Design Research Operations Coordinator

Coforma•North Bethesda, MD

3d•$79,453 - $86,901•Remote

About The Position

We are looking for an organized, detail-oriented, and proactive Design Research Operations Coordinator to join our growing, distributed team at Coforma. The Design Research practice at Coforma focuses on understanding, defining, and articulating individual, organization- and system-level needs and opportunities. Design research aims to ensure that design solutions are informed by and responsive to the lived experiences, expertise, and aspirations of a diverse range of human beings and communities. As a Design Research Operations Coordinator, you’ll follow and nurture operational recruitment strategies for one or more of our projects. You’ll work across diverse and complex ecosystems and environments to recruit participants following an established process and best practices, in close collaboration with the Research Operations lead and project team(s). Your primary mission is to strip away the logistical friction, allowing researchers to focus entirely on gathering insights. A typical day in this role might include: Fielding recruitment requests from the client team Recruiting participants for individual studies that match specific screening criteria identified during research planning Following a set process for participant screen, recruiting, scheduling, and technological assistance activities If you’re passionate about improving lives through digital products and services, Coforma is a great company for you.

Requirements

A minimum of 1 year of experience recruiting for and supporting different types of qualitative and quantitative research (interviews, UX sessions, focus groups, surveys, etc.) for digital products or services
Experience protecting sensitive client and research participant data and ensuring security of technology systems, processes, and workflows
Prior experience working with creative teams embedded with cross-functional counterparts in Engineering, Product Management, and Delivery in a fast-paced studio or agency environment
Ability to cultivate strong working relationships across functions and teams and comfortable adapting to challenging or changing situations when new information is presented
Critical thinker who is not afraid to ask questions, question assumptions, and offer suggestions to help reinvent and improve established ways of working
Experience with a variety of user research recruitment platforms and tools and a willingness to learn new methods, technologies, and tools as needed
Full-time resident of the contiguous United States (must be legally authorized to work in the US now and in the future without sponsorship)
Must be able to successfully pass any applicable background and/or security checks related to project requirements
Will prioritize and maintain access to strong, reliable internet for the remote nature of our work, except when on vacation or holiday.
Will keep the highest security practices to ensure privacy and security of Coforma and client information, given the nature of our work, even when on vacation.
On request and with advanced notice, will attend in-person events such as meetings, workshops, and trainings as assigned for projects that require it.
Will represent Coforma professionally and sincerely, modeling our Company Values in all interactions.

Responsibilities

Support the end-to-end recruitment process by executing screening and scheduling tasks for various design studies, using online user research recruitment platforms and Coforma’s existing partnerships with recruitment vendors.
Contribute to and implement the recruitment plans and screeners, identifying qualified participants based on pre-defined criteria, and coordinating session timing and logistics to ensure a smooth handoff to researchers.
Refine vetting techniques and ensure the participant pool accurately reflects the project’s specific requirements.
Handle the day-to-day administration of participant incentives to ensure timely delivery following session completion.
Serve as the first point of contact for participant inquiries regarding payments, resolving standard issues independently while escalating more complex financial or vendor hurdles.
Provide front-line technical assistance to ensure participants can successfully access and navigate research sessions.
Troubleshoot common audio, video, or login issues and confirm that participants are comfortable with the necessary tools before a study begins.
Assist in maintaining accurate records of recruitment progress, attendance, and participant history.
Help prepare status updates for the Government research team and ensure that all administrative tasks align with the Research Ops Lead’s data privacy and security standards.
Complete new hire orientation training and familiarize yourself with Coforma’s onboarding Guide.
Confirm proper access to internal and external systems, Google Drive folders, and attend regular meetings.
Train on internal tools such as Slack, Mural, Confluence, Google Docs and Sheets, and Unanet.
Begin onboarding and orienting to your new project and meet key project team members and key stakeholders.
Complete work against established objectives as discussed or agreed upon with your manager and/or the Research Ops Lead.
Support the recruitment and scheduling process.
Confidently navigate tools and systems related to participant recruitment.
Identify skills or knowledge gaps and establish a professional development plan for yourself in coordination with your manager.
Identify opportunities to evolve and improve current research operations practices based on first-hand project experience, in partnership with the Research Ops Lead.