How to Write a UX Designer Job Description: Important Skills and Role Responsibilities

UX designers — short for user experience designers — can be likened to the architects of the internet. When you think about it, both architects and UX designers are tasked with:

• Designing the blueprints (or wireframes) of what they are building.
• Determining what door (or button, or webpage) a visitor will enter through.
• Anticipating how people will navigate throughout space based on personalities and usage scenarios.
• Identifying structural issues and visitor experience issues.
• Researching and testing different models to optimize the space.
• Communicating and coordinating with designers and developers.
• Helping people find their desired destination in a logical and efficient manner.
• Creating a functional and aesthetic space that will bring people back again.

So UX designers are like architects, but how do you write a UX designer job description? In this guide, we’ll show you how.

Table of Contents

• What Does a UX Designer Do?
• UX Designer Responsibilities
• UX Designer Skills
• UX Designer Salary Information
• UX Designer Job Description Template
• UX Design Job Description Examples

What Does a UX Designer Do?

At the highest level, UX designers are tasked with designing great digital products (or fixing ones that need improvements in functionality, usability, accessibility and other areas).

The UX designer is the voice of the user. Their job is to ensure that users will understand how to interact with your product, and enjoy doing so. They blur the lines between technology, art and behavioral economics, combining a host of technical and soft skills. 

Broadly speaking, a UX designer’s day-to-day work falls under four categories.

UX Designer Responsibilities

Research

At the end of the day, you create products to meet the needs of your users. Unfortunately, understanding those needs is no small task. During the research phase, UX designers speak with customers — or potential customers — to better understand what they need and want. In the case of optimizing an existing product, research will explore how it can be improved.

Product Design

Unlike traditional graphic designers, UX designers focus less on the look of the product and more on the feel of it. In this case, you can think of design in terms of how a person will use or interact with the product. UX designers are responsible for creating as seamless an interaction as possible.

Testing/QA

“Move fast and break stuff” may be the law of the land these days, but testing and QA are still crucial components of the product development lifecycle. UX designers play a key role in the testing process by ensuring their design has been adhered to and that it functions in the intended fashion.

Deployment

Once the product has been researched designed and tested, it’s time to go live. At this stage, UX designers work with graphic designers and developers to ensure the product comes to life as intended.

UX Designer Skills

While a UX designer may need to wear many different hats, they should never lose sight of the user. The main responsibility of this role is to create products that provide a frictionless user experience. That’s why professionals who excel as UX designers prioritize skills that contribute to a user-first approach:

The above skills are core to the UX designer role, but in no way is the role limited to these responsibilities. High-performing designers have expanded their skill sets to address every stage of the product development process. 

Initial Development Skills

During the initial development phase, UX designers brainstorm all the ways that users could interact with their products through user scenario development and interaction modeling. If a product is an online website, designers may also complete site mapping to organize their site’s details, such as the URL and crawlable metadata.  

Later Development Skills

Besides prototypes and wireframes, UX designers often craft mockups, which serve as a more thorough visual of how product features will look. Teams may also write screen flows or flow charts, describing the product’s framework in text. UX designers can finalize the planning stages with storyboarding, providing a step-by-step visual of how users will interact with a product.

Product Design and Release Skills

UX designers must follow responsive development and accessibility to deliver products that are easy to use across a range of formats by all users, including those with disabilities. Branding is also part of the process, so UX designers should leverage graphic design skills to craft visuals that fit their company’s color scheme, style and other brand guidelines. Once a product is released, web analytics enables UX designers to compile and analyze user data and make any necessary fixes to their products.   

UX Designer Salary Information

Before diving further into how to write a UX designer job description, let’s stop and talk salaries for a second. Salary information should absolutely be included in every UX designer job description you write, so professionals know they are being fairly compensated for their skills and experience.

Here are the average salaries for UX designers in seven of the top tech employment markets in the U.S. You can click on each bullet to use our local compensation analysis tool for further research.

• Austin, TX: $84,440
• Boston, MA: $95,333
• Chicago, IL: $83,171
• Colorado: $82,685
• Los Angeles, CA: $95,148
• New York, NY: $99,348
• Seattle, WA: $105,577

Cross Market Average Salary for UX Designer: $92,243

UX Designer Job Description Template

You’ve gained a basic understanding of what UX designers do, but we don’t expect you to jump right in and write a flawless UX designer job description. We’ve created a UX designer job description template to get you started. Use this as a starting point, and take your draft back to your team for review before posting. 

If you need more ideas, we’ve also included additional examples to help you tailor your UX designer job description to your company’s brand and context. 

Reminder, this is only a template; please adjust this to your specific hiring needs.

Company Bio

Use this section to provide an attention-grabbing overview of your company. Include information about your culture, perks and benefits, career development opportunities and anything else that will get candidates excited about your company.

Responsibilities

• Develop interaction models, sitemaps, wireframes, prototypes, screen flows and storyboards.
• Present each stage of the design process to stakeholders, clients and internal design, development and C-suite teams.
• Create aesthetic and seamless navigation flows that reflect the marketing and sales funnel.
• Develop user personas and scenarios based on experience and research of our product/service.
• Conduct research and execute A/B testing to optimize product design and functionality.
• Analyze data about users with A/B testing results and alter designs accordingly.
• Collaborate closely with designers and developers to build both functional and aesthetic websites that are in line with our brand.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a design or tech-related field, such as interaction design, human-computer interaction, human factors, computer science, graphic design, web design/programming or visual design or X years experience in related field.
• X years of experience in User Experience Design.
• X years of experience with interaction modeling, site mapping, wireframing, creating mockups & prototypes, screen flows, storyboarding, A/B testing, responsive development, web analytics, graphic design.
• Proficiency with applications such as Adobe Creative Suite, Axure, Balsamiq, Framer, Gliffy, Helio, InVision, Marvel, Proto.io, OmniGraffle, Sketch, User Testing, UX Pin or Vision Online.
• Submit a diverse portfolio with [include materials relevant to your team’s needs].
• Proven research and analysis skills to test usability and preferential features with A/B testing.
• Strong presentation and communication skills when meeting with stakeholders, clients and internal teams.

UX Designer Job Description Examples

Let’s take a look at a few real examples of UX designer job descriptions that we sourced from our seven online communities. Though these are real job descriptions, we have redacted some information to protect the privacy of the companies that originally posted them.

Example 1: UX Designer Job Description for Entry-Level or Mid-Level Roles

The job description below highlights a few leadership and collaborative duties, which can round out the skill sets of incoming professionals and propel their careers forward. The tools and skills listed are also ones that many candidates acquire through education and internships, so recent grads and more experienced professionals alike can apply:

We are looking for an experienced Product Designer / UI/UX Designer with some development experience to deliver an engaging and unified customer experience for all of our products, from web to mobile. You will work with the Product, Engineering, Marketing and various Business Units to bring high quality product designs to market in service of our customers and internal stakeholders.

Job Details

• Lead the design of our up and coming flagship product
• Partner with Product, Engineering, Insights and Business Teams to help define product requirements and prototype design solutions
• Develop design concepts, wireframes, high-fidelity mockups, and prototypes
• Utilize usage data, testing and stakeholder feedback to achieve a deep understanding of user workflows and pain points
• Ensure that all products exhibit a consistent brand experience in collaboration with the Marketing Team
• Work closely with developers to ensure an accurate translation of your designs to the final product
• Be a champion for the user, whether internal or external, to make their product experience simple and enjoyable

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelors or Master degree in design field such as interaction design, or human-computer interaction (HCI) or equivalent
• Minimum 2 - 3 years of professional experience prototyping and designing client-side applications for Mobile and Web
• Proficiency in design and prototyping applications such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe XD, Sketch and Invision
• Understanding of Javascript frameworks and web application design patterns
• Working knowledge of HTML and CSS; ability to deliver production-quality HTML/CSS a plus
• Comfort with an iterative design process based on qualitative and quantitative feedback
• Advertising technology and/or mobile gaming experience a plus

Example 2: UX Designer Job Description for Senior Roles

If you’re looking to fill a senior-level position, you’ll want to go beyond basic UX duties. Experienced professionals should feel comfortable taking over the strategy of a project and being the guiding force behind UX/UI initiatives. You can be a bit more demanding in a job post for senior UX/UI designer roles. This job description lists more advanced UX technologies while asking for mature communication and leadership skills:

[Redacted] is looking for a senior-level UX/UI designer to work on a turnaround portfolio investment with the goal of revamping consumer-facing web platforms, rebranding efforts, and creative/strategic design of internal tools.

You’ll be responsible for:

• Translating concepts into user flows, wireframes, mockups and prototypes that lead to intuitive user experiences.
• Developing and executing a new user experience for consumer facing web platforms; revamping consumer facing web platforms, rebranding efforts, and creative/strategic design of internal tools.
• You will be expected to take a strategic role in owning and driving design and collaborating across teams to produce results.
• Presenting and communicating UX/UI recommendations and strategies to executives, developers, and other stakeholders.

You’ll gain loads of experience in this role but before you do, you should have:

• Competence in designing consumer applications across mobile and web.
• Expertise in standard and emerging UX software such as Sketch, OmniGraffle, Axure, InVision, UXPin, Balsamiq, Framer, Principle, and/or the like is a must. Basic HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript skills are a plus.
• Ability to work with internal teams to understand detailed requirements and design complete user experiences that meet customer needs. Must be self-sufficient, organized, and adaptable.
• Understanding of UX Design best practices to design solutions, and a deep understanding of mobile-first and responsive design.
• Expertise conducting research to inform the overall viability of a new product idea as well as to inform design and user experience approach.
• Experience working side by side with developers to ensure that UX/UI requirements are clear, final product meets specifications, and coming up with resolutions for issues that arise.
• Willingness to travel is a plus.

Example 3: UX Designer Job Description for Startups 

Startups seeking to fill positions should emphasize a few positive aspects of working in a startup environment. Terms like ‘innovation,’ ‘fast-paced’ and ‘agile’ present a workplace that accepts new and creative ideas and offers constant challenges. Note how the following job description combines these details to target job seekers who are eager to revamp their skill sets and accelerate their career growth:  

[Redacted] is seeking a UX Designer to deliver the customer experience for some of the company’s key digital engagement and optimization products and services. We are looking for innovators; professionals with an unrelenting belief in the power of design to transform businesses, and with the passion and commitment to help [redacted] become recognized for elegant and powerful product experiences.

You’ll be joining a talented team of designers and researchers [redacted]. Our customers are a savvy, demanding group; you and this team are responsible for delivering best-of-breed applications in a fast-paced, agile, startup-like environment.

[Redacted] offers fabulous company benefits and a fast paced, highly motivated, enormously fun work environment, not to mention a career with great growth potential.

Responsibilities:

• Deliver best-in-class user experiences (user interface designs, interaction models, prototypes, etc.), in a fast-paced, agile, startup-like environment
• Fully understand and be a strong advocate for the Voice of the Customer
• Lead rapid iterative prototyping efforts with varying fidelity/presentation tools (e.g., sketches, storyboards, wireframes, clickable prototypes, compositions, and assets)
• Translate business and product requirements into visually beautiful concepts and highly-usable responsive experiences. You must be flexible and able to succeed within an open and collaborative peer environment.
• Partner with our UX researchers to test and iterate design concepts
• Along with the team, identify strategic research needs and CX improvement opportunities
• Develop and ensure best design practices and communicate quality expectations across the organization
• Spend time with [redacted] customers, prospects, partners, and internal stakeholders to understand user needs and evaluate designs
• Demonstrate a command of design methods, tools, communication, and presentation skills

Required Skills:

• 5+ years experience
• A thorough understanding of customer experience, user-centered design, with excellent hands-on graphic design skills and an ability to translate user requirements into a design vision and then into an actionable plan to deliver design specifications desired
• Proficiency in software tools such as InVision, Sketch, Axure, Adobe Creative Suite or similar
• Experience with [redacted] software development, cloud software, product management, user testing or experience with Drupal will also be a plus
• Experience running workshops
• Experience with designing data visualization and analytics applications
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize requests, communicate with stakeholders, and meet expected milestones
• Experience working in a fast-paced, agile environment and partnering effectively with Product Management and Engineering stakeholders
• Online portfolio or links to work examples required

Example 4: UX Designer Job Description for Larger Companies

While larger companies can still have fast-paced environments, they may also need to focus on maintaining a well-known brand image. The job description below covers company culture while making it clear that the UX role is still responsible for protecting the branding of the company through its products. Targeting candidates who are comfortable juggling business and design needs may be an ideal strategy for larger companies:  

Your passion is creating great user experiences through user-centered design. You thrive in a cross-functional group of creative, driven, smart professionals who strive to be experts in their field. You understand that a great user experience leads to better brand recognition and repeat customers. You’re the newest member of the [redacted] UX Design team.

Our UX team is unique in that we work across both the [redacted] brands to establish best practices in usability and user experience for both product offerings. This role will work out of the [redacted] office in [redacted]. [Redacted] is an honest, friendly, and fun community. This permeates nearly every interaction that we have with each other, our customers, and our products.

Our UX Designers:

• Formulate, establish, and annotate the navigation, functionality, organizational structure and page-to-page flows of our user experience for our company sites and through our affiliated sites and mobile applications.
• Collaborate with business partners, graphic designers and developers to define the functionality and navigation solutions for various products
• Work with internal and external constituents as the primary point of contact responsible for driving major UX projects from conception to implementation
• Stay abreast of advances in user interface (both technical and experiential) and look for ways to appropriately integrate these advances into products
• Communicate designs through fully documented wireframes and prototypes
• Express user experience best practices across the company, and mentor colleagues and staff on best-in-class usability concepts

What you need to be successful:

• At least 5 years of experience in user experience design with expertise in interaction design, information architecture, usability engineering, or all three; consulting or agency background a plus
• Hands-on experience creating site maps, process flows and wireframes for high traffic consumer sites
• Ability to communicate effectively in visual, written and interactive form: design documents, flow charts, prototypes, etc.
• Desire to deal with business issues, thinking beyond design
• Ability to articulate strategic issues while balancing these with user needs and technological constraints
• Experience working in small collaborative teams, including working constructively with development teams

Example 5: UX Designer Job Description for Healthtech Companies

Many professionals entering healthcare are motivated to help people, so companies should always place a spotlight on patients. It’s no surprise then that the job description mentions “primary care,” “clinician-patient interaction” and “human-centered approaches.” Not all UX designers are familiar with healthcare, so the description also emphasizes candidates who can work across different disciplines and teams:  

At [redacted], our mission is [redacted]. You’ll collaborate with multiple teams, work across disciplines, encountering and conquering many challenges that are new and exciting. Each day you’ll be working towards profoundly transforming primary care.

Your Role and Impact

The UX Design and Research team is looking for a talented UX Designer with proven success in creating tools for professional users and collaborating across disciplines to achieve great user experiences. You’ll be making tools for [redacted].

Responsibilities

• Lead design thinking from problem definition through ideation
• Create effective plans to design, prototype, learn, and iterate quickly in an outcome-driven environment
• Advocate for human-centered approaches to complex problems, building agreement among diverse stakeholders using firm grounding in user and business needs
• Craft useful and usable experiences through process diagrams, sketches, wireframes, prototypes, visual designs, and handoffs to engineering
• Routinely collaborate with product managers, designers [redacted] to build a shared understanding of product vision and your design approach
• Learn about user attitudes and behaviors, establish your design hypotheses, prototype solutions, evaluate results, and help engineers bring your designs to life
• Collaborate with data science to enable machine learning on the clinician-patient interaction and use it to increase automation over time
• Partner with [redacted] to help them serve [redacted] in new and better ways. You’ll translate [redacted] data into intuitive visualizations and design ways for [redacted] to gather information and share plans with efficient, empowering experience.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in a design-related field (human-computer interaction, interaction design, human factors, or graphic design) or equivalent practical experience
• Strong interaction design and user interface design portfolio
• Demonstrated expertise with tools such as Sketch and InVision, Adobe Creative Suite, and excellent knowledge of CSS and HTML5
• Experience designing for information-rich, task-based environments - designing for [redacted] is a plus
• Ability to bring rational order to task flow as well as information architecture and presentation, including visualization
• Demonstrated influence on interdisciplinary teams to adopt human-centered approaches
• Ability to anticipate and mitigate possible design and process issues at a macro and micro level