UX / UI Designer - Springfield

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX / UI Designer

Company: Photon

Location: United States (On-site)

Job Type: Contractor

Category: UX/UI Design

Date Posted: 2026-09-15

Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-6 years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive end-to-end user experience and interface design for both enterprise-level software and B2C marketplace platforms, encompassing web and mobile applications.

• Execute the full design lifecycle from user research, UX flow mapping, wireframing, and high-fidelity UI creation, primarily utilizing Figma.

• Foster deep collaboration with Product Management and Engineering teams to define product strategy, prioritize features, and ensure seamless design implementation.

• Conduct and synthesize user research and usability testing to gather actionable insights and inform design iterations.

• Develop and maintain a scalable component library and design system to ensure consistency and efficiency across all product interfaces.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role explicitly mentions designing for both "enterprise complexity and consumer simplicity," indicating a need for a designer adaptable to diverse user needs and product types. The emphasis on "owning end-to-end experience design" and "moving fluidly between enterprise complexity and consumer simplicity" suggests a mid-level to senior role requiring strong autonomy and strategic thinking. The compensation range also supports this, with a broad spread indicating experience flexibility.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the design process from initial concept through to final handoff, including user research, information architecture, interaction design, wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity UI design.

• Conduct hands-on user research, including qualitative interviews, surveys, and usability testing, to gather insights and validate design solutions.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers and Engineering leads on a daily basis to translate product requirements into intuitive and effective user interfaces.

• Develop, maintain, and evolve a comprehensive design system, including a component library and style guides, to ensure consistency and scalability across all digital products.

• Make informed design decisions by balancing user needs, business objectives, technical constraints, and market dynamics, clearly articulating the rationale behind these decisions.

• Design for complex enterprise workflows, optimizing dense information structures and task-oriented user journeys.

• Design for B2C marketplace dynamics, focusing on search, discovery, conversion funnels, and building user trust.

• Contribute to defining and refining product roadmaps through user-centric design perspectives and early prototyping.

• Advocate for inclusive design principles and accessibility standards throughout the design process.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities list highlights a hands-on approach, particularly in user research and usability testing ("not just request it - actually do it"). The dual focus on enterprise workflows and B2C marketplace dynamics suggests a need for a broad skill set. The requirement to "make hard tradeoffs" and "articulate why" points to strong analytical and communication skills critical for operations roles that bridge user needs and business realities.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: 2 to 6 years of professional experience designing digital products, with a demonstrated depth in UX fundamentals.

Required Skills:

• Proven expertise in UX design principles, including information architecture, interaction design, and usability best practices.

• Advanced proficiency in Figma for wireframing, prototyping, UI design, and component creation.

• Demonstrated experience shipping complex enterprise software products with intricate workflows.

• Experience designing for B2C marketplace dynamics, including search, discovery, conversion optimization, and trust signals.

• Strong systems thinking ability, focusing on reusable components, consistent patterns, and responsive design.

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate design decisions and rationale to non-design stakeholders.

• Ability to manage and synthesize user research and usability testing findings effectively.

• Experience building and maintaining design systems and component libraries. Preferred Skills:

• Experience working within an Agile development environment, with design leading engineering initiatives.

• Familiarity with HTML, CSS, and/or React, enabling effective communication with engineering teams.

• A strong point of view on inclusive design and accessibility as a core practice.

• Experience leveraging analytics and A/B testing to validate design decisions with quantitative data.

• Direct experience building UIs using established design system components.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirement is detailed as "2 to 6 years," indicating a need for a designer who has moved beyond junior-level tasks and can independently drive design projects. The emphasis on "real depth in UX fundamentals" and "shipping enterprise products with real workflow complexity" suggests a preference for candidates with a robust understanding of complex systems, which is highly relevant to operations roles that manage intricate business processes.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing the end-to-end design process, not just final visual outputs.

• Detailed case studies demonstrating problem definition, user research methodologies, iterative design thinking, and final solutions.

• Examples of designing for complex enterprise workflows and B2C marketplace interactions.

• Evidence of systems thinking, including the creation or utilization of design systems and component libraries.

• Clear articulation of design decisions, trade-offs, and the rationale behind them, supported by user data or business objectives.

• Examples of high-fidelity UI designs and prototypes, with a focus on usability and interaction details. Process Documentation:

• Portfolio entries should clearly outline the design process followed for each project, including research methods, ideation stages, and testing phases.

• Documentation of how user feedback and data influenced design iterations and final outcomes.

• Explanation of how design systems and components were applied to ensure consistency and efficiency.

• Demonstration of collaboration with Product and Engineering teams throughout the design lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for a "portfolio that shows your process, not just your pixels" is critical for operations roles. This implies a need for candidates to demonstrate their problem-solving methodology, iterative design approach, and ability to articulate the "why" behind their solutions, mirroring the analytical and strategic thinking valued in operations.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Minimum Compensation: USD 44,000 per year

• Maximum Compensation: USD 154,000 per year

• Explanation: This broad salary range is typical for contract roles where compensation is highly dependent on the candidate's specific experience, skill set, and the duration of the engagement. For a candidate with 2-6 years of experience, the expected range would likely fall between USD 70,000 and USD 120,000 annually, with more senior candidates or those with highly specialized skills potentially commanding the higher end. The provided range reflects a good faith estimate based on market data for UX/UI designers in the US, considering the role's emphasis on both enterprise and B2C experience.

Benefits:

• Medical, vision, and dental benefits (for full-time employees).

• 401k retirement plan (for full-time employees).

• Variable pay/incentives.

• Paid time off (for full-time employees).

• Paid holidays (for full-time employees).

• Note: Benefits are explicitly stated as available for "full-time employees." As this position is available for independent contractors, the specific benefits package for contractors may differ and should be clarified during the offer stage.

Working Hours:

• Standard working hours are assumed to be 40 hours per week, typical for a full-time contractor role.

• The role requires daily collaboration, suggesting a need for availability during core business hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is wide, suggesting significant flexibility based on candidate qualifications. The distinction between benefits for full-time employees and contractors is important. For contractors, compensation often includes a higher hourly/daily rate to offset the lack of traditional benefits, or a separate benefits package may be negotiated. The stated benefits are standard for full-time employees and should be clarified for contract roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology/SaaS (implied by "enterprise complexity and consumer simplicity" and "products")

Company Size: The description doesn't explicitly state company size, but the need for a designer to "own end-to-end experience design" and "partner daily with Product, and Engineering" suggests a mid-sized to large organization where dedicated design resources are integrated into product teams, rather than a very small startup where one person wears all hats.

Founded: Not specified, but the company offers enterprise and B2C products, indicating a mature business model.

Team Structure:

• The designer will be part of product teams, working closely with Product Managers and Engineers.

• This implies a cross-functional, agile team structure where design is an integral part of the development process.

• The role requires daily interaction, suggesting a collaborative and communicative team environment. Methodology:

• Design process emphasizes user research, iterative design, and data-driven validation (analytics, A/B testing).

• Systems thinking is key, focusing on scalable design systems and component libraries.

• Agile development methodologies are implied by the "bonus points" section mentioning working in an agile team where design runs ahead of engineering.

Company Website: Photon (https://www.photon.com - inferred from source domain)

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on both enterprise and B2C products suggests a diverse user base and a need for a design approach that can accommodate varying levels of technical sophistication and user goals. This duality is a common theme in operations roles, which often manage processes and systems that serve both internal and external stakeholders.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Mid-Level Designer (2-6 years experience)

Reporting Structure: The designer will report into a product team lead or design manager (not specified) and will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering leads. This indicates a collaborative, matrixed reporting structure common in tech companies.

Operations Impact: The designer's impact is directly tied to the usability, adoption, and effectiveness of Photon's digital products. By optimizing user experiences for both enterprise workflows and B2C marketplaces, the designer will contribute to increased user satisfaction, conversion rates, operational efficiency, and ultimately, revenue growth. Decisions made by the designer will directly influence how users interact with the platform, impacting key business metrics.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in enterprise UX, B2C conversion optimization, design systems, or accessibility.

• Leadership: Potential to lead design initiatives, mentor junior designers, or evolve into a Design Lead role as the company grows.

• Cross-functional Expertise: Gaining a deeper understanding of product management and engineering processes, enhancing broader product development skills.

• Design System Ownership: Opportunity to take significant ownership and drive the evolution of Photon's design system.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role requires a designer to "make hard tradeoffs between user needs, business goals, and technical reality." This is a core competency in operations, where balancing competing priorities is paramount. The opportunity to influence product strategy and contribute to business goals highlights the strategic importance of this design role, akin to how operations professionals drive efficiency and revenue.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site (as derived from ai_work_arrangement)

Office Location(s): Springfield, United States. (The specific state for Springfield is not provided, but the timezone America/Chicago suggests a Midwestern location like Illinois or Missouri. Given the broad "United States" location in locations_derived, it's likely a significant hub.)

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative environment with daily interaction with Product and Engineering teams.

• Access to design tools, primarily Figma, and likely other collaboration software.

• A focus on agile methodologies suggests a dynamic and fast-paced work environment.

• The need to balance enterprise complexity with consumer simplicity implies a workplace that values adaptability and diverse problem-solving approaches.

Work Schedule: Assumed to be standard business hours, 40 hours per week, with expectations for daily collaboration. As a contractor, there might be some flexibility, but on-site presence is required.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Springfield" location, while specific to the job title, is broad. Given the timezone America/Chicago, it's likely referring to Springfield, Illinois. The on-site requirement implies a need for a designer comfortable with in-person collaboration and team integration, which is often a preference for companies looking to foster a strong team dynamic and facilitate rapid iteration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio to assess experience, skill alignment, and design process.

• Portfolio Presentation: Candidates will likely present their portfolio, detailing 1-2 key projects that demonstrate their process, problem-solving skills, and ability to handle both enterprise and B2C design challenges. Expect questions on trade-offs, user research methods, and design system contributions.

• Skills Assessment/Challenge: Potentially a design exercise or case study focusing on a specific problem relevant to Photon's products (e.g., optimizing a workflow, designing a new feature for a marketplace). This will assess their approach to problem-solving, systems thinking, and execution.

• Team/Cultural Fit Interview: Discussion with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially other designers to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and alignment with Photon's culture.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Show, Don't Just Tell: For each project, clearly outline the problem, your role, the process you followed (research, ideation, design, testing), and the outcome. Use visuals effectively.

• Highlight Process: Emphasize how you approached challenges, made decisions, and iterated based on feedback or data. This is crucial for showcasing systems thinking and problem-solving.

• Demonstrate Trade-offs: Be prepared to discuss difficult decisions you had to make and the rationale behind them, especially balancing user needs, business goals, and technical constraints.

• Design System Contributions: If you have experience with design systems, showcase your contributions, whether building, maintaining, or utilizing them.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, use metrics (e.g., conversion rate improvements, usability scores, efficiency gains) to demonstrate the impact of your design work.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a design challenge, ensure you fully understand the problem, target users, and business objectives. Ask clarifying questions.

• Structure Your Approach: Outline your steps logically: research, define problem, brainstorm solutions, select best option, detail solution, and consider next steps/testing.

• Think Systems: Apply principles of information architecture, interaction design, and component-based design.

• Communicate Clearly: Articulate your thought process and design rationale as you work through the challenge.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "owning end-to-end experience design" and "making hard tradeoffs" suggests that interviewers will probe deeply into the candidate's decision-making process and their ability to justify design choices based on both user needs and business/technical realities. This is a key skill that operations professionals also need.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core tool for wireframing, UI design, prototyping, and collaboration. Advanced proficiency is explicitly required.

• Prototyping Tools: While Figma is primary, experience with other prototyping tools may be beneficial.

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

• Collaboration Tools: Slack, Jira, Confluence (or similar) for team communication and project management.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Analytics Platforms: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude, or similar for understanding user behavior and conversion funnels.

• A/B Testing Tools: Optimizely, VWO, or built-in platform A/B testing features for validating design decisions.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly designing for CRM/automation, understanding how user journeys integrate with these systems (especially for enterprise tools) is advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is a non-negotiable requirement. The mention of analytics and A/B testing indicates that data-driven design is valued, aligning with the analytical approach common in operations roles. Understanding how design impacts conversion funnels is particularly relevant for B2C aspects of the role.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep understanding and focus on user needs, driving design decisions based on user research and feedback.

• Systems Thinking: Valuing consistency, scalability, and maintainability through robust design systems and component libraries.

• Collaboration: Fostering strong partnerships with Product and Engineering to ensure successful product development and implementation.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Using analytics and A/B testing to validate design hypotheses and measure impact.

• Pragmatism: Ability to make effective tradeoffs between ideal user experiences, business goals, and technical feasibility.

• Continuous Improvement: Commitment to iterating on designs and refining processes based on learnings.

Collaboration Style:

• Daily, close collaboration with Product Managers and Engineers in an agile setting.

• Open communication and clear articulation of design rationale to cross-functional teams.

• A culture where design is integrated early in the product development process, not an afterthought.

• Willingness to give and receive constructive feedback on designs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "making hard tradeoffs" and "articulating why" strongly suggests a culture that values reasoned decision-making and the ability to justify design choices. This mirrors the operational necessity of balancing resources, timelines, and objectives.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Dual Product Types: Effectively designing for both complex enterprise workflows and intuitive B2C marketplace experiences requires versatility and the ability to switch context rapidly.

• Design System Maintenance: Ensuring a design system remains scalable, up-to-date, and adopted across diverse product lines can be challenging.

• Cross-functional Alignment: Maintaining alignment on design vision and execution with Product and Engineering teams, especially when technical constraints arise.

• Data Interpretation: Effectively translating raw analytics and A/B test results into actionable design improvements.

• Contractor Integration: As a contractor, integrating seamlessly into existing team dynamics and workflows.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced UX/UI Techniques: Deepen skills in areas like accessibility, inclusive design, micro-interactions, and advanced prototyping.

• Product Strategy: Gain deeper insights into product roadmapping, market analysis, and business goal setting through close collaboration.

• Technical Acumen: Enhance understanding of front-end development (HTML/CSS/React) and its implications for design.

• Design System Leadership: Opportunity to take ownership and drive the strategic direction of a growing design system.

• Industry Exposure: Working on diverse product types (enterprise and B2C) broadens the designer's portfolio and understanding of different user needs and market dynamics.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenge of "making hard tradeoffs" is a significant one, requiring a strategic mindset. This is a prime area for growth, as mastering this skill is crucial for advancing in design and operations roles. The opportunity to work on both enterprise and B2C products provides a unique learning curve.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to make a difficult tradeoff between user needs, business goals, and technical constraints. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your decision-making process, communication, and ability to justify your choices.)

• "How do you approach designing for both complex enterprise workflows and simple B2C user journeys? Can you provide an example from your portfolio?" (Highlight your adaptability and understanding of different user contexts.)

• "Walk us through your process for conducting user research and usability testing. How do you synthesize findings to inform your designs?" (Emphasize hands-on experience and data-driven iteration.)

• "How do you contribute to or utilize a design system? What are the key principles of a scalable design system?" (Showcase your understanding of systems thinking and component-based design.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Photon's mission and its dual focus on enterprise and B2C products?" (Research Photon's website and understand their market position.)

• "How do you collaborate with Product Managers and Engineers? Describe your ideal working relationship." (Focus on communication, partnership, and shared ownership.)

• "How do you ensure your designs are inclusive and accessible?" (Demonstrate your commitment to these principles.)

• "How would you approach designing a feature for [mention a specific type of feature relevant to Photon, e.g., a search filter for a marketplace, or a complex data entry form for enterprise]?" (Be prepared to think on your feet and apply your process.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select 1-2 Strong Case Studies: Choose projects that best showcase your process, problem-solving skills, and ability to handle complexity.

• Structure for Clarity: For each project, cover: Problem, Your Role, Process (Research, Ideation, Design, Testing), Solution, and Outcome/Impact.

• Highlight Your "Why": Be articulate about the decisions you made and the rationale behind them. Explain the trade-offs you navigated.

• Showcase Figma Skills: Be ready to demonstrate specific Figma techniques or showcase your component library/design system work if applicable.

• Practice Your Narrative: Ensure you can clearly and concisely communicate your story, keeping the audience engaged.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will likely heavily scrutinize the candidate's ability to articulate their design process and justify decisions. This is directly analogous to operations roles where clear communication of strategy, process improvements, and resource allocation is paramount.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX/UI Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Oracle Cloud portal link.

• Customize your resume: Highlight experience with Figma, enterprise software design, B2C marketplace optimization, design systems, and user research. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Prepare your portfolio: Ensure it clearly showcases your design process, systems thinking, and ability to handle complex challenges. Select 1-2 case studies that best represent your skills for this role.

• Practice your narrative: Be ready to articulate your design process, decision-making rationale, and how you handle trade-offs during portfolio presentations and interviews.

• Research Photon: Understand their products, market, and company values to tailor your responses and demonstrate genuine interest.

⚠️ 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.