Open to opportunities

Nikhil Raj

@nikhilraj007

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UI/UX Designer and product designer blending user research, design systems, and human-factor thinking.

India

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What I'm looking for

I’m looking for a product team where I can turn research into clear flows, ship production-ready UX (verification and workflow tools), and build reusable design systems—supported by strong collaboration, feedback, and continuous learning.

I’m a UI/UX/Product designer with 2.5+ years of experience across digital and physical products, and I enjoy bridging human factors with interface decisions. I run UX work end-to-end—from contextual inquiry and IA to high-fidelity prototyping and usability testing—so teams can ship with confidence.

Most recently at Duruper (HR-tech), I designed candidate- and recruiter-facing tools that went to production. I cut document verification time from 1–1.5 hours to under 25 minutes, built an activity log to close a traceability gap, and created an in-platform document request feature that replaced manual WhatsApp/email collection. I also built Duruper’s first web design system in Figma, establishing reusable components and design tokens.

My background also comes from commercial furniture and defense hardware, where I learned ergonomic principles, dimensional constraints, and DFM considerations—skills I bring directly into digital product UX. Earlier roles included leading NPD for 25 commercial furniture products and delivering CAD work for an ASTR Defence hardware concept and an IIT Madras ceramic testing machine enclosure. I’m especially motivated by projects like my 35-screen expense-splitting app case study (tested with 20–25 users) and a comparison-flow study shaped by 20+ interviews.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

UI/UX Designer

Duruper

Feb 2026 - Jul 2026 (5 months)

Designed candidate detail and verification screens to cut document verification time from 1–1.5 hours to under 25 minutes per candidate. Built an activity log and in-platform document request feature, and created Duruper's first web design system in Figma.

UI UX Design Documentation Verification Activity Logging Traceability Document Request Handling Design Systems Figma Design Tokens

Product Designer

Modern Furniture Works India LLP

Apr 2024 - Jun 2025 (1 year 2 months)

Led end-to-end new product development for 25 commercial furniture products using ergonomic principles and DFM guidelines. Planned layouts for trade expos and managed product catalogs/listings on the company website while coordinating with vendors.

Product Design Ergonomics Dimensional Constraints NPD Trade Show Coordination Product Catalogs Product Listing

Industrial Design Intern

ASTR Defence Private Limited

Dec 2022 - Jun 2023 (6 months)

Designed a civilian-market pistol concept and 9mm suppressor geometry, balancing ergonomics with manufacturing tolerances and DFM guidelines. Produced CAD models that met stringent manufacturing tolerance requirements.

Industrial Design Ergonomics Concept Design

Product Design Intern

Dept. of Metallurgical & Materials Engineering, IIT Madras

Jun 2022 - Aug 2022 (2 months)

Designed enclosure and CAD models for a high-temperature ceramic testing machine, integrating thermal and safety considerations. Supported a later startup incubation effort by contributing models and design documentation.

Product Design CAD Design Thermal Design Enclosures

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT University)

Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design), Industrial Design

2019 - 2023

Grade: GPA: 8.29

Activities and societies: Hands-on experience across product design, UI/UX, medical product, typography, and sustainable innovation.

Completed a B.Des in Industrial Design at VIT Vellore, building a foundation in design processes, materials, and user-centered solutions through multiple academic projects.