User Experience Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

The Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity is a nonprofit public charity dedicated to advancing the dynamic legacy of 20th-century designers Ray and Charles Eames. By sharing the things the Eameses made and loved, along with their joyful and rigorous approach to life and work, we seek to inspire creative problem-solving that positively shapes our world. 

With our vast collections, digital and print offerings, an extensive program of events, and the Eames Ranch, we aim to demonstrate the enduring value of the Eameses' philosophy and invite people to explore their curiosity, ask questions, and implement creative solutions to the challenges of today.

At the Eames Institute, we aim to honor the innovative spirit of Ray and Charles Eames by integrating thoughtful, user-centered design into every digital interaction. As we expand our digital presence, the UX Engineer will serve in a hybrid design and development capacity, playing a key role in shaping intuitive, accessible, and engaging experiences that align with the organization's mission and values.

The UX Engineer will lead digital brand execution and shape core user journeys across our website and other digital platforms. This role requires a unique blend of skills emphasizing the capability to craft complex UX journeys in Figma while being unafraid to make cosmetic changes or build front-end web features. In doing so, you will help ensure a cohesive and impactful user experience across our ecosystem. Reporting to the Digital Engineering Manager and collaborating closely with creative leadership (to be hired) and other cross-functional stakeholders, they will translate institutional goals into compelling, user-friendly digital interactions.

By balancing visual storytelling, UX strategy, and technical considerations, this role will ensure that our digital assets meet the highest standards of quality, accessibility, and usability.

Leading Digital Brand Execution Across All Touchpoints 

• Collaborate closely with creative leadership to translate the Institute's brand identity into engaging, high-quality digital experiences by conceptualizing, crafting, and iterating compelling interfaces and interactions in Figma that align with stakeholders' needs, data insights, and technical considerations.
• Develop user flows, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity visual design assets that reflect the full context of user engagement, ensuring all digital touchpoints work together to tell a cohesive story.
• Shape core user journeys and champion user-centered design principles to create intuitive, accessible, and delightful experiences across all digital platforms.
• Guide and support internal teams in applying the Institute's brand and user experience principles to third-party platforms, ensuring consistency and usability across membership, e-commerce, email marketing, and other digital tools.
• Create and refine visual assets for various digital surfaces, including social media, web content, email campaigns, and interactive displays.

Work Cross-Functionally to Enhance the Digital Experience 

• Partner with content producers, engineers, creative leadership, photographers, curators, experience team, and members of Executive Team to align digital design efforts with institutional priorities and audience engagement goals.
• Effectively communicate and present designs for review, facilitating design discussions with internal teams, and managing stakeholder feedback effectively to refine and improve the digital experience.
• Provide clear guidance on digital design execution and frontend fidelity, collaborating with engineering in code where appropriate to ensure accurate design implementation while maintaining a primarily design-focused role.

Support Product Strategy and Continuous Improvement

• Help define digital product direction, refining design processes to ensure efficiency and alignment across teams and supporting the Director of Digital Development in scoping project plans as well as establishing the necessary talent and resources.
• Identify areas for improvement through user research, A/B testing, behavioral data, and usability testing, working with the Digital Product Director to prioritize opportunities that are focused on clarity, accessibility, and engagement.
• Stay informed about emerging design tools, trends, and digital methodologies, advocating best practices and innovation within the team.
• Maintain and expand design documentation and operational workflows to streamline collaboration and ensure long-term consistency in digital brand execution, and contribute versioned design work to the institutional archive as a resource for further reflection and evolution.

Cultivate Organizational and Cultural Impact

• Contribute to the Institute's culture of curiosity, learning, and design excellence.
• Share technical knowledge, resources, and enthusiasm to the organization as a whole.
• Champion accessibility, usability, and inclusive design principles across all digital interactions.
• Serve as an in-house advocate for high-quality digital experiences, fostering a strong commitment to excellence in design, technology, and storytelling. 

• Advanced proficiency with Figma, including experience creating design systems and interactive prototypes as well as managing complex component libraries.
• Experience building front-end components & implementing changes to a codebase. 
• A strong portfolio of diverse projects, including examples ranging in scale, demonstrating user-centered design thinking, UX strategy, and visual storytelling.
• Strong visual and interaction design sensibilities, with an eye for detail, typography, color, responsive layouts, and holistic user journey design.
• Demonstrated experience with JavaScript and/or frontend frameworks.
• Experience working with and understanding the needs of cultural institutions or arts organizations.
• Demonstrated ability to manage stakeholder expectations effectively, clearly articulating design decisions and responding constructively to feedback.
• Solid understanding of best practices in UX/UI design, including accessibility guidelines and responsive design techniques.
• Experience building and scaling informed decision making practices, including conducting and applying insights from user research, user interviews, usability testing, and behavioral data analysis through tools like Google Analytics and Hotjar. A/B testing experience is a plus. 
• 5+ years of professional experience in digital design, UX/UI, or a related field, with a focus on user-centered, interactive, and brand-driven experiences.
• Bachelor's degree in interaction design, product design, graphic design (with a concentration in UI/UX), or work equivalent.

• The schedule for this role is 9:00am to 5:00pm, Monday through Friday. This position is expected to be primarily onsite at our Richmond Archives with occasional lite travel to our other properties (Petaluma, Novato and San Francisco) for company events or training.
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Frequent use of hands for typing, writing, and handling office equipment.
• Ability to lift and carry office supplies and equipment weighing up to 20 pounds.
• Occasional standing, walking, bending, or reaching within the office environment.
• Regular use of vision abilities including close vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.
• Ability to communicate effectively with others. 
• Ability to work in an open office environment. 
• May require occasional travel between office locations or for business meetings.

• Salary range for this role is $130,000 - $150,000
• The Eames Institute offers a competitive benefits package, including...
• Medical, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance
• 401k employer match
• Paid Time Off
• Paid Holidays
• Commuting benefits
• Professional development
• Charitable giving match

Benefits are subject to change at the employer's discretion.

This job description is intended to describe the general requirements for the performance of this job.  It is not a complete statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements. The Eames Institute may change the job duties, including the location and schedule, at its discretion. 

The Eames Institute values diversity, inclusion & belonging for all, and is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We strive to create a workplace that empowers people of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences to feel respected, valued, and able to contribute at the highest level.