The Designer/Researcher will focus on user-centered design and research for government programs, collaborating with teams to implement effective solutions for users' needs.
About Nava
Nava is a consultancy and public benefit corporation working to make government services simple and effective. Since 2015, federal, state, and local agencies have trusted Nava to help solve highly scrutinized technology modernization challenges.
As a client services company, we guide agencies constrained by legacy systems to a future with sharp user experiences built on secure, reliable, fault-tolerant cloud infrastructure. We bill for our time, offering our expertise and problem-solving approach to help our government partners enhance their digital products and services. People are at the heart of our work, from members of the public who rely on benefit programs to government agency staff. Through human-centered design and modern engineering best practices, we help our government partners understand user needs and deliver on their missions more effectively. This focus gives everyone at Nava the opportunity to do work that is meaningful, impactful, and deeply connected to public good.
Position Summary
Nava is at the forefront of reimagining how our government serves its people, and we’re looking for a Designer/Researcher to help drive this mission forward.
As a Designer/Researcher at Nava, you’ll collaborate on the design and research efforts of our work with the government, for programs that affect millions of Americans. You’ll work on cross-functional teams, moving from concept to implementation and championing user needs with everything from user research to prototyping to designing systems. You’ll bring us closer to the people we ultimately serve, helping deliver high-quality work that is simple, empathetic, and accessible.
You will be working within the government ecosystem, collaborating dynamically with other government contractors and civil servants. This means you'll likely encounter different working styles, and cultural norms, and be responsible for maintaining order and focus in complex stakeholder ecosystems.
What you'll do
- Apply a service design mindset to challenges with a relentless focus on user needs
- Propel understanding of users, by running quantitative and qualitative user research initiatives and sharing findings with internal and external collaborators
- Drive research ideas from concept to production, from diagramming to drafting research plans to conducting user interviews
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary Nava product teams and government staff to drive service-level changes to product direction
Required skills
- Years of experience: At least two years of experience working as a service designer or researcher working with product teams within a professional working environment
- Experience mapping and driving systemic improvements within complex service environments
- Depth of experience in conducting, synthesizing, and communicating qualitative research
- Understanding of web and mobile user interface design best practices
- Relentlessly curious mindset, never satisfied with easy answers
- Equal parts systems thinker and advocate for users
- Highly resourceful, reliable, and detail-oriented
- Ability to think strategically around trade-offs and short term vs. long term benefits
- Ability to build and form strong relationships with the internal team and external partners
- An adaptive, empathetic, collaborative and positive mindsetExcellent written and verbal communication skills, technical and otherwise
Other requirements
- Must be legally authorized to work in the United States and meet any other requirements for government contracts for which they are hired.
- Candidates who are offered a job with Nava must possess work authorization that does not require sponsorship by their employer for a visa now or in the future.
- May be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information or applicants who are eligible for security clearances.
Please include a portfolio with your application. Applications without an online portfolio will not be considered.
Other requirements
All roles at Nava require the following:
Legal authorization to work in the United States
Ability to meet any other requirements for government contracts for which candidates are hired
Work authorization that doesn’t require visa sponsorship, now or in the future
May be subject to a government background check or security clearance, depending on the contract
Perks working with Nava
Health coverage — comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans to support your overall health needs
Insurance coverage — Nava provides disability, life, and accidental death insurance at no cost
Time off — vacation, holidays (including Juneteenth), and floating holidays to rest and recharge
Company holidays — enjoy 12 paid federal holidays each year on top of your regular PTO
Annual bonus — when Nava meets its goals, eligible employees receive a performance-based annual bonus
Parental leave — paid time off for new parents, plus weekly meals delivered to your home
Wellness program — full platform offering physical, mental, & emotional health resources & support tools
Virtual care — see doctors online with no copay through UnitedHealthcare’s virtual visit program
Sabbatical leave — earn extended unpaid leave after continuous service for personal growth or rest
401(k) match — Nava matches 4% of your salary to support your retirement savings plan
Flexible work — remote-first environment with flexibility built around your schedule and responsibilities
Home office setup — company laptop & setup assistance provided via Staples for remote work needs
Utility support — monthly reimbursement to help offset eligible home office utility expenses
Learning opportunities — internal training programs and resources to help grow your professional skills
Development opportunities — LinkedIn Learning access & an annual allowance for courses, tuition, & certs
Referral bonus — get rewarded when you refer great people who join the Nava team
Commuter benefits — pre-tax commuter programs to support in-office travel when applicable
Supportive culture — A collaborative and remote-friendly team environment where people genuinely care
Location
We have fully remote options if you reside in one of the following states:
Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, DC, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin
*If you are not living in one of the states listed above, unfortunately, you will not be considered for a position at this time.
Stay in touch
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Please contact the recruiting team at [email protected] if you would like to request reasonable accommodation during the application or interviewing process.
We participate in E-Verify. Upon hire, we will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. This role requires you to work from the contiguous United States.
Top Skills
Mobile Interface Design
Web Design
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