User Experience Researcher

Do you have a passion for higher education? Do you want to make a positive impact on the college admissions process? Our staff help to remove barriers and encourage students to forge their path to a better future. Common App is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to the pursuit of access, equity, and integrity in the college admission process. Each year we support more than 1 million students, one-third of whom are first-generation, as they apply to our more than 900 diverse member colleges & universities using the Common App’s free online application.

If you are an experienced UX Researcher professional and want to be part of a mission-driven non-profit that uses innovative technology to advance the college admission process, Common App may be a great match for you. Common App is currently searching for a UX Researcher.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Reporting to the Sr Director of User Experience, the User Experience Researcher is part of a team of designers and researchers that ensures an effective user experience across all Common App products.  Possessing practical experience of human-centered design and design-thinking methodologies, this individual will design effective user experience research solutions using best practices, established methodologies, and brand guidelines that address the needs and goals of stakeholders.

Our researchers are evangelists for the user needs throughout project life cycles. They partner with departments across the organization to achieve solutions that meet user needs through a collaborative and iterative process. User Experience Researchers proactively identify, plan, and execute user testing activities including usability studies, focus group sessions, interviews, surveys, and other research-gathering methods that bring new and deeper insights to Common App.

QUALIFICATIONS

This role requires:

• Candidates must live in the United States.
• Bachelor’s degree, ideally in a related field, with 3 – 5 years of professional experience in human-centered design with a focus on qualitative research and design-thinking methodologies.
• Proficient in human-centered design methodology and application including persona development and user journey mapping
• Demonstrated knowledge and practice of methods and tools for executing large-scale discovery, testing, and evaluative research activities including surveys, interviews, focus groups, analytics tools (Google, Alchemer, LogRocket, etc).
• Expertise in qualitative research and design concepts and tools, such as Alchemer/ Qualtrics, Condens/Dovetail, Figma, FigJam, Lucid Chart, etc.
• Excellent communication, active listening, presentation, interpersonal, and analytical skills.
• Ability to juggle and prioritize the demands of multiple projects, deadlines, and assignments without sacrificing the quality of work.
• Demonstrated aesthetic skills with a relentless attention to detail.
• Deep understanding and commitment to accessibility best practices, including Section 508 guidelines and WCAG specifications.
• Ability to put aside personal opinions and biases to understand and achieve actual user needs/desires.
• Ability to remain level-headed and exercise good judgment when under pressure.
• Ability to work effectively both as an individual contributor and as part of a diverse, virtual team.

The ideal candidate will possess:

• Experience in higher education or student-related work.
• Experience with generative AI to support user experience research and user experience design activities.
• A passion for higher education is a plus.

PAY RANGE

Target hiring salary range $78,524 -$83,524

Common App is a virtual first environment. We value our employees’ time and efforts. Our commitment to your success is enhanced by our competitive salary and an extensive benefits package including:

• Paid time off
  • Vacation Leave (starting at 10 days per year)
  • Sick Leave (15 days per year)
  • Paid Holidays (New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July 4th, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving Day)
  • Floating Holidays (9 days to be used at employee’s discretion)
• Healthcare
  • Medical (2 plan options with Cigna including an option for 100% employee coverage)
  • Health Savings Account (HSA) with annual employer contribution starting at $1,500 or Flexible Spending Account (FSA), depending on plan election
  • Dental (plan with MetLife offering 100% employee coverage)
  • Vision benefits (plan with Cigna offering 100% employee coverage)
  • Short + Long Term Disability (100% employer paid)
  • Life + AD&D (100% employer paid)
  • Additional Voluntary Life + AD&D insurance available
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Added compensation
  • 403(b) Retirement Plan with 5% employer contribution + additional 5% employer match
  • Stipends (virtual office set up and monthly remote work support)
• Future growth opportunities within the organization

We work to maintain the best possible environment for our staff, where people can learn and grow. We strive to provide a diverse, collaborative, team-oriented, creative environment where each person feels encouraged to contribute to our processes, decisions, planning, and culture.

HOW DO I APPLY

To apply for this opportunity, send your resume and cover letter with salary expectations.