Principal UI/UX Product Designer – Visual & Graphic Design
Location: Irvine, CA (Remote candidates considered)
Position Type: Contract
Duration: ASAP through 2027, with potential for extension
Hours: Flexible, up to 40 hours per week depending on project phase
Travel: Occasional travel to Irvine, CA for project collaboration and design presentations (approximately 1–3 visits anticipated)
Position Overview
We are seeking an exceptionally creative and experienced Principal UI/UX Product Designer with strong visual and graphic design capabilities to help shape the next generation of user interfaces for innovative medical technology. This is a high-impact, design-focused consulting opportunity for a senior-level creative professional who excels at transforming complex product requirements into sophisticated, intuitive, and visually compelling digital experiences.
The ideal candidate combines exceptional visual design talent with hands-on experience designing software user interfaces, developing comprehensive design libraries, and collaborating with software engineering teams to bring creative concepts to life.
Rather than simply refining an existing interface, this individual will have the opportunity to explore a wide range of design possibilities-from subtle enhancements to entirely new visual approaches-and present innovative concepts that challenge conventional thinking while remaining grounded in functional and technical requirements. Working closely with usability experts, software developers, marketing teams, senior leadership, and customer stakeholders, this individual will lead the creative design process from initial concept exploration through evaluation, refinement, and preparation for software implementation. This is primarily a creative UI/UX and visual design position, not a software engineering or software architecture role. We are seeking an accomplished designer who understands how software interfaces are built, rather than a software developer who also has design experience.
Key Responsibilities
UI/UX Concept Development & Creative Design
- Lead the development of innovative, visually sophisticated user interface and user experience concepts for a medical technology product.
- Translate detailed product requirements, functional specifications, and user needs into intuitive, engaging, and aesthetically compelling interface designs.
- Develop multiple distinct design directions, ranging from conservative refinements to highly creative and forward-thinking concepts.
- Explore alternative visual styles, screen layouts, navigation approaches, interactions, and user experiences.
- Create polished visual concepts that demonstrate how different design approaches could improve usability, visual consistency, and overall product experience.
- Incorporate creative visual elements, animations, and interactive behaviors where appropriate to enhance the user experience.
- Balance creative exploration with established functionality, usability expectations, and technical constraints.
- Present compelling design concepts that help stakeholders evaluate alternatives and establish a cohesive visual direction.
Figma Design & Design Library Development
- Utilize Figma as the primary platform for developing, organizing, presenting, and refining interface designs.
- Develop and maintain structured, reusable design libraries that support visual consistency and future product iterations.
- Create reusable UI components, design patterns, visual elements, and documented design specifications.
- Organize design assets to facilitate effective collaboration with usability specialists and software engineering teams.
- Establish scalable design approaches that can evolve alongside changing product requirements and future interface enhancements.
- Ensure design files, components, and supporting documentation are sufficiently detailed to support downstream software implementation.
User Experience & Human-Centered Design
- Collaborate with internal usability specialists to ensure proposed designs support intuitive and efficient user interactions.
- Incorporate functional requirements, user workflows, operational procedures, and usability considerations into the design process.
- Evaluate how interface layouts, visual hierarchy, navigation, and interaction patterns contribute to the overall user experience.
- Support the assessment of proposed concepts through stakeholder reviews and feedback from customers and design partners.
- Translate findings and feedback into thoughtful, actionable design improvements.
- Design within the requirements and constraints of a regulated medical technology environment, with support from internal subject matter experts.
Stakeholder Collaboration & Design Presentations
- Partner with cross-functional stakeholders, including software engineering, usability, marketing, program leadership, and customer-facing teams.
- Present multiple design concepts and clearly communicate the rationale, benefits, and tradeoffs associated with each approach.
- Facilitate productive design discussions and help stakeholders compare alternative visual and experiential directions.
- Gather, interpret, and incorporate feedback from individuals with different technical backgrounds and business priorities.
- Demonstrate flexibility and openness to constructive feedback without becoming overly attached to a particular concept.
- Independently manage creative assignments while maintaining regular communication and alignment with the broader project team.
- Contribute as a consultative design partner, providing recommendations and creative direction based on established requirements and stakeholder needs.
Design Refinement & Software Implementation Support
- Refine selected concepts through iterative design cycles based on stakeholder and customer evaluations.
- Work collaboratively with software development teams to ensure designs can be successfully translated into functional interfaces.
- Communicate design intent, component behaviors, interactions, and visual specifications clearly to engineering partners.
- Understand practical software implementation constraints and adapt creative designs when necessary.
- Partner with software teams, including an international development group, to support design handoff, clarification, and implementation.
- Maintain design consistency and preserve the intended user experience throughout refinement and implementation.
Required Qualifications
- Extensive professional experience in UI/UX, digital product design, visual design, or a closely related discipline, with demonstrated ability to operate at a senior, lead, or principal level.
- Exceptional visual and creative design skills, with a portfolio demonstrating sophisticated, polished, and innovative software user interfaces.
- Advanced, hands-on proficiency with Figma, including interface design, reusable components, and structured design libraries.
- Demonstrated experience creating, organizing, and maintaining design libraries or reusable UI design systems.
- Proven ability to translate complex product requirements into visually compelling and functional interface concepts.
- Experience developing and presenting multiple creative design directions for stakeholder consideration.
- Strong understanding of software interface design and the practical considerations involved in translating visual concepts into working applications.
- Experience collaborating directly with software engineers to support design handoff and implementation.
- Ability to balance visual creativity, usability, technical feasibility, and established functional requirements.
- Strong presentation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
- Demonstrated ability to gather feedback, evaluate competing perspectives, and refine designs through multiple iterations.
- Ability to work independently, manage creative deliverables, and collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams.
- A strong professional portfolio demonstrating relevant UI/UX and visual product design work.
Preferred Qualifications
- Previous experience designing user interfaces for medical devices, healthcare technology, or other regulated products.
- Experience designing complex software applications, technical interfaces, or products with detailed operational workflows.
- Strong animation, motion design, or interactive design capabilities.
- Experience developing visually sophisticated interfaces that emphasize clarity, simplicity, and intuitive user interactions.
- Familiarity with software development processes and the technical considerations associated with implementing UI designs.
- Experience collaborating with internationally distributed software engineering teams.
- Demonstrated success presenting design concepts to senior leadership, customers, or executive stakeholders.
- Experience leading creative exploration for new products or significant interface redesign initiatives.
Ideal Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate is a highly accomplished visual product designer with deep UI/UX expertise who brings both exceptional creativity and practical experience designing interfaces for software products. This individual can take a detailed set of requirements and independently develop several compelling, distinctly different design approaches rather than simply producing variations of an existing interface. They should be equally comfortable producing visually impressive design concepts in Figma, developing reusable design libraries, presenting creative recommendations to senior stakeholders, and collaborating with engineers to ensure their ideas can be implemented.
We are particularly interested in candidates who demonstrate:
- Creative versatility: The ability to develop dramatically different design concepts while maintaining functional integrity.
- Visual sophistication: A portfolio featuring refined, modern, intuitive, and professionally executed digital interfaces.
- Technical awareness: An understanding of how UI designs translate into software, without requiring hands-on programming or software architecture expertise.
- Consultative thinking: The confidence to propose innovative ideas while remaining receptive to stakeholder needs and competing perspectives.
- Adaptability: A willingness to explore different creative directions and continuously refine concepts based on feedback.
- Independent ownership: The ability to drive the creative design process while maintaining alignment with project objectives and timelines.
Candidates from a variety of industries are encouraged to apply. While medical device experience is highly valued, it is not required. We are equally interested in exceptional designers from other industries who can demonstrate relevant software product design experience, outstanding visual creativity, and an understanding of technical implementation requirements.
Portfolio Requirement
A professional design portfolio is required for consideration.
Portfolios should ideally demonstrate:
- Visually sophisticated software or digital product interface designs.
- Multiple creative approaches or alternative design concepts developed from established requirements.
- Strong Figma proficiency and examples of reusable design libraries or UI components.
- Experience designing products that balance aesthetic quality with functional usability.
- Examples of designs that progressed beyond concept development toward actual software implementation.
Candidates who can demonstrate both exceptional visual creativity and practical software product design experience will receive strong consideration.
Compensation:
The anticipated pay range for this opportunity is $125-175.00/hr. The range represents a good-faith estimate of the compensation reasonably expected to be offered for this opportunity at the time of posting. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, qualifications, engagement structure, and applicable work location within the range provided.
Benefits:
Depending on employment classification and eligibility, benefits may include medical, dental, and vision coverage; health savings accounts; life and AD&D insurance; long-term disability coverage; commuter benefits; and retirement plans. Eligibility for specific benefits is subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable benefit plans.
Additional Compensation:
This position is not eligible for additional compensation.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Legal authorization to work in the U.S. is required.
- As a contractor, including remote contractors, you may be required to complete a background check.
As a contractor, you will be paid for the time you work; this does not include paid time off (PTO) or holidays. If you participate in our Payroll Services (W2) engagement, you may be eligible for Paid Sick Leave (PSL), depending on your work location and state-specific regulations.
