Senior UX Designer/Researcher (Accessibility Specialist)

Job Summary (List Format): Senior UX Designer / Researcher

• Serve as a Senior UX Designer / Researcher on a digital modernization team, focusing on user experience research and user-centered design for state agency projects, primarily the Iowa DOE SRI initiative.
• Lead and conduct formal UX research, including usability testing, heuristic evaluations, and user journey mapping to optimize UI/UX for complex, data-driven web applications.
• Collaborate closely with the lead UX/Accessibility Architect to establish and scale high-quality digital standards and accessibility best practices (WCAG 2.2 Level AA) across multiple state agency initiatives.
• Design wireframes, interactive prototypes, and design documentation using advanced Figma skills.
• Apply advanced UX research methodologies such as card sorting, heat mapping, and user behavior analysis to inform data-driven design recommendations.
• Manage information architecture for large-scale, data-intensive reporting systems, ensuring logical categorization and intuitive navigation.
• Integrate accessibility-first design principles from project inception, ensuring digital services are usable by all Iowans.
• Communicate clearly with cross-functional agency teams, product owners, and technical stakeholders to articulate research findings and design solutions.
• No coding or front-end development required, though skills in HTML5, CSS/SASS, or integrating designs into Angular/.NET environments are considered a plus.
• Preferred qualifications include formal UX/HCI education, certifications (Google UX, Nielsen Norman Group), and experience with US Web Design System (USWDS).
• Local or regional candidates preferred for occasional in-office meetings (travel not reimbursed).

Key Skills

• Advanced Figma, UX research, User flow creation, Prototyping, Accessibility (WCAG 2.2), Stakeholder collaboration, Design documentation, Heuristic evaluation, Card sorting, Usability testing, Information architecture, Persona development, Wireframing, Interactive prototyping, Technical communication.

Experience Required

• 8+ years in UX research, usability testing, heuristic evaluation, information architecture, accessibility auditing, and related UX design disciplines.