UI/UX Specialist (Jeddah)

About the role

The UI/UX Specialist shapes, designs and continuously improves user experiences across KAUST's IT services and touch points. The role applies industry-leading user-centric design principles, accessibility standards and the IT Department's UI/UX framework, and establishes clear UI/UX processes and standards for stakeholders. It works closely with service owners and user engagement specialists to deliver intuitive, efficient and accessible digital experiences.

Key responsibilities

• Define and maintain UI/UX principles, guidelines and best practices for IT services, and review designs against UX guidelines.
• Conduct user research (interviews, surveys, observations) and turn insights into personas, journey maps, task flows and recommendations.
• Design accessible interfaces, wireframes, prototypes and interaction flows, and run usability testing.
• Collaborate with IT service owners, developers and business analysts, and advocate for inclusive, fair and accessible design.
• Ensure designs meet accessibility standards (e.g. WCAG 2.2), branding guidelines and design systems.
• Facilitate workshops, co-design sessions and design discussions with stakeholders.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in HCI, Information Systems, Graphic Design or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in UI/UX design, user research or usability evaluation.
• Demonstrated experience leading end-to-end UX activities in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Preferred: experience in higher education or IT service environments, and certifications such as NN/g UX, IDEO U Design Thinking, CUA or CXA.

Required skills

• Human-centered design, usability heuristics and accessibility standards.
• Figma, Adobe XD or equivalent prototyping tools.
• Responsive design, interaction design, design systems and user research methods.