Senior Designer/Researcher

Summary

Join Nava, a leading consultancy, as a Senior Designer/Researcher to spearhead design and research initiatives for government programs impacting millions. Lead cross-functional teams, from concept to implementation, championing user needs through research, prototyping, and system design. Collaborate with government contractors and civil servants, navigating diverse working styles and maintaining project focus. Apply human-centered design, conduct quantitative and qualitative research, and translate complex requirements into simple, accessible digital experiences. This role requires at least five years of relevant experience and a portfolio showcasing your work. Nava offers a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and a flexible remote-first work environment.

Requirements

• At least five years of experience working as a designer working in product teams within a professional working environment
• Experience mapping and driving systemic improvements within complex service environments
• Experience in designing, testing, and implementing digital services
• Experience designing with web and responsive user interface best practices
• A relentlessly curious mindset that is never satisfied with easy answers and able to quickly pick up new knowledge
• Equal parts systems thinker and advocate for users
• Highly resourceful, reliable, organized, and detail-oriented
• Ability to think strategically around trade-offs and short-term vs. long-term benefits in complex ecosystems
• Ability to build and form strong collaborative relationships with the internal team and external partners
• An adaptive, empathetic, and positive mindset
• Excellent communication skills
• Please include a portfolio with your application
• Applications without an online portfolio will not be considered
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States
• Must meet any other requirements for government contracts for which candidates are hired
• Work authorization that doesn’t require visa sponsorship, now or in the future
• May be subject to a government background check or security clearance, depending on the contract

Responsibilities

• Prioritize, plan, and deliver roadmap-level design and research initiatives on projects
• Apply a human-centered design mindset to challenges by relentlessly focusing on user needs
• Drive understanding of users, by running quantitative and qualitative user research initiatives and sharing findings with internal and external collaborators
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver design work, including discovery artifacts, diagrams, user flows, high-fidelity prototypes, and design systems
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary Nava product teams and government staff to turn complex requirements into simple and accessible digital experiences

Benefits

• Health coverage – Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans to support your overall health needs
• Time off – Vacation, holidays (including Juneteenth), and floating days to rest and recharge
• Company holidays- Enjoy 12 paid federal holidays each year on top of your regular PTO
• Annual bonus – When Nava meets goals, eligible employees receive a performance-based annual bonus
• Parental leave – Paid time off for new parents, plus weekly meals delivered to your home
• Wellness program – Full platform offering physical, mental, & emotional health resources & support tools
• Virtual care – See doctors online with no copay through UnitedHealthcare’s virtual visit program
• Sabbatical leave – Earn extended paid leave after continuous service for personal growth or rest
• 401(k) match – Nava matches 4% of your salary to support your retirement savings plan
• Flexible work – Remote-first environment with flexibility built around your schedule and responsibilities
• Home office setup – Company laptop & setup assistance provided via Staples for remote work needs
• Utility support – Monthly reimbursement to help offset eligible home office utility expenses
• Learning opportunities – Internal training programs and resources to help grow your professional skills
• Development budget – Annual allowance for courses, tuition, certifications, & LinkedIn Learning access
• Referral bonus – Get rewarded when you refer great people who join the Nava team
• Commuter benefits – Pre-tax commuter programs to support in-office travel when applicable
• Insurance coverage – Nava provides disability, life, and accidental death insurance at no cost
• Supportive culture – A collaborative and remote-friendly team environment where people genuinely care