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. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise.

• 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 — demonstrated understanding of platform conventions and when to diverge
• 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: contrast for outdoor viewing, touch target sizing, one-handed operation
• 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 — you've solved the challenges of translating complex workflows to smaller screens
• Experience with adaptive layouts across phones, tablets, and foldables
• Understanding of responsive design principles and breakpoint strategies
• Knowledge of mobile-specific interaction patterns: swipe gestures, pull-to-refresh, bottom sheets, floating action buttons
• Experience designing for offline-first or disconnected scenarios

Technical & Domain Knowledge: 

• Familiarity with Tailwind CSS utility-first approach and constraints — enough to have informed conversations with engineers about feasibility and implementation
• Understanding of progressive web apps (PWAs) or hybrid mobile development approaches
• Basic understanding of Kubernetes concepts or willingness to learn (containers, clusters, pods, deployments)
• Understanding of how operators interact with infrastructure management tools in field environments

Work Style & Communication:

• Excellent visual and verbal communication skills with the ability to articulate design decisions to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Proven ability to work autonomously, know when to ask for help, and actively resolve dependencies
• Strong facilitation skills for design workshops, user research sessions, and alignment meetings
• Comfort working in ambiguous problem spaces and turning vague requirements into concrete designs
• Experience working fully remote with distributed teams across time zones

Preferred Qualifications:

• Deep experience with iOS (HIG) and Android (Material Design) conventions, including when and why to diverge from platform standards
• Ability to design meaningful animations and transitions that enhance usability for task-focused users
• Prior experience with operator interfaces, command-and-control systems, field tools, or mission-critical software
• Experience building or contributing to multi-platform design systems that span web, iOS, and Android
• Prior work conducting research with pilots, operators, field workers, technicians, or other expert user groups
• Previous experience designing for government, military, or highly regulated industries (helpful but not required — the right mindset to learning is what matters most)
• 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 for outdoor visibility
• Experience leveraging AI tools for accelerating UX processes without sacrificing quality
• Knowledge of device management systems (MDM/EMM) or enterprise mobility management

Travel Expectations: 10-15%

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive, and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise. 

 

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. 

Remote - USA$147,375—$192,625 USD

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. Our commitment to this vision, and to our mission-driven customers, means a commitment to speed, user experience and optionality, without compromising security. Our team is composed of innovators, software engineers, and veterans with decades of experience delivering technology programs across the federal market.

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. Our solutions are agnostic by design and we believe that growing a robust ecosystem of secure, cloud-native software solutions can help enterprise customers inside and outside the federal market buy and integrate software more easily.

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 we work closely with the creators of leading-edge software solutions to deliver value to the mission-owner by improving the security and consumability of commercial software products.

What We Work On

• Kubernetes
• Cloud Environments (AWS/GCP and Azure)
• Infrastructure-as-code (like Terraform/Pulumi)
• Continuous Delivery and automation tooling
• GitOps
• Containers
• CNCF projects and open source products and packages
• 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 are 100% Company Paid
• Health Reimbursement Account
• Life Insurance
• Disability Insurance

Financial:

• 401k Retirement Plan
• Company Stock Options
• Home Office Budget

Leave:

• We offer all full-time Unicorns 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)

Don’t have all the preferred experience or qualifications? Studies show that underrepresented groups like women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs if they don't meet every requirement listed. 

At Defense Unicorns, we're committed to diversity. If you're enthusiastic about the role but don't match every criteria, we encourage you to apply. You could be the perfect fit for this or another role! Defense Unicorns is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status and/or beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

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