Senior UX Designer/Researcher (Accessibility Specialist)

Job Summary

• 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.