UI/UX Designer

Role: Digital Designer (HYBRID) At ESS Companies (ESSC), we empower people to own their futures by redefining the employee and client experience. As a 100% employee‑owned family of heavy civil construction companies, we don’t do this for fame or fortune — we do it #ForTheWorkers. This is who we are. This is what we do. Our people build infrastructure that lasts for generations and we approach our digital and brand work with the same long‑term vision. Responsibilities Planning & Discovery – Conduct discovery, gather stakeholder input, develop sitemaps, user flows, and project briefs; synthesize user research, stakeholder feedback, and heuristic reviews. Design & Execution – Own day‑to‑day UI/UX design across the ESSC brand family’s web presence; collaborate with developers and integration experts; lead the evolution of the ESSC Enterprise Design System. Quality & Delivery – Conduct cross‑browser and cross‑device testing; manage own project workload; define UX standards and best practices. Collaboration & Ongoing Support – Work with marketing, communications, and technology teams; create and maintain design systems, component libraries, and UI style guides; analyze user data and performance metrics; attend company events. Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in UI/UX Design, Interaction Design, Visual Communications, or a related discipline. 4–6 years of UI/UX design experience with a portfolio demonstrating marketing/brochure site work and product or application design. Strong systems thinking—components, tokens, patterns. Fluency in Figma with auto‑layout, variables, component architecture, prototyping, and sitemap/flow documentation. Working understanding of HTML and CSS. Apply user‑centered design principles with attention to aesthetic quality, usability, accessibility, and real‑world performance. Strong brand reader, able to internalize and apply brand system. Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop). Excellent communication of design decisions to leadership, marketers, and developers. Detail‑oriented—spacing, hierarchy, accessibility, interaction states, edge cases. Comfortable working within an established framework while contributing ideas to evolve it. Self‑management of workload, tracking deadlines, flagging blockers. Collaborative mindset with a positive, no‑ego approach. Initiative and drive projects forward without waiting to be told what to do. Sense of humor (big plus). Bonus Skills / Experience Knowledge of the A/E/C industry or civil construction. Experience with or interest in design systems at scale—multi‑brand, enterprise, or holding company environments. Familiarity with web‑based animation such as CSS transitions, Lottie/After Effects exports, or libraries like GSAP or Framer Motion. Familiarity with web accessibility standards (WCAG). Location & Scheduling Team member will work out of the Kansas City, MO office located in the River Market district. Other office locations would be considered. Some regional travel may be required, including a few overnight stays. Hybrid schedule: Monday/Friday Remote; Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday Office. Benefits Industry‑leading Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) 401(k) and financial health education Comprehensive health benefits and insurance Flexible Spending and Health Savings Accounts Casual and professional work environment Paid training and continuing education Paid time off (PTO) Wellness program Referral bonus program Apprenticeship programs Leadership and training programs Equal Opportunity Employer / EEO ESS Companies (ESSC) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and proactively protects employees and applicants from discrimination. We shall not discharge or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. How to Apply Please send your resume to View email address on click.appcast.io. #J-18808-Ljbffr