Accessibility Specialist - Contingent

Aretum•McLean, VA

3d•Remote

About The Position

Aretum is seeking an Accessibility Specialist to join our team supporting a large-scale federal technology modernization program. As an Accessibility Specialist, you will be embedded within a User Experience and Accessibility Services workstream, performing accessibility evaluation throughout the software development lifecycle using both automated and manual techniques. You will evaluate design concepts and coded solutions against Section 508 (36 C.F.R. 1194.1), WCAG 2.1 A and AA, and applicable agency digital accessibility standards, beginning during wireframing and continuing through high-fidelity prototypes and code review. You will document accessibility issues and fixes in the program's tracking systems, author Accessibility Conformance Reports (ACRs) and Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates (VPATs) prior to major releases, and collaborate daily with the program's accessibility leads, product owners, UX designers, and developers to ensure accessibility issues are identified early and remediated within sprint cadence. This is a hands-on role that requires deep, current expertise in digital accessibility evaluation and the ability to work effectively inside a SAFe Agile environment. Due to the nature of our work as a federal consulting organization, employees may be expected to handle Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and must adhere to applicable safeguarding and compliance requirements.

Requirements

Minimum 3 years of applicable experience as a digital accessibility specialist evaluating web applications throughout the software development lifecycle using both automated and manual techniques
Bachelor's degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field (or equivalent additional experience)
Demonstrated, hands-on experience evaluating web applications against WCAG 2.1 A and AA, Section 508 (36 C.F.R. 1194.1), and equivalent federal digital accessibility standards
Hands-on proficiency with manual screen reader testing using JAWS and NVDA
Hands-on proficiency with accessibility evaluation tools including aXe, pa11y, ANDI, and a Color Contrast Analyzer
Demonstrated experience authoring Accessibility Conformance Reports (ACRs) and/or Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates (VPATs) for software products
Experience evaluating design artifacts (wireframes, mockups, prototypes, design system components) in Figma for accessibility conformance prior to developer handoff
Experience documenting accessibility issues, fixes, and test evidence in Jira and Confluence, with the ability to map findings to specific WCAG success criteria and provide actionable remediation guidance to developers
Experience working in Agile/Scrum environments, integrating accessibility evaluation into sprint cadence rather than as a downstream activity
Working knowledge of the User-Centered Design (UCD) process and the ability to embed accessibility into Discovery, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Validate phases
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to provide clear status updates, collaborate with designers and developers on remediation, and present accessibility results to government stakeholders

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting federal government clients
DHS Trusted Tester certification with experience applying the Trusted Tester conformance test process
IAAP certification (CPACC, WAS, or CPWA)
Experience working in a SAFe environment with multiple synchronized Scrum teams and Program Increment (PI) planning
Experience contributing accessibility guidance to a shared enterprise design system
Experience supporting user research with participants who rely on assistive technology, including advocating for their inclusion in research protocols
Experience evaluating Angular web applications and responsive design implementations for accessibility conformance
Familiarity with GitLab CI/CD pipelines and the integration of automated accessibility scans (e.g., aXe, pa11y) into continuous integration workflows

Responsibilities

Evaluate design concepts for accessibility issues and opportunities in alignment with applicable federal digital accessibility standards, providing expert guidance on how to address gaps in design concepts
Collaborate with the program's accessibility lead and federal accessibility staff to ensure early identification and resolution of accessibility barriers
Conduct manual and automated accessibility evaluations on coded solutions, beginning during wireframing and continuing through high-fidelity prototypes and code review
Document accessibility issues and fixes in the program's project tracking and documentation systems, with WCAG 2.1 success criteria mapping, severity classification, and clear remediation guidance for developers
Report accessibility test results on coded solutions and ongoing issues per Sprint and on a major release basis for the federal accessibility team's review and validation
Author Accessibility Conformance Reports (ACRs) and/or Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates (VPATs) prior to major releases, aligned to Section 508 and applicable agency accessibility standards
Produce accessibility review notes, annotated design files, issue summaries, and full accessibility conformance evaluation reports as program deliverables
Verify accessible code per the standards defined in the applicable Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan and support remediation of accessibility issues identified in the program backlog
Ensure designs and patterns support users without vision; with limited vision; without perception of color; without hearing; with limited hearing; without speech; with limited manipulation; with limited reach and strength; and with limited language, cognitive, and learning abilities
Proactively identify potential accessibility barriers in design and development solutions and raise them for discussion and remediation with the program's accessibility architects and product owners, working closely with the development team to ensure successful remediation
Review documentation of accessibility considerations included with design handoffs in collaboration with federal accessibility staff
Participate in the User-Centered Design (UCD) process (Discover, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Validate) ensuring accessibility is considered from the earliest stages of UX work, including information architecture, wireframes, visual design, and content strategy
Participate fully in SAFe Agile ceremonies (Sprint Planning, Daily Standup, Sprint Review, Retrospective, and Backlog Refinement), planning and estimating accessibility work within normal sprint workflows rather than as external dependencies
Contribute to design system governance by reviewing proposed components, patterns, and tokens against WCAG 2.1 A and AA standards prior to final approval
Coordinate with product owners, federal subject matter experts, software engineering staff, user experience design staff, accessibility staff, and IT security staff as needed to align accessibility work with program priorities