About Canonical

Canonical is a pioneering tech firm leading the global shift to open source software. As the company behind Ubuntu, one of the most influential open-source projects, Canonical powers critical technologies in AI, IoT, public cloud, data science, and engineering innovation. Our platform supports the world's top public cloud providers, silicon manufacturers, and industry leaders across sectors. With over 1200 colleagues in more than 75 countries, Canonical embodies a founder-led, profitable, and rapidly growing distributed collaboration model. Very few roles are office-based; instead, teams connect through two to four annual in-person sprints in exciting global locations to align on strategy and execution. This remote-first culture fosters excellence, innovation, and work-life balance while delivering enterprise-grade open source solutions.

Role Overview

Canonical is seeking a talented UX Designer to join our Design System Team. Reporting to Design Systems Management, you will play a pivotal role in making open source software accessible and intuitive worldwide. Our Design function ensures that Ubuntu and our infrastructure deliver exceptional user experiences aligned with community and customer needs. As the UX Designer for Design Systems, you will define, evolve, and advocate for a scalable design system that ensures consistency, accessibility, and efficiency across all Canonical products. This home-based role in the EMEA region offers the flexibility of remote work with occasional travel for team events.

Key Responsibilities

In this position, you will drive the evolution of Canonical's design system while collaborating across functions. Key responsibilities include:

• Building and evolving the design system to ensure measurable adoption, consistency, scalability, and accessibility across products.
• Collaborating with designers, engineers, and stakeholders to translate user needs and brand principles into reusable components, patterns, and guidelines.
• Championing best practices, advocating for cohesive UX, and providing comprehensive documentation and support for cross-functional teams.
• Designing and documenting UI components, design tokens, and interaction patterns.
• Ensuring timely roadmap delivery, enabling alignment on usage and governance, and advocating for accessibility, performance, and scalability.
• Staying ahead of industry trends to balance innovation with system coherence.

Qualifications & Requirements

We seek candidates with proven expertise in design systems within complex environments. Essential qualifications include:

• Relevant experience in UX/product design, emphasizing design systems.
• A strong portfolio showcasing component libraries, documentation, and complex environment handling.
• Exceptional educational background in design or related behavioral science discipline.
• Expertise in Figma, Storybook, and design token workflows.
• Experience bridging design and engineering, with strong communication and documentation skills.
• Excellent attention to detail, systemic problem-solving, commitment to deadlines, and passion for consistency versus innovation.
• Willingness to travel up to four times yearly for internal events.

Explore more about our design team at canonical.design.

Benefits & Perks

Canonical offers competitive, performance-based compensation tailored to location, experience, and contributions, with annual reviews and bonuses. Beyond base pay, enjoy:

• Fully distributed work environment with biannual in-person team sprints.
• USD 2,000 annual personal learning and development budget.
• Performance-driven annual bonus or commission.
• Recognition rewards, maternity/paternity leave, and generous holiday allowance.
• Team Member Assistance Program and Wellness Platform.
• Travel perks including Priority Pass and upgrades for company events.

Our global benefits ensure fairness and meet local needs while reflecting our values of excellence and openness.

Career Growth

At Canonical, career progression is driven by performance and impact. We invest in your growth through dedicated learning budgets, mentorship, and exposure to cutting-edge open source projects. Annual compensation reviews recognize outstanding contributions, with frequent adjustments for high performers. Join a company that recruits globally and sets the highest standards—your work on Ubuntu will shape the future of cloud, AI, and IoT. With a remote-first model, advance your career while enjoying flexibility and international collaboration.

Why Join Canonical

Choosing Canonical means contributing to Ubuntu, the backbone of modern open source innovation. Work with elite talent in a profitable, growing firm that's redefining enterprise software. Our remote-first culture eliminates commutes, promotes diversity across 75+ countries, and offers unique travel opportunities. Passionate about design systems? Help scale consistent, accessible UX for millions. Canonical's commitment to transparency, excellence, and work-life balance makes it an ideal home for top UX talent seeking meaningful impact.

Role FAQs

Is this role fully remote?

Yes, it's home-based in EMEA with up to four annual travel events for team alignment.

What tools will I use?

Primary tools include Figma, Storybook, and design token workflows, with collaboration across design and engineering stacks.

How is compensation structured?

Base pay plus performance bonus, reviewed annually, competitive for EMEA tech rates based on experience.

What is the team structure?

You'll report to Design Systems Management within the broader Design function, collaborating globally.

Do I need open source experience?

While not required, passion for open source and Ubuntu aligns with our mission.