Lead Graphic Artist & UX Designer - National Security Focus

About the Role

STR is hiring a Lead Graphic Artist and User Experience (UX) Designer in the Intelligence Division who is passionate about collaborative problem solving and working on the hardest national security problems. This position is located in our Arlington, VA office. We believe that each candidate has a unique set of skills, experiences, and perspectives that could enable us to provide our customers with innovative solutions. If you see an overlap with your skills, go ahead and apply! As a Lead Graphic Artist and UX Designer, you will design intuitive workflows and interfaces that help military personnel and decision-makers interpret complex data while creating compelling visual media that communicates mission impact to stakeholders and customers.

What You Will Do

• Design intuitive, user-centric interfaces for mission software applications.
• Develop wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity UI designs.
• Translate complex data and workflows into clear visual experiences.
• Create infographics, briefing visuals, and presentation graphics.
• Produce marketing and outreach assets for demos, trade shows, and stakeholders.
• Develop motion graphics, animations, and video media as needed.
• Establish and maintain design systems and visual standards.
• Conduct user research and usability testing to inform design decisions.
• Collaborate with engineers and implementation teams to ensure feasibility.
• Present design concepts to leadership, partners, and customers.
• Collect requirements from customer end users.
• Contribute to Agile/Scrum product development teams.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in UX Design, Graphic Design, Human Computer Interaction (HCI), Visual Communications, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 7+ years of professional experience spanning UX design and graphic/visual design.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating both product UX and visual media work.
• Proficiency in tools such as Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, Sketch, Axure, InVision, or Miro.
• Experience with design systems, user research, and usability testing.
• Expertise in visual design principles (layout, typography, color, hierarchy).
• Experience designing across multiple platforms (desktop, mobile, XR, or data systems).
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Active TS security clearance and ability to obtain a SCI clearance, for which U.S citizenship is needed by the U.S government.

Nice to Have

• Motion graphics or animation experience (e.g., After Effects).
• Video production/editing (Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro).
• Data visualization design expertise.
• Experience supporting defense, aerospace, or national security programs.
• Technical illustration or 3D visualization skills.
• Proposal, capture, or marketing campaign graphic development.
• Experience managing subcontractors or creative vendors.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary range of $157,000 - $223,000 per year.
• Opportunities for professional growth and development.
• A collaborative learning environment that supports deep technical understanding.
• Innovative projects that contribute to national security.
• Remote work flexibility with a focus on results.