Pittsburgh UX Designer & Developer
Josh
Soberdash
About Me
As a UX/UI designer and developer my objective is to create clean, re-sizable, functional interfaces that are W3C compliant and cross browser tested for everyday users. Making a positive impact on clients, co-workers, and the web using my skills and experience to design and develop compelling and attractive mobile first websites.
With 8+ years of hands-on experience in UX/UI design, I specialize in creating intuitive, user-centered digital experiences that drive engagement and conversions
I design with purpose—transforming complex user journeys into seamless, responsive interfaces across web and mobile platforms. My approach combines deep user research, data-driven design decisions, and modern web standards to deliver clean, functional, and accessible solutions that perform beautifully across devices.
Start To Finish
Strategy
We start by understanding your business goals, target audience, and brand identity. This strategic foundation guides every decision to ensure your website delivers real value and impact.
RESEARCH
Next, we dive into competitor analysis, user behavior, and industry trends. These insights help us uncover opportunities and define a user-focused approach that drives engagement.
DESIGN
With a clear direction, we create visually compelling and intuitive designs that reflect your brand and captivate users. From wireframes to mockups, every element is crafted with purpose and usability in mind.
DEVELOPMENT
Finally, we bring the design to life with clean, responsive code. Our development process ensures your site works seamlessly across all devices, loads fast, and is easy to manage and scale.
Skills & Tech
UX / UI / Web Design
Collaboration & Handoff
- Design Systems & Libraries – Shared Figma libraries, tokens, documentation.
- Zeplin / Avocode (declining) – Design-to-dev handoff.
- Storybook – When collaborating closely with devs on component libraries.
- Notion / Jira / Confluence – For documentation and project tracking.
Tools & Platforms
- Figma
- Adobe XD
- Sketch
- Framer – For interactive, code-like prototyping.
- Webflow – No-code responsive website design and deployment.
Soft Skills
- Empathy & Communication – Leading stakeholder interviews, presenting designs.
- Feedback Incorporation – Iterative design based on testing and input.
- Design Thinking & Problem Solving
- Cross-functional collaboration – Especially with front-end devs and PMs.
Development
Frameworks
- React
- Vue 3
- Svelte
- Next.js / Nuxt / Astro – For server-side rendering and static sites.
- Tailwind CSS – Utility-first CSS framework, widely adopted.
Tooling & Build Systems
- Vite / Webpack / esbuild / Parcel – Module bundlers and dev servers.
- Babel – JS transpiler (less prominent with native module support).
- PostCSS / Sass / CSS Modules – For CSS preprocessing and modularization.
- npm / Yarn / pnpm – Package managers.
Work Experience
2019 - 2024
Senior Developer
Flying Agency Cork - Pittsburgh, PA
Innovative and detail-focused Designer/Developer with a strong background in creating responsive, accessible, and user-friendly web interfaces. Proficient in modern technologies including HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, React, and WordPress. Experienced in collaborating with design and back-end teams to deliver seamless digital experiences. Skilled in optimizing websites for performance, SEO, and cross-browser compatibility. Passionate about clean code, UI/UX best practices, and staying ahead of front-end trends.
2016 - 2019
Senior Digital Developer
Gatesman Agency - Pittsburgh, PA
At Gatesman Agency, served as a multi-disciplinary Digital Designer and Developer, specializing in creating dynamic, user-focused digital experiences across web, email, and advertising channels. Led the development of responsive HTML5 banner ads and interactive campaigns for diverse clients, utilizing the latest JavaScript frameworks and animation tools like GSAP. Designed, coded, and deployed high-impact email marketing campaigns with automated workflows and CRM integrations, optimizing performance and deliverability. Contributed to building scalable, modular front-end components, and streamlined deployment processes through automated build systems and CI/CD pipelines. Collaborated closely with creative, marketing, and development teams to bring engaging, data-driven digital strategies to life.
2014- 2016
Digital Designer / Developer
Brunner Agency - Pittsburgh, PA
Creative and technically skilled Digital Designer/Developer with a strong background in crafting visually compelling, responsive digital experiences across web, email, and interactive media. Adept at combining design aesthetics with front-end development using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and WordPress. Experienced in designing and coding high-performing email campaigns, animated web content, and marketing assets that drive user engagement and conversions. Collaborative team player with a focus on performance, usability, and brand consistency across digital platforms.
2014 - 2025
UX Designer / Developer
Freelance - Pittsburgh, PA
- Developed clean, maintainable, and standards-compliant code
- Transform concepts into fully functional implementations
- Converted designs from Adobe XD into responsive web experiences, following best practices
- Performed QA testing across different browsers and screen sizes to ensure consistent performance
- Defined and oversee the website’s overall structure and framework
- Built dynamic and adaptive websites, banners, and email templates
- Collaborated with the team to ensure optimal SEO performance and conduct regular SEO audits
- Updated on emerging technologies and techniques, offering guidance to the team as a mentor and thought leader
Education
2007 - 2011
Bachelors of Science, Interactivemedia & Web Design
Art Institute of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh, PA
While attending school in Pittsburgh, I studied Interactive Media and Web Design. After graduation I stuck with my business smarts and creativity to begin my journey as a Freelancer.
Deans list | 4.0
2004 - 2007
Highschool Graduate
Southmoreland Highschool - Scottdale, PA
I graduated High School in 2007 while remaining in the Top 10 of my class. Since being out of High School I have turned to my creative side for employment.
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- Graduated 8th in my class.
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Projects
Here’s a glimpse of some of my recent and exciting projects. Each of them reflects my focus
on user-centered design and my commitment to excellence in user experience.
Digital Marketing Company
Pittsburgh, needed a website that effectively showcased custom cakes, improved the user experience, and increased online orders. The existing website had poor navigation, lacked mobile responsiveness, and had an inefficient ordering process.
Services: Web Design, Development, SEO
CMS: WordPress
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Pittsburgh Marketing Company
Luxury cake business in Pittsburgh, needed a website that effectively showcased custom cakes, improved the user experience, and increased online orders. The existing website had poor navigation, lacked mobile responsiveness, and had an inefficient ordering process.
Services: Web Design, Development, SEO
CMS: WordPress
Pittsburgh Online Cake Ordering
Luxury cake business in Pittsburgh, needed a website that effectively showcased custom cakes, improved the user experience, and increased online orders. The existing website had poor navigation, lacked mobile responsiveness, and had an inefficient ordering process.
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Local Pittsburgh Movers
Project: Conversion-Focused Landing Pages for Moving Services
A moving service company needed landing pages that converted visitors into leads. Their existing pages had a high bounce rate and lacked clear CTAs.
Coin Collection App
Coin collections can be hard to keep track of and excel sheet data is less user friendly. We’ve create a coin collection app to inventory all of your coins by year, and many other specifics.
Services: Wireframes, Prototypes, Dashboard Design, UX Design, UI Design, and Mockups.
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Articles
How to Set Up a Retainer Agreement | Freelance Income Tips
One of the best ways to stabilize your freelance income and build long-term client relationships is by offering a retainer agreement. Instead of chasing new projects every month, you secure predictable income with clients who commit to ongoing work. Here’s exactly how...
Top 6 Simple Ways to Speed Up Your Website Performance
Website speed isn’t just about better user experience—it plays a crucial role in your SEO rankings, bounce rates, and overall conversions. A slow site can push users away and hurt your visibility online. The good news? You don’t need to be a developer to fix it. Here are the top 6 simple ways to speed up your website performance starting today.