UPA Job Bank: April 2009

The Job Bank is a service of the Usability Professionals' Association, listing jobs for usablity and user experience professionals.

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Information Architect
Marcus Thomas LLC
Cleveland, OH

Posted on: 22 April, 2009 

Job Summary

Marcus Thomas LLC, an award-winning, full-service integrated marketing communications agency is searching for an experienced Information Architect/User Experience professional to help create innovative, usable Web and interactive solutions for our clients. The Information Architect will work closely with our clients to understand their business/brand needs, and define strategies and approaches to address them. This individual will also work with our research, planning, creative and development teams to create interactive solutions that communicate efficiently and effectively with intended audiences.

Responsibilities

Act as the primary user advocate on all interactive solutions. This entails:

• Working closely with agency and client teams to ensure that user experience opportunities are capitalized on and issues are identified and addressed.
• Defining business, content and feature/functionality requirements.
• Modeling user experience through all levels, including interaction prioritization and support.
• Creating and revising information architecture, information design and navigation flows/hierarchies for Web sites, online applications, online advertising units and interactive solutions.
• Conducting user information gathering sessions including interviews, work sessions, focus groups and field studies to assess needs.
• Developing information architecture documents including user personas and scenarios, content inventories and matrices, user engagement models, site maps, wireframes, flow diagrams, functional and technical specifications and user requirements documents.
• Ensuring compelling and appropriate user experience presentation artifacts and collateral are produced.
• Working with Project Team to ensure continuity of user experience excellence through support and collaborative development of QAplans, materials and processes.
• Preparing and presenting solution recommendations.
• Providing information architecture support for new business activities.

Demonstrate expert understanding and practical application of usability as a strategic tool:

• Designing, facilitating, documenting and analyzing usability testing sessions.
• Performing heuristic site evaluations and competitive site audits.
• Defining effective and appropriate metrics for assessing the usability of sites/solutions.
• Developing user profiles and personas.

Ensure ongoing commitment to developing the user experience practice within the agency:

• Establishing and maintaining appropriate relationships with local and national professional organizations.
• Keeping up with the IA/UX community in regards to trends, tools, systems, processes and methodologies.
• Educating and advocating user-centered design across all agency departments and disciplines.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or master's degree in a related field, such as Information Architecture, Human-Computer Interaction, Graphic Design or Industrial Design.
• Proactive self-starter with highly collaborative personality and approach to working with others
• A minimum of four years of work experience in strategizing and architecting user-centered designs, developing highly interactive and content-rich Web sites and online solutions.
• Strong knowledge of Web site design and usability principles, issues and techniques.
• Ability to analyze user, business and content needs and define strategies for meeting them.
• Ability to work with account service, creative, design and production/development teams in a collaborative, dynamic full service agency environment
• High level of proficiency in Microsoft Visio.
• Proficiency in writing user scenarios, functional and technical specifications, and solution documentation.
• Strong knowledge of user-centered design, HCI principles and user analysis techniques.
• Proven experience in designing, facilitating, documenting and analyzing usability testing.
• Proven client-facing presentation skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Positive and constructive personality.
• Able to manage projects and drive them through to completion.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Working knowledge of HTML, DHTML, XML, JavaScript, AJAX, graphic formats, CSS, popular Web site plug-ins, authoring tools and database environments.
• Commitment to ongoing learning and professional development.
• Ability to work as a team member in a fast-paced, flexible environment.
• Willingness to travel.

Interested? Submit your resumé and cover letter along with your salary history to the contact information below. Note: All potential candidates must have an exceptional online portfolio.

Want to know more about Marcus Thomas? Visit our Web site at www.marcusthomasllc.com.

Contact information

Lori Pennica Hedrick

Marcus Thomas LLC

24865 Emery Road

Highlands Business Park

Cleveland, Ohio 44128

create@marcusthomasllc.com

Fax: 216.682.0128

User Interface / Interaction Designer
Epic
Madison, WI

Posted on: 22 April, 2009 

User Interface / Interaction Designer – Design healthcare software that saves patient lives and increases physician efficiency

Job Description:

Epic, a company devoted to improving healthcare by designing and installing award-winning electronic health record (EHR) software, is seeking a User Interface / Interaction Designer to join our small but growing design team.

As a designer, you’ll improve the look and usability of software used by tens of thousands of doctors and nurses who care for millions of patients nationwide. 

You’ll learn firsthand how clinicians think about their patients, their work processes, and the organization and presentation of life-saving medical information.  You’ll investigate user needs for various interactions, design visual representations of the improved interaction and present them to stakeholders, and guide projects all the way through to development.

In addition to holding a Bachelor’s degree in a related field, candidates should have the ability to think technically as well as visually.  Applicants should also be proficient in some or all of the following tools: HTML, CSS, Flash, Silverlight, JavaScript, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Fireworks.

Relocation to the Madison, Wisconsin area is required and reimbursed (learn more about Madison at http://www.visitmadison.com/). 

For fastest consideration, please include the URL(s) to your online portfolio, personal website, or other sites you’ve designed.

Full Time

Permanent

How to Apply:

Visit http://careers.epicsystems.com/position-133 to learn more about Epic, the position, and to apply.

Director, User Experience Design
Decho Corporation
Seattle, WA

Posted on: 22 April, 2009 

Cloud computing has been called the “next big thing”, and while others are talking about how great cloud computing is going to be, we’re doing it today. Decho is looking for an experienced, battle-tested thought-leader to drive our user experience.  This position will play a critical role in ensuring Decho delivers a market-leading customer experience for cloud-based personal information management. You will be on the frontlines of defining this emerging space and delivering a world-class customer experience direct to end-users and through some of the largest telecom service providers in the world. You will define, own and manage the end-user experience and work closely with Marketing and Engineering to ensure the end-to-end experience delights the end-user and our partners.

Job Responsibilities:

Own design of the end-user experience for our online, subscription-based service:

• Work closely with Product Management to understand user needs and business goals.
• Create interactive prototypes, design mock-ups, and design specifications.
• Work closely with Engineering to understand technical feasibility and schedule tradeoffs related to proposed designs. 
• Work with usability testing to ensure proposed solutions meet customer and partner needs. 
• Ensure end product matches your vision. 

Job Requirements:

• A minimum of 10 years of experience developing consumer-centric user experiences.  Experience in developing and executing an online service UX is a huge plus.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.  Ability to create clear, concise specifications from conceptual designs.
• Expert knowledge of animation and prototyping tools such as Motion, Quartz Composer, Adobe Flash, Director and After Effects.  Advanced knowledge of graphic design tools such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator is a plus.
• Prior experience with Windows, Mac OS X or Linux platforms.  Experience with multiple browsers helpful.
• Must be highly motivated and possess a strong passion for technology. 
• Must be able to operate effectively under tight deadlines.
• Should have proven ability to work effectively with a variety of disciplines ranging from Marketing and Engineering team members to customers and strategic partners.
• Strong customer focus – passion for customers and unflinching desire to always do what’s right for them.
• Team player – inspires trust, leads by example, and contributes to others’ success.
• Some business travel required.

       Send your resume to sandrac@decho.com for consideration

Senior Usability Analyst
Usability Sciences
Dallas, TX

Posted on: 22 April, 2009 

Company Overview:

Usability Sciences Corporation was founded in 1988 and has provided usability research services and technologies to more than 230 companies around the globe. Our services provide a complete usability solution for Internet e-commerce and b2b sites, corporate Intranets, and software and hardware products. USC is headquartered in Las Colinas, Irving, TX.  We offer competitive pay, great benefits, and a corporate environment that is built upon fostering the strengths of each employee to create winning teams. 

Job Summary:

We are currently seeking a Senior Usability Analyst who will use their experience and knowledge to lead lab-based projects on their own or as part of a team, either in-house or on the road.  The Senior Analyst will work closely with Team Leads to provide leadership, mentoring and training within the analyst team as demonstrated through a strong work ethic, quality deliverables and confident, high level interactions with clients and sales staff during the project life cycle.

Job Requirements: 

• Participates in all phases of the usability testing process:
• Confidently facilitates the hand-off from sales and conducts necessary conference calls with the client in order to understand the business goals of the research
• Ensures clients are comfortable and confident with the project at all stages
• Ensures the recruiting process is progressing
• Creates testing materials to meet research objectives
• Moderates test sessions and interacts with clients to obtain additional input/direction
• Completes all deliverables associated with project as well as follows-up with client to ensure satisfaction with project
• Presents feedback and recommendations to clients within business and user experience framework
• Works as a team with the support analyst during the entire project cycle
• Trains/mentors members of the analyst team
• Proactively looks for project opportunities based on discussions with the client and an understanding of their site/product needs; discusses these opportunities with sales or introduces these opportunities with the client
• Confidently handles all project logistics as well as lab set up for out-of-town projects, if necessary
• Travel up to 20%, domestic and international

Required Skills:

• At least 4 years of experience as a Usability Analyst or similar role in a professional environment
• A strong desire to make a product (website, software, hardware) "usable"
• Proven track record of consistently producing deliverables that are well-written and contain helpful information, providing solid and actionable recommendations for the client
• Experience with an extensive variety of Usability methodologies and involvement in running a variety of tests, according to methodology and industry
• Strong people interaction and facilitation skills with individuals from all socio-economic backgrounds
• Detail-oriented, with the ability to multi-task on multiple projects, as well as non-project related work
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proven ability and desire to work effectively as a member of a team as well as proven track record of taking leadership role(s) within a team environment
• The ability to quickly learn and adapt in a fast-paced, highly interactive environment
• Self-starter who is comfortable with minimal day-to-day guidance and independently managing deadlines
• Excellent analytical and quantitative skills with the ability to make sound recommendations and decisions based on observed user behavior and prior experience
• Expert knowledge in Microsoft Office products and virtual meeting software tools and capable of answering specific questions with regards to these products
• Active membership in an organization that promotes usability, such as Usability Professionals Association, is desired
• Bachelor’s degree required

About Usability Sciences:

Since 1988, Usability Sciences continues to be the leading user experience solutions provider. 

http://www.usabilitysciences.com/about-us/

Who We Are:

USC was built around a set of core beliefs and values.  Being a relatively small company, it is critical that all of our employees promote the ideals listed in our "What we believe": http://www.usabilitysciences.com/about-us/our-beliefs/

Location:

This position is being offered from our main office located in Irving, Texas (Dallas area).  Relocation expenses will not be covered.

Next Steps:

Please send cover letter expressing your interest in working for Usability Sciences along with your resume, salary requirements, and/or examples of past work to careers@usabilitysciences.com

Note:  Unfortunately, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position.

Usability Analyst
Usability Sciences
Dallas, TX

Posted on: 22 April, 2009 

Company Overview:

Usability Sciences Corporation was founded in 1988 and has provided usability research services and technologies to more than 230 companies around the globe. Our services provide a complete usability solution for Internet e-commerce and b2b sites, corporate Intranets, and software and hardware products. USC is headquartered in Las Colinas, Irving, TX.  We offer competitive pay, great benefits, and a corporate environment that is built upon fostering the strengths of each employee to create winning teams. 

Job Summary:

We are currently seeking a usability analyst to conduct user experience research and usability tests aimed at improving the user interfaces of websites, software applications, and hardware devices.  The usability analyst participates in all phases of the usability testing process, which include:

• Working with our clients to understand their project objectives
• Developing a usability test plan which addresses the client's objectives
• Facilitating projects such as one-on-one usability sessions and focus groups to obtain user preferences and feedback
• Scribing user feedback
• Analyzing and documenting the results discovered from the usability sessions

Note: It is the job of the client's development team to correct the issues that surface during testing, thus this position does not involve any design or programming.

Job Requirements:

• Gathers, analyzes, and documents user feedback
• Facilitates (moderates and scribes) testing sessions
• Presents feedback and recommendations to client within business and user experience framework
• Provides assistance to colleagues in support of deliverable completion
• Travel up to 20%, domestic and international

Required Skills:

• At least 2 years of experience as a Usability Analyst, Usability Support Analyst or similar role in a professional environment
• A strong desire to make a product (website, software, hardware) "usable"
• Strong people interaction and facilitation skills
• Project lifecycle experience with web application implementations
• Detail-oriented, with the ability to multi-task
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Should be self-directed and have effective time management skills
• Proven ability and desire to work effectively as a member of a team
• The ability to quickly learn and adapt in a fast-paced, highly interactive environment
• Self-starter who is comfortable with minimal day-to-day guidance and independently managing deadlines
• Ability to work well with a variety of high-profile clients 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Power Point, Excel, Outlook and virtual meeting software tools
• Good analytical and quantitative skills and the ability to make sound recommendations and decisions based on observed user behavior and prior experience
• Active membership in an organization that promotes usability, such as Usability Professionals Association, is desired.
• Bachelor’s degree required

About Usability Sciences:

Since 1988, Usability Sciences continues to be the leading user experience solutions provider.  http://www.usabilitysciences.com/about-us/

Who We Are:

USC was built around a set of core beliefs and values.  Being a relatively small company, it is critical that all of our employees promote the ideals listed in our "What we believe": http://www.usabilitysciences.com/about-us/our-beliefs/

Location:

This position is being offered from our main office located in Irving, Texas (Dallas area).  Relocation expenses will not be covered.

Next Steps:

Please send cover letter expressing your interest in working for Usability Sciences along with your resume, salary requirements, and/or examples of past work to careers@usabilitysciences.com

Information Architect/User Experience Lead
APCO Worldwide
Washington DC

Posted on: 8 April, 2009 

Information Architect/User Experience Lead

APCO Worldwide, a global communications and public affairs firm, is looking for an information architect/user experience lead to join our online team. In this role, you will work collaboratively with APCO clients and internal teams to develop strategies for overall user experience. You’ll team up with visual designers, technical developers and project managers to generate strong IA to ensure client satisfaction. This position will have hands on responsibility for developing clean, concise site maps, transaction flows, diagrams, detailed wire frames, story boards, user flows, and presentations to effectively illustrate interfaces, ideas and architecture.  Additionally, you’ll manage and implement user research efforts including contextual interviews, in-depth interviews and usability testing, in addition to producing user analysis documents like heuristics reviews, competitor analyses and audits.

APCO’s online practice is a fast-growing global team that helps clients to achieve complex goals through a range of interactive techniques. The team works with APCO’s clients to develop interactive strategies, implement them, and measure the results. The team is made up of a dynamic group of individuals with backgrounds ranging from government affairs to engineering to marketing, who all share a passion for online communications.

To apply, you must have a BA/BS + 2-3 years of dedicated experience experience in information architecture and interaction design (preferably within a team). Our ideal candidate is a calm perfectionist with the ability to create compelling concepts and work through complex details. We are looking for a practitioner who can take initiative, and handle a range of tasks from small one-off projects to large, long-term projects. You should also have experience working in fast-paced, collaborative environments, integrating user-centered design, technology, and business strategy, and educating clients on user experience.

Proficiency in architecture-related software (Illustrator, Visio, Photoshop, MS Office, Acrobat, Dreamweaver), a strong knowledge and demonstrated practice of user centered design practices , and experience conducting user research, including contextual inquiry and usability testing will be required. Candidates should also have a strong portfolio of detailed site maps, transaction flows, diagrams, detailed wire frames, story boards, personas and user flows. Knowledge of Dreamweaver, Drupal and HTML is an added bonus.

To apply to this position please click the following link http://www.apcoworldwide.com/content/careers/jobs/americas_jobs.cfm#ia-user-experience

Mobile Device User Experience Researcher/Designer; Human Factors Engineer
KOHL Group
Some work onsite in Northern New Jersey; some work can be done remotely.

Posted on: 8 April, 2009 

KOHL Group Job Description KR040609_mobile devices

Arrangement: Project assignments of 3 to 8 weeks each

Start Date:  May 2009

The KOHL Group is currently conducting user research and developing the UI requirements for mobile communications devices.  We seek a User Experience professional with experience in the mobile device arena.  Selected candidate will support projects to design new or modified user experiences in the area of Mobile Messaging, related to: voice messaging (voicemail), next-generation text messaging, and visual communications (a.k.a. picture messaging or MMS) with a scope determined by and enabled from: several planned platform consolidations and/or upgrades, anticipated handset improvements, and improved network data rates.

Requirements:

- Advanced degree in Psychology, Human Factors, or related discipline (or equivalent experience)

- At least 3 years user experience design experience; at least 6 months with mobile handset auditory and visual interfaces

If you are interested, please email your resume in MSWord format to:

JPGLEASON@KOHLGROUP.COM

Please include a brief note mapping your skills and experience to the job description.

THANK YOU.

Human Factors Engineer
KOHL Group
Boise, ID

Posted on: 8 April, 2009 

KOHL Group Job Description KG040809_HFE Boise

Location: Boise, ID.  Onsite in Boise ID (telecommuting is not an option for this position).

Duration:  Assignment is expected to go through October 31, 2009 with the possibility of extensions with terms of 3 months each.  Local candidate is desired.

Start: On or about May 1, 2009

The KOHL Group has an opening for a junior Human Factors Engineer to support our team currently providing User Centered Design and Testing services to our client in Boise, ID.  Our client is a world leader in the development of printing and imaging systems - they are inventing and expanding technologies into new areas in commercial printing and photo finishing - developing smarter cameras, video projectors, 3D imaging, enhanced device connectivity and other technologies for innovative imaging applications.

This position will utilize human factors engineering to design leading-edge multifunction printing and imaging solutions.  You will serve as a key member of a dynamic and exciting multi-discipline R&D team.  As part of that team, you will assume a role among design teams in the area of human factors principles and appropriate ergonomic design for hardware/software user interfaces for our client’s printing and imaging solutions.  You will need to take a system view as you analyze customer needs and user behavior.  You will work with program/product managers to define usability strategies for products, gather customer requirements, set usability goals, and develop system requirements and design solutions.  This will utilize user-centered design process and task analysis.  You will be developing high fidelity, rapid prototypes to test user interface concepts as well as evaluating competitive offerings. You will lead cross-functional design teams to address usability issues as needed across product to ensure positive customer experience.

Experience:  Requires a Master’s degree or equivalent in a human factors related discipline (Computer Science, Human Factors Engineering, or Human-Computer Interface Design).  Ability to do rapid prototyping of user interface concepts. Demonstrated knowledge of hardware/software design and usability evaluation techniques (perception, cognition, experimentation, and statistics). Ability to work in cross-functional and cultural teams.  Communicates and sells ideas.

Proven experience (1+ year) in product development and all aspects of the product life cycle including contextual inquiry, product design, usability testing, and product release.  Past experience with designing and shipping products under tight deadlines.  Desired experience in office products and All-In-One products.

Skills:  Ability to work well independently and as part of a team.  Logical problem solving.  Demonstrated effective communications, presentation, negotiation, planning and facilitation skills.  Proven ability to interact effectively with customers and developers.  Proven leadership ability with multi-organizational team.  Excited about technology and has the desire to learn new things.

If you are interested and qualified, please email your resume to JMAZZA@KOHLGROUP.COM with a brief note mapping your skills and experiences to the requirements of this job.  THANK YOU.

User Experience Designer; Human Factors Engineer; Psychophysicist
KOHL Group
Corvallis, OR

Posted on: 8 April, 2009

Job Description KG040809_Perceived Video Quality Research Arrangement:  Ongoing project assignments of 3 to 10 weeks each.

Location:  For approximately 1 week in each test sequence, work must be done onsite in Corvallis, OR., otherwise work may be done virtual.

Timing:  First sequence is expected to begin in May 2009.

Job description 

Design and conduct perception tests to determine video quality of new video conferencing system.  Test alternative codec configurations to determine strengths and weaknesses relative to user perceptions of video quality.  Perform data analysis and create and present report of findings and recommendations. Requirements:  Advanced degree, or equivalent experience, in psychology or psychophysics. 

Experience in designing experiments to test user perceptions of video quality under a variety of codec configurations. If you have experience in perception testing methodology and are interested in project assignments focusing on perceived video quality, please email your resume in MSWord format to JPGLEASON@KOHLGROUP.COM with a brief note describing your experience in this domain. 

Please include "Video Quality" in the subject line.  THANK YOU!

User Experience Architect/SR Information Technology Specialist
US Senate
Washington DC

Posted on: 8 April, 2009

Salary: $76K-$114K

The United States Senate is seeking a User Experience Architect (Senior Information Technology Specialist).  The user experience designer/architect is responsible for research and design efforts for internal customer applications and websites to support business applications – striking a balance between creative design and analytical thinking. They are also responsible for creating the HTML/CSS especially for larger projects.  This position requires working directly with developers, customers, stakeholders and users, developing strategies and specifications to create/improve the performance, usability and effectiveness of user-facing interfaces. The designer uses information gathered by themselves or by peers from end user research, usability testing, client meetings, team collaboration, and best practices, to develop site maps, user interface diagrams, interaction diagrams, requirements and specifications, mock-ups and clickable prototypes which represent the layout, flow and organization of Web sites and Web applications. 

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 3-4 years relevant experience (as UX designer, UI designer, information architect, interaction designer, etc.)
• Strong understanding of, and enthusiasm for, user-centered design principles
• Ability to analyze a project’s needs and perform the relevant user research activities (e.g., writing tests and questionnaires, conducting testing, user profiling, web analytics)
• Skilled in writing HTML/CSS resulting in final production user interface code
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with ability to successfully communicate design rationale to a mixed audience
• Flexibility to work on a wide range of projects: from small content-based websites to more complex web applications
• Proficiency with a standard software tool for flowcharts, wireframes, clickable prototypes that can be converted to production code
• Provide link to two or three example projects, or your portfolio, with a description of the role played for each

Desired Qualifications but not required

• Master's degree in: Human Computer Interaction, Cognitive Psychology, Computer Science, Statistics/Measurement, Experimental Psychology or other degree
• Ability to facilitate requirements gathering and design sessions with a diverse audience
• Experience with Morae, WebTrends, UTE, Fireworks (to create wireframes), Adobe CS4
• Skilled in graphic design and implementation.

Employees with the United States Senate Sergeant at Arms enjoy generous amounts of paid time off, federal retirement plan, a Student Loan Repayment program, free parking or transit subsidy, a choice of an ample variety of health, dental and vision plans, flexible spending accounts, training opportunities, and life insurance.

To apply submit cover letter and resume (indicating which position you are applying for by using JOB CODE: UEA) to: resumes@saa.senate.gov DEADLINE: 4/17/09

Director of User Experience
Kelley Blue Book
Irvine, CA

Posted on: 1 April, 2009 

Position Summary:  The Director, User Experience will lead the vision, strategy, and execution of the user experience and site architecture of kbb.com.  This team member will work closely with a group of key senior level executives to determine and support the most effective product strategy for kbb.com, including identifying brand appropriate, customer centric user experience and design solutions that deliver on our business goals, ensure site-wide consistency, provide a foundation for future enhancements and ensure our continued success.  This team member will be responsible for providing IA leadership and direction, managing a team of Information Architects and overseeing the execution of all IA aspects across the site.

Position responsibilities:

• Accountable for the vision, strategy, and execution of the user experience of the user experience and site architecture of kbb.com inline with brand, marketing and business objectives.
• Contribute to the team as the user experience strategy lead by contributing subject matter expertise in the areas of information architecture, online user behavior, usability testing, and industry standard user experience best practices.
• Provide key contributions to the conceptual, visual, and functional execution of kbb.com.
• Provide innovative, customer centric, information and visual design recommendations that contribute to an enhanced user experience.
• Have a thorough understanding of our business and revenue goals and ensure all recommendations are inline with delivering on both business and user needs.
• Lead the vision, strategy, and execution of the user experience and site architecture of kbb.com, taking a customer centric view to improve the user experience, and brand perception.
• Establish an IA vision and strategy that results in the best possible user experience and is inline with and consistently supports our brand, marketing and revenue strategies.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of new and existing IA elements on kbb.com, performance metrics, customer feedback, competitive landscape, and industry standard best practices in order to continuously evolve and improve our online brand presence and user experience.
• Define, approve and enforce the IA design and best practices standards.
• Manage the overall IA queue inline with product priorities, establish level of effort estimates and manage the team according.
• Oversee the User Experience team’s work product to ensure consistent quality and adherence to company standards.
• Establish, optimize and manage user experience management methodologies, incorporating industry standard best practices and lessons learned on previous projects, and ensuring the team is inline with companywide project management methodologies.
• Establish new and refine current methodologies and approaches to ensure the continued evolution of user experience management best practices.
• Drive process improvement changes to maximize team efficiency.
• Provide guidance, insight and leadership to a team of Information Architects, including providing clear expectations, training, guidance, career growth opportunities and conflict resolution.
• Supervise work through the planning and scheduling of work, and the review and approval of tasks.
• Supervise/manage/direct the selection, training, development, appraisal and work assignments of personnel.
• Minimal overnight travel (up to 10%) by land and/or air.

• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Essential skills, knowledge and abilities:

• Minimum of 8 years of IA experience for an established, heavily trafficked, consumer facing web site.
• A minimum of 5 years of management experience, overseeing a successful IA team.
• Proven ability to lead and mentor a talented IA team and inspire team confidence and respect.
• Thorough understanding of best practices in web design and user interface/information architecture conventions.
• Strong knowledge of task and use-case analysis, heuristic analysis, and user personas.
• Strong understanding of online design, marketing and advertising.
• Experience with techniques in formal and informal usability testing.
• Good understanding of benefits and constraints of current Internet technologies.
• Broad understanding of the web and associated technologies and proficiency with a range of appropriate software tools.

• Bachelor's degree (B. A.) from four-year college or university; or four to six years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Email: Careers@kbb.com

Usability Specialist
TAC WORLDWIDE
Seattle, WA

Posted on: 1 April, 2009 

TAC WORLDWIDE has an immediate opening for a Usability Specialist specializing in web and client-based application research.   This is a Contract Position in Seattle, WA

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Conduct user experience studies of company software including focus groups, field studies, usability tests and heuristic review
• Collect, mine and aggregate usability study findings and results into reports, video or other presentations and make actionable research-based recommendations
• Generate tests, materials, and environment for testing
• Plan and coordinate the creation of an on-site testing lab
• Track customers and customer data and recruit participants for studies
• Generate user archetypes
• Interface with cross-functional teams including engineers, product managers, and designers

JOB QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human Factors, Cognitive Science, Information Design or related field
• Exceptional English communication and organizational skills
• Ability to work collaboratively and independently in a fast paced environment
• Extremely detail oriented and quality-driven
• Proficient in TechSmith, Morae and other lab-based tools
• Proficient with statistical analysis software

Please send responses to this position to lclaravall@tacworldwide.com

Please refer to position #  09-05876

To view additional job opportunities with TAC Worldwide, please visit us at http://www.tacworldwide.com/

Sr. User Experience Designer
PredictWallStreet
Capitola, CA

Posted on: 1 April, 2009 

Skills : Photoshop, Visio, UCD, interaction design, user experience design

Employ. Type: Consulting

Job Length :  4 weeks

Job Summary

PredictWallStreet is launching an exciting new website and product line in the near future. Your job will be to work with the internal UX Lead and one other contract UX designer to create all of the flowcharts and wireframes for this new product. We envision an exciting combination of social network, contest/gaming, and personal learning applications, and so we will rely on you to apply your extensive experience in creating intuitive, fun, and exciting web experiences.

Job Functions and Responsibilities

*Create flowcharts and a large number of wireframes for website pages, partner pages, Google gadgets, inline widgets, Facebook applications, email notifications, RSS feeds.

* Work with the consulting graphic designer so that your wireframes, combined with his/her graphic designs, provide a simple and compelling experience for our target users.

* Working under the direction of the UX Lead, articulate a product vision that will be clear, easy to use, and appealing to casual and social gamers.

Required Training and Skills

* Minimum of BA/BS degree in product/interaction design, human factors, or user-centered design
*3-5 years experience in web consumer facing, interactive user experience design
* Knowledge of user interface design and usability best practices

* Self-motivated and able to collaborate in a team environment
* Able to take direction and work quickly and independently as required
* Able to multi-task and work efficiently under pressure with careful attention to detail.
* Able to translate branding and business requirements into a rich and engaging consumer experience.

* Ability to work collaboratively with graphic designer to ensure that the user experience and usability is enhanced during the skinning process

* Experience working with start-ups is a plus

* Expertise with design tools, such asIllustrator, Visio, Photoshop,Dreamweaver
*MUST HAVE UX design experience in at least one of the following domains: Social networking products or games, sites with a heavy social networking component, Facebook integration, or online fantasy games. Please submit at least one work sample from one or more of these domains that is entirely your own work when you submit your resume.

 (please note that PredictWallStreet is in Capitola and you will be required to work on site at least 2 days/week).

Contact: sbecker@predictwallstreet.com

Usability Lead
Monsanto
St. Louis, MO

Posted on: 1 April, 2009 

Monsanto, an Ag industry leader creating scientific breakthroughs around the world, is passionate about using science and technology to improve agriculture. Monsanto scientists are conducting the research and development (R&D) to revolutionize plant breeding and biotechnology. The Technology Pipeline Solutions (TPS) team within IT works directly with the Monsanto scientists to develop software platforms that enable these research and development efforts. The accepted candidate will join the emerging field of IT systems informatics leveraging their training to play a key role in defining and delivering breakthrough science in high throughput R&D business platforms (Breeding, Breeding Technology, Biotechnology and Compliance) for Monsanto.

This position will be responsible for setting up and defining a usability strategy and process for TPS. The ideal candidate must have demonstrated excellent interpersonal and communication skills to understand the opportunities for easy-to-use application system solutions. In addition, they must maintain relationships between the Technology organization and IT organization in order to identify the customer needs and will be responsible for partnering with the teams to make the vision a reality.

Responsibilities:

• Analyzing and defining an appropriate usability strategy and process for the TPS organization.
• Promoting usability, design, and analytics services throughout TPS as well as to business-side clients.
• Proactively meeting with clients and partners.
• Identifying segmentation, user and business goals, and technical requirements.
• Managing the production of user specification documentation. This includes personas, scenarios, wireframes, flowcharts, and visual prototypes.
• Planning, prioritizing, coordinating and conducting user requirements analysis, task analysis, conceptual modeling, behavioral modeling, information architecture design, interaction design, and usability testing.
• Effectively communicating research findings, conceptual ideas, design details, and design rationale (verbally and visually).
• Conducting expert reviews of web pages by applying scientific usability principles.
• Participating as a contributor to an interdisciplinary team that includes project management, business analysts, technical architects, technical leads, and technical developers.
• The ability to travel (minimal).

Required Skills/Experience/Attribute

• BS in Computer Science, Human-Computer Interface or related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• A minimum of 5 years of usability experience in a corporate or consulting environment.
• A minimum of two years of people management, coaching or mentoring experience.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational, interpersonal and problem solving skills.
• The ability and motivation to produce and turn requirements around quickly.
• The ability to foster and maintain relationships with new and existing IT/business clients at all levels of the organization.

Desired Skills/Experience/Attributes:

• Functional Competency: Ability to perform at a high level of accomplishment and willingness to learn new technologies and practices. The ideal candidate will be a skilled, creative problem-solver, independent of any specific technology.
• Team Orientation: Works cooperatively with others. Encourages participation. Values the contributions of all team members.
• Results Orientation: Fosters a sense of urgency, identifies and overcomes obstacles. Balances the big picture with day-to-day activities for their technology. Persistent in the pursuit of results.

Please note that only applications submitted through the Monsanto career web site will be considered for this position.

To view a more complete and detailed job description of this exciting position, please visit our website at www.monsanto.com and to apply online select req. # mons-00010279. We offer very competitive salaries and an extensive benefits package.

Monsanto values diversity and is an equal opportunity employer. M/F/D/V

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