Strategic Lead UX Designer — Systems & Research

Socket.dev; Appleton (WI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Venture in Appleton, WI seeks a Lead UX Designer to partner with engineering, product, and business leaders to translate research insights into design solutions for the IT digital portfolio.

This strategic individual contributor guides end-to-end UX for high-visibility initiatives and helps shape the practices and culture of a growing UX function. You will own design standards, conduct research, build a shared component library with engineering, and mentor teammates while aligning design

Qualifications

• 7+ years of UX design experience with a strong portfolio demonstrating both individual craft and strategic impact.
• End-to-end ownership of design for major product or initiative.
• Advanced proficiency with design and prototyping tools (Figma, Adobe XD, Claude Design).
• Experience owning user research, design thinking workshops, persona development, and journey mapping.
• Experience partnering with engineering to translate design assets into reusable, code-aligned components.
• Strong communication and influence skills with senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end user experience design for key product areas and high-impact initiatives.
• Partner with engineering, product management, and business stakeholders to translate requirements and research into scalable design solutions.
• Establish and evolve design standards, practices, and governance to prepare for future growth.
• Drive user research facilitation in partnership with Product Management, including interviews, field studies, usability testing, and data analysis.
• Collaborate with cross-functional leadership to ensure design vision aligns with product goals and technical feasibility.
• Partner with engineering leadership to architect and maintain a shared, code-aligned component library that bridges design assets and reusable development components, reducing design-related technical debt and accelerating development velocity.
• Identify and prioritize UX opportunities to drive measurable business and user impact.
• Lay the groundwork for future UX onboarding, including defining role expectations and skill criteria.
• Mentor cross-functional partners on design thinking and UX best practices.
• Stay current with emerging design methodologies and tools to inform evolving best practices.
• Advocate for accessibility, inclusivity, and discovery driven-product culture.
• Live our values of High Performance, Caring Relationships, Strategic Foresight, and Entrepreneurial Spirit.
• Find A Better Way by championing continuous improvement and quality control efforts to identify opportunities to innovate and improve efficiency, accuracy, and standardization.
• Continuously learn and develop self professionally.
• Support corporate efforts for safety, government compliance, and all other company policies & procedures.
• Perform other related duties as required and assigned.

Skills

UX design

End-to-end design ownership

Stakeholder influence

Design leadership

Tools

Figma

Adobe XD

Claude Design

Job description

U.S. Venture in Appleton, WI seeks a Lead UX Designer to partner with engineering, product, and business leaders to translate research insights into design solutions for the IT digital portfolio.

This strategic individual contributor guides end-to-end UX for high-visibility initiatives and helps shape the practices and culture of a growing UX function. You will own design standards, conduct research, build a shared component library with engineering, and mentor teammates while aligning design