Senior UX Designer/Researcher (Accessibility Specialist)

TeamSoft; Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 83,000 - 124,000; Full time

Job summary

TeamSoft is seeking a Senior UX Designer/Researcher (Accessibility Specialist) in Des Moines, IA, on a contract basis. You will lead UX research, usability testing, and accessibility integration across product teams, translating complex district data into usable journeys and interfaces.

You will collaborate with the Lead UX Architect and cross‑functional stakeholders to ensure standards are scalable, inclusive, and aligned with WCAG 2.2 AA guidelines.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of UX research, usability testing, heuristic evaluations, journey mapping, and IA.
• 8+ years WCAG 2.2 AA knowledge with focus management and keyboard navigation.
• Advanced proficiency in Figma, wireframing, and interactive prototyping.
• Ability to communicate research findings clearly to tech teams and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Design, plan, and execute formal UX research and usability labs.
• Audit interfaces with WCAG 2.2 AA during design iterations.
• Translate district data reporting into clear user journeys and personas.
• Structure data-heavy reporting with information architecture and card sorting.
• Integrate accessibility from the ground up with design systems and WCAG.
• Collaborate with Lead UX Architect and stakeholders to scale standards.

Skills

UX Research

Heuristic Evaluations

Information Architecture

Figma & Prototyping

Stakeholder Communication

WCAG 2.2 AA

Education

UX/HCI degree

NNG Certification

Google UX Certification

Tools

USWDS

HTML5

CSS

Angular

.NET

Crazy Egg

Hotjar

Job description

Job Title

Senior UX Designer/Researcher (Accessibility Specialist)

Client

Direct State Client

Location

Des Moines, IA

Position Type

Contract (40 hrs/week)

Core Responsibilities

• UX Research & Usability Testing: Design, plan, and execute formal user experience research. Moderate hands‑on user testing sessions and run usability labs to resolve workflow friction.
• Heuristic Evaluations: Audit early layouts and interfaces against usability best practices and design standards.
• User Journey & Persona Mapping: Translate complex district data reporting and environmental workflows into clear user journeys and behavioral personas.
• Information Architecture: Structure data‑heavy reporting categories logically using techniques such as card sorting.
• Accessibility Integration (WCAG 2.2 AA): Integrate digital accessibility from the ground up, aligning design systems and research with WCAG standards to ensure services are universally accessible.
• Collaborative Design & Communication: Partner with the Lead UX Architect and cross‑functional agency stakeholders to scale digital standards, articulate research findings, and optimize UI.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• UX Research Mastery (8+ Years): Demonstrated experience moderating user testing sessions, running usability labs, executing heuristic evaluations, mapping user journeys, and managing information architecture.
• WCAG 2.2 Level AA Expertise (8+ Years): Practical knowledge of implementing WCAG 2.2 Level AA requirements, focus management, keyboard navigation mechanics, and color contrast principles within visual layouts.
• Figma & Prototyping: Advanced proficiency in Figma, wireframing, and interactive prototyping.
• Stakeholder Communication: Ability to clearly explain user research insights, interface design choices, and usability standards to technical teams, developers, and agency stakeholders.

Preferred Experience & Optional Assets

• Education: Formal UX/HCI degree (Iowa State University HCI program graduates highly desired) or certifications (Nielsen Norman Group, Google UX).
• Research Analytics: Experience with heat maps and behavior analysis tools (e.g., Crazy Egg, Hotjar).
• Systems & Frameworks: Familiarity with the U.S. Web Design System (USWDS), semantic HTML5/CSS, or design integration into Angular/.NET environments.

#INDTS

TeamSoft is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other protected status under federal, state, or local law. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace.