At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead UX design for a groundbreaking product tackling emissions data complexity.
- Company: Join Neutreeno, a fast-growing startup focused on sustainability.
- Benefits: Competitive pay, equity stake, 25 days leave, and private health insurance.
- Other info: Hybrid work model with a vibrant office in Cambridge and great team culture.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in climate tech while shaping the future of design.
- Qualifications: 7+ years in UX design with a strong portfolio and AI tool experience.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
The problems Neutreeno is trying to solve are genuinely hard. Emissions data is messy, deeply hierarchical, and full of uncertainty. Our users sit inside some of the largest companies in the world and span operations, finance and sustainability, each with different mental models and different definitions of "good". Your job is to make that complexity feel obvious, and to make the resulting insight something a decision-maker acts on.
You will set the design direction and build the system everyone else designs and builds within. Not a Figma library that gathers dust: we expect it structured so prototypes can be spun up in no time and engineers and AI coding agents can build production UI from it directly. You will also own how we listen to our customers, building the structures that make continuous client engagement part of the fabric of how Neutreeno operates. This is our first full-time UX design hire, and you will be our only and lead designer. This is a hands-on role from day one, with a path to leading an expanded design function as we grow. The product's design is yours to own.
This position operates on a hybrid work model with a minimum of 2 days per week in our Cambridge office.
THE WORK YOU’LL DO
- Product Design
- Own the end-to-end design of the product, from problem framing and information architecture through to interaction detail and shipped UI.
- Make complex, uncertain, hierarchical emissions data legible and actionable for operations, finance and sustainability audiences.
- Set the visual and interaction direction, and raise the bar on craft across everything we ship.
- Prototype fast and often.
- Design System, Built AI-First
- Define, build and maintain the Neutreeno design system: foundations, components, patterns, content and data-visualisation standards.
- Architect it to be machine-readable and AI-native so AI coding tools and agentic workflows can build against reliably.
- Make the system the fastest path to both a prototype and production UI.
- Champion AI-native design and development practices across the team.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work shoulder-to-shoulder with our software engineers, translating design intent into well-scoped work that ships reliably to our customers.
- Partner with the Head of Product on discovery, roadmap and prioritisation.
- Work with our climate engineers to understand the methodology behind the numbers, and represent uncertainty, assumptions and data quality honestly in the interface.
- Customer Engagement and Research
- Design and run the structures that make client engagement continuous and systematic: design partner programmes, regular usability sessions, feedback channels, and a clear route from what we hear to what we build.
- Embed those structures across the company so engagement is a shared habit rather than a design activity.
- Run discovery research on new product capabilities: what to build, for whom, and what "good" looks like.
- Measure whether shipped work moved the needle, and feed that back into the roadmap.
THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS YOU NEED
- 7 or more years of professional product or UX design experience, with a portfolio you can talk through in depth.
- Proven experience designing complex B2B, enterprise or data-heavy products.
- Demonstrable experience defining and running a design system, including how engineering consumes it.
- Strong craft across research, information architecture, interaction design and visual design.
- Real, daily use of AI tools as a core part of how you work, whether for prototyping, design system tooling, research synthesis or generating production-ready UI.
- Experience running research and usability sessions directly with customers, and turning what you learn into decisions.
- A track record of shipping high-quality work at pace, with high autonomy and little process.
- Strong communication and the ability to build trust quickly across engineering, product, science and leadership.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience as an early or founding designer at an early-stage startup.
- Comfort working in and around code, enough to read a component, ship a small front-end change, or hold a credible conversation about implementation trade-offs.
- Experience designing data visualisation for analytical products, including communicating uncertainty.
- Experience building AI-powered product features, or designing for agentic and LLM-driven interfaces.
- Exposure to climate, sustainability, supply chain, manufacturing or deep-tech domains.
WHAT NEUTREENO CAN OFFER YOU
- Compensation & Benefits: Competitive pay dependent on your skills, qualifications and experience. 25 days annual leave. Year-end performance bonus. Meaningful equity stake. Company pension with NEST. Leading private health insurance with WPA (the only Which? Recommended Provider for Private Medical Insurance). Cycle to work scheme.
- Work Environment: A hybrid work model that fosters both teamwork and individual flexibility. Remote working allowance of 2 weeks per year for personal travel, in addition to regular holiday policy. Work from Neutreeno HQ at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, recognised by the FT as one of Europe's leading startup hubs. Great on-site amenities (unlimited free coffee, regular events with global sustainability leaders, and more).
- Culture & Growth: A diverse, fast-growing team that has grown 200%+ YoY, recently closed a $5M seed round and was just named one of Gartner's Coolest Vendor Innovations in Supply Chain Sustainability for 2026. An open-minded, non-hierarchical culture where everyone vectors in the same direction and ideas and ownership matter. The chance to work alongside world-class climate scientists and engineers on one of the most important problems of our time. A founding seat in the design function, with the scope to grow into leading it.
Neutreeno is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive workplace.
Founding UX Designer in London employer: Neutreeno
Neutreeno is an exceptional employer, offering a unique opportunity to lead the design function in a fast-growing startup focused on tackling complex climate challenges. With a hybrid work model based in the inspiring Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, employees benefit from a collaborative culture, meaningful equity stakes, and the chance to work alongside world-class experts in sustainability. The company prioritises personal growth and innovation, making it an ideal place for those looking to make a significant impact while advancing their careers.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Founding UX Designer in London
✨Show Off Your Portfolio
In the world of UX/UI design, your portfolio speaks volumes! Make sure it's packed with your best work and showcases your process, not just the final product. We want to see how you tackle design challenges, so consider adding case studies that reflect your thought process and user-centric approach.
✨Get Involved in Design Communities
Jump into local or online design meetups and workshops! Places like UXPA or local design events can be goldmines for networking and learning. Plus, mingling with fellow designers can introduce you to potential job openings that might not be listed elsewhere.
✨Tailor Your Applications
When you find a role that excites you, like the one at Neutreeno for a Founding UX Designer, make your application count! Highlight specific projects and skills that directly relate to the job description. Hiring managers are looking for candidates who fit into their specific team, so show them you’re the one!
✨Leverage Social Media
Don't underestimate the power of social media in finding a UX/UI design job! Follow design leaders on platforms like Twitter or Instagram, share your work, and engage in conversations. It’s a great way to get noticed by recruiters and even catch wind of openings at companies like Neutreeno before they go live!
We think you need these skills to ace Founding UX Designer in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Design Process:When you're applying for a UX/UI Design role like Founding UX Designer at Neutreeno, make sure to include examples that clearly highlight your design process. We want to see not just the final product but also the journey that led you there—wireframes, user personas, and iterations demonstrate your thought process and user-centric approach!
Tailor Your Portfolio:A tailor-made portfolio is crucial for a full-time design role! Curate your best projects that align with the kind of work Neutreeno does. We suggest including 3-5 case studies that showcase a variety of skills such as wireframing, prototyping, and user testing to really make your application pop.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter should not just be a summary of your CV. Use it to express why you’re excited about UX/UI Design and what draws you specifically to Neutreeno. Mention any relevant experience, tools you’re proficient in (like Sketch or Figma), and how you can contribute to their projects.
Highlight Collaboration Skills:In the world of UX/UI Design, teamwork is crucial. Make sure to highlight any past experiences where you worked in cross-functional teams. Illustrate how you communicated design decisions and listened to feedback, as this will resonate well with the culture at Neutreeno.
How to prepare for a job interview at Neutreeno
✨Show Off Your Portfolio
When you're gunning for a full-time UX/UI design role, your portfolio is your best friend! Make sure you've got a solid selection of your work, showcasing not just the final designs, but the process behind them—think wireframes, user flows, and any user research you've conducted. During the interview with Neutreeno, be prepared to discuss your design decisions and how they solve specific user problems.
✨Prepare for Design Challenges
Expect to face some practical design tasks during your interview. Neutreeno might ask you to tackle a quick design challenge or critique an existing interface. Brush up on your problem-solving skills and try to articulate your thought process as you work through these scenarios. Showing how you approach a design problem is just as important as the final output!
✨Know the Tools of the Trade
Familiarise yourself with the tools commonly used in the industry—figma, Adobe XD, or Sketch should be second nature to you. Be ready to discuss your preferred tools during the interview and how they've shaped your design process at previous positions. This knowledge could give you an edge at Neutreeno!
✨Show Passion for User Experience
In a full-time UX/UI design role, having a genuine passion for improving user interactions can set you apart. Be prepared to share instances when you went above and beyond to ensure a great user experience in your previous projects. This will demonstrate that you’re not just a designer, but a user advocate, which is exactly what Neutreeno is looking for.