Product DesignerDefense UnicornsFull Time$147.4k - $192.6k per year
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Product Designer

Role Description

Defense Unicorns is seeking a Product Designer for UDS Fleet Management, with a specific focus on our remote deployment tools, designed for disconnected field operations. You'll shape mobile and tablet experiences for operators managing Kubernetes infrastructure in high-stakes environments — from submarines to forward operating bases to tactical vehicles. This role requires expertise in designing mission-critical interfaces that work seamlessly across device types and form factors, serving users ranging from non-technical mission operators to field technicians.

Responsibilities

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization.

  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to conceptualize and execute high-fidelity prototypes for mobile and tablet interfaces, translating concepts into user-friendly designs that align with our brand and business objectives

  • Conduct comprehensive UX research and testing methodologies to gather user feedback, identify pain points, and iterate on UI design solutions for optimal user satisfaction on mobile, tablet, and desktop

  • Help define early product concepts, flesh out the high-level workflow and micro-interactions of a feature, and execute on an effective visual design for mobile and tablet applications

  • Cultivate empathy for end-users across product teams & stakeholders by creating and maintaining user personas for mission operators

  • Collaborate with developers to design and build data-centered tools with intuitive mobile and tablet interfaces that improve operator and user experience

  • Create, collaborate, and iterate on user flows, user personas, user roles, user journeys, and other UXI design artifacts

  • Plan iterative UI design improvements that improve the mission user experience

  • Document UI solutions and contribute to the team's shared component library

  • Work closely with other product teams and designers to ensure seamless cross-product integration with all other UDS platform tools

  • Develop a deep understanding of disconnected operations, classification boundaries, and DoD operational constraints

Required Experience and Qualifications

Portfolio requirement: Must demonstrate proven experience designing mobile and tablet versions of enterprise software with clear examples of:

  • Web-to-tablet responsive design with specific UX/UI decisions clearly articulated

  • Complex workflows adapted for smaller screens while maintaining functionality

  • Adaptive layouts that work across different device sizes and orientations

  • Information architecture optimized for mobile contexts

Core Design Capabilities

  • 3-5 years of product design experience with at least 1-2 years designing enterprise mobile/tablet applications

  • Strong domain knowledge of both Android (Material Design) and iOS (HIG) design patterns

  • Solid proficiency across system design, UX/interaction design, and visual design

  • Proficiency in Figma — component libraries, auto-layout, variables, responsive design techniques, and developer handoff

  • Understanding of accessibility fundamentals (WCAG 2.1 AA minimum) with specific attention to mobile contexts

  • Ability to explore different solutions, identify trade-offs, and articulate a strong rationale for design decisions

  • Experience facilitating design critiques, user testing sessions, and stakeholder reviews

Mobile & Responsive Design Expertise

  • Proven experience designing mobile and tablet versions of enterprise software

  • Experience with adaptive layouts across phones, tablets, and foldables

  • Understanding of responsive design principles and breakpoint strategies

  • Knowledge of mobile-specific interaction patterns

  • Experience designing for offline-first or disconnected scenarios

Technical & Domain Knowledge

  • Familiarity with Tailwind CSS utility-first approach

  • Understanding of PWAs or hybrid mobile development approaches

  • Basic understanding of Kubernetes concepts or willingness to learn

  • Understanding of how operators interact with infrastructure management tools in field environments

Work Style & Communication

  • Excellent visual and verbal communication skills

  • Proven ability to work autonomously and resolve dependencies

  • Strong facilitation skills for design workshops and user research sessions

  • Comfort working in ambiguous problem spaces

  • Experience working fully remote with distributed teams across time zones

Preferred Qualifications

  • Deep experience with iOS (HIG) and Android (Material Design) conventions

  • Ability to design meaningful animations and transitions

  • Prior experience with operator interfaces, command-and-control systems, or mission-critical software

  • Experience building or contributing to multi-platform design systems

  • Prior work conducting research with pilots, operators, or field workers

  • Previous experience designing for government, military, or highly regulated industries

  • Understanding of DoD classification levels, disconnected operations, or air-gapped environments

  • Experience designing for rugged devices or harsh environmental conditions

  • Strong understanding of one-handed mobile UI patterns and ergonomic considerations

  • Experience with dark mode design and high-contrast themes

  • Experience leveraging AI tools for accelerating UX processes

  • Knowledge of device management systems (MDM/EMM)

Travel Expectations: 10-15%

Compensation

Remote - USA
$147,375 - $192,625 USD

Full compensation packages are based on candidate experience. Compensation ranges are established using national benchmarking data and apply across all geographic locations within the United States.

Who We Are

Defense Unicorns delivers mission value by streamlining software delivery so our customers can focus on the most important challenges. We share a vision of freedom and security for the advancement of progress and innovation.

What We Do

We create and deliver secure solutions for continuous software integration and delivery. Defense Unicorns consolidates the best practices for security pipelines, testing, and deployment automation in order to meet the high security requirements valued by mission owners.

Who We Serve

Defense Unicorns’ customers are mission-focused leaders across public and private enterprises. We proudly support defense and civil agencies across the U.S. government and work closely with creators of leading-edge software solutions.

What We Work On

  • Kubernetes

  • Cloud Environments (AWS/GCP and Azure)

  • Infrastructure-as-code (Terraform/Pulumi)

  • Continuous Delivery and automation tooling

  • GitOps

  • Containers

  • CNCF projects and open source products

  • Helm/Kustomize-Value Stream Mapping

  • Building and improving security delivery

  • Building Kubernetes and cloud native applications

Benefits Our Unicorns Enjoy

Health

  • Medical/Dental/Vision — Premiums 100% Company Paid

  • Health Savings Account

  • Life Insurance

  • Disability Insurance

Financial

  • 401k Retirement Plan

  • Company Stock Options

  • Home Office Budget

Leave

  • Flexible Time Off (FTO) plus all Federal Holidays, one week for Thanksgiving, and two weeks for Christmas and New Year’s

  • Paid Parental Leave

Learning

  • Reimbursement for approved trainings/subscriptions

  • Conferences (travel, lodging, and fees)

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