Accessibility Specialist

Ad Hoc•Columbia, MD

3d•Remote

About The Position

Ad Hoc is a technology company that empowers organizations to deliver scalable, impactful digital services. Using modern, agile methods, our team creates products that meet people’s needs and transform their experience of government. We are seeking a hands-on, strategic Accessibility Specialist to serve as a technical leader for accessibility modernization efforts supporting the Enterprise Copyright System (ECS) project. In this role, you will balance the immediate remediation of existing accessibility issues with long-term risk reduction. You will help establish prioritization frameworks, provide technical guidance, strengthen accessibility testing, and implement safeguards that prevent accessibility defects from reaching production. You will partner closely with engineering, design, QA, and client stakeholders to embed accessibility throughout the product development lifecycle and help ensure the platform meets WCAG 2.1 AA and Section 508 standards.

Requirements

Strong knowledge of modern web accessibility standards, including WCAG 2.1 AA and Section 508, with hands-on experience using accessibility testing technologies such as NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, axe-core, ANDI, or similar tools.
Ability to identify systemic accessibility issues and determine when defects originate from shared components, design patterns, application architecture, or implementation practices.
Ability to look beyond individual accessibility issues and develop scalable approaches that reduce recurring defects and improve accessibility across products and teams.
Strong communication skills with the ability to navigate complex technical discussions, build trust across disciplines, and advocate for accessibility as a shared responsibility.
Experience working across engineering, design, QA, and product teams in modern software development environments, including complex or multi-repository applications.
Ability to mentor teams, provide practical accessibility guidance, and help integrate accessibility considerations throughout the software development lifecycle.
Bachelor's degree and 5+ years of relevant professional experience (Relevant years of experience may be substituted for education).
Professional experience with digital accessibility, web development, software quality assurance, UX engineering, or a related technical discipline.
Working knowledge of WCAG 2.1 AA and Section 508 requirements.
Hands-on experience evaluating web applications using both automated and manual accessibility testing methods.
Experience working with assistive technologies such as NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, or similar tools.
Experience collaborating with software engineering, design, product, and QA teams to identify and resolve accessibility issues.
Experience working with modern web technologies and understanding how HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and component-based design can impact accessibility.

Nice To Haves

Experience integrating automated accessibility testing into CI/CD pipelines using tools such as axe-core, Pa11y, or similar technologies.
Experience working with or contributing to reusable component libraries or Design Systems.
Experience supporting accessibility remediation within large or complex web applications.
Familiarity with design and collaboration tools such as Figma, Miro, Adobe, or similar platforms.
Experience supporting federal government digital services or other regulated environments.
Accessibility certifications such as IAAP CPACC, WAS, DHS Trusted Tester, or equivalent credentials.

Responsibilities

Lead accessibility audits across the Design System and development pipeline, identifying shared components and systemic issues that contribute to accessibility defects across the platform.
Identify and address high-impact accessibility issues, including reusable components and patterns where remediation can improve accessibility across multiple areas of the platform.
Develop and maintain a framework for prioritizing accessibility issues based on factors such as user impact, severity, frequency, architectural reach, remediation effort, and compliance risk. Use this framework to guide backlog prioritization and engineering investment.
Partner with UX, engineering, QA, and the client's accessibility stakeholders to prioritize accessibility work, resolve complex issues, and guide technical conversations with delivery teams.
Work within the Design System platform and codebase to identify gaps, refine components, and support WCAG 2.1 AA conformance across real-world implementations.
Collaborate with test and engineering teams to strengthen accessibility testing within CI/CD pipelines using tools such as axe-core, Pa11y, ANDI, or similar technologies.
Mentor and upskill QA, engineering, design, and delivery teams to build broader accessibility expertise and establish shared ownership throughout the development lifecycle.