Zilker Trail Consulting

About Zilker Trail

 

We help daring leaders optimize their business outcomes through a combination of organizational consulting and delivery services aimed at developing winning strategies that are often proven out through continuous testing & personalization. Every idea, every product, every experience -- driven by data. Imagine that. That's Zilker Trail.

 

Headquartered in Austin, TX, Zilker Trail was founded in 2022 by 2x digital agency owners and former ecommerce executives obsessed with the intersection of data, innovation, and growth. Today, we provide user experience design, product development, analytics and strategic consulting solutions grounded in pioneering testing and personalization expertise. Our diverse roster of F500 clients has included DTC brands, Insurance, Airlines, Hotels, and Grocers.  

_We employ a thoughtful process with decades of operational experience in digital business and analytics to help our clients make data informed decisions on how to accelerate their digital businesses. With an emphasis on simplicity of process, elegance of information design, and application of lean startup principles, we teach “middle-brained” leaders how to simultaneously be goal-oriented, problem-focused, hypothesis-led and data-driven._ 

 

Job DescriptionOverview

Salary Range: $75K - $115K

 

Remote

As a UI/UX Designer, you will sit at the intersection of strategy and visual design. You will take ownership of web and/or app designs for ecommerce clients to optimize websites from initial discovery through to developer handoff. Working closely with product managers, strategists, and developers, you will translate complex business goals and user needs into seamless, high-converting digital experiences.

As mid-level designer you will be typically be paired with a more senior designer on client accounts to meet client expectations and design requests. You will also have internal responsibilities to help improve process, templates and more for Zilker Trail. 

Your Day

* End-to-End Design: Own the design process for website improvements and e-commerce projects, including user research, wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity UI design.
* E-commerce Optimization: Design intuitive shopping experiences, focusing on cart/checkout optimization, product discovery, and user retention journeys.
* Collaboration & Handoff: Work closely with product managers and front-end developers to ensure design integrity and to deliver clean, well-documented Figma files.
* Data-Driven Iteration: Analyze user feedback, heatmaps, and Google Analytics to identify friction points and pitch design solutions that improve Conversion Rates (CR).
* Design Systems: Maintain, scale, and contribute to internal and client-specific design systems to ensure visual consistency across all touchpoints.
* Client Communication: Confidently present design concepts, rationale, and user journeys to internal teams and clients, incorporating feedback constructively. 
 

Desired Profile

Skills & Qualifications

* Experience: 3+ years of professional UI/UX design experience, preferably within a digital agency or fast-paced ecommerce environment background.
* Portfolio: A strong portfolio demonstrating responsive web design, interactive prototypes, and a clear understanding of user-centered design principles (specifically showing ecommerce or transactional workflows).
* Tooling Mastery: Advanced proficiency in Figma (including auto-layout, components, variables, and prototyping) and familiarity with additional tools like FigJam and JIRA.
* Research & Analytics: Experience writing and/or moderating user studies to gain the data to inform and validate your design decisions.
* Adaptability & Agility: Comfortable context-switching between multiple client projects and pivoting when project requirements shift.
* Empathetic Problem Solver: Able to step into the shoes of diverse user personas while simultaneously balancing the commercial goals of the client.
* Collaborative Spirit: A low-ego team player who thrives on constructive feedback and enjoys brainstorming with cross-functional teams.
* Time Management: Proven ability to manage deadlines independently and estimate effort accurately in an agency billing model.

 

Set yourself Apart: Preferred Requirements

* Ecommerce Knowledge: Deep understanding of ecommerce best practices, platform limitations/capabilities (e.g., Shopify, Magento/Adobe Commerce, WooCommerce), and checkout optimization.
* Strong Communicator: Ability to articulate the _why_ behind your design decisions, translating abstract creative concepts into concrete business value for clients.
* Web Fundamentals: A solid understanding of HTML, CSS, and component-based frameworks (you don't need to code, but you must know how to design for what is technically feasible).

 

Core CompetenciesCommunication

Effectively conveys ideas, listens actively, and adapts messages for diverse audiences (written, verbal, visual).

Role Expectations: Communicates clearly in routine situations; asks questions to clarify; shares updates on own work promptly.

 

Collaboration & Teamwork

Builds relationships, contributes to shared goals, and works effectively across functions and differences.

Role Expectations: Participates positively in team activities; supports colleagues; respects diverse perspectives.

 

Problem Solving & Critical Thinking

Identifies issues, analyzes root causes, generates solutions, and makes sound decisions.

Role Expectations: Identifies basic problems; applies standard approaches with guidance; learns from outcomes.

 

Adaptability & Learning Agility

Embraces change, learns quickly, and adjusts to new situations or priorities.

Role Expectations: Adapts to assigned changes; seeks learning opportunities; remains open to feedback. 

Accountability & Ownership

Takes responsibility for outcomes, follows through, and demonstrates reliability and integrity.

Role Expectations: Delivers assigned tasks on time; owns mistakes and learns from them; meets basic commitments.

 

Customer & Business Focus

Understands and prioritizes user/customer needs while aligning to business goals.

Role Expectations: Learns about customer needs; incorporates feedback into own work; understands basic business context.

 

Innovation & Continuous Improvement

Generates ideas, seeks efficiencies, and contributes to better ways of working.

Role Expectations: Suggests incremental improvements; adopts new tools/processes willingly. 

Leadership & Influence

Inspires, mentors, and influences without formal authority (grows from self-leadership to organizational).

Role Expectations: Demonstrates self-leadership; seeks and applies feedback.

To be part of Zilker Trail is to be…

Curious. We value sincere interest in what makes things tick -- people, businesses, products & designs. We want to understand the what and the why of every problem we solve.

Open. We value transparency with our employees, our clients and our partners. We want to invite you all into this experiment.

Confident. We trust that our recommendations are likely to succeed on the basis of data. We are not afraid to disrupt, change or fail fast in pursuit of greatness.

Appreciative. We value our time together - the work and the play - with the co-workers, partners & clients we admire and enjoy.

Balanced. We endeavor to find that magical intersection at the corners of inspiration & pragmatism; design & data; work, play & family; urgency & patience; and innovation & evidence.

Testing

Data

E-commerce

Wireframing/prototyping

Ux writing

Data analytics

Project management

Agile

Problem solving

Innovation

Shopify

Responsive Design

Content management

Figma

Web Development

Growth

Web Design

HTML/CSS

CSS3

User journey mapping

Magento

Visual design

Research

User Research

UX design

UI design

Product marketing

WooCommerce

Team collaboration

Jira

Google Analytics

Design Systems

Personas

User personas

Communications

Advance prototyping

Collaborative Tools

Heatmaps

User Testing

Interactive Prototyping

Component libraries

UI/UX Digital Designer (Jr to Mid)