Senior UX Designer, Interaction Design

State Affairs; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 140,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Comprehensive benefits package

Job summary

State Affairs, based in Washington, DC, is seeking a Senior UX Designer to lead interaction design for multiple products. This role will focus on defining complex user flows and collaborating with Product Management and Engineering to deliver high-quality features.

The ideal candidate should have over 5 years of experience in product design and a Bachelor’s degree in a related field. A competitive salary of $140,000 to $160,000 is offered along with a comprehensive benefits package.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in software product design and user experience.
• Proven ability to operate autonomously and contribute to product strategy.
• Experience with data analytics tools for optimizing designs.

Responsibilities

• Own the interaction layer and define complex user flows.
• Drive product strategy in collaboration with Product Management.
• Utilize advanced prototyping skills in Figma.
• Ensure design quality through collaboration with engineers.

Skills

Professional work experience in software product design

Interaction design

User experience

Ability to work in a fast-paced environment

Prototyping in Figma

Education

Bachelor’s degree in human-computer interaction or related field

Job description

State Affairs is the nation’s leading news and policy intelligence platform focused on state governments. We combine nonpartisan coverage of Statehouses across the country alongside state government data and AI-native tools into a singular platform.

We inform and empower decision makers, policy professionals and citizens through our award‑winning journalism and data – delivering profound insights to help our customers decode and act on state politics and policy. We’re building a category‑defining business that will reshape America as we strengthen visibility into what’s happening and why at the state level.

Position

Senior UX Designer, Interaction Design – Washington, DC

Responsibilities

• Own the interaction layer: Define and validate complex user flows, information architecture, and interaction models across multiple products on web and mobile.
• Drive product strategy: Partner closely with Product Management and Engineering to translate high‑level product goals and vague concepts into clear, shippable features, ensuring a balance between speed‑to‑market and user value.
• Prototype for clarity: Utilize advanced prototyping skills (in Figma) to communicate functionality, detailed interaction pathways, and motion effectively to engineers and stakeholders.
• Ensure design quality: Work closely with engineers to ensure technical feasibility and a high‑quality implementation that meets design intent.

Essential Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in human‑computer interaction, user experience, or a related field
• 5+ years of professional work experience in software product design, interaction design, and user experience
• Proven ability to operate autonomously and contribute to product strategy beyond just execution.
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced, startup environment with a willingness to quickly discard ideas and pivot based on feedback.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience contributing to, maintaining, and building robust design systems.
• Experience with data analytics tools and the ability to optimize designs based on collected quantitative and qualitative metrics.
• Strong opinions, loosely held – you have conviction in your design decisions, but approach feedback and critique with humility.

Salary & Benefits

The annual salary range for this role as posted is $140,000 to $160,000 for candidates working from the State Affairs office in Washington, DC. The final job level and annual salary will be determined based on the education, qualification, knowledge, skills, ability, and experience of the final candidate(s), and calibrated against relevant market data and internal team equity. Employees receive a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package.

Location & Work Environment

This is an onsite work opportunity and our teams operate from the Washington, DC office (located at L and 15th St. NW).

Legal & Employment Information

State Affairs is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit and business needs. State Affairs does not discriminate against applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability, or any other protected characteristic in accordance with federal, state, and local law.

State Affairs is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities as they go through our job application and interview process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at [e-mail].

By submitting your application, you affirm that the content contained therein is true and accurate in all respects. Prior to employment, State Affairs will conduct background checks for employment purposes that may include, where permitted by law, identity verification, prior employment verification, personal and professional references, educational verification, and criminal history.