We are looking for an organized, detail-oriented Design Researcher to join our growing, distributed team at Coforma.
At Coforma, Design Researchers are essential conduits between the communities and people our partners serve and a diverse, cross-functional team of designers, software engineers, and product managers. Our team is dedicated to creating critical digital services, products, and solutions that improve lives.
As a Design Researcher, you’ll collaborate with government agencies, nonprofits, and cause-based organizations to help inspire and ground your cross-functional peers in the richness of research-driven insights. You’ll help us better understand the people we aim to serve, the needs of the organizations and agencies we work with, and the changes we can make to have a large and lasting impact. As part of a project team, you will work within cross-disciplinary groups to deliver thoughtful, functional solutions.
$117,420 to $143,170 Annual Salary + Benefits + Growth Potential
Placement within this range will be based on the competency level of the candidate. An offer will be made at one of the following tiers:
Tier 1: $117,420 — Meets minimum qualification/experience requirements. Beyond onboarding, will need additional guidance and training to perform key responsibilities of the role.
Tier 2: $130,810 — Experienced and fully-competent. Beyond onboarding, can independently perform key responsibilities of the role.
Tier 3: $143,170 — Highly-experienced and can perform all responsibilities of the role at a higher level than expected once onboarding is completed.
To honor our company-wide equitable pay system, the posted salary range and corresponding tier salaries are non-negotiable.
The job posting for this role will close by 5:00pm PT on Tuesday, September 10, 2024.
The desired start date for this role is October 2024.
This is a US-based remote position open to applicants in the states listed below. Some travel may be required.
Note: to ensure we remain compliant with all state, county, and local employment and tax regulations, applicants must currently reside in one of the following states to be considered for employment with Coforma. This list will be updated periodically as our PeopleOps team works to open up hiring in additional states.
-Arizona
-California
-District of Columbia
-Florida
-Georgia
-Idaho
-Illinois
-Maine
-Maryland
-Massachusetts
-Montana
-Nevada
-New Jersey
-New York
-North Carolina
-Oregon
-South Carolina
-Tennessee
-Texas
-Virginia
-Washington
-Wisconsin
What You’ll Do (Responsibilities)
- Conduct, analyze, and present primary and secondary research to inform the larger team’s work, usually under the guidance of a senior researcher
- Plan and facilitate primary research sessions (in-depth interviews, UX sessions, etc.) based on the team’s questions and goals
- Plan and facilitate outreach and recruitment activities to engage research participants, nurture the relationships, and ensure all legal and ethical procedures for protecting confidentiality are adhered to
- Manage professional communications with a diverse group of stakeholders
- Conduct rapid desk research (secondary), triangulating from a range of sources such as academic literature, conference publications, nonprofit and government reports, etc.
- Creatively utilize qualitative research methods such as in-depth interviews, ethnographic field research, focus groups, UX sessions, and others with a focus on humility, understanding, and compassion to ensure an ethical and trauma-informed approach
- Collaboratively synthesize research findings with a focus on bringing the voices of those we serve into the actionable recommendations and guidance we provide to our cross-functional colleagues
- Articulate recommendations and opportunities for diverse stakeholder audiences
- Advocate from a human-centered perspective throughout design and implementation phases of our work
- Help create inclusive partnerships to increase the participatory capacity of projects and/or programs to be designed by and with involved individuals and communities
- Seek out opportunities to both mentor and receive guidance from your peers, with a focus on growing a shared understanding of ethical and trauma-informed research and participatory design practices
- Model and promote a highly collaborative, responsible, and ethical culture through your individual actions and interactions
Who You Are (Requirements)
- 5+ years of professional work experience with research and/or human-centered design research
- At least 3 years of consulting or client-facing professional services practice
- Professional or volunteer experience working with marginalized or underserved communities
- An eagerness for identifying and demystifying the needs and priorities of research participants and co-creating clear solutions
- Experience conducting primary qualitative research (facilitating interviews, UX sessions, etc.), both remotely and in person
- Passion for and experience informing quality interaction design, usability, and accessibility
- The humility and ability to welcome constructive feedback, iterate on our work, and include the needs and perspectives of our customers, contributors, and teammates
- Ability to communicate clearly in writing and orally (whether verbally or through assistive technologies/aids)—you’ll be collaborating with others, proposing processes, and presenting your work regularly
- A desire to give and receive constructive feedback compassionately and openly
- A level of comfort conducting research in fast-paced environments (e.g., agile sprints) with designers, software engineers/developers, product managers, and others, relying on timely insights and guidance from the research
- Comfort with and eagerness to co-create quality research artifacts with designers, including personas, journey maps, user and task flows, wireframes, and sitemaps
- Comfort collaborating with visual, UX, and product designers, software engineers, product managers, and others
- A passion for superior quality research that upholds the highest standards of ethics, inclusion, and accessibility
- A passion for continual learning
Preferred Qualifications and Experience
- 2+ years of experience working on a remote team or remote freelancing
- Education and/or experience with trauma-informed practice in any area
- Prior government or federal consulting experience
- Experience working with technical stakeholders and team members
- Comfortable in a fast-paced environment, flexible, innovative, and attentive to detail
Other
- Internet: Will prioritize and maintain access to strong, reliable internet for the remote nature of our work, except when on vacation or holiday
- Security: Will keep the highest security practices to ensure privacy and security of Coforma and client information given the nature of our work, even when on vacation
- Travel Flexibility: On request and with advanced notice, will attend in-person events such as meetings, workshops, and trainings as assigned for projects that require it (up to 10-15%, with health and safety precautions being paramount)
- Brand Representation: Will represent Coforma professionally and sincerely, modeling our Company Values in all interactions
We Don’t Care About
- Whether or not you have a degree of any kind
- Whether your educational major, if you had one, is related to this role
- Whether or not you have GitHub contributions
- Whether or not you have worked at a well-recognized company
- Whether you’re sure that you check every single box perfectly
We Do Care About
- Your passions, professional or otherwise
- Your well-informed opinions about design, technology, teams, and process
- You
$117,420 – $143,170 a year
The salary range for this position is $117,420 to $143,170 per year, in line with our company-wide equitable pay scale.
Placement within this range will be based on the competency level of the candidate. An offer will be made at one of the following tiers:
Tier 1: $117,420 — Meets minimum qualification/experience requirements. Beyond onboarding, will need additional guidance and training to perform key responsibilities of the role.
Tier 2: $130,810 — Experienced and fully-competent. Beyond onboarding, can independently perform key responsibilities of the role.
Tier 3: $143,170 — Highly-experienced and can perform all responsibilities of the role at a higher level than expected once onboarding is completed.
To honor our company-wide equitable pay system, the posted salary range and corresponding tier salaries are non-negotiable.
We participate in E-Verify. Upon hire, we will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.
Due to the nature of our work with the federal government, this role is required to work from the contiguous United States.
We’re Coforma
The stress of job searching can make you wonder if you’re enough. Studies have even shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs when they don’t meet every qualification. We believe that you ARE enough, and that it’s okay not to meet every requirement. We’re building a culture that’s authentic, inclusive, and diverse. If you’re excited to work with us but not sure you check every box, apply anyway! You may be just right for this role or another one.
About Us
We use creativity to get results for clients and the communities they serve.
We’ve honed a modern, agile, user-centered approach that elevates human needs through thoughtfully-designed systems and products.
From connecting families in crisis at the US border to improving the way governments consume COVID-19 mobility data through a more accessible and user-friendly tool, we’re dedicated to improving people’s lives through thoughtful technology products and services. Together. Our cross-functional team works closely with each other and with our government, nonprofit, and commercial partners to research, design, and build better products and services.
Coforma employs over 150 talented creators. Our leadership has decades of experience in improving government digital services from a civic service mindset, and a strong record of developing innovative technology solutions for government, enterprise, and nonprofits.
We thoughtfully integrate design into product development. We are experts in leading the design and development of products to meet business goals, build alignment, and deliver value through technically feasible and iterative design activities.
Business objectives and human beings are at the center of our work. We work very closely and collaboratively with our partners, from solicitation through to delivery, to ensure that the solution provides a high level of value to the business. Accessibility is never overlooked in our work, and our iterative approach validates the utility and delight of the final product.
Equal Opportunity & Inclusive Workplace
Coforma is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, age, pregnancy, disability, work-related injury, covered veteran status, political ideology, marital status, or any other factors that are protected from employment discrimination under federal law.
We are committed to ensuring accessibility and equal opportunity and offering reasonable accommodations to those with disabilities. We adhere to the guidelines set forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act and all relevant federal, state, and local laws concerning disability discrimination and accommodation. To request a reasonable accommodation for the application or interview process, please email [email protected].
About Public Trust and Other Background Investigations
Due to the nature of our client and project work, most roles may require a National Agency Check and Inquiries (NACI), Moderate Background Investigation (MBI), Background Investigation (BI) or other relevant investigations as needed. Additional information regarding background evaluations or investigations can be found on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management website (opm.gov).