UX/UI Designer

Overview

As a UX/UI Designer, you will guide government clients through our Design Intelligence™ framework, using human-centered methods to solve complex user experience challenges. You will plan and execute UX initiatives from discovery through interface design, covering research, prototyping, iteration, visual design, and usability and accessibility testing. You will design, evaluate, and improve websites, web applications, and enterprise digital services, apply client branding and design standards, and ensure all work meets Section 508 and WCAG requirements. You will serve as the voice of the customer, making sure their needs are considered and met by the proposed solution.

Contributions

Discovery and Research

• Participate in all aspects of discovery to understand client mission and goals, stakeholders, users and their ecosystems, current-state journeys, user segments, and program and project objectives.
• Conduct workshops, interviews, and co-creation sessions to frame pain points and opportunities, define insights, validate hypotheses, and create a compelling experience vision.
• Conduct user research and testing to effectively translate findings into implementable digital experiences.
• Apply the right artifacts (journey maps, service blueprints, personas, ecosystem and experience maps, site maps) to craft and communicate the user experience.
• Use analytics, usability results, and stakeholder feedback to drive continuous, data-informed improvement.

Interaction and Interface Design

• Design intuitive, elegant, and accessible interfaces through a test-and-learn process, applying interaction design principles to reduce cognitive load, simplify workflows, and support efficient task completion.
• Create low-, medium-, and high-fidelity wireframes, user flows, interactive prototypes, mockups, and clickable demonstrations to communicate concepts throughout the product lifecycle.
• Develop information architecture, navigation structures, page layouts, and content organization that improve discoverability and support user goals.
• Design responsive, multi-platform experiences within the specifications and constraints of the given technology, platform, or operational environment, including low-code tools, intranet and collaboration sites, and public-facing websites.
• Validate designs iteratively while meeting formal review and approval requirements.

Visual Design and Communications

• Apply client or agency branding and visual standards (fonts, colors, logos, seals, imagery) consistently across all interfaces and products.
• Create charts, diagrams, timelines, infographics, and other data visualizations that make complex information clear to technical and non-technical audiences, including leadership and the public.
• Produce related materials as coordinated sets, such as a presentation series, an exhibit with a companion handout, or web content with matching collateral, so messaging and visual identity stay unified.
• Produce and build content for internet and intranet sites.
• Support print, presentation, photography, or multimedia materials when the engagement requires it (scope to be confirmed per client).

Design Systems and Handoff

• Build, maintain, and evolve a design system, including reusable component libraries, interface standards, style guides, and design documentation, to keep products consistent and scalable.
• Produce developer-ready specifications, annotations, redlines, interaction behaviors, and component documentation to reduce interpretation during development.
• Work with engineers throughout development, in sprints or phased builds, to confirm the build matches approved designs, interaction behaviors, accessibility requirements, and design system standards, including responsive behavior.

Accessibility and Quality

• Design and test to Section 508 and WCAG standards, including color contrast, keyboard navigation, focus order, screen reader compatibility, alt text, and accessible document and PDF structure.
• Conduct accessibility reviews using automated tools and manual or assistive-technology testing, and document remediation recommendations.
• Ensure all deliverables across a variety of projects are produced at the highest quality and comply with applicable standards.

Qualifications

• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government Public Trust Clearance.
• 5+ years of professional UX and UI design experience for multi-platform digital products.
• Experience designing for enterprise web applications, intranet and collaboration sites (such as SharePoint), and low-code platforms (such as Microsoft Power Apps), including working within each platform’s limits.
• Current portfolio showing your methods, tools, and craft, including web, enterprise, and visual design work.
• Experience conducting user research (interviews, workshops, heuristic evaluation, card sorting) and applying results to personas, journey maps, site maps, information architecture, and interface design.
• Experience in UI design, including wireframing, prototyping, and moderated/ unmoderated usability testing.
• Experience designing and testing to Section 508, WCAG, and agency design standards.
• Experience building or maintaining design systems and component libraries for websites and enterprise or low-code applications.
• Strong graphic design skills: typography, color, layout, hierarchy, and data visualization.
• Proficiency in Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, and prototyping and handoff tools (such as Sketch or Zeplin).
• Experience in hybrid delivery environments that mix agile methods (such as Scrum or Kanban) with phased planning, including fitting research and design into sprints and milestones.
• Experience working with multi-disciplinary teams, including service designers, developers, data scientists, architects, project managers, and change managers.
• Strong analytical skills, curiosity, and excellent written communication and presentation skills.
• Experience working in a project-based environment.
• Willingness to keep up with new tools and best practices and recommend improvements.
• Degree or equivalent experience in HCD, HCI, UX, graphic design, or a related field.
• Local to the Washington, DC metro area. 
• Willing to go to client site at least 2 days a week. 

About steampunk

Steampunk relies on several factors to determine salary, including but not limited to geographic location, contractual requirements, education, knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience. The projected compensation range for this position is $75,000 to $140,000.  The estimate displayed represents a typical annual salary range for this position. Annual salary is just one aspect of Steampunk’s total compensation package for employees. Learn more about additional Steampunk benefits here. 

Identity Statement

As part of the application process, you are expected to be on camera during interviews and assessments. We reserve the right to take your picture to verify your identity and prevent fraud.

Steampunk is a Change Agent in the Federal contracting industry, bringing new thinking to clients in the Homeland, Federal Civilian, Health and DoD sectors.  Through our Design Intelligence™ process, we are fundamentally changing the expectations our Federal clients have for true shared accountability in solving their toughest mission challenges. If you want to learn more about our story, visit http://www.steampunk.com.   

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Steampunk participates in the E-Verify program.