Senior UX researcher-101138

Swoon; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 83,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Optional benefits

Potential extension/convert to full‑t‑

Job summary

Swoon is seeking a SR UX researcher to join the Shop Team in Chicago. The role focuses on researching and shaping the user experience from concept through prototype, testing, and documentation, collaborating with designers, engineers, and product owners.

The ideal candidate offers 8+ years in UX research, strong empathy and adaptive thinking, solid UI knowledge, and a compelling portfolio demonstrating the ability to articulate the research process.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in UX research with best practices in UX.
• 8+ years focusing on empathy and synthesis of stakeholder and user sentiment.
• 8+ years focusing on adaptive thinking and handling changing requirements.
• Thorough understanding of UI best practices, UI design, and graphic design theory.
• Experience managing multiple projects and deadlines.
• Portfolio demonstrating your expertise and ability to articulate your process.

Responsibilities

• Translate research and test findings into actionable, prioritized recommendations for UI designs.
• Clarify user, customer, and business needs and translate into concepts for compelling interactions and user experience.
• Understand research methodologies and experience facilitating research.
• Experience integrating user research into product designs and design practices.
• Communicate with designers on prototype requirements to test and iterate.
• Document key goals, themes, elements, and behaviors to be implemented by downstream UI teams.
• Create shareable UX artifacts based on the team’s research and activities (journey maps, storyboards, user flows).
• Document the overall UX strategy leveraged across downstream partners.
• Prioritize research needs/backlog based on product roadmap.

Skills

UX Research

Empathy

Adaptive thinking

UI design

Graphic design theory

Prototyping tools

Project management

Portfolio

Education

B.S. in a UX-related field

Job description

• If the candidates are only a UX designer, they will not be considered

Title: (SR UX researcher) Digital UI/UX Designer 4-101138

Location: Hybrid; onsite Chicago, IL M-F- must be comfortable going onsite downtown as needed and up to 5 days if a return to office is reinstated (if not local must be open to relocating on own dime and must be onsite 2 weeks from offer day 1 of contract)

Type: Contract

Pay: $61.33/hr on w2-w2 only, MAX+no flex with rate

Length: 12 months-large possibility to extend

Screenings: full panel drug and background once hired

IV process: 1 or 2 rounds

+optional benefits, long term contract with ability to extend or convert to full time

Must Haves:

• 8+ yrs of experience in UX Research and knowledge of user experience best practices desired, preferably within a corporate environment or B2B environment.
• B.S. or higher in Human Computer Interaction, Human Factors, Psychology, or other UX-related field or substitute additional 2-3 years of experience
• 8+ years of experience with a focus on: Empathy; We’re looking for methods of their organization and synthesis of both stakeholder and user sentiment. How much do they capture from opportunities to empathize, how is it used, do they listen with openness to learn?
• 8+ years of experience with a focus on: Adaptive Thinking;We’re looking for ability to quickly pivot with changing requirements and understandings of the product. Are challenges seen as learning opportunities? Do they work with others with an openness to change, but also able to confidently make decisions of their own?
• Must possess a thorough understanding of UI best practices, UI design, and essential graphic design theory
• Able to produce results independently as well as collaboratively in a team environment
• Experience and proficiency in UI layout, spec, and prototyping tools
• Experience managing multiple projects and deadlines
• Portfolio demonstrating your expertise and ability to articulate your process

Soft Skills

(Required)

• Outstanding communication, organization, time management, and interpersonal skills
• Exceptional data storytelling capability
• Choppy tenure/ job hopping
• If the candidates are only a UX designer, they will not be considered

Typical task breakdown:

Responsibilities:

• Translate research and test findings into actionable, prioritized recommendations for UI designs.
• Ability to clarify user, customer, and business needs and translate into concepts for compelling interactions and user experience
• Understanding of research methodologies and experience facilitating research
• Experience integrating user research into product designs and design practices
• Communicate with designers on prototype requirements to test and iterate
• Document key goals, themes, elements, and behaviors that must be implemented by downstream UI teams
• Create shareable UX artifacts based on the team’s research and activities (such as journey maps, storyboards, and user flows, etc)
• Document the overall UX strategy (UI, physical attributes, guiding principles, and more) that will be leveraged across all downstream partners
• Prioritize research needs/backlog based on product roadmap

Interaction with team

• The team consists of 11 members supporting different workstreams and 2 interns
• Will interact with designers and product owners.
• Stakeholder management is key.

Position’s Contributions to Work Group

• We are seeking a UX/UI Researcher for the Shop Team. The UX Researcher will utilize their knowledge of human computer interactions and best user research practices to support the concept, prototype, test, and documentation of the preferred user interface. They must recognize where research and testing would be valuable to inform or improve the concepts and coordinate with the team to understand the user’s needs. They will work closely with designers, engineers, strategists, and management to communicate the vision and path forward. This person will be responsible for documenting the preferred experience, creating visual artifacts (reports), and handoff.

Job Overview:

• Translate research and test findings into actionable, prioritized recommendations for UI designs.
• Ability to clarify user, customer, and business needs and translate into concepts for compelling interactions and user experience
• Understanding of research methodologies and experience facilitating research
• Experience integrating user research into product designs and design practices
• Communicate with design on prototype requirements to test and iterate
• Document key goals, themes, elements, and behaviors that must be implemented by downstream UI teams
• Create shareable UX artifacts based on the team’s research and activities (such as journey maps, storyboards, and user flows, etc)
• Document the overall UX strategy (UI, physical attributes, guiding principles, and more) that will be leveraged across all downstream partners
• Prioritize research needs/backlog based on product roadmap