Senior UX Designer

Senior UX Designer

Location: Columbia, MD (Hybrid – up to 2 days telework per week)
Salary Range: $165,000 - $210,000 (commensurate with experience)
Security Clearance: TS//SCIFS

At Shadow Strategies, you will join a culture defined by innovation, purpose, and meaningful impact. We seek driven individuals ready to bring their unique strengths to a dynamic team dedicated to solving critical challenges. If you’re inspired by complexity, motivated by clarity, and committed to excellence, we invite you to become part of something exceptional.

Shadow is seeking a Senior UX Designer to lead transformative user experience initiatives supporting high-impact national security systems. In this role, you’ll not only guide the design process from research through implementation—you’ll define what great looks like in environments where clarity, precision, and usability are critical to mission success.

If you thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative setting and have a passion for creating intuitive, efficient digital experiences, this is a chance to do meaningful work at the highest levels of design and impact.

• Oversee and lead all phases of the usability and software design lifecycle.
• Research and document user requirements, workflows, personas, and key usage scenarios.
• Plan and execute usability testing to drive iterative improvements in functionality and design.
• Partner with cross-functional teams—developers, engineers, project managers, and stakeholders—to ensure designs are implemented to spec and deliver on user needs.
• Create and maintain high-fidelity mockups, wireframes, and comprehensive UI specifications.

• Deep expertise across the full usability engineering and software development lifecycle.
• Mastery of design tools including Adobe Creative Cloud, Adobe XD, and Pen Pot.
• Proven ability to create detailed, actionable user interface specifications.
• Strong leadership in usability testing and translating user insights into actionable design changes.

• Certifications in Human Factors Engineering, Human-Centered Computing, or related disciplines.
• Experience designing for accessibility and Section 508 compliance.

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Human-Centered Design, or a related field with 14+ years of experience in UX design
• OR
• 19+ years of professional experience without a degree.

• Based in Columbia, MD with up to 2 days of telework per week.
• Mission-focused team working on national-level priorities.
• Leadership opportunities and room to innovate in every aspect of UX strategy and execution.

At Shadow, we don’t wait until the offer to talk about value. We’re transparent because we respect your time and your talent.

For this role, the salary starts at $165,000 and can extend to $210,000. Where you land depends on your experience, skills, and where you work. We look at what you bring, not just where you’ve been.

• Fully covered health insurance – medical, dental, vision
• Paid parental leave – 16 weeks if you give birth, 4 if your partner does
• Flexible leave – designed to support real life, not restrict it
• 401(k) – for your future
• Short- and long-term disability – because life happens
• Annual health stipend – if you opt out of our insurance

Shadow’s flexible leave policy is grounded in trust and built for impact. Take the time you need—without jumping through hoops.

No points systems. No bean bags. Just clarity, autonomy, and a mission that matters.

Elite talent deserves elite support. Our benefits empower you to excel professionally and personally, recognizing your value through comprehensive health coverage, disability protection, and meaningful well‑being initiatives. By investing in you, we ensure you have the tools, resources, and support you need to thrive—inside and outside of work.

See our benefit plan here.

Shadow Strategies is committed to providing an environment where all individuals are treated with respect and fairness. We embrace individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

Our Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policy applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, promotions, training, and compensation. We do not tolerate discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws.

Salary is determined by various factors, including but not limited to location, the individual’s particular combination of education, knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience, as well as contract‑specific affordability and organizational requirements.