UX Engineer Co-op

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Engineer Co-op

Company: HqO

Location: Boston, MA

Job Type: Temporary / Internship

Category: Product Development / Engineering / Design

Date Posted: May 22, 2026

Experience Level: Entry-Level (Co-op/Internship)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This is a hands-on hybrid role bridging the gap between design and code within the Product Development team.

• The position involves contributing to a shared component library, maintaining UI skills files, and building high-fidelity, interactive prototypes.

• Responsibilities include pairing with front-end engineers on production UI work and conducting thorough design QA, with a strong emphasis on pixels, motion, and accessibility.

• The role leverages AI-assisted tooling for design and development workflows, aiming to enhance consistency, polish, and accessibility across the REX Platform.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is specifically designed for undergraduate students (rising juniors or seniors) seeking a co-op or internship experience, focusing on a blend of design system management, front-end development, and AI-driven design processes. The emphasis on "craft" implies a high standard for visual and interactive quality in both prototypes and production code.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Component Library Ownership: Build, maintain, and document components within the shared design system (including shared packages, design tokens, and Storybook stories), ensuring alignment between Figma designs and the code library.

• UI Skills File Maintenance: Maintain and update Claude skills that guide UI development at HqO, ensuring consistency in component patterns, naming conventions, and accessibility defaults for all users of Claude Code and Claude Design.

• Design Automation Development: Partner with Product and Design teams to develop and refine AI-assisted workflows, including design-to-code translation, token synchronization, and AI-powered design operations tools.

• High-Fidelity Prototyping: Collaborate with Product Managers and Designers to transform early concepts into polished, clickable prototypes, potentially incorporating real data, using tools like Claude Design and Claude Code.

• Production Front-end Contribution: Take on and deliver well-scoped UI tickets in Linear, such as empty states, micro-interactions, responsive fixes, and new component implementations, ensuring they pass code review and are ready for release.

• Design QA and Accessibility Audits: Conduct detailed design QA and accessibility audits for each release, verifying implementation against design specifications, checking for pixel perfection, motion accuracy, and adherence to accessibility standards (color contrast, keyboard navigation, ARIA, screen reader compatibility).

• Documentation Maintenance: Keep in-app guidance (Appcues flows, tooltips) and customer-facing help content (HelpHub articles) accurate and on-brand, updating existing content and creating new entries as features are released.

• Early-Stage Product Exploration: Participate in discovery sessions with Product Managers, build quick coded explorations alongside design concepts, and assist in testing and refining ideas before they enter the development sprint.

• Cross-Functional Coordination: Act as a liaison between Design and Engineering teams, proactively identifying and communicating technical tradeoffs, potential implementation challenges (e.g., mobile responsiveness issues), and fostering a shared understanding of design and development vocabulary.

• Internal Craft Contribution: Document patterns as they are built, contribute to internal UX and front-end best practices, and share learnings and insights with the broader product team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a deep integration with the product development lifecycle, from initial concept exploration to final release and documentation. The emphasis on "owning" components and skills files suggests a high degree of autonomy and responsibility for a co-op role. The mention of AI tooling (Claude Design, Claude Code) is a critical differentiator for this role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Current undergraduate student (rising junior or senior) enrolled in a co-op or internship program.

• Preferably pursuing a degree in Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Interaction Design, Information Science, Design + Engineering, Cognitive Science, or a closely related field. Experience:

• Demonstrable interest and aptitude in both design and software development.

• Experience with personal projects, portfolio sites, or class applications where both visual design and functional implementation were managed.

• Prior internship or co-op experience in software development, design, or design systems environments is a plus. Required Skills:

• Front-end Fundamentals: Working knowledge of HTML, CSS (including utility frameworks like Tailwind CSS, or modern CSS-in-JS/CSS Modules), and JavaScript/TypeScript.

• React Exposure: Familiarity with React is expected; ability to read and make meaningful changes to React components.

• Design System Fluency: Comfort translating design specifications from various formats (design tools, screenshots, Loom videos) into components.

• Craftsmanship: A keen eye for detail, including pixel alignment, micro-interactions, and overall UI polish.

• Written Communication: Clear, professional, and concise written communication skills for PR descriptions, component documentation, and walkthroughs.

• AI Tooling Comfort: Openness and willingness to work with AI-assisted tools such as Claude Design and Claude Code for daily tasks.

• Curiosity: Genuine interest in how product teams design, build, and ship software, and an eagerness to learn the rhythms of sprints, release trains, and design reviews.

Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with shadcn/ui or similar headless/composable component libraries.

• Experience contributing to a design system, component library, or Storybook.

• Understanding of design tokens and their implementation.

• Prior experience with accessibility standards (WCAG, ARIA, keyboard navigation).

• Exposure to project management tools like Linear.

• Familiarity with Agile/Scrum methodologies (sprints, story points, cycles).

• Experience with in-app guidance tools like Appcues.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize a blend of technical proficiency and design sensibility. The explicit mention of AI tools like "Claude Design," "Claude Code," and "AI-assisted workflows" is a critical keyword for candidates to highlight. The role values aptitude and craft over a specific major, making it accessible to a broader range of technically inclined students.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Component Library Contributions: Showcase examples of components built for a shared library, ideally with links to live implementations or Storybook documentation.

• Design System Alignment: Demonstrate how designs were translated into code components, highlighting consistency and adherence to design tokens or style guides.

• Interactive Prototypes: Include examples of high-fidelity, clickable prototypes, especially those built rapidly using design tools or coded components.

• Production Code Samples: Provide links to GitHub repositories or code snippets demonstrating polished front-end work, including responsive design and micro-interactions.

• Design QA/Accessibility Case Studies: Present examples of how design specifications were verified against implemented UI, including any accessibility audits performed and issues resolved.

Process Documentation:

• Component Documentation: Examples of clear, concise documentation for UI components, explaining their usage, props, and best practices.

• Workflow Optimization Examples: Showcase any personal or academic projects where you identified inefficiencies in a design or development process and implemented a solution (e.g., a script, a better workflow).

• AI Tool Integration: If possible, demonstrate how you've used AI tools to enhance design or development workflows, such as generating component code or refining design prompts.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a UX Engineer co-op, the portfolio should emphasize the tangible output of bridging design and code. Demonstrating ownership of components, understanding design systems, and the ability to deliver polished UI are key. Highlighting any experience with AI-assisted design/development tools will be a significant advantage.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• 1st Year Internship: $26/hour

• 2nd Year Internship: $30/hour

• This hourly compensation is based on HqO's estimate for this role, reflecting the company's commitment to fair pay for co-op talent. Benefits:

• Paid summer co-op experience (approximately June–December 2026, flexible based on academic calendar).

• Hands-on experience working with cutting-edge AI-assisted design and development tools.

• Opportunity to contribute to a shared component library and design system used company-wide.

• Exposure to a venture-backed software company environment.

• Potential for professional growth and development within a hybrid work setting.

• Networking opportunities with experienced designers and engineers. Working Hours:

• Full-time role, approximately 40 hours per week.

• Minimum of three days per week onsite in the Boston office (Monday–Thursday).

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is clearly defined for different internship years. The benefits focus on the unique learning opportunities and practical experience this role offers, particularly its hybrid nature and the use of advanced AI tooling.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Real Estate Technology (PropTech) / Software Development. HqO provides a platform that enhances the tenant and building operations experience.

Company Size: The provided data does not specify company size directly, but the existence of a Product Development team with dedicated Design and Engineering leadership, along with a component library and AI tooling, suggests a growing, established tech company.

Founded: HqO was founded in 2018, indicating a relatively young but experienced company in the proptech space.

Team Structure:

• The UX Engineer Co-op will join the Product Development team.

• They will report to the Head of Product and Design.

• Day-to-day integration will be with Design and Engineering teams.

• This structure implies a collaborative environment where design and engineering work closely together. Methodology:

• AI-Assisted Workflows: The company leverages AI tools (Claude Design, Claude Code) for design-to-code, token synchronization, and design operations, indicating a forward-thinking approach to productivity.

• Agile/Scrum Practices: The mention of "sprints" and a "Monthly Release Train" suggests adherence to agile development methodologies.

• Design System Driven: A strong emphasis on a shared component library and design tokens points to a disciplined approach to UI consistency and maintainability.

Company Website: hqo.com

📝 Enhancement Note: HqO operates in the dynamic PropTech sector, focusing on improving commercial real estate experiences through technology. The company's relatively recent founding (2018) suggests a culture that is likely innovative and adaptable, embracing new technologies like AI for product development.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is an entry-level co-op/internship role, specifically designed for students. It represents an opportunity to gain foundational experience at the intersection of UX/UI Design and front-end engineering.

Reporting Structure: The UX Engineer Co-op will report to the Head of Product and Design, indicating direct mentorship from senior leadership in product and design strategy. They will also work closely with designers and front-end engineers on a daily basis.

Operations Impact: While not a traditional "Revenue Operations" or "Sales Operations" role, this position has a direct impact on the product's usability, consistency, and accessibility. By improving the REX Platform's UI and development processes, the co-op contributes to a better user experience for HqO's clients, indirectly supporting customer satisfaction and retention.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in front-end development (React, TypeScript), design systems, UI/UX principles, and modern CSS techniques.

• AI Tool Proficiency: Gain hands-on experience and become proficient in using AI-assisted tools for design and development, a rapidly growing field.

• Portfolio Development: Build a strong portfolio with tangible contributions like components, prototypes, shipped code, and documentation, which is invaluable for future career prospects.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Learn how design, product, and engineering teams collaborate within an agile software development environment.

• Industry Insight: Gain practical experience in the PropTech industry.

• Potential for Future Opportunities: Successful co-op performance could lead to future internship or full-time opportunities at HqO.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a stepping stone, offering significant practical experience for students interested in UX engineering, front-end development, or design systems. The mentorship from the Head of Product and Design provides a unique growth opportunity.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work environment.

Office Location(s): Boston, MA. The role requires a minimum of three days per week onsite, specifically Monday through Thursday.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The role is embedded within the Design and Engineering teams, fostering close collaboration and knowledge sharing.

• Tooling: Access to and daily use of industry-standard design tools (Figma), development environments, project management software (Linear), AI tools (Claude Design, Claude Code), and a shared component library.

• Team Interaction: Frequent interaction with Product Managers, Designers, and Front-end Engineers, providing ample opportunities to learn and contribute.

Work Schedule: Full-time, with a structured hybrid schedule requiring onsite presence on specific weekdays. This allows for focused work and collaboration while maintaining some flexibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is clearly defined, emphasizing the importance of in-office collaboration for design and engineering roles. The structured approach to days onsite (Mon-Thurs) suggests a deliberate effort to maximize team interaction and project alignment.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and potentially a portfolio. Candidates will be contacted if their background and experience align with the role.

• Technical & Design Assessment: Likely involves a technical screen to assess front-end skills (HTML, CSS, JS/TS, React) and a discussion about design sensibility and experience with design systems.

• Portfolio Review: A dedicated session to walk through the candidate's portfolio, focusing on specific projects that demonstrate their ability to bridge design and code, manage components, and use relevant tools.

• Behavioral & Situational Questions: Questions will assess curiosity, collaboration style, problem-solving approach, and fit with the company culture, particularly regarding AI tool usage and hybrid work.

• Final Interview: Potentially with the Head of Product and Design or other key stakeholders to discuss the role in detail and assess overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Hybrid Skills: Showcase projects where you've clearly demonstrated both design thinking and coding execution.

• Component Ownership: If you've built or contributed to components in a design system or library, make this a focal point. Explain your process, decisions, and impact.

• AI Tool Integration: If possible, include projects where you've experimented with or utilized AI tools to enhance your workflow. Be ready to discuss your learnings.

• Design QA/Accessibility: Prepare examples of how you've ensured quality and accessibility in your work.

• Storytelling: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your solution, your role, the tools used, and the outcome or learnings.

• Code Clarity: Ensure any code samples are well-documented and easy to understand. Link to GitHub repositories.

Challenge Preparation:

• Front-end Coding Challenge: Be prepared for a small coding exercise focusing on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript/TypeScript, potentially involving React or a specific UI component implementation.

• Design System Exercise: You might be asked to translate a design mockup into code components or discuss how you would approach building a new component for a design system.

• Problem-Solving Scenarios: Anticipate questions about how you would handle common UX engineering challenges, such as aligning design and engineering, debugging UI issues, or ensuring accessibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The application process is geared towards assessing a candidate's practical skills in both design and development, with a strong emphasis on their portfolio and their comfort with AI tools. Candidates should be ready to demonstrate their ability to execute on tasks that are central to a UX Engineer role.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design Tools: Figma (for design specifications and system maintenance).

• Development Environment: Local development setup for front-end coding.

• AI Design Tools: Claude Design (for AI-assisted design workflows and prototyping).

• AI Coding Tools: Claude Code (for AI-assisted code generation and development).

• Project Management: Linear (for ticket tracking, sprint management, and release coordination).

• Component Library/Documentation: Storybook (for showcasing and documenting shared components).

• In-App Guidance: Appcues (for creating and managing in-app user flows and tooltips).

• Customer Support/Documentation: HelpHub (for customer-facing help content).

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly mentioned for this role, expect to interact with product analytics tools used by the broader team to understand user behavior and feature adoption. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly relevant to the core responsibilities of this UX Engineer Co-op role, but understanding the REX Platform's overall function will be important.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack is heavily focused on modern front-end development practices, design systems, and cutting-edge AI tooling. Proficiency or familiarity with these specific tools will be a significant advantage.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Craftsmanship: A commitment to high-quality design and code, paying attention to details like pixels, motion, and accessibility.

• Collaboration: Strong emphasis on cross-functional teamwork between design, engineering, and product management.

• Efficiency: Leveraging AI and streamlined processes to accelerate development and improve productivity.

• Innovation: Embracing new technologies and workflows, such as AI-assisted design and development.

• User-Centricity: Focusing on building a polished and accessible REX Platform that enhances the user experience.

• Ownership: Taking responsibility for contributions to the component library, skills files, and shipped features.

Collaboration Style:

• Connective Tissue: The UX Engineer acts as a bridge, facilitating communication and understanding between design and engineering.

• Proactive Communication: Encouraging early identification of tradeoffs and potential issues.

• Feedback Loops: Openness to sharing learnings and receiving feedback on code, designs, and processes.

• Shared Vocabulary: Working to ensure designers and engineers can communicate effectively using common terms and concepts.

📝 Enhancement Note: HqO's culture appears to value a blend of technical excellence, collaborative problem-solving, and a forward-thinking approach to technology adoption. The emphasis on "craft" suggests a team that takes pride in the quality of its output.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Bridging Design & Code: Effectively translating complex design specifications into functional, high-quality code, ensuring pixel-perfect accuracy and adherence to design principles.

• Design System Maintenance: Keeping the Figma design system and the code component library in sync, which requires meticulous attention to detail and robust documentation.

• AI Tool Integration: Adapting to and effectively leveraging AI tools like Claude Design and Claude Code, which may involve prompt engineering, refining outputs, and understanding their limitations.

• Accessibility Compliance: Thoroughly auditing and implementing solutions for accessibility standards across various components and features.

• Cross-Functional Communication: Navigating potential communication gaps between design and engineering, ensuring alignment and efficient problem-solving.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into Design Systems: Gain hands-on experience building, maintaining, and contributing to a production-level design system.

• Advanced Front-end Skills: Enhance proficiency in React, TypeScript, modern CSS, and responsive design principles.

• AI in Product Development: Become an early adopter and expert in utilizing AI tools for design and engineering tasks.

• UX Engineering Best Practices: Learn the nuances of the UX engineering discipline, including prototyping, design QA, and bridging the gap between UX and development.

• Agile Development: Experience working within an agile framework, participating in sprints and release cycles.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a unique opportunity to tackle challenges at the forefront of product development, particularly with the integration of AI. The growth opportunities are directly tied to developing in-demand skills in design systems, front-end development, and AI-assisted workflows.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Design System Strategy: "How would you ensure that new components added to our design system are consistent with existing ones?" "Describe a time you had to reconcile a design specification with technical constraints."

• AI Tooling Approach: "How do you see AI tools like Claude Design/Code augmenting the UX engineering workflow?" "What are potential pitfalls of relying too heavily on AI for design or code generation?"

• Process Improvement: "Describe a process you've improved in a past project. What was the problem, your solution, and the outcome?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• Hybrid Work: "How do you approach collaboration in a hybrid environment?" "What are your expectations for in-office days?"

• Learning & Development: "What are you hoping to learn during this co-op experience?" "How do you stay up-to-date with new technologies in front-end development and design?"

• Team Fit: "Describe your ideal working relationship with designers and front-end engineers."

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Start with an overview of your relevant skills and how they align with the UX Engineer role.

• Project Deep Dives: For 2-3 key projects, detail the problem, your specific role and contributions, the tools and technologies used (especially Figma, React, AI tools), your design and development process, and the impact or learnings.

• Component Examples: Clearly showcase any design system or component library work, explaining your approach to documentation and maintenance.

• Code Walkthrough: Be prepared to briefly explain key sections of code if asked, especially for front-end contributions.

• AI Tool Usage: If you have projects showcasing AI tool integration, highlight them and be ready to explain your workflow and results.

• Conciseness: Be mindful of time; aim for clear, impactful explanations rather than overly long descriptions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a balanced skill set, a proactive and collaborative attitude, and genuine enthusiasm for the specific tools and hybrid nature of the role. Highlighting any experience with AI tools is crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Engineer Co-op position:

• Submit your resume through the provided application link.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects demonstrating your front-end development skills (HTML, CSS, JavaScript/TypeScript, React), design system contributions, prototyping abilities, and any experience with AI tools.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your relevant coursework, projects, and any prior internship or co-op experience, using keywords such as "UX Engineer," "Front-end Development," "Design Systems," "React," "Figma," and "AI Tooling."

• Interview Preparation: Practice explaining your projects and technical skills, especially focusing on how you bridge design and code. Be ready to discuss your understanding of design systems and your approach to quality assurance and accessibility.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with HqO's mission, its product (REX Platform), and its position in the PropTech industry. Understand their commitment to using AI in product development and their hybrid work model.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions tailored for a UX Engineer Co-op role. All details should be verified directly with HqO before making application decisions.