Senior UX Designer

As a Senior UX Designer at PLOS, your primary responsibilities will include taking ownership of design projects from concept to implementation, collaborating with Product Managers to define user problems, and employing prototyping as a method for testing your designs. You'll work closely with engineers to ensure designs are practically implementable, establish visual consistency across digital touchpoints, and actively participate in the continuous evolution of our design systems.

To qualify for the Senior UX Designer role at PLOS, you should possess a degree in design or human-computer interaction, or have equivalent industry experience. Proven experience working in an agile environment and a strong portfolio showcasing your UX design work are essential. Moreover, being capable of designing user interfaces, collaborating with cross-disciplinary teams, and simplifying complex information will be critical for success in this role.

Yes, the Senior UX Designer position at PLOS is fully remote! We accept applications from candidates located in specific states such as Florida, New York, and Texas. This allows for a flexible work environment while you contribute to our mission of advancing open science.

PLOS provides a comprehensive benefits package for Senior UX Designers, including a competitive salary range, a 401k plan with employer matching, fully sponsored dental and vision insurance, generous paid vacation, and parental leave. Plus, we offer unique perks like two paid volunteering days per year and special days off for your birthday and winter holidays!

Essential skills for the Senior UX Designer role at PLOS include a solid understanding of design principles, experience in designing user interfaces, and proficiency in collaborating with teams across various disciplines. Additionally, a strong ability to connect design decisions with user research findings and communicate effectively with both design and non-design team members is crucial.

When asked about your design process, you might describe it as a user-centered approach that begins with extensive research to define the needs and pain points of users. Then, you create wireframes and prototypes to visualize your ideas before conducting usability testing at various stages, ensuring that the final product is aligned with user expectations.

In responding to questions about feedback, emphasize your ability to remain open-minded and view constructive criticism as an opportunity for improvement. Describe how you engage in dialogues with team members, ensuring that their insights are valued and incorporated into your design iterations when applicable.

You can share a specific project where you took intricate data sets and created visualizations or layouts that made the information easily digestible. Explain the strategies you employed, such as choosing appropriate chart types and using white space effectively, to enhance user understanding.

Express how you prioritize user needs by conducting thorough research, engaging in user testing, and constantly iterating based on feedback. Discuss how you leverage collaborative input from cross-disciplinary teams to ensure that user perspectives significantly influence design choices.

Prepare to discuss a specific project where you successfully managed the process from ideation through to launch. Detail your role in each phase, how you gathered user requirements, collaborated with developers, and navigated any obstacles that arose to deliver a successful outcome.

When discussing your preferred tools, mention industry-standard UX design software such as Sketch, Figma, Adobe XD, or InVision. Elaborate on how these tools facilitate your workflow, aids in collaboration, and enhance your prototyping and usability testing efforts.

Share the methods you use to stay informed, such as subscribing to design blogs, participating in webinars, or attending industry conferences. Mention how this continuous learning helps you bring fresh ideas and innovative solutions to your role as a Senior UX Designer.

Describe your approach to conflict resolution as open communication. Explain how you would facilitate a discussion focused on the evidence for each perspective and seek a collaborative solution that reflects user needs and aligns with project goals.

Outline various testing methods such as A/B testing, user interviews, or usability testing with prototypes. Elaborate on how these methods allow for gathering actionable insights that inform and improve your design iterations.

When answering why you want to work at PLOS, connect your personal values with their mission to advance open science. Share your passion for creating user-centric designs that make a tangible impact and indicate your excitement about contributing to a meaningful cause.