Be ready to go over:

• User Research – How you gather user requirements, create personas, and conduct usability testing.
• Information Architecture – Your approach to organizing complex educational content and navigation structures.
• UI Design and Prototyping – Your proficiency with modern design tools (such as Figma or Adobe Creative Suite) and your ability to maintain visual consistency.
• Advanced concepts – Responsive design for mobile-first student populations, designing for low-bandwidth environments, and utilizing established university design systems.

Example scenarios:

• Explaining how you redesigned a complex student registration form to reduce drop-off rates.
• Walking the team through a design system you built or maintained to ensure visual consistency across multiple digital products.

Collaboration & Feedback Dynamics

Working at the University Systems of Georgia means collaborating with a diverse group of peers and stakeholders. The interviewers want to see that you are an active listener who values collective input.

Be ready to go over:

• Active Listening – How you process design feedback from non-designers and translate it into actionable improvements.
• Design Mentorship – Your willingness to share knowledge, help peers, and support team growth.
• Stakeholder Presentation – Your ability to present design concepts confidently and justify your decisions with user data or design principles.

Example scenarios:

• Receiving highly critical feedback on a design mockup from an academic dean and iterating on the design successfully.
• Collaborating with a developer to find a creative design compromise when faced with a legacy system limitation.

As a UX/UI Designer (often categorized under a Graphic Designer title) at the University Systems of Georgia, your day-to-day responsibilities will be highly collaborative and diverse. You will serve as the bridge between complex student/faculty needs and the technical teams that build the university system's digital infrastructure.

Your primary focus will be on designing, iterating, and maintaining user interfaces for a wide variety of web applications and digital platforms. This involves creating user flows, wireframes, high-fidelity mockups, and interactive prototypes. You will work closely with front-end developers to ensure that your designs are implemented accurately and maintain high standards of visual quality and responsiveness.

Additionally, you will be tasked with advocating for the user at every stage of the product lifecycle. This means conducting user research, analyzing user feedback, and continuously testing designs to identify and resolve usability issues. You will also play a key role in maintaining and expanding the organization's digital design standards, ensuring that all products align with the university system's brand guidelines and state accessibility mandates.

To be competitive for the UX/UI Designer position, you should possess a strong blend of technical design expertise, collaborative skills, and a solid understanding of modern web standards.

• Must-have skills:

  • A strong digital portfolio demonstrating your UX/UI design process, wireframes, prototypes, and finished visual designs.
  • Proficiency with industry-standard design and prototyping tools, particularly Figma, Sketch, or Adobe Creative Cloud.
  • Solid understanding of user-centered design principles, information architecture, and responsive web design.
  • Thorough knowledge of web accessibility standards, including WCAG 2.1 and ADA Section 508 compliance.
  • Strong behavioral skills, including excellent time management, receptiveness to feedback, and clear communication.

• Nice-to-have skills:

  • Prior professional experience working within higher education, public sector organizations, or large institutional environments.
  • Basic understanding of front-end web technologies, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, to facilitate smoother collaboration with developers.
  • Experience conducting structured user testing and translating qualitative data into design improvements.
  • Background in graphic design, print layout, or digital branding to support broader marketing and communications initiatives.

Q: How difficult are the interviews for the UX/UI Designer role? A: Candidates generally describe the interview difficulty as average. The process is straightforward and practical, focusing heavily on your portfolio, your design methodology, and your behavioral alignment with the team rather than highly abstract or high-pressure whiteboard challenges.

Q: What is the typical timeline from application to offer? A: Because the University Systems of Georgia is a large state institution, the hiring timeline can sometimes be slower than in the private tech sector. It typically takes between three to six weeks to progress from the initial application review to a final decision, depending on the academic calendar and department needs.

Q: Do I need a portfolio to apply for this position? A: Yes, having a comprehensive digital portfolio is highly recommended and often required. Your portfolio should clearly show your design process, including initial sketches, wireframes, and user flows, rather than just polished final UI mockups.

Q: What is the work culture like for designers at USG? A: The work culture is highly collaborative, stable, and supportive. Team members are described as straightforward, easy to work with, and highly encouraging, with managers who are deeply invested in helping you succeed and navigate your day-to-day tasks.

Q: Is this role remote, hybrid, or onsite? A: Work flexibility can vary depending on the specific department and institution within the system. However, many roles based out of the Atlanta, GA system office offer hybrid work schedules that balance remote work with scheduled collaborative onsite days.

To maximize your chances of success during the interview process, keep these practical, insider tips in mind:

• Optimize for the ATS: Since the initial application goes through a structured university portal, ensure your resume directly incorporates key terms from the job posting, such as "accessibility," "WCAG," "Figma," "wireframing," and "user-centered design."
• Highlight Accessibility: Public institutions are legally mandated to provide accessible digital services. Emphasize your knowledge of ADA compliance and WCAG guidelines throughout your portfolio walkthrough.
• Prepare Situational Stories: Be ready with specific examples of how you have handled tight deadlines, worked under pressure, and resolved professional disagreements. The interviewers place a very high value on these situational ethics questions.

• Show Your Collaboration Style: Emphasize your ability to work with non-technical stakeholders. Explain how you gather requirements from university administrators and how you collaborate with developers to bring your designs to life.
• Express Alignment with Education: State systems look for employees who are genuinely interested in public service and education. Show enthusiasm for how your designs can improve the educational journey for students and faculty.

The UX/UI Designer position at the University Systems of Georgia is an exceptional opportunity to utilize your design talents to make a meaningful, statewide impact. By designing accessible, intuitive, and user-friendly interfaces, you will directly support the educational journeys of hundreds of thousands of students and educators.

To succeed in this process, focus your preparation on building a portfolio that clearly demonstrates your end-to-end design methodology and your mastery of accessibility standards. Practice structuring your behavioral answers using the STAR method, and be ready to discuss how you handle project constraints, collaborate with diverse teams, and respond to constructive design feedback.

The salary range shown above represents the standard compensation for this design track within the university system. When evaluating the offer, keep in mind that state positions often come with highly competitive public benefits, retirement plans, and work-life balance policies that significantly increase the overall value of the compensation package.

With focused preparation, a clear presentation of your design process, and a strong demonstration of your collaborative work ethic, you are well-positioned to stand out in the interview process. To explore more community insights, interview questions, and preparation resources, visit Dataford to continue your journey toward landing your dream role.