User Experience Researcher/Designer

01-Nov-2024

User Experience Researcher/Designer

Harvard Library

67300BR

Job Summary

** This is a 2-year term position**

For consideration, please include:

• UX research/design portfolio with at least three project examples within resume/CV
• Cover letter

Harvard Library is beginning significant work related to the Reimagining Discovery Project to revolutionize how researchers, students, and the global community access and explore Harvard’s extensive collections. Through this work we want to make all kinds of information easily discoverable and accessible. We intend to center our users in the design of this new unified search. 

Reporting to the Head of UX & Digital Accessibility, the UX Researcher/Designer will play a significant role in this project and related user experience research. Building on existing research, the person in this role will engage with users to confirm their needs, preferences, and behaviors for a unified search system and related sites. They will conduct user research with multiple audience segments and synthesize findings into recommendations for the product team. They may also work with library staff on other UX research projects related to discovery and access. Additionally, the person in this role will create wireframes and prototypes as research artifacts that will inform the product development.
 

This is a highly collaborative team position that requires a Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (eastern time zone) schedule. 

Position Description

The UX Researcher/Designer will:

• Lead and coordinate research efforts for the unified search system.
• Select appropriate research methodologies depending on the research need. These may include, but aren’t limited to: user interviews, surveys, or prototype testing.
• Partner with staff stakeholders to refine research questions, gather study participants, and report findings. 
• Recruit and schedule the right participants for research studies, depending on the research need.
• Analyze and synthesize findings from research and produce high-quality artifacts, such as personas, journey maps, and wireframes, that can be reused by a variety of stakeholders. 
• Transform findings into actionable insights and recommendations that staff can use to inform the product development for unified search. 
• Present findings from studies both at in-person presentations and written summaries.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, HCI, Computer Science, Library & Information Science, Digital Communications, Web Design or a related field.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience in UX, design, human factors, customer experience, libraries, or a related field.
• Excellent written communication and oral presentation skills.
• Experience using software for online collaboration (i.e. Miro), prototyping software (i.e. Figma), and survey creation (i.e. Qualtrics).
• The ability to work independently and collaborate with a team.

Additional Qualifications and Skills

• Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, belonging, and antiracism. 
• Experience conducting research in library environments, museums, and/or higher education preferred.
• Experience with project management software such as Jira or Trello. 
• Familiarity with WCAG principles and best practices for accessible design. 
• Familiarity with semantic search or other AI technologies. 

Physical Requirements

• There are no notable physical demands associated with this position.

Working Conditions

• The position can be performed offsite, with expectations for regular onsite visits as needed based on team and business needs..
• Work location is responsive and subject to change based on business needs. Requests for flexibility will be considered consistent with Harvard University flexwork policies.
• The work associated with this position is performed in a library/office setting.
• All remote work must be performed within a state in which Harvard is registered to do business (CA, CT, GA, IL, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, RI, VA, VT and WA).

Additional Information

Additional details related to salary range:
Typically, a new hire can expect a starting salary somewhere in the lower part of the range. The amount will vary based on the position and the candidate’s relevant experience.

Term length:
This is a 2-year term-limited position, however, there is a possibility of an additional 3rd-year contingent upon funding and University priorities. 

Benefits

We invite you to visit Harvard's Total Rewards website (https://hr.harvard.edu/totalrewards) to learn more about our outstanding benefits package, which may include:

• Paid Time Off: 3-4 weeks of accrued vacation time per year (3 weeks for support staff and 4 weeks for administrative/professional staff), 12 accrued sick days per year, 12.5 holidays plus a Winter Recess in December/January, 3 personal days per year (prorated based on date of hire), and up to 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents who are primary care givers.
• Health and Welfare: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, disability and life insurance programs, along with voluntary benefits. Most coverage begins as of your start date.
• Work/Life and Wellness: Child and elder/adult care resources including on campus childcare centers, Employee Assistance Program, and wellness programs related to stress management, nutrition, meditation, and more.
• Retirement: University-funded retirement plan with contributions from 5% to 15% of eligible compensation, based on age and earnings with full vesting after 3 years of service.
• Tuition Assistance Program: Competitive program including $40 per class at the Harvard Extension School and reduced tuition through other participating Harvard graduate schools.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Program that provides 75% to 90% reimbursement up to $5,250 per calendar year for eligible courses taken at other accredited institutions.
• Professional Development: Programs and classes at little or no cost, including through the Harvard Center for Workplace Development and LinkedIn Learning.
• Commuting and Transportation: Various commuter options handled through the Parking Office, including discounted parking, half-priced public transportation passes and pre-tax transit passes, biking benefits, and more.
• Harvard Facilities Access, Discounts and Perks: Access to Harvard athletic and fitness facilities, libraries, campus events, credit union, and more, as well as discounts to various types of services (legal, financial, etc.) and cultural and leisure activities throughout metro-Boston.

Job Function

Library

Department Office Location

USA - MA - Cambridge

Job Code

386057 Library Professional

Work Format

Remote

Sub-Unit

------------

Salary Grade

057

Department

Discovery and Access

Annual Salary Range

$76,400 to $130,000

Union

00 - Non Union, Exempt or Temporary

Time Status

Full-time

Pre-Employment Screening

Criminal, Education, Identity

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Across the Harvard Library, our work is enriched by our diverse campus community. Our unique and wide-ranging abilities, experiences, and perspectives are integral to achieving Harvard University’s mission of excellence in research, teaching, and learning for our patrons, our collections, and our workplace. We believe that an inclusive environment that cultivates and promotes understanding, respect, and collaboration across our diverse workforce enables our success.

We invite individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences and abilities to be a part of our community of over 700 staff members. Our work with faculty, students and researchers to explore answers to intellectual questions, enduring and new, and to seek solutions to the world’s most consequential problems, requires that we not only reflect, but also champion our diverse society.

Harvard Library inspires collaboration, reflection, experimentation, and discovery connecting users to related disciplines and to University-wide teaching resources. The Library engages users through curated discovery, digital collections, reimagined physical space, and specialized research support.  Today, Harvard Library’s holdings range from traditional print collections to rapidly expanding access to digital resources. Harvard Library provides the University's faculty, students, and researchers—now and in the future—with exceptional experiences and comprehensive access to these materials.

Learn more about our contributions to the academic enterprise by visiting us at http://library.harvard.edu and about the Harvard University community at http://hr.harvard.edu/why-harvard.

The Harvard Library is a proud member of the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) Diversity Alliance.

EEO Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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