This is a remote position.
Seeking a Senior UX Designer / Researcher to join the modernization team to collaborate with the Lead UX/Accessibility Architect to scale high-quality digital standards across enterprise initiatives as well as;
- Take ownership of user testing and UI optimization.
- Support a high-priority modernization pipeline for the Iowa DOE.
- Advance a large-scale project phase with tight milestones - with additional cross-agency support for the DNR and other state projects.
- Design, plan, and execute formal user experience research to evaluate complex workflows, ensuring applications are intuitive and efficient for educators and state employees.
- Moderate hands-on user testing sessions and run usability labs to actively identify and resolve workflow friction.
- Audit early layouts and interfaces against usability best practices and design standards.
- Translate complex district data reporting and environmental workflows into clear, intuitive user journeys and behavioral personas.
- Structure massive, data-heavy reporting categories logically using techniques like card sorting.
- Integrate digital accessibility from the ground up, aligning design systems and user research with WCAG standards to ensure digital services are universally accessible to all Iowans.
- Partner with our lead Architect to scale technical user experience and research practices across multi-agency initiatives, chatbot interfaces, and global state projects.
- Collaborate effectively with cross-functional agency teams, product owners, and technical stakeholders to clearly articulate design findings and research data.
Requirements
Skills
Required/Preferred
Years
Candidate Experience
Demonstrated mastery in moderating user testing sessions, executing usability labs, performing heuristic evaluations, mapping user journeys, and managing information architecture.
Required
8
Practical knowledge of implementing WCAG 2.2 Level AA requirements, focus management, keyboard navigation mechanics, and color contrast principles within visual layouts.
Required
8
Ability to clearly explain user research insights, interface design choices, and usability standards to technical team members, developers, and agency stakeholders.
Required
8
Front-end engineering experience writing semantic HTML5 and modern, responsive CSS/SASS.
Required
8
Experience integrating interface designs into Angular or MVC .NET framework environments.
Required
8
Experience utilizing or extending the U.S. Web Design System (USWDS).
Required
8
User Experience Research, Usability testing, Usability labs, Heuristic evaluation, User journey mapping, Persona development
Required
8
Information architecture, Card sorting, Wireframing, Interactive prototyping, UX design, WCAG 2.2 Level AA compliance, Focus management
Required
8
Keyboard navigation mechanics, Color contrast requirements, Accessibility auditing, technical communication, Design system vs usage
Required
8
Experience in implementing modern data architectures at an organization.
Required
8
Experience in a highly regulated industry performing statistical analysis and reporting.
Required
8
Benefits
Benefit Package includes:
- Paid Sick Time
- Insurance for Medical, Dental, Vision and Life Available
- 401(k) including Employer Match
- HSA, Short-term & Long-term Disability Available
- We are an EEO/Veterans/Disabled employer
