Entry Level User Experience Designer Jobs in Reston, VA

Ready to Ignite your career and work alongside some of the most innovative and brightest professionals in innovative technology? Join us and unleash your potential working in an Agile environment while modernizing enterprise systems and applications needed to support the men and women charged with safeguarding the American people and enhancing the Nation's safety, security, and prosperity. As a Senior UI/UX Development Designer, you operate as part of a dynamic and passionate team of industry-leading individuals supporting the best practices in Agile Software Development for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). You will be focused on the design and delivery of software solutions associated with customer-defined systems and software projects by working in close collaboration with software developers/engineers, stakeholders, and end users within Agile processes. Applicants to this role should be ready to provide portfolios of their previous design work along with their resume.

Requirements

• Support the design and development of intuitive, user-centered interfaces that are responsive, efficient, and maintainable within an Agile development team. 
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional team members-including developers, product owners, and stakeholders-to ensure UI designs meet both business requirements and user needs. 
• Translate requirements into user interfaces that are visually appealing and functionally effective across various devices and platforms. 
• Assist in creating and maintaining consistent user experience by adhering to established design guidelines and contributing to shared style libraries. 
• Participate in brainstorming sessions and team discussions to develop creative, user-focused design solutions that align with client objectives. 
• Contributes to the creation of wireframes, mockups, and interactive prototypes to communicate design concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. 
• Apply knowledge of UI/UX principles to support the standardization of interaction patterns and visual design across applications. 
• Collaborate with the functional team to assess the feasibility of proposed features and suggest practical improvements to enhance user experience. 
• Ensure the quality and timeliness of deliverables by following best practices in design, development, and testing. 
• Work independently in a hybrid agile environment, using tools such as JIRA, Confluence, GitLab, and unit testing frameworks. 
• Adaptable and to work constructively with a technically diverse and geographically separated team is crucial. 
• Participate in design reviews and provide input to continuously improve the user experience. 

Additional Requirements:

• Must be a U.S. Citizen with the ability to pass CBP background investigation, criteria include but is not limited to: 

• 3 year check for felony convictions 

• 1 year check for illegal drug use 

• 1 year check for misconduct such as theft or fraud 

• Bachelor's degree in a related field such as Interactive Design, Architecture, Industrial Design, Graphic Design, or Human Factors. 

• 7 or more years of professional experience in UI/UX development 

• Experience collaborating on the design of websites or web applications that are user-friendly and responsive 

• Hands-on experience with enterprise UI tools such as Figma (preferred) or similar (e.g., Sketch, Adobe XD) 

• Understanding of trade-offs between visual design, technical implementation, and long-term maintenance 

• Hands-on experience developing and maintaining web applications using React, Angular, JavaScript, and core browser technologies including HTML, CSS, and HTTP. 

• Working knowledge of common UX/UI design tools such as Figma, Axure, Sketch, InVision, or Adobe XD. 

• Familiarity with Java and frameworks such as Spring and Spring Boot for backend development. 

• Exposure to technologies in our stack, including Java 17, React UI state management, Hibernate (ORM), PostgreSQL, and Amazon AWS. 

• Working knowledge of CI/CD tools such as Harness, Jenkins, GitLab, or Bamboo to support automated build and deployment processes. 

• Proficient in using data and user feedback to inform and improve code quality through both qualitative and quantitative testing. 

• Familiarity with responsive and mobile-first design and development practices. 

• Experience developing both external-facing applications and internal tools. 

• A user-centered mindset with an understanding of how to balance user needs and business goals. 

• Able to work a hybrid schedule with 2-3 days per week on-site requirement in Ashburn, VA 

Nice to Have:

• Certification or training in Design Thinking methodologies (e.g., IDEO, Stanford d.school, Cornell, MIT). 

• Understanding of web accessibility standards (e.g., Section 508) and experience designing for inclusive access. 

• Familiarity with information architecture concepts to support organized and intuitive navigation structures. 

• Working understanding of Lean methodologies and Agile development principles. 

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. 

• Self-motivated and dependable team player with a strong work ethic and the ability to manage time and tasks with minimal supervision. 

Benefits

• 401(k) with matching and 100% Vested
• Health Insurance - 3 plans to select from
• Dental insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Short Term Disability
• Long Term Disability
• AD&D
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Training
• Tuition reimbursement
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Referral program
• Paid Legal Plan
• and more....

Ignite IT is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, Veteran status, sexual orientation, or other protected characteristic. In accordance with EO 13665 Final Rule, Ignite IT will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant.

Applicants selected must be able to possess and maintain a government clearance

US CITIZENSHIP REQUIRED'