Software Designer & Consultant

About the position Atomic is growing a diverse and inclusive team of curious, creative people who love creating great software for our clients. We’re looking for thoughtful problem solvers who are passionate about finding success for our clients, teams, and end-users through the human-centered design process. Company Since 2001, Atomic Object has designed and developed software products for web, mobile, desktop, and embedded devices. We were founded on the belief that not all software is created equal. Many people can write code, but it takes a close-knit team of passionate people to create exceptional, innovative products that change the way people do business. We’re an employee-owned company with 100+ Atoms based in our Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Chicago, and Raleigh offices. Unlike many other technology companies, we have a flat organization. There is no corporate ladder to climb. As a company that values transparency, we practice open-books management. At Atomic, you can stay close to the craft of making software for your entire career without missing out on owning a part of the company and its profits. Job Overview POSITION Atomic makers work on self-managed, cross-functional teams of 2-10 designers, delivery leads, developers, and testers. They collaborate to create products for our clients, from the idea phase through launch and beyond. Projects typically span 6 to 12 months, so you will have many opportunities to work with different people and tackle new challenges. As a software designer at Atomic, you will guide the product design vision by balancing the needs of end-users, the client’s business goals, and technical constraints. You will operate as both a leader and generalist to pinpoint the needs of a project and execute across the gamut of design demands. On one project, you may plan and conduct user research, wireframe solutions, create a visual design language, and support the development team with detailed design specs. Alongside delivery and technical leads, you will guide the team towards a solution at the intersection of desirable, feasible, and viable. You will work across all project phases, in both strategic and tactical capacities, executing on conceptual and tangible work. You will work alongside other Atomic designers to constantly push the design practice, and Atomic, forward through the use of new tools and processes. Additionally, you’ll help broaden the impact of our services by serving as a software design marketer through opportunities like attending and hosting local design meetups and contributing to our shared company blog. DETAILS Home base in Chicago Hybrid work environment with the expectation to be generally present in the office for at least 60% of your work week

Responsibilities

• Facilitate workshops and activities with clients, developers, and end-users to inform product design.
• Drive product design via the use of qualitative research and the development of user personas.
• Synthesize research into key findings and artifacts that bring clarity to the product’s vision, such as user journey maps, workflow diagrams, and product guidebooks.
• Create user testing frameworks and facilitate testing on an as-needed basis.
• Design through a lens of usability, accessibility, and inclusion while balancing business goals and technical feasibility.
• Stay current with evolving design practices, tools, and technologies — to continually refine and improve product design approaches.
• Establish application information architecture.
• Produce low–high fidelity wireframes and design prototypes.
• Establish visual language patterns, transforming wireframes into high-fidelity UI specs.
• Deliver visual design assets needed for technical implementation, such as icons, illustrations, and animation specs.
• Pair with other team members to transfer knowledge and experience gained.
• Possess a kind, curious and low-ego approach to collaboration with Atomic and client teams.
• Understand that mentorship is a two-way street; we can all learn from one another.
• Be comfortable working on teams with members of varying levels of experience.
• Keep developers utilized by designing product functionality several sprints ahead.
• Participate in the Agile project flow by providing solutions and feedback.
• Work with Atomic and client teams to define and prioritize project work.
• Find success when requirements aren’t clearly spelled out.
• Adapt to changing project circumstances.
• Work a full-time job (generally 42 hours per week).
• Track time daily.
• Engage in professional development and continued learning outside of work hours.
• Periodically contribute to Atomic’s blog.
• Travel occasionally—as needed and possible.

Requirements

• 8+ years experience working as a professional software designer
• Practitioner of human-centered design in all phases of the product development lifecycle
• Skill in user research, user experience, and user interface design
• Track record of designing software applications via constructing and managing a design plan that achieves the project objectives
• Experience with product design and applying the user-centered design process to a variety of business problems
• Comfortable collaborating with clients/stakeholders, designers, developers, and delivery leads

Nice-to-haves

• Teaching and mentoring where appropriate
• Leadership and team management
• Process creation and improvement
• Ability to present, communicate, and influence stakeholders at all levels of client organizations, including executive and C-level
• Encourage open, constructive feedback—both giving and receiving
• Familiarity with agile design or lean UX
• Familiarity with Human-Centered Design (HCD) concepts and practices (e.g. research, personas, context scenarios, storyboarding, workflow development, etc.)
• Familiarity with user-testing practices
• Familiarity with common, modern, design paradigms for interactions, features, and workflows in software products
• Capable of delivering artifacts from early stage wireframes sketches through to high definition visual design comprehensives
• Familiarity in applying Artificial Intelligence in the design process
• Excellent interpersonal skills, high emotional intelligence
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Aptitude for bringing order to chaos, identifying patterns, thinking systematically
• Effective at building trust and relationships with client stakeholders and project team members
• Ability to be a strategic consultant and lead tough conversations for the success of the team or project
• Self-stater with time management and prioritization skills across short-term and long-term time horizons
• Able to navigate complex decision making: deal with change, clarify ambiguity, identify tradeoffs, unify stakeholders, and plot a way forward

Benefits

• Quarterly and Annual cash profit sharing
• Paid time off and holidays
• Atomic-sponsored health insurance (including dependents) with HSA contributions
• Access to Dental & Vision Insurance with Competitive Premiums
• Employee ownership
• Sustainable working pace
• Regular 401(k) company contributions (3%)
• Parental leave
• Long and short-term disability insurance
• Support for professional development

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