UX/UI Designer, Senior - Remote Canada
π Job Overview
Job Title: Senior UX/UI Designer
Company: Smile Digital Health
Location: Remote (Canada)
Job Type: Full Time
Category: User Experience / Product Design
Date Posted: April 14, 2026
Experience Level: Senior (5+ years)
Remote Status: Fully Remote
π Role Summary
-
Drive user-centered design initiatives by conducting comprehensive user research, including qualitative and quantitative methods, to translate complex user needs into actionable design requirements.
-
Lead the design process from conception to implementation, creating sitemaps, user flows, customer journey maps, wireframes, mockups, and interactive prototypes for Smile Digital Health's innovative health data platform and solutions.
-
Act as a key contributor and maintainer of the in-house UX Style Framework, ensuring consistent application and adherence to design standards across all projects.
-
Collaborate closely with front-end development teams, product owners, and customer success to facilitate the seamless transition from design to code, ensuring accuracy and optimal user experience.
π Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Senior UX/UI Designer, indicating a need for a candidate who can not only execute design tasks but also lead design processes, mentor junior designers (if applicable), and influence design strategy within the organization. The emphasis on "Senior" and the mention of a "new role, created to support Smileβs continued growth and commitment to operational excellence" suggests a significant impact on product development and design maturity.
π Primary Responsibilities
-
User Research Leadership: Spearhead and actively participate in both qualitative and quantitative user research initiatives, including usability testing, remote testing, interviews, and surveys, to uncover deep user insights and pain points.
-
Design Synthesis & Translation: Synthesize complex research findings into clear, actionable design requirements, user stories, and specifications that guide product development.
-
End-to-End Solution Design: Lead and contribute to the entire UX/UI design lifecycle for Smile Digital Health's suite of solutions, including Clinical Reasoning and Next Generation designs, from initial discovery and concepting through to final implementation and iteration.
-
Prototyping & Visualization: Develop detailed wireframes, high-fidelity mockups, interactive prototypes, sitemaps, and user flows to effectively communicate design concepts and user journeys to engineering teams, stakeholders, and clients.
-
Design System Stewardship: Maintain and evolve Smile Digital Health's in-house UX Style Framework and design system, ensuring consistency, scalability, and efficient application of design elements across the product portfolio.
-
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Engage proactively with product owners, project managers, business leads, customer success teams, and front-end developers to gather requirements, validate design decisions, and ensure technical feasibility and implementation accuracy.
-
User Advocacy & Accessibility: Champion user-centered design principles and advocate for user needs throughout the product development process, with a strong focus on creating inclusive experiences that adhere to accessibility guidelines and best practices.
-
Process Improvement: Contribute to the continuous improvement of Smile's UX processes and practices, staying abreast of emerging design methodologies, tools, and industry trends to enhance team efficiency and product quality.
π Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic ownership and hands-on execution. The emphasis on leading research, owning the design process from discovery to iteration, and maintaining the design system indicates a senior-level expectation for autonomy and impact. The mention of "facilitating the entire process from design to code" underscores the importance of close collaboration with development.
π Skills & Qualifications
Education: Post-secondary education is preferred, ideally in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or a related field.
Experience: 5+ years of industry experience as a UX/UI Designer or in a similar role, with a proven track record of delivering impactful user experiences. Experience within an Agile SCRUM team is essential.
Required Skills:
-
User Research Expertise: Proficient in various qualitative and quantitative user experience research methods and tools, including usability testing, remote testing, interviews, and surveys, with a strong ability to synthesize findings into actionable design requirements.
-
UX/UI Design Proficiency: Demonstrated expertise in creating sitemaps, user flows, customer journey maps, wireframes, mockups, and high-fidelity prototypes.
-
Figma Mastery: Highly proficient in Figma, including advanced use of components, design systems, variables, and interactive prototyping capabilities.
-
Design System Development: Significant experience in building, maintaining, and scaling design systems to ensure consistency and efficiency across product suites.
-
Interaction Design & IA: Strong understanding of interaction design principles and information architecture to create intuitive and navigable user interfaces.
-
Visual Design Skills: Proven ability to create clear visual hierarchies and aesthetically pleasing user interfaces that enhance usability.
-
Agile SCRUM Experience: Proven experience working effectively within Agile SCRUM development methodologies and cross-functional teams.
-
Critical Thinking & Problem-Solving: Ability to critically analyze user needs and technical constraints, transforming complex ideas into clear, impactful, and user-friendly design solutions.
-
Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions effectively to diverse audiences.
-
Standard Design Methodologies: Familiarity with and application of standard UX/UI design methodologies and best practices.
-
Accessibility & Inclusivity: Deep understanding of accessibility guidelines (e.g., WCAG) and best practices for designing inclusive experiences for diverse users, including those with disabilities.
Preferred Skills:
-
Experience in healthcare design, specifically with FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) and clinical data workflows between payers and providers.
-
Familiarity with clinical measures in the US.
-
Knowledge of analytics and non-relational data concepts.
-
Experience designing for and extending common front-end frameworks like Bootstrap, Angular, and React.
-
Experience with custom design tools for extending framework functionality, such as GoJS, JointJS, or React Diagrams.
-
Experience working closely with front-end developers to ensure design accuracy in implementation.
π Enhancement Note: The required skills emphasize a blend of research, interaction design, visual design, and technical proficiency, particularly with Figma and design systems. The preferred skills point towards domain expertise in healthcare data and specific front-end technologies, which would be a significant advantage. The mention of "5+ years of industry experience" and "post secondary education is preferred" along with the role being "new" suggests a need for a self-starter with a solid foundation.
π Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements
Portfolio Essentials:
-
Demonstrated User Experience Impact: A robust portfolio showcasing a deep understanding of creating valuable and meaningful user experiences, with clear examples of problem-solving and user-centric design.
-
End-to-End Project Walkthroughs: Showcase complete project lifecycles, from initial user research and problem definition through wireframing, prototyping, user testing, and final design implementation, highlighting your specific contributions and design decisions.
-
Design System Contributions: Examples of building, maintaining, or significantly contributing to design systems, including component libraries, style guides, and their application across multiple products.
-
Figma Proficiency Showcase: Evidence of advanced Figma skills, including detailed examples of component usage, interactive prototyping, and potentially the use of variables or advanced features.
-
Problem-Solving Case Studies: Detailed case studies that articulate a specific design problem, the research and design process undertaken, the solutions developed, and the quantifiable impact or outcomes achieved.
Process Documentation:
-
User Research Methodologies: Clearly outline the research methods employed in your portfolio projects, detailing how user insights were gathered, analyzed, and translated into design decisions.
-
Design Process Framework: Illustrate your personal design process, including how you approach discovery, ideation, iteration, and collaboration with cross-functional teams.
-
Design System Governance: If applicable, describe your approach to managing and evolving design systems, including version control, documentation, and stakeholder alignment.
-
Accessibility Integration: Demonstrate how accessibility best practices were integrated into your design process and reflected in the final designs.
π Enhancement Note: For a Senior UX/UI Designer role, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to go beyond just showcasing visual aesthetics and demonstrate a strategic approach to design, robust research capabilities, proficiency with core tools like Figma, and the ability to build and maintain scalable design systems. Emphasis should be placed on showing the "why" behind design decisions and the impact of those decisions.
π΅ Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $95,000 - $115,000 CAD per year.
This range is competitive for a Senior UX/UI Designer role in Canada, particularly for a fully remote position with a company operating in the technology and healthcare sectors. The specific salary within this range will depend on the candidate's experience, skills, and the depth of their portfolio.
Benefits:
-
Remote Work Environment: Fully remote position, offering flexibility and work-life balance.
-
Flexible Time Off: Generous Flexible Time Away From Work Policy, including PTO, personal days, and sick days.
-
Comprehensive Health & Wellness: Competitive Salary, robust Health/Medical Benefits, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) supporting mental and physical well-being.
-
Retirement Savings: RRSP/TFSA/401K Employee Contribution options to support long-term financial planning.
-
Insurance Coverage: Life and Disability insurance for added security.
-
Professional Development: Access to a FHIR Study Program and Skillsoft Learning platform for continuous skill enhancement and industry-specific knowledge acquisition.
-
Team Engagement: Participation in the "Super HAPI Fun Club" for social engagement and team building.
Working Hours: The standard working hours are typically 40 hours per week, with flexibility offered due to the remote work arrangement. Specific meeting times will be scheduled to accommodate team collaboration across different time zones within Canada.
π Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is for the Canadian market. The benefits package is comprehensive, with a strong emphasis on work-life balance, professional development, and employee well-being, which are key attractors for senior-level talent in the tech industry. The inclusion of a FHIR Study Program is a unique and valuable benefit for those interested in healthcare data interoperability.
π― Team & Company Context
π’ Company Culture
Industry: Health Technology / Healthcare Data Management. Smile Digital Health operates at the intersection of technology and healthcare, focusing on data liberation and management solutions. Their mission is to improve global health through accessible and well-managed health data, positioning them as a key player in digital health transformation.
Company Size: The provided data does not explicitly state company size, but the mention of being #19 on Deloitte's Technology Fast 50 Ranking for 2024 suggests significant growth and likely a company size in the mid-to-large range, with potentially hundreds of employees.
Founded: Company Founded date is not provided. However, the Deloitte Fast 50 Ranking indicates recent rapid growth.
Team Structure:
-
UX/UI Team: The role is part of an established UX/UI team, implying a structured design function within the organization.
-
Cross-Functional Collaboration: The role requires close collaboration with product owners, project managers, business leads, customer success teams, and front-end development teams, indicating a matrixed or agile team structure where designers work embedded within product teams or specific project groups.
-
Reporting: While not explicitly stated, senior roles often report to a Design Lead, UX Manager, or Head of Product/Design.
Methodology:
-
Agile SCRUM: The company operates within an Agile SCRUM framework, meaning iterative development cycles, frequent collaboration, and adaptability are core to their operational methodology.
-
User-Centered Design: A strong emphasis is placed on user research, customer advocacy, and translating user needs into design solutions.
-
Data-Driven Innovation: The company's mission revolves around health data, suggesting a data-driven approach to product development and decision-making.
Company Website: Smile Digital Health (smiledigitalhealth.com)
π Enhancement Note: Smile Digital Health's focus on "Better Global Health" and their innovative FHIR-based platform positions them as a forward-thinking company in the health tech space. The rapid growth indicated by the Deloitte ranking suggests a dynamic and evolving work environment. The emphasis on collaboration and user advocacy points to a culture that values user impact and teamwork.
π Career & Growth Analysis
Operations Career Level: Senior UX/UI Designer. This level signifies a high degree of autonomy, expertise, and responsibility. The individual is expected to lead complex design projects, contribute to design strategy, mentor others, and influence product direction. The "new role" aspect suggests an opportunity to shape the function.
Reporting Structure: Typically, a Senior UX/UI Designer reports to a Design Manager, UX Lead, or potentially the Head of Product or Engineering, depending on the organizational structure. They will work closely with Product Managers and Development Leads within specific project teams.
Operations Impact: This role has a direct impact on the usability, user experience, and adoption of Smile Digital Health's core health data platform and solutions. By designing intuitive and effective interfaces, the Senior UX/UI Designer contributes to:
-
Improved user satisfaction and engagement with the platform.
-
Faster and more accurate data exchange, supporting the #BetterGlobalHealth mission.
-
Enhanced efficiency for healthcare stakeholders using the solutions.
Growth Opportunities:
-
Design Leadership: Potential to grow into a Lead UX/UI Designer, Design Manager, or Head of UX role, overseeing design strategy and team management as the company expands.
-
Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in healthcare data interoperability (FHIR), clinical reasoning systems, or specific areas of user research and design strategy.
-
Mentorship: As a senior member, opportunities to mentor and guide junior designers, fostering design talent within the organization.
-
Strategic Influence: Contribute to the evolution of Smile's design processes, standards, and the overall product vision.
-
Professional Development: Leverage company-provided learning resources (Skillsoft, FHIR Study Program) for continuous skill advancement.
π Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title and the creation of a new role suggest significant growth potential. Candidates should look for opportunities to shape processes and potentially lead future initiatives. The healthcare IT domain offers specialized career paths, and Smile's focus on FHIR provides a unique avenue for expertise development.
π Work Environment
Office Type: Fully Remote. This means the employee will work from a home office or other remote location, eliminating the need for daily commutes.
Office Location(s): While the role is remote, the primary listed location is Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and candidates are expected to be based in Canada. This implies adherence to Canadian employment laws and potentially tax implications.
Workspace Context:
-
Flexibility: A fully remote setup offers significant flexibility in managing work hours and personal life, crucial for deep work and creative tasks like design.
-
Tools & Technology: Access to design software (Figma), collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Zoom, Jira), and potentially cloud-based project management systems will be essential. The company likely provides necessary software licenses.
-
Collaboration: While remote, the team fosters collaboration through regular virtual meetings, design critiques, and communication platforms. The emphasis on cross-functional teams means designers will be integrated into project-specific virtual working groups.
Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approx. 40 hours/week) are expected, but the remote nature allows for flexibility in scheduling daily tasks, provided deadlines are met and collaboration with team members in different Canadian time zones is managed effectively.
π Enhancement Note: The remote nature is a key aspect of this role, offering significant autonomy. Candidates should be self-disciplined, effective communicators, and comfortable working independently while remaining connected to a distributed team. The Canadian location requirement is important for legal and HR purposes.
π Application & Portfolio Review Process
Interview Process:
-
Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review your application, focusing on your resume and portfolio link. Be prepared to quickly articulate your relevant experience and design philosophy.
-
Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: Expect a session where you present selected case studies from your portfolio, explaining your design process, rationale, challenges, and outcomes. This is a critical stage to demonstrate your senior-level thinking and problem-solving skills.
-
Technical/Design Challenge: A practical exercise may be assigned to assess your design skills, problem-solving approach, and proficiency with Figma or other design tools. This could involve a small design task or a critique of an existing interface.
-
Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers, Developers, and potentially other designers to assess your collaboration style, communication skills, and ability to integrate into the existing team dynamics.
-
Final Interview: A discussion with senior leadership (e.g., Head of Product, VP of Engineering) to evaluate strategic thinking, cultural fit, and overall suitability for the senior role.
Portfolio Review Tips:
-
Curate Strategically: Select 3-4 of your strongest projects that best showcase your end-to-end design process, problem-solving abilities, and impact, particularly those demonstrating complex workflows or design system work.
-
Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process followed, the design decisions made (and why), the challenges overcome, and the quantifiable results or impact.
-
Highlight Seniority: Emphasize your leadership in research, strategy, and collaboration, and any mentorship or process improvement contributions.
-
Figma and Design System Focus: Ensure your portfolio clearly demonstrates your advanced Figma skills and any experience with building or maintaining design systems.
-
Healthcare Context (if applicable): If you have healthcare or FHIR experience, make sure it's prominently featured and explained.
-
Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design philosophy, how you handle feedback, your collaboration style, and your approach to specific design challenges.
Challenge Preparation:
-
Understand the Scope: If a design challenge is provided, carefully read the brief and ask clarifying questions.
-
Focus on Process: Even if time is limited, clearly articulate your thought process, assumptions, and how you would approach solving the problem.
-
Demonstrate Tool Proficiency: Be ready to use Figma or other tools efficiently to present your solution.
-
Consider Constraints: Think about technical feasibility, accessibility, and business goals when developing your solution.
π Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily rely on the portfolio as a demonstration of skills and experience. Candidates should prepare to deeply discuss their work, articulate their thought process, and showcase their ability to lead design initiatives and collaborate effectively in a remote, agile environment.
π Tools & Technology Stack
Primary Tools:
-
Figma: This is the core design tool, with high proficiency expected, including advanced features like components, design systems, variables, and interactive prototyping.
-
Prototyping Tools: While Figma is primary, familiarity with other prototyping tools may be beneficial.
-
User Research Tools: Experience with tools for usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback), surveys (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Typeform), and synthesis (e.g., Dovetail, Miro).
Analytics & Reporting:
-
Analytics Platforms: Familiarity with how product analytics are used to inform design decisions (e.g., Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel) is beneficial, though direct usage might be by product managers.
-
Data Visualization Tools: Understanding how data is presented in dashboards can help in designing effective reporting interfaces.
CRM & Automation:
-
Project Management Tools: Experience with Agile project management software like Jira, Asana, or Trello for tracking tasks, sprints, and workflows.
-
Communication Tools: Proficiency in tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom for daily communication and virtual collaboration.
-
Documentation Tools: Familiarity with tools for documenting design processes and specifications (e.g., Confluence, Notion).
π Enhancement Note: Figma is explicitly called out as a requirement, indicating it's the primary tool. The emphasis on design systems and prototyping within Figma suggests a need for advanced user skills. Familiarity with the broader ecosystem of design, research, and collaboration tools will be expected for a senior role.
π₯ Team Culture & Values
Operations Values:
-
Respect & Inclusion: Smile Digital Health emphasizes respect, inclusion, and celebrating differences, creating a sense of belonging and empowering employees to be their authentic selves.
-
Data-Driven Approach: Given their industry, a strong emphasis on data and its role in improving healthcare outcomes is likely a core value, influencing design decisions and problem-solving.
-
User-Centricity: Advocating for the user and ensuring their needs are met is central to the UX/UI function and likely a broader company value, driving the #BetterGlobalHealth mission.
-
Innovation & Excellence: The company's rapid growth and focus on innovative health data solutions suggest a culture that values continuous improvement, operational excellence, and pushing technological boundaries.
-
Collaboration: The need for cross-functional teamwork highlights collaboration as a key value, essential for delivering complex health tech solutions.
Collaboration Style:
-
Cross-Functional Integration: Designers are expected to work closely with product managers, developers, and business stakeholders, fostering a collaborative environment where design is integrated early and often in the product lifecycle.
-
Open Communication: Given the remote nature, effective and frequent communication through various platforms is crucial. Expect regular feedback loops, design critiques, and active participation in team discussions.
-
Agile Mindset: The team likely embraces an agile approach, characterized by flexibility, iterative development, and a willingness to adapt based on feedback and changing requirements.
-
Knowledge Sharing: A culture that encourages sharing best practices, insights, and learnings, particularly within the design team and across development teams.
π Enhancement Note: The company's stated values of respect, inclusion, and belonging are significant for fostering a positive remote work environment. The emphasis on user-centricity and data aligns perfectly with the UX/UI role, suggesting a strong alignment between the candidate's passion and the company's mission.
β‘ Challenges & Growth Opportunities
Challenges:
-
Navigating Complex Healthcare Data: Understanding and designing for intricate healthcare data workflows, FHIR standards, and clinical reasoning systems can be challenging. This requires a steep learning curve if candidates lack prior domain experience.
-
Balancing User Needs with Technical Constraints: Effectively translating user requirements into feasible technical solutions within the context of complex healthcare IT infrastructure.
-
Remote Collaboration Dynamics: Maintaining strong team cohesion, effective communication, and efficient workflows in a fully remote setting requires proactive effort and strong interpersonal skills.
-
Driving Design Maturity: As a new role, there may be opportunities to shape and mature the design processes, but this also means establishing best practices and gaining buy-in from various stakeholders.
-
Keeping Pace with Innovation: The health tech industry is rapidly evolving; staying current with new technologies, design trends, and healthcare regulations is an ongoing challenge.
Learning & Development Opportunities:
-
Domain Expertise: Deepen knowledge in FHIR, clinical data workflows, and US clinical measures, becoming a subject matter expert in health data interoperability.
-
Advanced Design Skills: Enhance skills in complex system design, large-scale design systems, and potentially specialized areas like data visualization or accessibility for complex applications.
-
Leadership & Mentorship: Develop leadership capabilities by mentoring junior designers and contributing to the strategic direction of the UX/UI function.
-
Industry Exposure: Gain insights into the broader health technology landscape and the impact of data on global health initiatives.
-
Formal Learning: Utilize company-provided resources like the FHIR Study Program and Skillsoft learning for structured professional development.
π Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for a senior role in a specialized industry. The growth opportunities are substantial, offering chances to become a domain expert, develop leadership skills, and significantly impact a growing company's product strategy.
π‘ Interview Preparation
Strategy Questions:
-
"Describe a complex UX challenge you faced and how you approached it. What was the outcome?" (Focus on your process, research, and problem-solving skills.)
-
"How do you balance user needs with business objectives and technical constraints?" (Demonstrate strategic thinking and negotiation skills.)
-
"How do you ensure your designs are accessible and inclusive?" (Highlight your understanding of accessibility guidelines and your commitment to diverse user needs.)
-
"Describe your experience with building and maintaining design systems. What are the key principles?" (Showcase your ability to create scalable and consistent design solutions.)
Company & Culture Questions:
-
"What interests you about Smile Digital Health and our mission of #BetterGlobalHealth?" (Research the companyβs mission, values, and recent achievements.)
-
"How do you contribute to a positive and inclusive remote work environment?" (Reflect on your experience with remote collaboration and fostering belonging.)
-
"Describe a time you had to advocate for a design decision. How did you approach it?" (Showcase your ability to influence stakeholders and champion user needs.)
Portfolio Presentation Strategy:
-
Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly define the problem, your role, the process, key decisions, challenges, and outcomes. Use visual aids effectively.
-
Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, present data or metrics that demonstrate the positive impact of your designs (e.g., increased user engagement, reduced task completion time, improved conversion rates).
-
Highlight Figma Skills: Be prepared to discuss your advanced Figma techniques and how you leverage its features for efficiency and complex designs.
-
Explain Design System Principles: If discussing design systems, articulate your approach to component architecture, documentation, and governance.
-
Engage Your Audience: Make it a conversation, not a monologue. Be ready to answer questions thoughtfully and demonstrate your thought process in real-time.
π Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to articulate their design process in detail, demonstrating strategic thinking, strong problem-solving skills, and proficiency with Figma and design systems. Researching Smile Digital Health's mission and values is crucial for demonstrating cultural fit.
π Application Steps
To apply for this Senior UX/UI Designer position:
-
Submit your application through the provided link on Lever.co.
-
Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your 5+ years of UX/UI design experience, specific achievements in user research, Figma proficiency, design system work, and Agile SCRUM experience. Use keywords from the job description.
-
Curate Your Portfolio: Select 3-4 of your most relevant and impactful projects that showcase your end-to-end design process, problem-solving skills, and advanced Figma capabilities. Ensure it clearly demonstrates your senior-level contributions.
-
Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your selected portfolio case studies, focusing on clear storytelling, articulating your design rationale, and highlighting quantifiable results. Be ready to discuss your experience with healthcare data or FHIR if applicable.
-
Research Smile Digital Health: Understand their mission (#BetterGlobalHealth), their FHIR-based platform, and their company values to tailor your application and prepare for interview questions.
β οΈ 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.
Application Requirements
Requires 5+ years of industry experience in UX/UI design and a strong portfolio demonstrating meaningful user experiences. Proficiency in Figma, design systems, and familiarity with Agile methodologies are essential.