Job Description
Disclaimer: Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the United States. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time. Remote positions at the Institute for Humane Studies (IHS) require travel to our Arlington, VA office for two in-person team gatherings each year.
Job Summary: The UX Designer is a mid-level, execution-focused role responsible for creating user-centered experiences across IHS's digital ecosystem, including the ScholarsEdge platform. Reporting to the Senior Application Development Engineer, this role collaborates with developers, product leads, and AI specialists to translate complex requirements into clean, consistent interfaces. By shaping AI-enhanced experiences that make complex data feel clear and approachable, the UX Designer will bring precision and usability to every interaction. Through this work, scholars can amplify their impact, ideas that foster human flourishing can reach wider audiences, and leaders can act on insights that drive meaningful change.
Supervisory Responsibilities: Duties/Responsibilities: - Collaborate with engineering and product teams to translate requirements and feedback - gathered and prioritized by the Product Owner from external users (scholars, partners) and internal stakeholders (leadership and cross-departmental teams) - into user-centered designs such as flows, wireframes, mockups, and prototypes.
- Execute user experience design within the priorities set by product leadership, contributing UX insights to early-stage discussions while focusing on delivering production-ready designs.
- Drive the design workflow in Figma, ensuring efficient collaboration, consistent interface patterns, and integration of the design system into the development process.
- Work closely with engineering leads to align design decisions with technical realities and reduce rework.
- Ensure IHS branding and tone are accurately reflected in ScholarsEdge and related digital products.
- Explore novel interface solutions for complex, data-rich systems, such as interactive visualizations, advanced search tools, and multi-dimensional data exploration.
- Support usability testing to validate design decisions and enhance the scholar and internal user experience.
Required Skills/Qualifications: - 3+ years of UX/UI design experience in digital product or web application environments.
- Bachelor's degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Design, or related field preferred, though equivalent practical experience will be considered.
- Proficiency in Figma, with experience using components, variants, auto layout, and prototyping.
- Basic understanding of web technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) alongside a successful track record of collaborating with engineers.
- Familiarity with design best practices, including accessibility.
- Curiosity about emerging technologies, including the evolving role of AI in UX/UI workflows.
- Experience designing data-heavy interfaces, AI-integrated tools, or interactive visualizations preferred.
- Comfortable working in a collaborative environment where product strategy is set by leadership, with openness to expand into broader ownership of UX strategy as the platform grows.
- Prior experience collaborating in Agile/Scrum environments is preferred.
- Experience designing tools for research or academic communities is preferred.
- Knowledge of and appreciation for classical-liberal values and the IHS mission.
To apply, qualified candidates must submit the following materials: - Resume
- Cover letter detailing your interest in this position and why the IHS mission resonates with you.
- Portfolio samples
EEO Statement: We are an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.
About IHS: The Institute for Humane Studies (IHS) is a think network advancing the principles and practices of freedom in the academy, public policy, and civil society.
Founded in 1961, IHS believes that the liberal tradition has yielded unprecedented freedom and human flourishing. And in this moment, when the forces of illiberalism on both the left and right are gaining ground at an alarming pace, our vision is to spark a new spirit of liberal freedom.
Our Work: - Cultivating a pool of intellectual talent for partners in policy, civil society, philanthropy, and the academy through $1.5 million in fellowship and career development programs.
- Catalyzing scholarship and academic networks to strengthen the fields of foundational and applied research that matter most to a free society.
- Equipping freedom-focused research centers, think tanks, foundations, and civil society organizations with the research and experts they need to maximize their impact in policy and in communities across the country.
IHS Benefits: We have a flexible, professional, open office environment that encourages innovation and entrepreneurship and provides substantial opportunity for professional growth. Salary is competitive and will be commensurate with experience. IHS provides exceptional benefits to all employees, including health and dental insurance coverage (which includes paying 100% of the health and dental insurance premium for individuals), health savings accounts, long-term disability and life insurance, a 403(b) retirement savings program, a parking permit and 12 free tuition credit hours annually atGeorge Mason University.
Job Tags
Part time, Work at office, Work visa, Flexible hours,