UX/UI Project Engineer II

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX/UI Project Engineer II

Company: Sierra Nevada Corporation

Location: Englewood, CO / Lone Tree, CO, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Project Engineering / Operations Management

Date Posted: May 03, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ Years

🚀 Role Summary

• Strategic Project Oversight: Drive the successful execution of complex aerospace and defense projects, focusing on UX/UI development, user support operations, and comprehensive training delivery. This role is critical for ensuring seamless integration of user-facing systems with backend processes and meeting stringent customer requirements.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Coordinate and lead diverse teams including UX designers, front-end developers, training specialists, and IT support staff, fostering a collaborative environment to achieve project milestones and deliver high-quality user experiences.

• User Experience Advocacy: Act as the primary liaison between operational users and development teams, ensuring user needs, feedback, and pain points are translated into actionable development items and incorporated into system enhancements.

• Technical Interface & Program Management: Manage project plans, schedules, and budgets, providing technical direction for UX/UI development and user support functions, while maintaining clear communication channels with both internal stakeholders and external customers.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role, while titled Project Engineer, has significant operational responsibilities, particularly in user support and training delivery. The emphasis on managing user-facing systems, support operations, and training programs positions it strongly within the broader GTM and operational excellence domains, requiring a blend of technical engineering and operational management skills.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Project Planning & Execution: Develop and manage detailed project plans, release schedules, sprint backlogs, and budgets for UI development, user support operations, and training delivery workstreams, ensuring alignment with customer requirements and program priorities.

• UX/UI Lifecycle Management: Provide technical oversight for the entire UX/UI development lifecycle, from user research, wireframing, and prototyping to front-end implementation, testing, and deployment, driving consistency and quality across all program-facing tools.

• User Training Program Ownership: Own the end-to-end development and delivery of comprehensive user training programs, including the creation of diverse training materials and coordination of delivery schedules to enhance user proficiency and adoption.

• User Support Operations Leadership: Lead user support functions, including help desk ticket management, issue triage, resolution tracking, and communication, ensuring Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are met and user feedback is captured for continuous improvement.

• Stakeholder & Customer Interface: Serve as the principal technical interface between operational users and the development team, and act as the primary technical point of contact for external customers on all UI, training, and user support matters, managing expectations and facilitating communication.

• Risk & Issue Management: Identify and manage UI defects, support bottlenecks, training gaps, and integration failures, developing and implementing resolution plans and contingency strategies, and maintaining a UI/Support Risk Register.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly indicate a need for strong process orientation, focusing on user adoption, support efficiency, and training effectiveness – all critical components of successful GTM and operational readiness. The role requires not just technical engineering but also a deep understanding of user workflows and support infrastructure.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a closely related technical field.

Experience: 10+ years of progressive engineering experience, with at least 2+ years in a technical lead or project engineering lead role.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated hands-on experience in UX/UI development: wireframing, prototyping, usability testing, and front-end implementation on production systems.

• Proven experience designing and delivering user training programs for complex technical systems, including developing written guides, visual aids, and structured curricula.

• Direct experience managing a user support function: ticket lifecycle management, SLA definition and tracking, and escalation procedures.

• Working experience with ServiceNow: functional user, workflow owner, or administrator (catalog items, incident/change/request management, reporting).

• Experience serving as an interface between operational users and a software development team: translating user needs into backlog items and coordinating acceptance testing.

• Strong requirements management skills: ability to capture, document, and trace user interface requirements through design and into delivered solutions.

• Experience managing project plans, schedules, and budgets using formal project management tools (e.g., MS Project, Jira, or equivalent).

Preferred Skills:

• 4–6 years of project leadership or engineering program management experience on software-intensive programs.

• Background in Aerospace & Defense programs supporting classified or operationally sensitive user communities.

• Proficiency with front-end technologies (React, Angular, Vue.js, HTML/CSS) or low-code/no-code UI platforms.

• Experience with UX research methods (user interviews, task analysis, card sorting, A/B testing) and translating findings into design decisions.

• ServiceNow Certified System Administrator (CSA) or Certified Application Developer (CAD) certification.

• Experience with ITSM frameworks (ITIL v4 or equivalent) applied to program support operations.

• Knowledge of Agile/SAFe delivery practices and experience participating in PI Planning, sprint reviews, and backlog refinement.

• PMP certification or INCOSE ASEP/CSEP certification.

• Experience developing cost estimates and staffing plans for training and support operations workstreams.

• Active DoD Top Secret Clearance with SCI Eligibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills highlight a practical, hands-on approach to UX/UI and user support, emphasizing direct experience with key tools like ServiceNow and project management software. The preferred skills indicate a strong preference for candidates with experience in the Aerospace & Defense sector, particularly those familiar with Agile methodologies and advanced certifications, suggesting a structured and robust project execution environment.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Project Management Case Studies: Showcase examples of managing complex technical projects from initiation to closure, detailing your role in defining scope, developing schedules, managing budgets, and mitigating risks. Quantify project outcomes where possible.

• UX/UI Design & Development Examples: Present a portfolio of UX/UI work, including wireframes, prototypes, and final designs. Highlight your process for user research, usability testing, and how your design decisions addressed specific user needs or business objectives.

• User Support Process Documentation: Include documentation or descriptions of user support processes you've implemented or managed, such as ticket management workflows, SLA tracking mechanisms, and escalation procedures.

• Training Program Development: Provide examples of training materials you have created (user guides, quick-reference cards, video tutorials, ILT curricula) and demonstrate how your training programs improved user proficiency or adoption rates.

• ServiceNow Workflow Examples: If possible, include anonymized examples or detailed descriptions of workflows you have designed or managed within ServiceNow, illustrating your understanding of ITSM processes.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Demonstrate experience in mapping and optimizing user-centric workflows for development, support, and training processes, focusing on efficiency and user satisfaction.

• System Implementation & Integration: Provide evidence of your ability to oversee the implementation of user-facing systems and their integration with backend processes, ensuring seamless data flow and functionality.

• Performance Measurement & Analysis: Showcase your capability in defining key performance indicators (KPIs) for UX/UI, support, and training, and in analyzing data to drive continuous improvement and report on operational effectiveness.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role involving project engineering with significant user-facing operational components, a portfolio demonstrating tangible results in project execution, user experience improvement, and efficient support/training delivery is crucial. Emphasis should be placed on quantifiable achievements and process-driven solutions.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Estimated Starting Salary Range: $165,010.21 - $226,889.04 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Medical plan

• Dental plan

• Vision plan

• 401(k) with 150% match up to 6%

• Life insurance

• 3 weeks paid time off

• Tuition reimbursement

• Annual incentive pay based upon performance

Working Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week, with potential for occasional travel to customer or field locations. The role is primarily office-based or hybrid, with extended periods of computer work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is specific and detailed, indicating a robust compensation structure. The benefits package is comprehensive, including strong retirement matching and generous paid time off, which are attractive to experienced professionals. The mention of annual incentive pay suggests performance-driven rewards, common in project-oriented roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Aerospace & Defense, National Security. Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) is a global leader in aerospace and national security, known for its mission and execution focus, agility, and rapid innovation in providing advanced technologies and transformative solutions.

Company Size: Large (likely over 1,000 employees, given its extensive operations and project scope). This size suggests a structured environment with established processes but also opportunities for significant impact.

Founded: 1961. With over 60 years in the industry, SNC has a deep history of innovation and a proven track record in delivering complex systems.

Team Structure:

• ISR, Aviation, and Security (IAS) Business Area: This role sits within a key business area focused on ISR and aviation systems.

• Project-Centric Teams: The work is organized around specific projects, such as the SAOC mission, requiring close collaboration within project teams.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Expect to work closely with UX designers, front-end developers, training specialists, help desk staff, program stakeholders, and potentially customer representatives.

Methodology:

• Agile/SAFe Practices: The company utilizes Agile and SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) methodologies, emphasizing iterative development, continuous integration, and frequent stakeholder feedback.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: A strong emphasis on using data to drive decisions, improve processes, and measure performance, particularly in user experience, support, and training.

• User-Centric Design & Operations: A commitment to understanding and meeting end-user needs, ensuring that systems and support structures are effective and efficient for operational users.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: SNC's long history and focus on critical national security missions suggest a culture of high performance, technical excellence, and rigorous execution. The company's emphasis on agility and innovation, combined with its size, offers a dynamic environment for experienced engineers and project managers.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is classified as a Project Engineer II, indicating a mid-to-senior level position requiring significant experience (10+ years) and demonstrated leadership capabilities. It’s a step beyond entry-level engineering and involves substantial project ownership and stakeholder management.

Reporting Structure: The role will likely report to a Program Manager or Engineering Lead within the IAS business area. You will be responsible for managing project activities and coordinating with various cross-functional teams, acting as a key interface between end-users, development, and customer stakeholders.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct impact on the success of critical national security programs like SAOC. By ensuring a superior user experience, effective training, and robust support for user-facing systems, you will contribute to the operational readiness and effectiveness of end-users, ultimately supporting mission success. Your work ensures that complex systems are not only technically sound but also usable and supportable by the personnel who rely on them.

Growth Opportunities:

• Technical Specialization: Deepen expertise in UX/UI development, user support operations management, or training program design within the aerospace and defense sector.

• Project Management Advancement: Progress to Senior Project Engineer roles, Program Management positions, or leadership roles within the IAS business area, managing larger and more complex projects.

• Agile/SAFe Leadership: Develop leadership skills within Agile/SAFe frameworks, potentially leading PI Planning sessions or acting as a key stakeholder representative in agile ceremonies.

• ServiceNow Expertise: Become a recognized expert in ServiceNow implementation and management for complex enterprise programs, potentially leading to specialized roles in ITSM or platform administration.

• Security Clearance Progression: Maintain and leverage a Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility for opportunities on highly sensitive and impactful projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "II" in Project Engineer II signifies a level of responsibility and autonomy that goes beyond junior roles. Growth opportunities are clearly tied to deepening expertise in core areas (UX/UI, support, training) or expanding into formal project/program management, leveraging the company's established career paths and project structures.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid/Office-Based. The role requires a presence in the office or a hybrid arrangement, with the possibility of occasional travel. This suggests a need for in-person collaboration and access to company facilities.

Office Location(s): Englewood, CO and Lone Tree, CO. These locations are within the Denver metropolitan area, offering access to a significant talent pool and established infrastructure.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Expect a dynamic workspace that encourages interaction with diverse teams, including engineers, designers, support staff, and program management.

• Technology-Rich: Access to modern development and project management tools, including ServiceNow, MS Project, and Jira, will be essential for daily operations.

• Operations Hub: The workspace will likely be situated within a business area focused on critical defense programs, fostering a mission-oriented and professional atmosphere.

Work Schedule: Standard business hours, approximately 40 hours per week. While flexibility may exist, the project-driven nature and customer interface requirements suggest a need for consistent availability during core working hours, with potential for extended hours during critical project phases.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work arrangement, coupled with the need for occasional travel and specific office locations, indicates a structured work environment common in government contracting. Candidates should be prepared for a blend of remote and in-office work, with a strong emphasis on team collaboration and project delivery.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Initial Screening: HR or a recruiter will review your application and resume, assessing basic qualifications and experience.

2. Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the hiring manager to delve deeper into your project engineering, UX/UI, and user support experience, focusing on your approach to problem-solving and leadership.

3. Technical/Team Interview: You may meet with team members or subject matter experts to discuss specific technical skills, project methodologies (Agile, ServiceNow), and your ability to collaborate within a cross-functional team.

4. Portfolio Presentation (Potential): Be prepared to present key projects from your portfolio, detailing your role, challenges faced, solutions implemented, and quantifiable results. This is crucial for demonstrating your practical experience.

5. Final Interview/Offer: A final discussion, potentially with senior leadership, to assess cultural fit and confirm all qualifications before extending an offer.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Choose 3-5 of your most relevant and impactful projects that showcase your experience in project management, UX/UI, and user support/training.

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your specific role and responsibilities, the process you followed, the tools/technologies used, the challenges encountered, your solutions, and the measurable outcomes (e.g., improved efficiency, reduced ticket volume, increased user adoption, on-time delivery).

• Highlight Process & Impact: Emphasize your understanding of project lifecycles, user-centric design principles, and operational efficiency. Quantify impact whenever possible (e.g., "Reduced mean time to resolution by 15%," "Increased user adoption of new feature by 20%").

• Showcase Technical Proficiency: Include examples of wireframes, prototypes, training materials, or ServiceNow workflow designs where appropriate.

• Tailor to the Role: Ensure your portfolio directly addresses the requirements and responsibilities outlined in the job description, particularly the blend of engineering, project management, and operational support.

Challenge Preparation:

• Scenario-Based Questions: Anticipate questions asking how you would handle specific project challenges, such as managing scope creep, resolving user issues under tight deadlines, or improving training effectiveness.

• ServiceNow Scenarios: Be ready to discuss how you've used or managed ServiceNow for incident, request, or change management, and how you'd optimize workflows.

• Stakeholder Management: Prepare to discuss how you engage with different stakeholders (users, developers, customers, leadership) and manage their expectations.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's emphasis on project management, UX/UI, and operational support, a strong, well-documented portfolio is likely essential. The interview process will likely probe deeply into practical application of skills and experience in managing complex, user-facing systems within a defense context.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Project Management Software: MS Project, Jira (or equivalent). Essential for planning, tracking, and reporting on project progress.

• UX/UI Design & Prototyping Tools: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, Axure RP (or similar). For creating wireframes, mockups, and interactive prototypes.

• ServiceNow Platform: Critical for managing user support tickets (incident, request, change management), workflows, and potentially custom applications. Experience as a functional user, workflow owner, or administrator is required.

• Front-End Technologies (Preferred): React, Angular, Vue.js, HTML, CSS. Understanding these technologies is beneficial for overseeing development and communicating with front-end developers.

Analytics & Reporting:

• ServiceNow Reporting & Analytics: For tracking support metrics, SLA performance, and trend analysis.

• General Business Intelligence Tools: Potentially Tableau, Power BI, or similar for broader project reporting and dashboard creation, though not explicitly mentioned.

• User Feedback & Survey Tools: For gathering qualitative data on user satisfaction and training effectiveness.

CRM & Automation:

• ServiceNow: Acts as a primary platform for managing user interactions and workflows, fulfilling CRM-like functions for support and service delivery.

• Potential for other CRM/ERP integration: While not specified, understanding how UX/UI and support systems integrate with broader enterprise systems (like Salesforce, SAP) could be a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency with ServiceNow is a non-negotiable requirement, highlighting its central role in the operational aspects of this position. Experience with standard project management and UX/UI design tools is also paramount. Familiarity with front-end technologies is a significant plus for technical oversight.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Mission Focus: A strong commitment to supporting national security objectives, ensuring the reliability and effectiveness of critical systems like SAOC.

• Excellence & Quality: Driving high standards in engineering, user experience design, support delivery, and training to ensure optimal performance and user satisfaction.

• Agility & Innovation: Embracing rapid innovation and adapting to evolving requirements and technologies in the defense sector.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Fostering a collaborative environment where diverse teams work together effectively to achieve common goals.

• User Advocacy: Prioritizing the needs and experiences of end-users, ensuring systems are intuitive, support is responsive, and training is effective.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Actively working across departments (engineering, design, IT support, training, program management) to ensure seamless project execution and user support.

• Transparent Communication: Maintaining open and clear communication channels with all stakeholders, including end-users, development teams, and program leadership, especially during issue resolution and requirement translation.

• Process Improvement Culture: Encouraging feedback loops for continuous improvement in development processes, support operations, and training methodologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company values reflect its position in the defense industry, emphasizing mission success, technical rigor, and adaptability. Collaboration is key, particularly in bridging the gap between technical development and operational user needs.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing User Needs with Technical Constraints: Effectively translating diverse end-user requirements and feedback into actionable development tasks while adhering to technical specifications, project timelines, and budget constraints.

• Managing Complex Stakeholder Relationships: Navigating the expectations and requirements of multiple stakeholders, including operational users, program management, and external customers, particularly in a defense contracting environment.

• Ensuring Seamless System Integration: Overseeing the integration of user-facing interfaces and support systems with complex backend processes, ensuring data integrity and operational continuity.

• Maintaining High Uptime & Support SLAs: Ensuring the reliability of user-facing systems and meeting stringent Service Level Agreements for user support, especially critical for mission-essential applications.

• Adapting to Evolving Requirements: Staying abreast of changes in user needs, technological advancements, and program requirements in a fast-paced defense sector.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Project Management: Opportunities to lead larger, more complex projects, potentially pursuing PMP certification or advanced SAFe training.

• Deep Dive into User Experience: Gaining deeper expertise in UX research, design thinking, and leading user-centered design initiatives.

• ServiceNow Specialization: Pursuing advanced ServiceNow certifications (CAD, implementation specializations) and becoming a go-to expert for ITSM and platform solutions.

• Aerospace & Defense Domain Knowledge: Expanding understanding of the unique operational environments and security requirements within the defense industry.

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to mentor junior engineers, lead cross-functional teams, and develop strategic leadership skills within a growing organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges inherent in this role stem from its cross-functional nature and the critical, high-stakes environment of defense contracting. Growth is geared towards increasing responsibility, strategic impact, and specialized expertise within the company's core business areas.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you managed a project involving significant UX/UI development and user support. What were the key challenges, and how did you ensure user satisfaction and project success?"

• "How would you approach defining and managing user interface requirements for a mission-critical system like SAOC, ensuring traceability from user needs to delivered features?"

• "Walk me through your process for developing and delivering a comprehensive user training program for a complex software system. How do you measure its effectiveness?"

• "How have you used ServiceNow to improve user support operations? Describe a specific instance where you optimized a workflow or resolved a recurring support issue."

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Sierra Nevada Corporation and our work on the SAOC mission? Why are you interested in contributing to this specific program?"

• "How do you define success for a Project Engineer in the Aerospace & Defense industry?"

• "Describe your experience working in a hybrid or office-based environment and collaborating with diverse teams. How do you foster effective communication and teamwork?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Impact: For each project, clearly articulate the problem you solved, your specific role, the methodology you employed, and the quantifiable results achieved. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

• Demonstrate Process: Show, don't just tell. Walk through your design process, project planning stages, or support workflow development.

• Highlight Technical and Operational Synergy: Emphasize how your technical engineering skills translate into effective operational outcomes for users and the program.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Expect questions about specific technical choices, trade-offs made, how you handled conflicting requirements, and your experience with ServiceNow.

• Tailor to SNC: Connect your experience and portfolio examples to SNC's mission, values, and the specific challenges of the SAOC program.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a solid understanding of project management principles, UX/UI best practices, robust user support operations, and specific experience with ServiceNow within a defense context. The ability to articulate past successes using data and quantifiable results will be key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX/UI Project Engineer II position:

• Submit your application through the SNC careers portal via the provided link.

• Tailor Your Resume: Emphasize keywords and responsibilities from the job description, particularly those related to project management, UX/UI development, user support, training, and ServiceNow experience. Quantify your achievements with metrics.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate a selection of your strongest projects that align with the role's requirements. Be ready to discuss your process, challenges, and outcomes in detail. Ensure it highlights your experience in UX/UI, project management, and user support/training.

• Research SNC and SAOC: Understand the company's mission, values, and its critical role in national security, especially the SAOC program. This will help you articulate your motivation and fit during interviews.

• Practice Interview Responses: Prepare for behavioral and situational questions using the STAR method, and be ready to discuss your technical proficiency and project management approach. Practice presenting your portfolio.

⚠️ 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.