Product Designer - UDS Registry

Defense Unicorns is seeking a Product Designer for UDS Registry, a security-focused package management tool serving the Department of War. The role involves shaping user experiences for software delivery in high-security environments and collaborating with cross-functional teams to design user-friendly interfaces for both mobile and desktop applications.

Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to conceptualize and execute high-fidelity prototypes for mobile and desktop 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 both mobile 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 desktop applications
• Cultivate empathy for end-users across product teams & stakeholders by creating and maintaining user personas for registry users
• Collaborate with developers to design and build data-centered tools with intuitive mobile and desktop interfaces that improve engineer and user experience
• Create, collaborate, and iterate on user flows, site maps, user journeys, and other UI design artifacts for mobile and desktop
• Plan iterative UI design improvements and deliver them to production regularly
• Ensure a high-quality user experience and integrate feedback into the product's UI design
• 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 products
• Develop a deep understanding of the DevSecOps life cycle and its impact on software delivery

Requirements:

• Portfolio requirement: Must demonstrate experience designing complex, multi-user enterprise applications with clear examples of: Information-dense interfaces that remain intuitive and accessible, Multi-step workflows with clear handoff points between different user types, Responsive design across device sizes
• 5+ years of product design experience with at least 2 years designing enterprise B2B or B2G applications
• Expert proficiency in Figma (our primary design tool) and using shared libraries
• Strong interaction design skills with proven ability to design complex, multi-step workflows
• Deep understanding of accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 AA minimum)
• Proven track record facilitating design sprints or rapid prototyping sessions
• Have experience leading user engagements fully remote (ex., interviews, usability testing, design workshops)
• Strong understanding of security concepts, including vulnerability management, compliance frameworks, authorization processes, and audit requirements
• Familiarity with Tailwind CSS utility-first approach and constraints - enough to have informed conversations with engineers about feasibility and implementation
• Understanding of DevSecOps practices and secure software delivery lifecycles
• Understanding of open source software principles and open-core architecture
• Excellent visual and verbal communication skills with the ability to articulate design decisions to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Proven ability to work independently and drive projects forward with minimal oversight
• Strong facilitation skills for design workshops, and stakeholder alignment sessions
• Comfort working in ambiguous problem spaces and turning vague requirements into concrete designs
• Experience working fully remote with distributed teams across time zones
• Previous experience designing for government, military, or highly regulated industries
• Understanding of DoW authorization processes (Authorization to Operate), Security Technical Implementation Guide (STIG) compliance, or FedRAMP requirements
• Experience with security-focused products or cybersecurity tools
• Knowledge of OCI registries, container technologies, or package management systems
• Experience leveraging AI tools for accelerating UX processes without sacrificing quality
• Experience designing for multiple deployment scenarios (cloud, on-premise, airgap)
• Strong data visualization skills for complex security and compliance metrics
• Experience with progressive disclosure patterns and information architecture for dense datasets