Hawkes Learning is a trailblazing educational software company at the forefront of innovation since 1979. Hawkes was very early in recognizing how technology could revolutionize the learning process and exponentially increase student engagement. Our cutting-edge platform seamlessly blends quality curriculum with AI-based tutoring and a proven mastery learning pedagogy to empower students in their academic journey. Hawkes provides an intelligent and highly effective learning environment that expands the reach of instructors beyond the classroom and drives better student learning outcomes. 

As a Senior UX Designer, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the experience of our products by leading ideation, design exploration, and rapid prototyping across our learning platform. You will work closely with Product Management and Frontend Engineering to transform ideas into validated user experiences.  You will help engineering teams move faster by providing clear design direction before development begins.  

This is a highly hands-on role for a designer who thrives in ambiguity, moves quickly, and leverages AI to amplify creative output. You will use and evolve our existing component library thoughtfully, balancing innovation with scalability and engineering constraints, ensuring we deliver intuitive, accessible, and scalable experiences for students and instructors. 

Responsibilities:  

• Lead ideation through rapid design exploration, mockups, and interactive prototypes 
• Partner closely with Product Managers to shape concepts into testable user flows and interaction models  
• Work ahead of engineering to reduce ambiguity and provide clear experience direction prior to implementation  
• Collaborate with Frontend Engineers to transition designs into scalable, accessible, production-ready experiences  
• Leverage AI tools to accelerate ideation, iteration, prototyping, and documentation  
• Create wireframes, high-fidelity designs, and prototypes for internal validation and user feedback  
• Help establish experience patterns and quality standards in partnership with Frontend Engineering  
• Contribute to accessibility-first design practices aligned with WCAG guidelines 
• Support and evolve the design system and component library, prioritizing reusable patterns and thoughtfully evaluating when new components are warranted 
• Improve usability within the context of an evolving platform, balancing user needs with technical realities and existing architectural constraints 
• Build upon and refine existing experience patterns while defining scalable approaches for new initiatives 
• Elevate frontend experience quality through collaborative design reviews and shared learning with engineering teams 
• Stay current with UX, product design, and AI-assisted design trends

•  7+ years of UX or product design experience delivering complex digital products  
• Strong portfolio demonstrating ideation, prototyping, and shipped experiences  
• Proven experience partnering closely with Product Management and Engineering teams  
• Demonstrated ability to move quickly from concept to prototype to validation  
• Experience working with design systems and component-based design approaches  
• Demonstrated ability to work within established systems while incrementally improving usability and experience quality 
• Working knowledge of accessibility principles (WCAG)  
• Strong communication, facilitation, and collaboration skills  
• Comfort working in fast-paced, evolving environments 

Preferred Qualifications:  

• Demonstrated experience leveraging AI in design workflows (e.g., Figma AI, ChatGPT, Midjourney, Claude, etc.) 
• Bachelor’s degree in design, human-computer interaction, or related field (or equivalent professional experience 
• Experience designing SaaS or complex web applications (EdTech experience a plus)  
• Familiarity with modern frontend frameworks and development workflows  
• Experience conducting lightweight usability testing and incorporating feedback rapidly 
• Experience contributing to or evolving design systems 

The salary range for this role is competitive and considers a variety of factors, including skill sets, experience, training, certifications, and other business and organizational needs. Our comprehensive benefits package includes 30+ days of paid time off to start with additional time each year of employment, an employer 401(k) match of up to 3.5%, and a significant employer contribution to healthcare benefits. We value talent from all locations, so please apply and let us know where you're located in the screener questions. Hawkes Learning is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. 

Benefits  

• Competitive pay and bonus plan 
• Generous Health Benefits (Medical insurance (BCBS), Vision insurance (EyeMed), Dental insurance (Mutual of Omaha)) 
• HSA Employer Match 
• Employer Match to 401k retirement plan 
• Generous vacation time, sick time, discretionary days, and paid holidays 
• 100% employer-paid dental, EAP, life, AD&D, and LTD insurance 
• And much more!