The following questions reflect the patterns seen in Burns & McDonnell interviews. They focus on behavioral traits and practical design thinking. Do not memorize answers; instead, prepare stories that highlight your problem-solving process.

Behavioral & Situation

These questions test your fit within the employee-owned culture.

• "Tell me about a time you had to work with a difficult team member. How did you handle the situation?"
• "Describe a time you made a mistake on a project. How did you fix it and what did you learn?"
• "Why do you want to work for Burns & McDonnell specifically?"
• "How do you handle tight deadlines when you have multiple projects on your plate?"

Design & Process

These questions dig into your hard skills and workflow.

• "Walk us through your design process for the project in your portfolio. Why did you make those specific layout choices?"
• "How do you decide which features to prioritize when designing a new tool?"
• "How do you ensure your designs are accessible to all users?"
• "Tell me about a time you had to advocate for the user against a technical constraint."

Technical & Domain

• "What tools do you use for prototyping, and why do you prefer them?"
• "How do you hand off your designs to developers?"
• "If you were designing a dashboard for a construction manager, what key information do you think they would need first?"

6. Key Responsibilities

As a UX/UI Designer at Burns & McDonnell, your day-to-day work is collaborative and project-based. You will be responsible for translating high-level requirements from project managers and engineers into tangible user interfaces. This often involves creating user flows, wireframes, and high-fidelity prototypes for web applications, internal tools, or client-facing portals.

Collaboration is central to the role. You will work closely with development teams to ensure your designs are feasible and implemented correctly. You will also interface with subject matter experts—engineers who know the technical data inside and out—to understand exactly what the user needs to accomplish. Your job is to extract that domain knowledge and wrap it in a usable interface.

Depending on the specific group (e.g., Global Facilities or Oil, Gas & Chemical), you might also assist in broader design tasks. This could include maintaining design consistency across a suite of applications, conducting user research sessions with internal teams, or even assisting with digital presentations for high-value client proposals.

7. Role Requirements & Qualifications

Candidates are evaluated against a mix of technical design skills and professional maturity.

Technical Skills

• Must-have: Proficiency in Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD. Strong understanding of responsive web design and mobile-first principles.
• Core: Ability to create wireframes, user flows, site maps, and interactive prototypes.
• Nice-to-have: Basic knowledge of HTML/CSS (to speak the developer's language), experience with data visualization tools, or familiarity with CAD/Revit (conceptual understanding).

Experience & Background

• Education: A Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Interaction Design, HCI, or a related field is typically required.
• Portfolio: A solid portfolio demonstrating end-to-end design case studies is non-negotiable.
• GPA: For intern and entry-level roles, a minimum 3.0 GPA is strongly preferred and often checked.

Soft Skills

• Communication: Excellent verbal and written skills are essential. You must be able to write clear design documentation.
• Adaptability: The ability to learn quickly about new industries (e.g., how a power grid works) is vital.
• Leadership: Even in junior roles, demonstrating leadership potential—taking initiative, mentoring others, or leading a small project—is highly valued due to the ownership culture.

8. Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the interview difficulty level? Most candidates rate the difficulty as Medium. The technical questions are standard for the industry, but the behavioral questions regarding culture and fit are probed deeply. The atmosphere is generally described as positive and conversational.

Q: Is this a remote position? Burns & McDonnell places a high value on in-person collaboration and office culture. While hybrid schedules exist, full remote work is less common than in pure software companies. Expect to be in the office (e.g., Kansas City, Chesapeake, Houston) several days a week to collaborate with engineers.

Q: How long does the process take? The process can be surprisingly fast. Candidates have reported receiving offers within a few days of their final interview, especially for internship or entry-level roles. However, full-time experienced hires may take 2–4 weeks depending on scheduling.

Q: What if I don't have an engineering background? You do not need an engineering degree. However, you must show a willingness to learn the "language" of the business. Showing that you aren't intimidated by technical acronyms or complex workflows is key.

Q: Does the recruiter really help find other roles? Yes. As noted in candidate experiences, recruiters at Burns & McDonnell are often proactive. If you are a strong cultural fit but not right for the specific requisition, they frequently circulate your resume to other groups (e.g., moving you from an Aviation application to a Transmission & Distribution opening).

9. Other General Tips

Research the Employee Ownership Model (ESOP) Understand what it means to be an employee-owner. Mentioning this in your interview shows you have done your homework and understand the core of their culture. It implies you are ready to take responsibility for the company's success.

Tailor Your Portfolio to "Utility" While aesthetic beauty is important, prioritize case studies that solve functional problems. If you have examples of dashboards, data entry tools, or B2B platforms, highlight those over purely marketing or e-commerce designs.

Be Honest About What You Don't Know If asked about a specific engineering concept or industry regulation you don't understand, admit it but explain how you would find the answer. They value integrity and resourcefulness over bluffing.

Highlight Transferable Skills If you are coming from a different industry, explicitly connect your past experience to their needs. For example, "Managing inventory systems in retail gave me experience designing for data-heavy interfaces, which applies to your asset management tools."

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10. Summary & Next Steps

Securing a UX/UI Designer role at Burns & McDonnell is an opportunity to work on projects that shape the physical world. This is a role for designers who crave impact, stability, and a strong sense of community. By preparing to discuss your process, demonstrating your ability to collaborate with technical teams, and showing a genuine interest in their unique ownership culture, you will set yourself apart.

Focus your final preparation on refining your portfolio storytelling. Ensure you can articulate why you made design decisions and how they impacted the user. Approach the interview with confidence, curiosity, and professional warmth. The team is looking for a partner, not just a pair of hands.

The compensation at Burns & McDonnell is competitive, particularly when factoring in the benefits of the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), which can be a significant wealth-builder over time. For interns, hourly rates typically range between $18 and$25+ depending on location and year in school, while full-time salaries are adjusted based on market segment and experience. Always consider the total package—including bonuses and stock—when evaluating an offer here.

Good luck with your preparation. You have the insights needed to succeed—now go own the interview.