Design Lead

Responsibilities

• Design Leadership & Strategy
• Maintain a comprehensive understanding of user needs and the approved design approach, ensuring consistent implementation across development teams
• Define and enforce design standards, style guides, and interaction patterns across all modules of the acquisitions system
• Ensure cohesive user journeys across pre-award, award, and post-award acquisition lifecycle activities
• Translate complex acquisition workflows into intuitive, accessible, and efficient user experiences
• Develop high-fidelity mockups and interactive prototypes
• Ensure design solutions align with both user needs and federal regulatory requirements
• Agile & Iterative Delivery
• Operate effectively within an Agile or Scrum framework, managing a backlog of design work and supporting sprint-based delivery
• Conduct rapid prototyping and iterative testing to validate design decisions
• Collaborate closely with Product Owners and Technical Leads to ensure designs are feasible and aligned with technical architecture
• Support sprint reviews, demonstrations, and continuous improvement efforts
• Technical Collaboration & Cloud Considerations
• Demonstrate proficiency in industry-standard design tools (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, Sketch)
• Understand technical constraints of modern web development, including HTML/CSS and responsive design principles
• Ensure design specifications translate effectively into CI/CD pipelines and AWS cloud deployment environments
• Promote secure, performant, and maintainable front-end architectures in collaboration with engineering teams
• Design Standards & Compliance
• Apply fundamental design principles, including color theory, typography, layout, and grid systems, to ensure high-quality and consistent work
• Ensure compliance with Section 508 accessibility standards and federal usability guidelines
• Support documentation of design decisions, style systems, and user research findings
• Team & Stakeholder Collaboration
• Work effectively with engineering, product management, and government stakeholders to align design efforts with overall product vision
• Facilitate design reviews and feedback sessions
• Mentor designers and foster a collaborative, user-centered culture
• Clearly communicate design rationale, tradeoffs, and recommendations to both technical and non-technical audiences

  Qualifications

  • Demonstrated experience serving as a Design Lead (or equivalent role) on complex web-based or enterprise platforms
  • Proficiency with industry-standard design tools such as Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, or Sketch
  • Deep understanding of UX/UI principles and full project lifecycle design practices
  • Proven ability to work within Agile or Scrum development environments
  • Strong understanding of modern web technologies and front-end technical constraints
  • Experience designing secure, scalable interfaces deployed within cloud environments such as AWS
  • Excellent problem-solving, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills

  Portfolio Submission

  To better evaluate your skills and design expertise, please ensure you upload a copy of your portfolio or provide a link to your work when submitting your application.

  Salary Range

  The target salary range for this position is $122,209-$211,317. The salary range displayed represents the typical salary range for this position and is not a guarantee of compensation. Individual salaries are determined by various factors including, but not limited to location, internal equity, business considerations, client contract requirements, and candidate qualifications, such as education, experience, skills, and security clearances.