UI/UX Lead for MES & Industrial Automation

Critical Manufacturing; Porto; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Critical Manufacturing is seeking an experienced UI/UX Lead to drive user experience strategy and lead our design team in building next-generation MES and industrial automation software. You will guide a high-performing team of designers and researchers, shaping intuitive interfaces for shop floor operators, plant managers, and engineers.

You will bridge complex industrial workflows with human-centered design, balancing strategic vision and hands-on leadership to transform operational data into

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional UI/UX/product design experience, with a proven track record in enterprise software, industrial automation, MES, SCADA, ERP, or complex B2B SaaS platforms.
• 2+ years of formal experience managing and leading design teams.
• Expertise in solving complex visual and functional information architectures, high-density data visualization, workflow simplification, and team leadership.
• Deep understanding of operator workflows, shop floor ergonomics, and high-density industrial dashboards.
• Advanced mastery of Figma, prototyping tools, and scalable Design Systems, as well as the application of AI tools for UI/UX.
• Proficiency in quantitative and qualitative research methodologies suitable for industrial or enterprise environments.
• Excellent spoken and written English communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead & Mentor: Manage, coach, and support a dedicated team of UI/UX designers and researchers; strengthen team cohesion, set clear expectations, improve delivery, conduct regular 1-on-1s, drive skill development, and set clear performance benchmarks.
• Resource & Capacity Management: Manage project allocation across core MES product modules, evaluate design staffing needs, and lead hiring and onboarding for new UI/UX talent.
• Establish user experience frameworks tailored to shop floor conditions, operator efficiency, rapid data entry, alarm management, and context-aware operational dashboards.
• Scale and maintain an industrial-grade Design System optimized for high-density data, tactile/touchscreen interactions, shop floor lighting environments, and accessible UI patterns.
• Cross-Functional Partnership: Collaborate closely with Product Managers, Solution Architects, Manufacturing Engineers, Industrial Data Specialists to define feature roadmaps and system capabilities.
• Conduct and guide contextual research (including plant floor observational studies and operator interviews) to translate operational constraints into actionable design requirements.
• Ensure UI/UX workflows support industry regulations (e.g., FDA 21 CFR Part 11, GAMP 5, ISO standards, and ISA-88/95 models) including audit trails, electronic signatures, and batch record accuracy.

Skills

UI/UX design

Enterprise software

Industrial automation

Design leadership

Figma

Prototyping tools

Design systems

AI tools for UI/UX

Tools

Figma

Prototyping tools

Design Systems

AI tools for UI/UX

Job description

Critical Manufacturing is seeking an experienced UI/UX Lead to drive user experience strategy and lead our design team in building next-generation MES and industrial automation software. You will guide a high-performing team of designers and researchers, shaping intuitive interfaces for shop floor operators, plant managers, and engineers.

You will bridge complex industrial workflows with human-centered design, balancing strategic vision and hands-on leadership to transform operational data into