This position is fully remote/home based. Applications will be accepted from candidates based in the UK.
Please submit your portfolio with your application.
Role Summary
PLOS is a nonprofit organization on a mission to drive open science forward with measurable, meaningful change in research publishing, policy, and practice. We believe in a better future where science is open to all, for all.
We're seeking a Senior UX Designer who thrives on problem-solving and refining experiences through research, data, and testing, a product-focused thinker with a passion for understanding the "why" behind design decisions and their impact on customers and business. A highly self-motivated individual, who will make confident decisions and take ownership of projects from concept to implementation.
Responsibilities
- Take ownership in the areas you are working on from discovery to delivery, with a focus on putting the user first.
- Use prototyping to test and visualize hypotheses as a crucial part of experimenting and learning with the team and stakeholders.
- Work closely with Product Managers to define problems, scope, and hypotheses.
- Partner with engineers to ensure your designs are feasible and implemented with precision.
- Establish and maintain visual consistency across all touch points.
- Collaborate with engineers, drawing inspiration from their expertise to experiment and solve problems.
- Collaborate with the Head of UX & Design to establish the in-house design function.
Knowledge and Skills
- Proven ability as a Senior UX Designer.
- Evidence of working in an agile development environment alongside Product Managers, subject-matter experts, researchers, content designers, and developers to design and build new digital services.
- Proven industry experience in applying design knowledge—graphic design, interaction design, and service design—to real-world applications.
- Able to demonstrate experience and skills in:
- designing user interfaces.
- designing and fulfilling user needs.
- designing and building a new digital service.
- Capable of demonstrating knowledge of graphic design, including web typography, progressive disclosure, hierarchy, color use, and the role of imagery and iconography.
- Experience in effectively collaborating with cross-disciplinary teams, ensuring design decisions are grounded in evidence-based user research and a thorough understanding of user journeys.
- Experience in simplifying complex data and information into clear and understandable forms for users.
- Evidence of working to WCAG 2.1/2.2 standards.
- Can demonstrate end-to-end "design ownership" across different phases of a relevant production process.
- Skilled in designing systems for use across multiple services and adept at identifying the simplest solution from a range of alternatives.
- Demonstrated ability to integrate standards into team projects.
- Show the importance of constraints, clearly communicating them to both design and non-design team members, and developing solutions that respect these limitations.
- Experience of acting independently and taking action when dealing with uncertain situations or optimizing opportunities.
- Experience in contributing to design systems, including patterns, components, and elements.
- Experience of using data visualizations to communicate quantitative information quickly.
- Experience of iterating design patterns.
- Proven ability to think strategically and take steps toward achieving strategic goals.
Qualifications
- Degree in design, human-computer interaction (HCI), or related field (or equivalent industry training/experience).
Physical Requirements and Work Environment
- This remote position requires the ability to work at a computer workstation for extended periods and maintain clear visual acuity when viewing computer screens.
The base salary range we’ve established for these positions is (UK) £58,000 - £80,000. PLOS also offers a comprehensive benefits package summarized below.
BENEFITS:
UK:
- Private medical insurance.
- Life assurance.
- Income protection.
- Pension with up to 10% employer match.
- 25 days holidays, market competitive Maternity and Paternity leave.
- Birthday and three winter holidays days off.
- 2 days paid time off for volunteering per year.
- Fully remote work environment with stipend on joining for home office.