Senior Associate - Survey Methodology - UX - HCI

Westat, Inc.; Bethesda (MD); Hybrid; USD 97,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) Plan

Paid Parental Leave

Vacation Leave

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Disability Insurance

Life Insurance

Employee Stock Ownership Plan

Job summary

Westat, Inc. in Bethesda, MD is seeking a Senior Associate - Survey Methodology with UX/HCI expertise to design and evaluate digital data collection experiences, including web surveys and participant portals.

You will work with methodologists, UX designers, and developers using mixed methods to improve usability, measurement quality, and data integrity, translating findings into actionable recommendations for questionnaires and interfaces.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in HCI, Survey Methodology, Psychology, or related field.
• 5+ years of research in HCI, UX, or survey design.
• Experience with quantitative and qualitative methods, including usability testing.
• Experience using statistical software (R, Python, SAS).

Responsibilities

• Design and evaluate survey questionnaires and digital data collection experiences using HCI and UX research to improve usability.
• Conduct quantitative research including surveys, experiments/A-B tests, and analyses of survey and paradata.
• Conduct qualitative research such as cognitive interviews, usability testing, think-aloud studies.
• Translate findings into actionable recommendations and collaborate with teams to test questionnaires.

Skills

HCI design

UX research

Survey methodology

Questionnaire design

Digital data collection

Mixed methods

Education

Master's degree in HCI or related field

PhD in related field

Tools

R

Python

SAS

Job description

MD - Bethesda

Senior Associate - Survey Methodology - UX - HCI

29803BR

Job Description

Westat is a leader in research, data collection and analysis, technical assistance, evaluation, and communications. Our evidence-based findings help clients in government and the private sector accelerate advancements in health, education, transportation, and social and economic policy. Our dedication to improving lives through research and our approach to projects grounded in investigative curiosity, statistical and data rigor, adaptive methods, and advanced technology are why clients find exceptional value in our work.

The Senior Associate will support the design, development, and evaluation of survey questionnaires and digital data collection tools, including web-based survey instruments, study websites, participant/user portals, and standalone prototypes for collecting healthcare information. The position integrates human-computer interaction (HCI), survey methodology, and quantitative and qualitative UX research to create data collection experiences that are intuitive, accessible, and support high-quality measurement and data collection.

The Senior Associate will apply an understanding of survey response process and user behavior to examine how people comprehend questions, recall and report information, navigate digital interfaces, and make decisions about providing information and consent. Working with survey methodologists, UX/design staff, developers, and subject-matter experts, the researcher will use mixed methods to identify usability and measurement problems and translate findings into evidence-based recommendations for questionnaire and interface design.

Job Responsibilities

• Design and evaluate survey questionnaires and digital data collection experiences, applying survey methodology, HCI, and UX research principles to improve usability, respondent experience, measurement, and data quality.
• Design and conduct quantitative research, including surveys, experiments/A-B tests, and analyses of survey, behavioral/interaction, and paradata to evaluate user behavior and data collection outcomes.
• Conduct qualitative research, including cognitive interviews, usability testing, think-aloud studies, and semi-structured interviews to identify usability and measurement issues.
• Apply mixed-methods approaches to evaluate comprehension, recall, navigation, respondent burden, item nonresponse, measurement error, and other indicators of user experience and data quality.
• Design, prototype, and evaluate web survey instruments, study websites, participant/user portals, and standalone tools for collecting healthcare information.
• Translate quantitative and qualitative findings into actionable recommendations and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to test, refine, and validate questionnaires and data collection systems.

Basic Qualifications

• Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Survey Methodology, Psychology, Human Factors, Information Science, UX Research, Statistics, or a related field.
• 5+ years of relevant professional or applied research experience in HCI, UX research, survey research, questionnaire design, or digital data collection.
• Demonstrated experience designing and conducting both quantitative and qualitative research, including surveys or experiments and usability testing, cognitive interviewing, or related methods.
• Experience designing or evaluating questionnaires and digital data collection tools and analyzing research data using statistical software such as R, Python, SAS, or equivalent tools.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Human-Computer Interaction, Survey Methodology, Psychology, Human Factors, Information Science, UX Research, Statistics, or a related field.
• Experience applying survey methodology and survey response-process principles to questionnaire and interface design, including comprehension, recall, measurement error, respondent burden, and data quality.
• Experience integrating quantitative and qualitative UX research, including analysis of survey, experimental, behavioral/interaction, or paradata, to inform design decisions.
• Experience designing or evaluating healthcare collection systems, including consent/authorization workflows, study portals, or participant-facing tools.

Benefits

Westat offers a well-rounded and comprehensive benefits program focused on wellness and work/life balance. Subject to plan requirements, employees may participate in:

• Employee Stock Ownership Plan
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Paid Parental Leave
• Vacation Leave (15 days per year)
• Sick Leave (9 days per year)
• Holiday Leave (7 government holidays and 2 floating holidays)
• Professional Development
• Health Advocate
• Employee Assistance Program
• Travel Accident Insurance
• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Short Term Disability Insurance
• Long Term Disability Insurance
• Life and AD&D Insurance
• Critical Illness Insurance
• Supplemental Life Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account
• Health Savings Account

Any offer of employment may be contingent upon receipt of acceptable results from a post-offer background screening, if required for the specific position, which may include, for example, identity verification, employment history, motor vehicle driving record history, and criminal or sexual offender records history. Any background screening results will be evaluated through an individualized assessment based on the individual's specific record and the duties and requirements of the position.

This opportunity will be posted for a minimum of 5 days and may be removed from posting after 100 applications have been received.

Employment Eligibility: This is a U.S.-based position. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Westat does not offer employment-based visa sponsorship (including H-1B sponsorship) for this role. Depending on project requirements, some positions may require employees to meet specific residency criteria.

Westat is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, genetic information, or any other protected status under applicable law. It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

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Pay Range

The anticipated salary range for this role is $97k-$115k and will be commensurate with experience.