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UX Designer and Researcher

Austin, TX

Apptronik is building robots for the real world to improve human quality of life and to help solve the ever-increasing labor shortage problem. Our team has been building some of the most advanced robots on the planet for years, dating back to the DARPA Robotics Challenge. We apply our expertise across the full robotics stack to some of the most important and impactful problems our society faces, and expect our products and technology to change the world for the better.  We value passion, creativity, and collaboration to help us overcome existing technological barriers in the industry to create truly innovative products. 

You will join a team developing state-of-the-art general-purpose robots designed to operate in human spaces and with human tools. It is designed to work alongside humans, mobilize to human spaces, and manipulate the world around it.

Reporting to the Director of UX, this is a hybrid role for a senior-level designer who’s passionate about both understanding users and translating that insight into elegant, functional systems. You’ll participate in research and design efforts across human/robot interactions, the teleoperation experience, and the software used to manage individuals and fleets of robots.

You will work closely with the commercial team, support and services team, and in-house users to assess and understand what customers need and what areas of the holistic solution can improve, before collaborating with the rest of the design and product teams to create the necessary interactions and interfaces. 

You will work closely with product, industrial design, and engineering to shape intuitive workflows, evaluate concepts, and guide interaction patterns that bring clarity and cohesion to our multi-modal system. This is a hands-on, foundational role that will help set the tone, structure, and standards for how UX is practiced at Apptronik.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Lead user research from planning and protocol development to synthesis and communication of insights to inform design strategy and system-level thinking.
  • Design user flows and interactions across robotic interfaces, VR, and fleet management software.
  • Facilitate workshops and design activities with cross-functional teams to explore concepts, prioritize ideas, and build alignment.
  • Develop and maintain user personas, journey maps, and other artifacts that represent the needs of internal, external, and end-users.
  • Conduct usability testing of early concepts and prototypes to evaluate clarity, safety, and learnability.
  • Help establish foundational tools, templates, and processes for a growing UX practice in a startup environment.
  • Collaborate closely with product managers and engineers to bring research-driven design into real-world applications.
  • Adapt your work to different time scales—supporting quick-turn testing as well as long-term vision building.

SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS:

  • 7+ years of experience in user experience design, user research, or a hybrid UX role.
  • Bachelor’s degree in User Experience Design, Graphic Design or equivalent field of study or equivalent experience
  • Demonstrated ability to plan, conduct, and synthesize both generative and evaluative research.
  • Strong interaction design skills with a portfolio that shows systems thinking and complex workflows.
  • Experience designing for hardware-software systems, industrial environments, or technical tools preferred.
  • Skilled at creating design artifacts that clarify and influence, from flows and prototypes to maps and concept boards.
  • Excellent facilitation and communication skills across technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Familiarity with design tools including Figma & Miro.
  • Comfortable working in ambiguity and shaping structure as the team grows.
  • Passionate about working at the forefront of human-robot collaboration.

NICE TO HAVE:

  • Experience in robotics, automation, or mission-critical systems.
  • Exposure to VR interface design, spatial interaction, or 3D prototyping tools.
  • Background in service design, enterprise-level software, or systems thinking in complex environments.
  • Familiarity with safety standards or ethical frameworks for human-robot interaction.

 

 

 

*This is a direct hire.  Please, no outside Agency solicitations. 

Apptronik provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

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