI, or custom dashboards to analyze user data and present findings.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly the domain of UX design, understanding how CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation tools might influence user journeys or data collection could be beneficial.

• Collaboration Tools: Jira, Confluence, Slack, Microsoft Teams for project management, documentation, and team communication.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is a non-negotiable requirement. The role also implies an understanding of how design integrates with user analytics and potentially A/B testing to inform iterative design improvements. Familiarity with collaboration tools common in agile development environments is also essential.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Craftsmanship: A high bar for design quality, attention to detail, and creating polished, intentional user experiences.

• Collaboration: Strong emphasis on teamwork, open communication, constructive feedback, and mutual support within and across teams.

• Experimentation & Speed: Willingness to work quickly, experiment, and iterate in a fast-paced environment, balancing speed with quality.

• User-Centricity: Deep focus on translating user needs and research insights into effective design solutions.

• Low Ego: A culture where individual contributions are valued, but the team's success and the product's outcome are prioritized over personal recognition.

• Impact-Oriented: A drive to create meaningful solutions that help researchers discover, analyze, and share knowledge, contributing to human progress.

Collaboration Style:

• Squad-Based: Intensive collaboration within a dedicated cross-functional team (product, engineering, research, design).

• Cross-Team Alignment: Active collaboration with other design squads to ensure consistency, share patterns, and promote reuse of design system components.

• Feedback Loops: Open and respectful exchange of feedback is central to the design process, with designers actively sharing work and supporting each other.

• Iterative Process: Continuous dialogue and refinement based on user feedback, data, and testing results.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture emphasizes a blend of high standards for design quality and a pragmatic, collaborative approach to achieving results in a fast-moving tech environment. The "low-ego" aspect is critical for candidates to understand the expected interpersonal dynamics.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for AI Trust: A primary challenge will be designing AI-driven experiences that users trust, understand, and find genuinely helpful, especially in a research context where accuracy and reliability are paramount.

• Balancing Speed & Quality: Navigating the tension between the need for rapid iteration in a fast-paced environment and maintaining a high standard of design craft and user experience.

• Cross-Team Consistency: Ensuring a cohesive user experience across different product areas or squads, which requires strong collaboration and adherence to design systems.

• Ambiguity: Comfortable working with some level of ambiguity and proactively seeking clarity through research and questioning.

• Scalability: Designing solutions and contributing to design systems that can scale effectively as the LeapSpace platform grows.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI/ML Design Specialization: Gaining deeper expertise in designing for AI, including areas like explainability, bias mitigation in design, and user control over AI features.

• Advanced UX Research: Participating in and learning from more sophisticated user research initiatives.

• Design System Evolution: Contributing to the strategic direction and implementation of the design system.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Working closely with engineers and researchers provides opportunities to understand technical constraints and research methodologies more deeply.

• Mentorship: Potential to receive mentorship from senior designers or to mentor junior designers as career progresses.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are directly related to the innovative nature of the product (AI-focused research) and the company's operational style (fast-paced, collaborative). Growth opportunities are tied to developing specialized skills and increasing responsibility within the design function.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design an AI-powered feature. What were the key considerations, and how did you ensure user trust and understanding?" (Focus on your process, user needs, and how you addressed AI-specific challenges.)

• "How would you approach designing a new insight discovery feature for researchers using LeapSpace? Walk us through your process." (Demonstrate your problem-solving methodology, user-centered approach, and understanding of the research domain.)

• "Imagine you're working with an engineer who disagrees with a design decision. How would you handle this situation to reach a collaborative outcome?" (Highlight your communication, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working on AI-focused experiences for researchers?" (Show genuine curiosity and understanding of the domain and technology.)

• "How do you approach giving and receiving feedback in a design team?" (Reflect the company's emphasis on constructive feedback and collaboration.)

• "Describe your experience working in a fast-paced, experimental environment. How do you balance speed with quality?" (Align with the company's operational style.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select Relevant Case Studies: Choose 1-2 projects that best showcase your skills relevant to this role (UX/UI, AI-adjacent work, collaboration, design systems).

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define: Problem, Your Role, Process, Solution, and Outcome/Impact. Use visuals effectively.

• Highlight Collaboration: Explicitly mention how you worked with product managers, engineers, and researchers.

• Articulate Design Rationale: Be prepared to explain why you made certain design decisions.

• Quantify Impact: If possible, use metrics or qualitative feedback to demonstrate the success of your designs.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interviewers will likely probe into your ability to handle the unique challenges of designing AI-powered products and your capacity to thrive in a collaborative, fast-paced, and feedback-rich environment. Demonstrating a clear design process and strong communication skills will be key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Designer II position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link on the Workday portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects demonstrating strong UX thinking, visual design craft, and any experience with AI-related features or complex data applications. Prioritize case studies that show your problem-solving process and collaborative approach.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your years of experience, key skills (UX, UI, Figma, AI design), and achievements, using keywords from the job description such as "AI-driven experiences," "interaction design," "visual design," and "design systems."

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, common UX challenges, and how you collaborate. Prepare specific examples for behavioral questions related to teamwork, feedback, and problem-solving. Be ready to present your portfolio confidently.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Elsevier, RELX, and the LeapSpace product. Understand their mission, values, and the impact they aim to achieve in the research community. This will help you tailor your responses and demonstrate genuine interest.

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