Human-Centered Design (HCD) Research Lead – Federal Health

Cogent People Inc•Columbia, MD

7h•Hybrid

About The Position

Cogent People Inc. is seeking an experienced, strategic Human-Centered Design (HCD) Research Lead to guide and execute design research and user experience strategy in support of complex federal health systems. This role is responsible for ensuring that systems supporting Medicare and Medicaid program, particularly those used by state agencies, are intuitive, accessible, and aligned with real user needs. The HCD Research Lead translates user insights, policy constraints, and technical requirements into actionable design strategies, research plans, and user-centered solutions. This role requires deep expertise in UX/UI design, strong leadership capabilities, and experience working within federal healthcare environments. Success in this role requires the ability to influence cross-functional teams, mentor designers and researchers, and embed human-centered design practices into large-scale system delivery. The position is contingent upon award of the project.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or higher in Human-Centered Design, Human-Centered Design Engineering (HCDE), Human-Computer Interaction, User Experience (UX) Design, Informatics, Design, Psychology, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
7+ years of experience in UX research, UI/UX design, or human-centered design within federal or healthcare environments
Demonstrated experience leading HCD or UX teams on complex, enterprise-scale systems
Strong expertise in both UX research methodologies and UI design principles
Experience supporting federal healthcare agencies (e.g., CMS, HHS, or state Medicaid programs)
Exceptional communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders and present to leadership
Proficiency with design and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD) and collaboration platforms
Strong understanding of accessibility standards (Section 508, WCAG)
Ability to translate complex policy and technical requirements into intuitive user experiences
Proven ability to operate independently while collaborating across multidisciplinary teams
Strong attention to detail with a commitment to delivering high-quality and accurate work.
Proven ability to manage time and prioritize tasks in a fast-paced environment.
Demonstrated problem-solving skills with a proactive and solution-oriented mindset.

Nice To Haves

Experience designing systems used by state agencies administering Medicare or Medicaid programs
Familiarity with CMS design standards, USDS digital services playbook, or USWDS
Experience integrating HCD practices into Agile and DevSecOps environments
Background in service design, systems thinking, or journey orchestration
Interest in leveraging AI/LLMs to enhance user research, synthesis, and design workflows
Interest in responsibly leveraging AI/LLMs to enhance capture research, analysis, and knowledge management
Ability to collaborate effectively with software engineering, data, integration, and delivery teams to align technical solutions with customer mission needs

Responsibilities

Lead the development and execution of human-centered design strategies for federal health IT programs
Define and institutionalize HCD methodologies, standards, and best practices
Guide the integration of UX research and UI design into agile delivery lifecycles
Serve as the primary advocate for user needs across business, technical, and policy stakeholders
Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and user-focused design culture
Assign work, manage priorities, and ensure high-quality deliverables across the HCD function
Design and oversee qualitative and quantitative research efforts including interviews, usability testing, journey mapping, and surveys
Synthesize complex user, stakeholder, and policy inputs into actionable insights and design recommendations
Ensure research reflects the needs of diverse user groups, including state Medicaid agencies and CMS stakeholders
Translate findings into personas, service blueprints, workflows, and experience maps
Provide hands-on leadership in UI design, interaction design, and information architecture
Establish and maintain design systems, UI standards, and accessibility compliance (e.g., Section 508)
Oversee the creation of wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity designs aligned with user needs and technical constraints
Ensure consistency and usability across complex, multi-user systems
Partner with product owners, engineers, data teams, and program leadership to align design with system capabilities and constraints
Facilitate design workshops, stakeholder interviews, and co-creation sessions
Communicate design rationale and research findings to technical and non-technical audiences, including federal clients
Support proposal and capture efforts by contributing to solution design, win themes, and UX differentiators