What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior UX Designer position at Shadow Strategies?
Senior UX Designer
Location: Columbia, MD (Hybrid – up to 2 days telework per week)
Salary Range: $165,000 - $210,000 (commensurate with experience)
Clearance Required: TS//SCI with Polygraph
At Shadow Strategies, you will join a culture defined by innovation, purpose, and meaningful impact. We seek driven individuals ready to bring their unique strengths to a dynamic team dedicated to solving critical challenges. If you're inspired by complexity, motivated by clarity, and committed to excellence, we invite you to become part of something exceptional.
Shadow is seeking a Senior UX Designer to lead transformative user experience initiatives supporting high-impact national security systems. In this role, you'll not only guide the design process from research through implementation—you’ll define what great looks like in environments where clarity, precision, and usability are critical to mission success.
If you thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative setting and have a passion for creating intuitive, efficient digital experiences, this is a chance to do meaningful work at the highest levels of design and impact.
What You’ll Do:
- Oversee and lead all phases of the usability and software design lifecycle.
- Research and document user requirements, workflows, personas, and key usage scenarios.
- Plan and execute usability testing to drive iterative improvements in functionality and design.
- Partner with cross-functional teams—developers, engineers, project managers, and stakeholders—to ensure designs are implemented to spec and deliver on user needs.
- Create and maintain high-fidelity mockups, wireframes, and comprehensive UI specifications.
Required Skills & Experience:
- Deep expertise across the full usability engineering and software development lifecycle.
- Mastery of design tools including Adobe Creative Cloud, Adobe XD, and PenPot.
- Proven ability to create detailed, actionable user interface specifications.
- Strong leadership in usability testing and translating user insights into actionable design changes.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Certifications in Human Factors Engineering, Human-Centered Computing, or related disciplines.
- Experience designing for accessibility and Section 508 compliance.
Education & Experience Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Human-Centered Design, or a related field with 14 years of experience in UX design
- OR
- 19 years of professional experience without a degree.
Work Environment:
- Based in Columbia, MD with up to 2 days of telework per week.
- Mission-focused team working on national-level priorities.
- Leadership opportunities and room to innovate in every aspect of UX strategy and execution.
What You’ll Know Up Front
At Shadow, we don’t wait until the offer to talk about value. We’re transparent because we respect your time and your talent.
The Range
For this role, the salary starts at $165,000 and can extend to $210,000. Where you land depends on your experience, skills, and where you work. We look at what you bring, not just where you've been.
What Comes With It
You’ll have what you need to do your best work:
-
Fully covered health insurance – medical, dental, vision
-
Paid parental leave – 16 weeks if you give birth, 4 weeks if your partner does
-
Flexible leave – designed to support real life, not restrict it
-
401(k) – for your future
-
Short- and long-term disability – because life happens
-
Annual health stipend – if you opt out of our insurance
Shadow’s flexible leave policy is grounded in trust and built for impact. Take the time you need—without jumping through hoops.
The Extras? They're Built In.
No points systems. No bean bags. Just clarity, autonomy, and a mission that matters.
Shadow Strategies is committed to providing an environment where all individuals are treated with respect and fairness. We embrace individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
Our Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policy applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, promotions, training, and compensation. We do not tolerate discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws.
Salary is determined by various factors, including but not limited to location, the individual’s particular combination of education, knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience, as well as contract-specific affordability and organizational requirements.Salary : $165,000 - $210,000