Freelance Design Technologist

Blink is looking for talented and experienced Freelance Design Technologists that can be available as a resource for client/project-based needs. Design Technologists serve as a bridge between design and engineering - facilitating efficient collaboration and ensuring that nothing is lost in translation. They have an expertise that combines traits of a great designer and a great engineer. They have advanced knowledge of front-end technologies, but also a strong basis in UX, visual, and motion design. They bring an engineer’s pattern thinking to systematizing designs and a designer’s eye for fit and finish and empathy for a user’s needs.

Here is a bit more information about what it means to partner with Blink as a Freelance Design Technologist:

- We work with Freelancers on a project-to-project basis. Projects at Blink usually range from 1-4 months in length. Opportunities can be both full-time or part-time depending on the project.
- We love working with Freelancers long-term, but work opportunities can come and go throughout a year. This type of partnership isn’t a great fit for a lot of people who prefer more full-time, permanent work.
- Freelancers are typically 1099 independent contractors, paid an hourly rate for a specified amount of hours for a client project.

**What you will be doing**:

- Take the initial steps to transition from design to solution, maintaining integrity of design whilst laying out in web front-end tech whilst following best practices that enable readable and maintainable code.
- Explore new design technology processes and methods and ensures great design implementation.
- Explore multiple solutions to front-end challenges.
- Collaborate with design team to implement design intent that is not captured within design deliverables.

**What we are looking for**:

- At least 3 years of experience working in the UX Design or Front-end Engineering role, preferably in a role acting as a liaison for design and engineering.
- Collaborative spirit in all facets of the role. Design Technologists are technological collaborators.
- Consulting experience preferable.
- Expert knowledge in laying out designs in web technologies to match design compositions and intent, including visual and motion design.
- Solid understanding of the user centered design process.
- Understanding of the pros and cons of different solutions to front-end challenges.
- Solid communication skills, able to articulate design and engineering concepts to clients and across teams.
- Understanding design intent and ability to advise on technical opportunities and constraints in implementation.
- Ability to accurately translate design to code with limited direction.
- Ability to work within modern JavaScript frameworks like Angular, React, & Vue.
- Toolkit includes competency or familiarity with: Sketch, Figma, Adobe XD, InVision, Zeplin, VS Code.
- Technologies and systems used include HTML5, CSS3, Sass, BEM, CSS3 Animation, presentational JavaScript, WebGL, SVG, cross-browser testing (including IE11), browser debugging tools.

**About Blink**:
Blink is the user experience firm for the world’s leading companies. We use evidence-driven design to create products that people use, love, and remember. With studios in Austin, Boston, San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle, Blink brings two decades of experience to research, design, and strategy for clients such as Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft, NASA, Starbucks, and USAA.

Blink is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, veteran status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status or disability.

**Job Type**: Contract