Senior/Staff User Researcher

Skylight

7h•$150,000 - $203,000•Remote

About The Position

At Skylight, user researchers play a critical role in planning, designing, and carrying out research activities with users to help teams gain a deep understanding of the people that use government services. This research informs policy, service, content, and interaction design so that government services work well for users and achieve policy intent.

Requirements

Ability to align user research activities with organizational strategy and objectives
Can correctly apply a wide range of user research methods at different stages of the product life cycle
Understand how to include all kinds of users in appropriate research activities to help teams deliver accessible services
Can turn research data into clear findings that inform decisions
Ability to lead research on a cross-functional, agile team and influence product, design, and policy direction
Experience setting research direction across multiple workstreams and mentoring other researchers (staff level)
Ability to work successfully within a professional services environment (e.g., can communicate effectively with clients)
Passionate about creating better public outcomes through great government services
A mindset and work approach that aligns with our core values
Ability to travel for work from time to time
All work must be conducted within the U.S., excluding U.S. territories.
Must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. now and in the future without sponsorship.
May be required to obtain a public trust or security clearance.
Must complete a company background check successfully.

Nice To Haves

Experience researching services that handle sensitive personal data (e.g., tax, financial, or benefits information)
Prior experience working in the civic tech space
Experience working in a remote-team environment

Responsibilities

Develop research plans (e.g., what methods to use) in alignment with the strategic context of the project
Find and connect with good user research participants
Apply a mix of quantitative and qualitative user research techniques (e.g., user interviews, contextual inquiry) to gain a greater understanding of user needs
Find and connect with research participants, including in a context shaped by privacy and security constraints around federal tax information
Translate research findings into service and product design hypotheses, then validate them through usability testing
Clearly communicate findings to internal and external collaborators, and maintain organized, well-written documentation throughout the research process
Guide the direction of the service, continually advocate for users, and help raise the research bar and mentor others across the team

Benefits

Medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance
Short-term and long-term disability insurance
Life and AD&D insurance
Dependent care FSA, healthcare FSA, health savings account
Dollar-for-dollar 401(k) match up to 10% of your salary with no vesting period
Flexible paid time off policy (generally around 25 days per year), plus 11 paid federal holidays
Up to 12 weeks paid time off for all eligible new birth, adoption, or foster parents
Performance rewards, including annual salary increase, annual performance bonus, spot bonuses, and stock options
Business development / sales bonuses
Referral bonuses
Annual $2,000 allowance for professional development
Annual $750 allowance for tech-related purchases
Annual swag budget of $100 to display your Skylight pride with some merchandise (hoodies, hats, and more)
Dollar-for-dollar charity donation matching, up to $500 per year
Flexible, remote-friendly work environment
An environment that empowers you to unleash your superpowers for public good