Senior UX / UI Designer (contract)

Upanup; Waterloo; Hybrid; CAD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading design firm in Canada is seeking a Senior UX / UI Designer for a full-time contract role. The position involves designing user-friendly website interfaces for government and utility clients. The ideal candidate has over five years of UX / UI experience and proficiency in Figma. This role offers health benefits, three weeks of paid vacation, and a supportive hybrid work environment.

Benefits

Flexible hybrid framework

Paid wellness days

Three weeks paid vacation

Complementary office snacks and drinks

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in a professional UX / UI design environment.
• Expert-level proficiency in Figma including prototyping.
• Experience in municipal government or utilities sectors preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design of interfaces and layouts that meet client goals.
• Facilitate usability testing and documented analysis.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams on design projects.

Skills

User experience design

Prototyping in Figma

Strong communication skills

Usability testing

Design thinking

Collaboration

Education

Post-secondary degree or diploma in design

Tools

Figma

Adobe Creative Cloud

Job description

Overview

Upanup is looking for a full-time contract Senior UX / UI Designer to help create accessible, professional, and user-friendly website designs for our government and utility clients across Canada and the United States. This is a contract position spanning from October 2025 until October 2026. Local applicants in the vicinity of Victoria, BC, Calgary, AB or Waterloo, ON will be considered. When applying, please include a PDF version of your cover letter and resume.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design of interfaces and layouts that meet client goals and scope, user experience requirements, brand standards, and accessibility requirements
• Lead usability testing, including facilitating user testing sessions, contributing to documented analysis on client projects, writing scripts, and creating scenarios
• Present design concepts and rationale to clients to achieve buy-in and communicate design decisions, providing alternative solutions for challenging client requests
• Participate in internal and client reviews, providing support to the project team
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams
• Contribute to internal tasks and projects

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in a professional UX / UI design environment
• Expert-level proficiency in Figma including prototyping
• Working knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud
• Experience facilitating user testing sessions (or other UX research methods)
• Experience presenting designs, reports, and recommendations to clients and stakeholders
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Previous work experience in municipal government or utilities sectors
• Ability to manage multiple projects / tasks and to meet tight timelines
• An ambitious attitude, positive outlook, and friendly disposition
• Post-secondary degree or diploma in a design-related field or equivalent practical experience

Preference

• Experience using or designing for content management systems such as Drupal or WordPress
• Experience writing HTML and CSS
• Freelance work or agency experience
• Experience with illustration, graphic design, and / or print layout
• Working knowledge of web accessibility and / or experience using assistive technology

What You Can Expect

• Full-time, contract position, with health benefits starting after three months
• Three weeks of paid vacation
• Compensation of $35 to $42 per hour at 37.5 hours per week
• Open to candidates who would like to work a minimum of 30 hours per week
• A supportive hybrid work model: during onboarding you will work on-site full-time for the first three months; after that, the hybrid framework will apply (office on Tuesdays and Thursdays at minimum).

How to Apply

To apply, please fill out the form below to submit your resume and a personalized cover letter that includes:

• A link to examples of your work
• A brief explanation of why you\'re excited to join Upanup
• A few thoughts on how your unique skills and experience make you a strong fit for this role

Note: Applications without a personalized cover letter will not be considered.

Equity and Inclusion

We’re Committed to Equity and Inclusion

At Upanup, we believe that diversity strengthens our team and fuels innovation. We are committed to building an inclusive workplace where individuals of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences are valued and supported.

What We Offer

• An opportunity to make a difference in the lives of people through a variety of web solutions
• A healthy work environment based on core values of integrity, quality, efficiency, progress and friendliness
• Ability to collaborate with an experienced team on solutions that tens of thousands of people use each day
• Be part of a growing independent business with open lines of communication across levels and roles

Perks

• Flexible hybrid framework
• New office spaces in great locations
• Paid wellness days
• Three weeks paid vacation to start
• Monthly social events
• Complementary office snacks and drinks
• iPhone and Macbook Pro for work and personal use

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