Posting Detail Information
Working Title 23-125: User Experience (UX) Designer
Position Location Silver Springs, MD
Work Location Position is fully remote
Research Professional Position Yes
Posting Number 202301161AP
Position Type Admin Professional/ Research Professional
Classification Title Research Associate III
Number of Vacancies
Work Hours/Week 40
Proposed Annual Salary Range $110,000- $140,000
Employee Benefits
Visit CSU’s Human Resources Website For Detailed Benefit Plan Information For Eligible Employees In The Following University Benefit Areas
Colorado State University is committed to providing employees with a strong and competitive benefits package that supports you, your health, and your family.
https://hr.colostate.edu/hr-community-and-supervisors/benefits/benefits-eligibility/ and https://hr.colostate.edu/prospective-employees/our-perks/. To see the value of CSU benefits in addition to wages, visit our compensation calculator – https://hr.colostate.edu/total-compensation-calculator/.
Desired Start Date 08/07/2023
Position End Date (if temporary)
To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 11:59pm (MT) on 07/23/2023
Description of Work Unit
The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere ( CIRA ) at Colorado State University ( CSU ) is a multi-million dollar research organization located on CSU’s Foothills Campus in Fort Collins, Colorado. CIRA is a cooperative institute that is also a research department within CSU’s College of Engineering, in partnership with the Department of Atmospheric Science. Its vision is to conduct interdisciplinary research in the atmospheric sciences by entraining skills beyond the meteorological disciplines, exploiting advances in engineering and computer science, facilitating transitional activity between pure and applied research, leveraging both national and international resources and partnerships, and assisting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ) the National Weather Service ( NWS ), CSU , the State of Colorado, and the Nation through the application of our research to areas of societal benefit. The primary goal in the research partnership between CIRA and the NOAA / NWS Meteorological Development Laboratory ( MDL ) in Silver Spring, MD, is to keep abreast of advanced technology and apply it to CIRA and MDL in support of decision support tools and technologies. The partnership is focused upon providing technical expertise to MDL , providing a framework to foster innovation, science sharing, and development of new tools and services within the NWS with the goal of streamlining the transition of research to operations. The MDL develops and implements techniques that generate products and services that enhance the value of NWS forecast products. Prototyping of promising techniques is done to identify those best for implementation. Once developed and vigorously tested, these techniques are implemented in software on NWS operational platforms.
Position Summary
The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere ( CIRA ) at Colorado State University ( CSU ) seeks to hire a full-time User Experience (UX) Designer to collaborate in research and development with the Weather Information and Applications Division ( WIAD ) of the National Weather Service ( NWS ) Meteorological Development Laboratory ( MDL ) in Silver Spring, MD. The individual in this position will work on WIAD’s Impact-based Decision Support Services ( IDSS ) Management System ( IMS ) project, which will create for the NWS a set of nationally consistent and operationally supported tools for IDSS .
This position is located in a federal facility in Silver Spring, MD and requires the ability to pass a National Agency Check with Inquiries ( NACI ) Tier 1 federal background check for building access. The office will be located in Silver Spring; however, the option exists to work remotely from a home/office. Periodic, in-person coordination meetings in Silver Spring and other locations are required, and occasional travel to conduct portions of the research may be required and will be paid by the project. The individual in this position will report to a CIRA Senior Software Engineer / Project Manager who also works on the project.
This position requires prior experience in human-centered design, human-computer interaction, or user experience design. The individual in this position will collaborate with the IMS project team, assess the user experience of IMS , and both research and design solutions that meet users’ needs. This will include planning and conducting user interviews and usability studies, and, to help inform design decisions, learning from users (e.g., weather forecasters and emergency managers) how weather information is used in the decision support and risk assessment/communication process. Solution research and design can be expected to include the comparative evaluation of existing NWS tools; incorporating feedback from field studies, testbed activities, focus groups, or similar methods; incorporating best practices for efficient data visualization and communication; modeling IMS’s web application interfaces and process workflows; and interfacing with IMS’s software engineers so that they can realize solutions in an agile development environment. The work will be iterative, leveraging usability testing and feedback to arrive at validated design solutions, resulting in user interfaces and process workflows that meet user needs, are consistent, and adhere to design best practices. The individual in this position will collaborate with other teams and designers to ensure consistency across a suite of related applications and will also participate in twice-weekly project meetings.
This Position Will Be Classified Research Associate III Or IV According To The Credentials Of The Finalist Selected For Hire As Follows
- For position title Research Associate IV: Bachelor’s Degree in human-centered design, human-computer interaction, user experience design, usability engineering, or a related field (e.g., communications, computer science, psychology, visual design, etc.) PLUS 10+ years’ relevant work experience –OR– Master’s Degree in human-centered design, human-computer interaction, user experience design, usability engineering, or a related field (e.g., communications, computer science, psychology, visual design, etc.) PLUS 5+ years’ relevant work experience –OR– Ph.D. in human-centered design, human-computer interaction, user experience design, usability engineering, or a related field (e.g., communications, computer science, psychology, visual design, etc.) PLUS 2+ years’ relevant work experience.
- For position title Research Associate III : Bachelor’s Degree in human-centered design, human-computer interaction, user experience design, usability engineering, or a related field (e.g., communications, computer science, psychology, visual design, etc.) PLUS 5+ years’ relevant work experience –OR– Master’s Degree in human-centered design, human-computer interaction, user experience design, usability engineering, or a related field (e.g., communications, computer science, psychology, visual design, etc.) PLUS 2+ years’ relevant work experience –OR– Ph.D. in human-centered design, human-computer interaction, user experience design, usability engineering, or a related field (e.g., communications, computer science, psychology, visual design, etc.)
CSU recognizes the importance of supporting its employees as they balance their career, personal and family life, and that employees must be able to recharge, feel protected in their employment, and take the time they need to improve their overall productivity and health. Faculty, Administrative Professional, and other Non-Classified Staff are provided with paid and unpaid leave benefits to support them and their family and enhance financial security. Paid time off accrual rates for full-time employees = 16 hours of annual leave per month and 10 hours of sick leave per month. Employees also receive paid time off for 11 legal holidays, jury duty, and bereavement leave. CSU’s Commitment to Campus offers employees a healthy work-life balance through a wide variety of programs, discounts, and special benefits. This includes Employee Study Privilege (nine free credits per year available through CSU , CSU Global, CSU Online Plus, and University of Northern Colorado), Family Tuition Scholarship Program (50% reduction in tuition), Discounted Veterinary Care, Wellness Membership Discounts, Volunteers in Public Schools Leave Program, Athletic Ticket Discounts, and much more! Visit www.facultyandstaff.colostate.edu to learn more about working at CSU . This information is a summary of commonly used leaves and is not all inclusive of benefits offered at CSU .
Required Job Qualifications
In your cover letter, please specifically address EACH required qualification as it relates to your experience. A cover letter that fails to address the required qualifications for this position may not be considered further after review by the search committee.
- Ability to pass a National Agency Check with Inquiries ( NACI ) Tier 1 federal background check because the position is located inside a federal facility.
- Master’s Degree in human-centered design, human-computer interaction, user experience design, usability engineering, or a related field (e.g., communications, computer science, psychology, visual design, etc.) PLUS 2+ years’ relevant work experience OR
- For Research Associate IV:
- Master’s Degree in human-centered design, human-computer interaction, user experience design, usability engineering, or a related field (e.g., communications, computer science, psychology, visual design, etc.) PLUS 5+ years’ relevant work experience OR
- Ph.D. in human-centered design, human-computer interaction, user experience design, usability engineering, or a related field (e.g., communications, computer science, psychology, visual design, etc.);
- For Research Associate III :
- Must be legally authorized to work in the United States by the start date. CIRA will not sponsor a visa for this position now or in the future.
- Ph.D. in human-centered design, human-computer interaction, user experience design, usability engineering, or a related field (e.g., communications, computer science, psychology, visual design, etc.) PLUS 2+ year’s relevant work experience
- Willingness to occasionally travel as travel may be required for user experience investigations, e.g., to conduct in-person usability tests at one or more user sites. Travel will be paid by the project.
- A portfolio of research and design work—executed by yourself or a team to which you contributed—that showcases your UX research and design skills.
- Bachelor’s Degree in human-centered design, human-computer interaction, user experience design, usability engineering, or a related field (e.g., communications, computer science, psychology, visual design, etc.) PLUS 10+ years’ relevant work experience OR
- Bachelor’s Degree in human-centered design, human-computer interaction, user experience design, usability engineering, or a related field (e.g., communications, computer science, psychology, visual design, etc.) PLUS 5+ years’ relevant work experience OR
Preferred Job Qualifications
In your cover letter, please specifically address the applicable preferred qualifications for this position. A cover letter that fails to address the preferred qualifications for this position may not be considered further after review by the search committee.
- Experience in an Agile software development environment.
- Experience working in governmental or large-scale organizations.
- Experience with project management.
- Experience with NOAA , NASA , or DoD meteorological data systems.
- Experience with data visualization or data-heavy UI implementations.
- The desire to contribute to the NWS mission of saving lives and property.
- Relevant work experience with UIs and workflows that support decision making and/or risk assessment.
- Experience with digital accessibility standards.
- Relevant work experience that demonstrates knowledge of UX design and use of UX design tools, from sketching to high-fidelity prototyping both at the feature and the overall product level.
- Relevant work experience that demonstrates an ability to work with software developers to guide the realization of improved UIs and workflow experiences.
- Experience with designing SaaS products.
- Experience working as a member of a 5 to 10-person team.
- Relevant work experience that demonstrates an ability to work with users to understand their needs and translate those needs into improved UIs and workflow experiences.
- Experience with Figma.
- Relevant work experience that demonstrates knowledge and use of UX research methods, including but not limited to foundational, formative, evaluative, strategic, and tactical approaches.
Diversity Statement
Ability to advance the department’s commitment to diversity and inclusion through research, teaching and outreach with relevant programs, goals and activities.
Essential Duties
Job Duty Category UX Design
Duty/Responsibility
- Collaborate with IMS team members and users to identify and implement improvements to IMS’s UIs and process workflows.
- Review and critique IMS UIs and process workflows.
- As required, coordinate with other design and development teams to ensure design and functionality standardization.
- Participate in weekly project meetings and periodic in-person coordination meetings.
- Advocate for UX design best practices within the organization.
- Plan and conduct UX research into IMS’s UIs and process workflows (to include travel as required).
- Analyze and evaluate research results in order to design and model improvements to IMS’s UIs and process workflows.
Percentage Of Time 90%
Job Duty Category Documentation and Reporting
Duty/Responsibility
- Document the research performed.
- As needed or requested, provide status reports to CIRA and/or the project sponsor.
- Document design decisions and visual artifacts.
- As needed or requested, give or assist with presentations related to IMS .
Percentage Of Time 10%
Application Details
Special Instructions to Applicants
References will not be contacted without prior notification of candidates.
Conditions of Employment Pre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires)
Search Contact
[email protected]
EEO Statement
Colorado State University is committed to providing an environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based on race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, or pregnancy in its employment, programs, services and activities, and admissions, and, in certain circumstances, marriage to a co-worker. The University will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. Colorado State University is an equal opportunity and equal access institution and affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all Federal and Colorado State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. The Office of Equal Opportunity (https://oeo.colostate.edu/) is located in 101 Student Services.
The Title IX Coordinator is the Director of the Office of Title IX Programs and Gender Equity, 123 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-0160, (970) 491-1715,
[email protected].
The Section 504 and ADA Coordinator is the Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity, 101 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-0160, (970) 491-5836,
[email protected].
The Coordinator for any other forms of misconduct prohibited by the University’s Policy on Discrimination and Harassment is the Vice President for Equity, Equal Opportunity and Title IX, 101 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, Co. 80523-0160, (970) 491-5836,
[email protected].
Any person may report sex discrimination under Title IX to the Office of Civil Rights, Department of Education (https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/howto.html) .
Background Check Policy Statement
Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks for the finalist before a final offer. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.
References Requested
References Requested
Minimum Requested 3
Maximum Requested 3
Supplemental Questions
Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
- The successful candidate must be legally authorized to work in the United States by the proposed start date; CIRA will not sponsor a visa for this position now or at any point in the future. Will you be legally authorized to work in the United States by the proposed start date and into the future without visa sponsorship by CIRA?
- Yes
- No
Applicant Documents
Required Documents
- Portfolio
- Resume or CV
- Cover Letter
Optional Documents
