2026 Year in Industry - UX Designer / Research

Zebra Technologies; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading tech company in Greater London is seeking a UX/Product Design & Research placement student for a 12-month industrial opportunity. The role involves collaborating with senior professionals, conducting user research, and applying design skills in a dynamic environment. The ideal candidate is a current university student with a passion for user-centered design, available for a hybrid work model, and aims to start their final year in September 2027. A strong portfolio is required for application.

Qualifications

• Must be a current university student pursuing a degree in HCI, Interaction Design, Product Design, Human Factors, Psychology, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience and a keen interest in both user research and UX/digital product design.
• A portfolio demonstrating your design process and examples of research and design projects is required.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Senior Designers, Product Managers, and Engineers to generate creative solutions.
• Conduct user research and usability testing.
• Translate user needs into design artifacts such as personas and wireframes.

Skills

User research

UX design

Collaboration

Problem-solving

Communication skills

Education

Current university student in HCI, Interaction Design, or related field

Formal "Year in Industry" placement

Tools

Figma

Miro

Job description

Remote Work: Hybrid

Overview

At Zebra, we are a community of innovators who come together to create new ways of working. United by curiosity and a culture of caring, we develop smart solutions that anticipate our customer’s and partner’s needs and solve their challenges.

Being a part of Zebra Nation means you are seen, heard, valued, and respected. Drawing from our unique perspectives, we collaborate to deliver on our purpose. Here you are a part of a team pushing boundaries today to redefine the work of tomorrow for organizations, their employees, and those they serve.

You’ll have opportunities to learn and lead in a forward-thinking environment, defining your path to a fulfilling career while channeling your skills toward causes you care about – locally and globally.

Come make an impact every day at Zebra.

We are offering an exciting opportunity for an undergraduate student to join our team for a 12‑month industrial placement. As our UX/Product Design & Research placement student, you will be a key contributor to our software design solutions, gaining hands‑on experience in a fast‑paced, innovative enterprise environment. This role is designed for a student currently enrolled in a degree program who is looking to apply their academic knowledge of both user research and design to real‑world challenges.

You will integrate with cross‑functional teams, learn from senior professionals, and help champion a human‑centered design approach across the business. This is a unique chance to develop your skills in all areas of the product development lifecycle, from foundational user research to the final delivery of polished UI specifications.

Details

• Contract Duration: July 2026 – July 2027
• Location: Central London, UK
• Office Policy: Mandatory 3 days per week in the office.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with and learn from Senior Designers, Product Managers, and Engineers to generate creative solutions to design problems.
• Actively participate in and support all stages of the design process, including conducting user research (interviews, surveys) and usability testing.
• Translate user needs and business requirements into tangible design artifacts, including personas, journey maps, wireframes, and interactive prototypes.
• Present concepts and research findings to internal teams for feedback, and learn to incorporate that feedback into your work.
• Contribute to our established design system, ensuring consistency and high‑quality execution.

Minimum Qualifications

• Must be a current university student pursuing a degree in HCI, Interaction Design, Product Design, Human Factors, Psychology, or a related field.
• Your degree program must include a formal “Year in Industry” or “Sandwich Year” placement.
• You must be scheduled to return to your final year of university studies in September 2027.
• You must have demonstrated experience and a keen interest in both user research and UX/digital product design.
• A portfolio demonstrating your design process, problem‑solving skills, and examples of both research and design projects (from academia or personal work) is required for consideration.

Preferred Qualifications

• Tools: Academic or personal experience using collaborative design and research tools (e.g., Figma, Miro).
• Frameworks: A basic understanding of or familiarity with Agile/Scrum development processes.
• Design Skills: A foundational understanding of interaction design, visual design principles, and design systems.
• Problem‑Solving: Strong conceptual and problem‑solving abilities with an eagerness to learn and adapt.
• Communication: Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the confidence to present your work and ideas.

To protect candidates from falling victim to online fraudulent activity involving fake job postings and employment offers, please be aware our recruiters will always connect with you via @zebra.com email accounts. Applications are only accepted through our applicant tracking system and only accept personal identifying information through that system. Our Talent Acquisition team will not ask for you to provide personal identifying information via e‑mail or outside of the system. If you are a victim of identity theft contact your local police department.