User Interface Designer III

Jet Propulsion Laboratory; United States; On-site; USD 140,000 - 178,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement plans

Paid time off

Flexible schedule

Job summary

Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California seeks a Human-Centered Designer / UX Designer III to join the Human-Centered Design Group. You will design Web, AR, and VR interfaces for mission design and operations, applying user research to inform product development and adoption.

The role involves guiding studies, prototyping, validating solutions, collaborating with diverse engineers and scientists, and educating partners on AI/data science uses within mission contexts.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Interaction Design, or related field with 6+ years of experience; or Master's with 4+ years; or PhD with 2+ years.
• Experience with UX research methods, including AR/VR.
• Strong portfolio showing human-centered design based on research.

Responsibilities

• Discover real problems to solve for missions or projects.
• Design research studies and develop materials (scripts, low fidelity prototypes).
• Conduct user research and analyze data to identify unmet needs.
• Help prioritize development roadmap and communicate findings.

Skills

UX research

Web design

AR/VR design

AI ethics

Prototyping

Agile/Scrum

Education

Bachelor's in HCI / related

Master's/PhD preferred

Tools

Prototyping tools

Front-end prototyping

Job description

Job Details New ideas are all around us, but only a few will change the world. That’s our focus at JPL. We ask the biggest questions, then search the universe for answers—literally. We build upon ideas that have guided generations, then share our discoveries to inspire generations to come. Your mission—your opportunity is to seek out the answers that bring us one step closer.

If you’re driven to discover, create, and inspire something that lasts a lifetime and beyond, you’re ready for JPL. Located in Pasadena, California, JPL has a campus-like environment situated on 177 acres in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and offers a work environment unlike any other: we inspire passion, foster innovation, build collaboration, and reward excellence.

Responsibilities:

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Data Science and AI Section performs scientific investigations, advanced technology research, engineering developments, and system implementations encompassing data analytics, artificial intelligence, and human-centered systems to support NASA's space exploration missions.

The Human-Centered Design Group within this section designs user interfaces, workflows, and processes for the ground systems used by mission operations engineers to design NASA missions or command NASA spacecraft, and by scientists to understand remote sensing data and plan scientific campaigns.

The Data Science and AI section at JPL is looking for a Human-Centered Designer /User Experience Designer III to join the Human-Centered Design Group. As a member of this group, you will have an opportunity to be involved with a highly diverse engineering and science team, designing Web, AR, and VR applications for mission design and operations.

Tasks include but are not limited to:

• Requirements discovery, refinement and validation
• Uncovering, identifying and communicating new use cases for the technologies
• Designing interactions and interfaces for software
• Designing processes and procedures for human workflows
• Providing support and onboarding new users
• Demonstrating the product to new teams and driving adoption through constant improvement.
• Information architecture, service design and operations testing
• Educating partners on the appropriate uses of AI and data science for their context.
• Change management planning and processes, to help expert users adopt new ways of operating seamlessly.
• Designing and implementing clear training programs and content
• Designing and implementing internal communications products to explain complex concepts to specialized audiences

The User Interface Designer will be solely responsible for:

• Discovering and defining the real problem to be solved, on behalf of the mission or project
• Designing research studies, both short and long, to answer key questions
• Developing research materials (scripts, low fidelity prototypes, etc)
• Conducting research, alone or with help, on existing tools, workflows, behaviors, features and needs analysis.
• Identifying unmet user needs and development opportunities
• Helping the team prioritize and define the development roadmap
• Writing and presenting findings to team
• Design, prototyping, validating and refinement of the solutions identified as having merit.

Qualifications:

• Typically requires a Bachelor's degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Interaction Design, or a related discipline with a minimum of 6 years of related work experience; or a Master's degree in a similar discipline with a minimum of 4 years of related work experience; or a PhD in a similar discipline with a minimum of 2 years of related work experience.
• Demonstrated understanding of UX research methods, including for augmented reality and virtual reality
• An understanding of Web, AR and VR design best practices
• Understanding of AI ethical implications, uses, technologies and potential
• A portfolio of design projects showing a strong human-centered approach and based on research.
• Experience organizing and moderating both individual research sessions and group research.
• Have a strong grasp of research methods and data analysis, both quantitative and qualitative.
• Excellent organizational, communication, interpersonal and collaboration skills.
• Storyboarding, wireframing, mockup and prototyping skills.
• Understanding of Agile Scrum practices and philosophies
• Software development skills for prototyping and front end production purposes
• Experience creating AI-driven science interpretation applications, agents or technologies
• Experience designing training programs or content, and understanding of didactic methodologies
• A strong portfolio demonstrating ability to solve wicked problems using design methodology and communicate complex information in clean, simple ways.

JPL has a catalog of benefits and perks that span from the traditional to the unique. This includes a variety of health, dental, vision, wellbeing, and retirement plans, paid time off, learning, rideshare, childcare, flexible schedule, parental leave and many more. Our focus is on work-life balance, and living healthy, fulfilling lives as we Dare Mighty Things Together.

For benefits eligible positions, benefits are effective the first day of the month coincident with or immediately following the employee’s start date.

For further benefits information

The hiring range displayed below is specifically for those who will work in or reside in the location listed. In extending an offer, Jet Propulsion Laboratory considers factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s job related skills, experience, knowledge, and relevant education/training. The typical full time equivalent annual hiring range for this job in Pasadena, California. $140,088 - $177,736

JPL is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy or perceived pregnancy, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, protected military or veteran status or any other characteristic or condition protected by Federal, state or local law. In addition, JPL is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor. EEO is the Law. EEO is the Law Supplement Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a federal facility. Due to rules imposed by NASA, JPL will not accept applications from citizens of designated countries or those born in a designated country unless they are U.S. Citizens, Legal Permanent Residents of the U.S or have other protected status under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). The Designated Countries List is available here.

Formed in 1936, the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a federally funded research and development center managed for NASA by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech.) JPL joined NASA as an FFRDC when the agency was founded in 1958. JPL helped open the Space Age by developing America’s first Earth-orbiting science satellite, creating the first successful interplanetary spacecraft, and sending robotic missions to the solar system. Today JPL continues its world-leading innovation, implementing programs in planetary exploration, Earth science, space-based astronomy and technology development while applying its capabilities to technical and scientific problems of national significance. Above all, we are explorers. At JPL we promote collaboration, innovation, integrity, and excellence in distinct academic areas. We turn ideas for science investigation into the reality of groundbreaking space missions, partnering with our strategic business teams to guide JPL into the future.