UX Designer, Octopus

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Designer, Octopus

Company: Apex Technology, Inc.

Location: Los Angeles, California, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Operations / UX Design (Internal Tools)

Date Posted: 2026-08-25

Experience Level: 5-10 years

🚀 Role Summary

• Design and innovate user experiences for Octopus, Apex's proprietary operating system for spacecraft manufacturing, focusing on enhancing efficiency and usability for technicians, engineers, planners, and operators.

• Conduct in-depth user research, including factory floor observation and shadowing, to translate real-world workflows into intuitive software designs for complex, high-density operating environments.

• Develop and maintain the Octopus design system, ensuring consistency, coherence, and high-quality implementation across all modules and features of the internal enterprise tool.

• Collaborate closely with product managers, software engineers, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and leadership to drive the product and design direction from concept through to successful implementation.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a specialized UX Design position focused on internal enterprise software critical for manufacturing operations, rather than a typical customer-facing UX role. The emphasis is on optimizing workflows, data density, and user efficiency within a high-stakes, physical production environment. The "Octopus" operating system suggests a complex, integrated platform akin to a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) or Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, requiring a deep understanding of operational processes.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead UX strategy and design direction for the Octopus operating system, encompassing part and inventory management, build planning, shop-floor work instructions, quality control, supply chain, integration, and analytics.

• Translate user research insights from factory floor observations and cross-functional team interactions into actionable design solutions that minimize clicks, reduce screens, and prevent errors.

• Design intuitive interfaces for diverse user groups, including technicians on the shop floor (potentially in cleanroom or gloved conditions), planners, and leadership requiring data-dense analytics.

• Define, build, and champion the Octopus design system, UX standards, and guidelines to ensure product coherence and scalability as new modules and features are developed.

• Continuously measure and iterate on user experiences based on performance data, adoption rates, and direct user feedback to drive measurable improvements in task time and error reduction.

• Partner with software engineers and product managers throughout the development lifecycle, ensuring high-quality implementation and consistency with design specifications.

• Present design concepts, research findings, and strategy to stakeholders, including senior leadership, to gain alignment and buy-in.

• Actively follow implemented designs through their lifecycle, providing feedback, reviewing builds, and ensuring adherence to quality standards.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a hands-on approach to UX design within an operational context. The emphasis on "relentlessly optimize existing workflows" and "prove the improvement in task time, error rate, and adoption" points to a metrics-driven approach to design, common in operations-focused roles where efficiency gains are paramount.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field, OR a robust portfolio demonstrating equivalent project experience and design expertise.

Experience: 5+ years of experience designing interactive applications for the web, with a significant portion focused on enterprise, internal, or operational tools.

Required Skills:

• Portfolio: An outstanding portfolio showcasing user experience design with a strong emphasis on user-centric storytelling, demonstrating problem-solving and design sensibility.

• Enterprise Tool Design: Proven experience designing complex internal tools where users perform critical jobs under time pressure, rather than for general consumer browsing.

• User Research: Expertise in user-focused design research methodologies, including contextual inquiry, shadowing, usability testing, and synthesizing findings into actionable design requirements.

• Design Systems: Demonstrated ability to build, maintain, and evangelize a design system, establishing standards that are adopted and followed by other designers and engineers.

• Workflow Optimization: Strong aptitude for identifying inefficiencies in existing workflows and designing solutions that streamline processes, reduce steps, and minimize cognitive load.

• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate design rationale and present work effectively to diverse audiences.

• Collaboration: Self-motivated and capable of working independently, while also thriving in a collaborative environment and actively participating in group critiques.

• Agility: Ability to perform and adapt in a fast-paced, high-intensity iterative design process with minimal supervision.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing for manufacturing, MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems), ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), logistics, or other operations management software.

• Familiarity with front-end development concepts, such as reading component libraries, prototyping in HTML/CSS, or partnering directly with front-end codebases.

• A keen interest in hardware, aerospace, or physical production environments, demonstrating an understanding of the context in which the software will be used.

📝 Enhancement Note: The preference for experience in manufacturing/operations software and comfort with code strongly indicates the need for a UX designer who can quickly grasp complex technical processes and collaborate effectively with engineering teams on implementation details. The "5+ years" experience level, combined with the complexity of the product, suggests the role may involve significant autonomy and strategic input.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies: Comprehensive case studies detailing end-to-end UX design processes for complex applications, with a clear focus on problem definition, user research, design iterations, and measurable outcomes.

• User-Centric Storytelling: Showcase how user needs and pain points were identified and addressed through design solutions, emphasizing empathy and user advocacy.

• Workflow Optimization Examples: Specific examples demonstrating how you've improved existing processes, reduced task times, or minimized errors through design interventions.

• Design System Contribution: Evidence of building or contributing to a design system, illustrating its components, guidelines, and impact on product consistency.

• Visual & Interaction Design: High-fidelity mockups, interactive prototypes, and visual design examples that reflect a strong aesthetic sense and attention to detail.

Process Documentation:

• Demonstrate a structured approach to design research, including methodologies for contextual inquiry and usability testing relevant to operational environments.

• Showcase experience in defining and documenting UX standards, guidelines, and best practices for team adoption.

• Illustrate how you measure the success of your designs post-implementation, including metrics for task completion, efficiency, and user satisfaction.

📝 Enhancement Note: For this role, the portfolio should heavily emphasize experience with internal tools and operational workflows. Demonstrating an ability to quantify design impact (e.g., reduced error rates, faster task completion) will be crucial, aligning with the operational focus of the "Octopus" system.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $120,000 - $150,000 per year.

Benefits:

• Shared Upside: Receive equity in Apex, allowing you to benefit from the company's growth and success.

• Comprehensive Healthcare: 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their dependents.

• Life Insurance: $100,000 in life insurance coverage at no cost to the employee.

• Generous PTO: A comprehensive Paid Time Off package starting at 15 days of vacation annually, increasing with tenure, plus 10 paid holidays.

• Retirement Savings: Competitive 401(k) plan with a generous company match: 100% match on the first 3% of contributions and a 50% match on the next 2%.

• Parental Leave: 8 weeks of paid parental leave.

• Childcare Support: Childcare reimbursement up to $350 per day for work-related travel.

• Daily Catered Lunch: Provided daily to fuel employees throughout the workday.

• Unlimited Snacks: Access to a variety of snacks.

• Ergonomic Workspace: Provision of a "dream desk setup" and necessary tools for optimal productivity.

• World-Class Office: Access to a vibrant Playa Vista office designed for in-person collaboration and work-life integration.

• Community & Socials: Monthly office social events, sports activities (pickleball, run club), and family gatherings.

Working Hours: Standard full-time, likely around 40 hours per week, with an expectation of flexibility and high performance in a fast-paced environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is competitive for a UX Designer role with 5+ years of experience in a high-cost-of-living area like Los Angeles. The benefits package is comprehensive, reflecting a startup environment that prioritizes employee well-being and long-term investment through equity and robust healthcare. The mention of "flexibility to integrate work and life" alongside "world-class Playa Vista office" suggests a hybrid or in-office model that values work-life balance while promoting collaboration.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Aerospace & Manufacturing Technology. Apex is at the forefront of revolutionizing spacecraft manufacturing by producing satellite buses at scale, leveraging software, vertical integration, and advanced hardware design. This positions them within a rapidly growing sector driven by decreasing launch costs and an increasing demand for commercial space-based services (e.g., Earth observation, communications).

Company Size: Apex Technology, Inc. is a fast-growing startup that has raised over $500 million in funding. This indicates a dynamic, well-funded organization likely operating with agility and a strong focus on innovation and rapid scaling. As a startup, the culture is expected to be collaborative, fast-paced, and driven by mission.

Founded: While the exact founding date is not provided, the significant funding suggests a relatively young company that has achieved rapid growth and market traction. This implies a culture of innovation, problem-solving, and a drive to disrupt traditional industry paradigms.

Team Structure:

• The UX team, responsible for the "Octopus" operating system, is likely integrated within the broader software engineering and product development departments.

• This role will involve close collaboration with product managers, software engineers (front-end and back-end), manufacturing engineers, quality assurance specialists, supply chain personnel, and production leadership.

• The reporting structure will likely be within a design or product team, with potential for direct reporting to a Head of Design, Director of Product, or CTO, depending on the organizational structure. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: The role emphasizes "relentlessly optimize" and "constantly measure how designs are performing," indicating a strong reliance on data analytics and user feedback to inform design decisions and prove impact.

• Agile & Iterative Development: The "fast-paced, high-intensity iterative design process" suggests an agile or similar development methodology where designs are continuously refined based on feedback and evolving requirements.

• User-Centricity in Operations: A key methodology is spending time on the factory floor and observing real workflows to ensure software designs are practical and effective for users performing critical tasks under pressure.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on manufacturing complex hardware at scale via software integration suggests a unique blend of hardware engineering, software development, and operational excellence. The UX designer will be instrumental in bridging these domains through intuitive software design, making the "Octopus" system a critical enabler of Apex's mission.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a mid-to-senior level UX Design position. With 5+ years of experience and the responsibility for an entire internal operating system ("Octopus"), the role demands significant autonomy, strategic thinking, and the ability to influence product direction. It's a crucial role for a company that views internal software as a competitive advantage in manufacturing speed and efficiency.

Reporting Structure: The UX Designer will likely report to a Head of Design, Director of Product, or a similar senior leadership role within the product/engineering organization. They will work closely with cross-functional teams, including software engineers, product managers, and operations stakeholders (manufacturing, quality, supply chain leaders).

Operations Impact: The UX Designer's impact is directly tied to the efficiency, speed, and quality of spacecraft manufacturing. By optimizing the "Octopus" operating system, this role will:

• Reduce manufacturing cycle times.

• Minimize errors and rework, improving product quality and reliability.

• Enhance worker productivity and satisfaction on the factory floor and in planning roles.

• Provide better data insights for leadership to drive strategic decisions in production and supply chain management.

• Contribute directly to Apex's ability to scale production and meet increasing market demand for satellite buses. Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in UX for manufacturing, industrial operations, or complex enterprise systems, becoming a go-to expert in this niche.

• Leadership: Potential to grow into a Lead UX Designer role, managing other designers, or taking on product strategy responsibilities for specific modules of Octopus.

• Cross-functional Mobility: Opportunity to gain deep understanding of aerospace manufacturing processes, potentially leading to roles in product management, operations strategy, or program management within Apex.

• Design System Ownership: Full ownership and expansion of the design system, establishing it as a best-in-class component for internal tools.

• Impactful Projects: Contribute to cutting-edge technology in the burgeoning space industry, with the potential for significant personal and professional recognition.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a unique opportunity to shape the user experience of a critical, in-house operating system that directly impacts a high-tech manufacturing process. The growth potential lies in becoming a subject matter expert in operations UX and potentially moving into leadership or more strategic product roles within a rapidly scaling company.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Apex Technology, Inc. offers a "World-class Playa Vista office" designed for "in-person collaboration." This suggests a modern, well-equipped office space that encourages teamwork and spontaneous interaction.

Office Location(s): The primary office is located in Playa Vista, Los Angeles, California. This area is known for its tech and aerospace presence, offering a vibrant ecosystem for professionals in these fields. The description implies an on-site or hybrid work arrangement, with the office being a central hub for collaboration.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The office is designed to foster collaboration, with opportunities for direct interaction with colleagues across engineering, product, and operations teams.

• Tooling & Technology: Employees are provided with "all the tools you need to be your most productive self," including a "dream desk setup." This indicates a commitment to providing a high-quality work environment with the necessary technological resources for design and development.

• Operations Proximity: A significant aspect of this role's workspace context is the proximity to the actual manufacturing operations. The expectation is to "spend time on the factory floor," implying that the design team is closely integrated with the physical production environment.

Work Schedule: While a standard 40-hour work week is implied, the "fast-paced, high-intensity iterative design process" suggests that flexibility and dedication are key. The company also emphasizes "flexibility to integrate work and life," suggesting a culture that values output and results while supporting employee well-being.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on the Playa Vista office and in-person collaboration, coupled with the need to be on the factory floor, points to a predominantly on-site role. This is crucial for a UX designer needing direct user interaction and environmental context for operational software.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or Recruiter call to assess basic qualifications, interest, and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: A session with the hiring manager and/or design lead to review your portfolio, discuss your design process, and potentially present a hypothetical or real-world design challenge related to operational workflows.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with software engineers, product managers, and operations stakeholders (e.g., manufacturing engineers, production leads) to evaluate collaboration skills, understanding of operational constraints, and technical acumen.

• Final Round: Potentially interviews with senior leadership (e.g., Head of Product, CTO) to discuss strategic vision, impact, and long-term fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Operations: Curate case studies that best demonstrate your experience with enterprise tools, internal systems, or complex workflow optimization. Highlight how your designs solved specific user problems within operational constraints.

• Quantify Impact: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your solution, and the measurable outcomes achieved (e.g., % reduction in task time, % decrease in errors, user satisfaction scores). Use data to support your claims.

• Showcase Design Process: Clearly illustrate your design process, from user research (contextual inquiry, shadowing) to ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration. Explain why you made certain design decisions.

• Design System Contribution: If applicable, present examples of your work on design systems, including style guides, component libraries, and how you ensured consistency.

• Visual Polish: Ensure your portfolio is visually appealing, well-organized, and easy to navigate, reflecting your attention to detail and aesthetic sensibility.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: Research Apex Technology, Inc., their mission, and the aerospace/manufacturing industry. Understand the challenges of building spacecraft at scale.

• Think Operationally: For any design challenge, consider the specific constraints of a manufacturing environment: time pressure, physical limitations (e.g., cleanrooms, gloved use), data density requirements, and the need for clear, unambiguous instructions.

• Emphasize User Empathy: Demonstrate how you would approach understanding the needs of diverse users, from factory floor technicians to planners and managers.

• Articulate Trade-offs: Be prepared to discuss design trade-offs, especially between simplicity and information density, or between rapid implementation and ideal user experience.

• Collaboration Focus: Highlight how you would collaborate with engineers and subject matter experts to refine solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize the candidate's ability to translate user needs into effective operational tools. A strong portfolio showcasing relevant experience and the ability to articulate a data-driven, user-centric design process will be paramount. The "design challenge" is likely to be a practical exercise focused on optimizing a manufacturing workflow.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision, or similar industry-standard design and prototyping tools for creating mockups, wireframes, and interactive prototypes.

• User Research: Tools for conducting user interviews, surveys, and usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey).

• Design Systems: Experience with building and maintaining design systems using tools like Storybook, Zeroheight, or internal documentation platforms.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Familiarity with analytics platforms to track user behavior and measure design impact (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude, or custom internal dashboards).

• Ability to interpret data and translate it into actionable design improvements. CRM & Automation:

• While not explicitly a CRM role, understanding how enterprise software integrates with broader operational systems (like MES, ERP, PLM) is beneficial.

• Comfort working with systems that manage workflows, inventory, and production schedules. Front-End Awareness (Preferred):

• Basic understanding of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, or experience working with front-end component libraries and frameworks (e.g., React, Vue, Angular) to facilitate collaboration with engineers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core tools will be standard UX design software. The emphasis on "comfort working close to code" and understanding "MES, ERP, logistics" suggests that familiarity with the underlying technical architecture and operational software landscape is highly valued, enabling more effective collaboration and design implementation.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Mission-Driven: A strong commitment to Apex's mission of providing humankind access to space through efficient spacecraft manufacturing.

• Innovation & Disruption: A culture that encourages pushing boundaries and finding novel solutions to complex problems in a traditional industry.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Reliance on data and measurable outcomes to guide strategy, design, and execution.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Emphasis on working together across disciplines to achieve common goals, valuing diverse perspectives.

• User Focus: Deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of users, especially those operating in demanding environments.

• Quality & Precision: A dedication to high standards in both hardware and software, reflecting the critical nature of aerospace products.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Expectation of close, continuous collaboration with engineering, product, manufacturing, and quality teams. This involves active participation in team meetings, design reviews, and problem-solving sessions.

• Feedback-Driven: A culture that embraces constructive criticism and group critique as essential components of the design process, fostering continuous improvement.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouragement of open communication and sharing of insights, best practices, and learnings across teams to build collective expertise.

• Partnership with Operations: A collaborative approach that involves embedding with operational teams to gain firsthand understanding and build strong working relationships.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture at Apex likely blends the fast-paced, innovative spirit of a tech startup with the rigor and precision required in the aerospace and manufacturing sectors. The UX designer will need to be adaptable, communicative, and deeply empathetic to the operational realities of their users.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complexity of Domain: Understanding the intricate processes of spacecraft manufacturing and integrating them seamlessly into software requires significant learning and adaptation.

• Balancing User Needs with Technical Constraints: Designing for both user efficiency and the technical realities of a rapidly evolving software platform and hardware production environment.

• Designing for Diverse Users: Catering to a wide range of users with different technical skills, work environments (e.g., shop floor vs. office), and information needs.

• Driving Adoption of Design Standards: Ensuring that the design system and UX standards are consistently applied across a growing product and by multiple contributors.

• Proving ROI of UX: Quantifying and communicating the tangible business impact of UX improvements in a manufacturing context, especially to stakeholders less familiar with design principles.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into Aerospace Manufacturing: Gain unparalleled insight into the end-to-end process of building spacecraft, from raw materials to finished products.

• Expertise in Operations Software UX: Become a recognized specialist in designing for complex industrial and manufacturing environments.

• Mentorship: Opportunities to learn from experienced engineers, product managers, and operations leaders within a high-growth startup.

• Design System Leadership: Opportunity to own and evolve a critical design system, impacting the entire product suite.

• Industry Exposure: Potential to attend industry events or conferences related to aerospace, manufacturing technology, or UX for enterprise applications.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenges stem from the complexity of the domain and the need to bridge the gap between user experience design and rigorous operational requirements. Growth opportunities are significant for those who can excel in this specialized area and contribute to a mission-critical product.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design for a user group with very specific, demanding operational constraints. How did you approach understanding their needs and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your research process, empathy, and ability to translate constraints into design solutions.)

• "How would you approach designing a new feature for a complex manufacturing system like Octopus, balancing the need for speed/efficiency with discoverability and ease of use?" (Discuss your iterative process, user testing strategies, and how you prioritize features.)

• "Imagine you discover a significant workflow inefficiency on the factory floor that impacts production speed. How would you go about diagnosing the problem, proposing a solution, and getting buy-in from engineering and operations leadership?" (Highlight your problem-solving methodology, data analysis skills, and stakeholder management approach.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Apex Technology and our mission to revolutionize spacecraft manufacturing?" (Show genuine interest in the aerospace industry and Apex's specific impact.)

• "How do you approach collaborating with engineers and subject matter experts who may have different priorities or perspectives on design?" (Emphasize your communication, active listening, and partnership-building skills.)

• "How do you measure the success of your UX designs, particularly in an operational context where direct customer feedback might be limited?" (Discuss metrics like task completion time, error rates, adoption rates, and qualitative feedback from internal users.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Tell a Story: For each case study, frame it as a narrative: the problem, the user(s), your approach, the challenges, the solution, and the results.

• Highlight Process: Clearly articulate how you arrived at your design decisions, showcasing your research, ideation, and iteration phases.

• Quantify Impact: Be ready to present specific metrics and data that demonstrate the positive impact of your designs on user efficiency, error reduction, or other relevant operational KPIs.

• Focus on Operations Relevance: Select case studies that best align with designing for enterprise tools, complex workflows, or environments with high stakes.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Expect detailed questions about your design choices, research methodologies, and problem-solving approaches.

📝 Enhancement Note: Prepare to discuss your experience with enterprise software, manufacturing processes, and user research methods like contextual inquiry. Be ready to articulate how your design decisions directly contribute to operational efficiency and business outcomes.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Tailor Your Resume: Ensure your resume clearly highlights your experience in designing enterprise/internal tools, workflow optimization, user research methodologies (especially contextual inquiry and usability testing), and any experience with manufacturing or operations software. Use keywords from the job description.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 3-5 of your strongest case studies that best demonstrate your experience with complex applications, problem-solving for operational challenges, and quantifiable impact. Ensure your portfolio is easily navigable and visually polished.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice articulating your design process, project goals, challenges, solutions, and outcomes for each case study in your portfolio. Be ready to discuss specific design decisions and their rationale.

• Research Apex: Familiarize yourself with Apex Technology, Inc.'s mission, products, and the aerospace industry. Understand the challenges and opportunities in spacecraft manufacturing at scale.

⚠️ 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.

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