Senior UX/UI Designer

Tokyo
Partial Remote
Full-time
December 16, 2024

Help us use technology to make a big green dent in the universe!

Kraken powers some of the most innovative global developments in energy.

We’re a technology company focused on creating a smart, sustainable energy system. From optimising renewable generation, creating a more intelligent grid and enabling utilities to provide excellent customer experiences, our operating system for energy is transforming the industry around the world in a way that benefits everyone.

It’s a really exciting time in energy. Help us make a real impact on shaping a better, more sustainable future.

Kraken Customer

What we do: build the most AI-driven, innovative, forward-thinking platform for energy management. From optimizing resources to delivering cost-effective, exceptional customer experiences through advanced Customer Information Systems (CIS), billing, meter data management, CRM, and AI-driven communications, Kraken is powering the next wave of innovation in the energy industry.

Why we do it: future energy will not look like energy as we know it today. We need to not just think about our future, but build for it. Now.

About our team

We're looking for a Senior UX/UI Designer to join the Kraken Tech team. We build technology that helps energy and other suppliers manage their customers and most business operations through our first-in-class platform. We’re passionate about designing simple, elegant user experiences and using human-centred design as inspiration to solve complex problems for our customers. You'll be joining our design team and working primarily with group product teams to improve how users interact with the features and tools available or being built on Kraken.

What you'll do

Improve the user experience and interface of different areas of Kraken, shaping how users interact with them.
Work day-to-day in a cross-functional team with various stakeholders (developers, PMs, users, clients) to design new features and products.
Work on user research, UX, and UI end-to-end.
Share designs for feedback early and often, and provide design feedback to other team members.
Plan and facilitate workshops, user interviews, usability testing, and discovery activities to understand how we can best meet users’ needs.
Refine and contribute to our design process documentation, onboarding materials, and explore new design processes with the team where possible.
Communicate with both technical and non-technical colleagues, successfully supporting the definition of roadmaps for projects with big-picture strategy.

What you'll have

At least 4 years of professional experience designing digital products.
Experience using Design Systems and component libraries.
High proficiency with Figma—our main design tool.
Knowledge of design processes, knowing which steps are needed and which can be skipped based on the specific project or problem.
Experience working with teams composed of designers, PMs, Front-End, and Back-End developers.
Attention to detail when designing, ensuring work is done well rather than quickly but poorly.
A focus on user needs and how to improve usability/UX.
A focus on accessibility and inclusion when designing components, interfaces, and interactions.
Fluent English, with Japanese being beneficial.

You'll also need to a have at least a basic understanding of/experience with:

Considering front-end frameworks (Bootstrap, React…), HTML, and CSS to effectively communicate your designs with developers and find workarounds when feasibility issues arise.
Participating in project stand-up meetings with developers.
Using project management software like Asana, knowledge of the agile process, and organising work with tasks.
Knowledge of web accessibility and designing for accessibility.
Using analytics tools (Google Analytics, Hotjar…).
Performing user interviews and user testing.

Why else you’ll love it here

Wondering what the salary for this role is? Just ask us! On a call with one of our recruiters it's something we always cover as we genuinely want to match your experience with the correct salary. The reason why we don't advertise is because we honestly have a degree of flexibility and would never want salary to be a reason why someone doesn't apply to Octopus - what's more important to us is finding the right octofit!
Octopus Energy is a unique culture. An organisation where people learn, decide, and build quicker. Where people work with autonomy, alongside a wide range of amazing co-owners, on projects that break new ground. We want your hard work to be rewarded with perks you actually care about! We won best company to work for in 2022, on Glassdoor we we're voted 50 best places to work in 2022 and our Group CEO, Greg has recorded a podcast about our culture and how we empower our people

APPLY NOW ➜🇯🇵 Residents Only

About Kraken Technologies

Help Kraken use technology to make a big green dent in the universe! Kraken powers some of the most innovative global developments in energy and is built to empower businesses to lead the energy transition from generation to supply.

Kraken is a technology company focused on creating a smart, sustainable energy system. From optimising renewable generation, creating a more intelligent grid and enabling utilities to provide excellent customer experiences, their operating system for energy is transforming the industry around the world in a way that benefits everyone.

They are now licensing Kraken to businesses in 17 countries around the world and manage over 300,000 energy assets.

Kraken's original goal was to have 100 million customers on the Kraken Platform by the year 2030. As Kraken is far ahead of schedule with 60 million accounts, they are bringing the end date forward to 2027!

Some of the businesses Kraken partner with include E.ON in Europe, Origin in Australia, and Tokyo Gas in Japan.

Kraken is looking to continue growing their Japanese operations to build more tech to make energy in Japan greener and increase their investment in service and growth in Japan and Globally.

To get an idea of what it’s like to work at Kraken, hear from Karim, one of Kraken's Engineers here.

Japanese Language Policy
For client-facing roles - A good professional knowledge of the Japanese language is required.

For non-client-facing roles - it’s nice to have, but not required.
Visa Sponsorship
Kraken is unable to sponsor visas currently.
Paid Leave
Kraken offers unlimited paid time off. Technically, their contract stipulates 23 days of PTO but in practice we don't have a limit on the number of vacation days members can take.

Of course, members must coordinate with their teams when taking leave to ensure it doesn't impact projects, but beyond that the policy is flexible.

Kraken also has a culture that allows people to take several weeks of vacation at a time if desired.
Benefits
💹 Employee stock option plan

💻 New tech gear

👩‍🎓 Skill development support

💛 Support for attending conferences

💜 Seminar participation support

👶 Shorter work hours for employees taking care of children (Flexible but not directly in contract)

👶 Maternity & Parental Leave

🇯🇵 Translation support (EN<>JP)

🧡 Interpretation support (EN<>JP)

💟 Social Security / Insurance benefits included

🏥 Healthcare Insurance

💚 Pension insurance
Remote Work
If you are located in Tokyo, Kraken employees are preferred to be in the office 1-2 days per week. Fully remote options are available (role-dependent within Japan).
Work style
Kraken has a highly flexible system that's focused on results. Members can work how and from where they want to as long as they get their work done.
Diversity
Kraken is looking for genuinely decent people who are honest and empathetic.

Their commitment is to provide equal opportunities, a diverse and inclusive work environment, and fairness for everyone.

You are welcome to apply no matter your race, gender identity, sexuality, age, family or civil status, disability, religion, or ethnicity.
The Octopus Energy Group culture - Kraken won the best company to work for in 2019 and Kraken CEO, Greg has recorded a podcast about Kraken's culture and how they empower their people

Flexible working environment - genuine work life balance, Kraken treats you as a human, and do their best to make work and life merge smoothly together. You can read more info on Kraken's Glassdoor page.

Relaxation - Kraken doesn’t count your holidays, they work hard, and so they know you need to play hard as well (within reason of course)

Equity Options Scheme - you own your own part of the business, share options in the whole Octopus Energy Group so we all work together towards success

Office culture - have a certain tech requirement? Kraken will do their best to get it. Kraken offices are also stocked with fruit, breakfast, great coffee and soft drinks. Weekly on a Friday we all get together (this happens virtually too) for company updates and drinks - Kraken calls it Family Dinner

Your development is important - Kraken supports and helps with development including internal and external courses, learning, study support etc, all bespoke to you