Senior/Staff User Researcher

Summary

Join Skylight, a digital consultancy revolutionizing government services, as a User Researcher. You will play a critical role in planning and conducting user research to inform policy and service design. Your responsibilities include developing research plans, recruiting participants, applying various research methods, and communicating findings to stakeholders. You will translate research into design hypotheses, validate them through usability testing, and advocate for user needs within a cross-functional team. Skylight values a user-centered approach and a passion for improving public services. The position requires a strong understanding of user research methodologies and the ability to align research with organizational strategy. Successful candidates will demonstrate excellent communication and collaboration skills.

Requirements

• Ability to align user research activities with organizational strategy and objectives
• Can correctly apply a wide-range of user research methods at different stages of the product life cycle
• Understand how to include all kinds of users in appropriate research activities to help teams deliver accessible services
• Can turn research data into clear findings that inform decisions
• Ability to help colleagues better understand the social and technological context for government services (e.g., how digital technology is changing user behavior)
• Possess an understanding of the different technologies and technical roles within a multidisciplinary team used to build and operate digital services
• Can apply user-centered design practices within the context of an agile, multidisciplinary team
• Passionate about creating better public outcomes through great government services
• A mindset and work approach that aligns with our core values
• Ability to travel for work from time to time (when it’s safe)
• All work must be conducted within the US, excluding US territories
• Some federal contracts require US citizenship to be eligible for employment
• You must be legally authorized to work in the US now and in the future without sponsorship
• As a government contractor, you may be required to obtain a security clearance, such as public trust
• Some of our available roles are on federal contracts that require a degree or additional years of experience as a substitute

Responsibilities

• Develop research plans (e.g., what methods to use) in alignment with the strategic context of the project
• Find and connect with good user research participants
• Apply a mix of quantitative and qualitative user research techniques (e.g., user interviews, contextual inquiry) to gain a greater understanding of user needs
• Clearly communicate research findings with internal and external collaborators
• Translate research findings into service/product design hypotheses
• Employ usability testing to validate those hypotheses
• Guide the direction of the service/product and continually advocate for users
• Collaborate with others as part of a cross-functional team that includes product managers, product designers, engineers, and other functional specialists
• Maintain organized, well-written documentation throughout the research process

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience working in the civic tech space
• Experience working in a remote-team environment

Benefits

• Medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Life and AD&D insurance
• Dependent care FSA, healthcare FSA, health savings account
• Dollar-for-dollar 401(k) match up to 10% of your salary
• Paid time off, including 15 accrued vacation days, 11 federal holidays, 5 floating holidays, and flexible sick leave
• Minimum of 9 weeks paid time off for all eligible new birth, adoption, or foster parents
• Performance rewards, including annual salary increase, annual performance bonus, spot bonuses, and stock options
• Business development / sales bonuses
• Referral bonuses
• Annual $2,000 allowance for professional development
• Annual $750 allowance for tech-related purchases
• Annual swag budget of $100 to display your Skylight pride with some merchandise (hoodies, hats, and more)
• Dollar-for-dollar charity donation matching, up to $500 per year
• Access up to $1,000 before payday to cover emergency expenses
• Flexible, remote-friendly work environment
• An environment that empowers you to unleash your superpowers for public good