Digital Harbor Foundation · 6 days ago
Senior User Researcher, Digital Public Works
United States
Full-time
Remote
Mid, Senior Level
$120K/yr - $150K/yr
5+ years expDigital Harbor Foundation is dedicated to fostering learning, creativity, productivity, and community through education with a vision of digital equity for everyone. The User Researcher will ensure that Digital Public Works’ products are meaningful and impactful, particularly for individuals over 50 and users with disabilities, by conducting research and usability testing to inform product development.
EducationNon Profit
Responsibilities
Ensure DPW’s products are meaningful and impactful to all members of the public, especially persons above 50 years old and users with disabilities
Communicate impact to government staff qualitatively and quantitatively
Join a small team of nine people at DPW
Balance foundational, in-depth research, usability testing of an existing product, and potentially prototype development and testing
Self-direct while contributing to foundational user research models for DPW
Produce synthesis & share recommendations with the development team
Support a 12-month grant from the AARP Foundation Grant
Plan and implement research that translates into clear, concrete insights, frameworks and recommendations for platform improvements
Research methods and cycles are appropriate to the scope of work and potential risks are clearly communicated in advance
Ensure DPW’s product experiences result in timely and effective actions by applicants and caseworkers, while reducing harmful outcomes
Establish and track baseline accessibility metrics that demonstrate improvement over the grant period
Produce publishable research findings in partnership with the DPW-AARP team on income verification accessibility for older adults and people with disabilities
Qualification
Required
User Research: Applying qualitative and quantitative research methods to gather insights from interacting with and observing users, with the purpose of informing the strategy and design of a product or service. Making sure research is conducted ethically and with care, respecting participant privacy, and in staying in compliance with relevant regulations and guidelines
Research & Design Operations: Identifies opportunities for feedback loops across the project / work by establishing tools, systems, templates, and workflows for the team to use
Systems Thinking: Systems are the connections between people, processes, and organizations. Systems thinking means both understanding and communicating the following about the system(s): the parts and whole, structures and processes, objects and relationships, hierarchies and networks, and linear and non-linear paths
Research Process: Demonstrates awareness of different design methods and how to apply them based on situational needs. A researcher's ability to identify the right process for each project is integral to their success — process can make or break whether we are solving the right problems, getting stakeholder buy-in, centering on users, and improving the overall user experience
Teamwork: Has the ability to work with others toward a shared goal, participating actively, sharing responsibility and rewards, and contributing to the capability of the team through user research
Visual artifacts, maps, and models: customer journey maps, service maps, experience principles, frameworks, and other documentation that communicate research findings
Remote and in-person facilitation: workshops and cross-discipline working sessions to align and prioritize projects, findings, opportunities, and initiatives using industry-standard user testing tools
Figma for managing prototypes and design work sessions
Mural for facilitating stakeholder work sessions
Survey design and quantitative analysis to complement qualitative research methods
Baseline metrics establishment and tracking to demonstrate accessibility improvements over time
Portfolio: You must submit a portfolio to be considered for this role. Please provide a website, slide deck, or PDF presentation that showcases at least 3 projects from the last 5 years of your work. At least one of these selections should be from work done in the last 12 months. Each of these projects should define: Who was on the team, The role you played, Approaches/methods, Outcomes
Preferred
Spanish-speaking a PLUS
Accessibility
Scaling research operation
Experience working in social safety net benefits
Accessibility expertise
Baseline metrics establishment and tracking
Quantitative analysis
Benefits
Health Benefits & Insurance
Carefirst Blue Cross Blue Shield - Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance (100% of the premium paid for employees and 85% of dependents)
Pre-Tax Health Savings Account (HSA) (with $365 monthly employer contributions)
Pre-Tax Flexible Savings Account (FSA)
Paid Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance
Paid Short-Term & Long-Term Disability Insurance
Paid Basic Life Insurance
Supplemental Voluntary Life Insurance (Employee, Spouse & Dependent Children)
Total Pet Plan and Supplemental Wishbone Pet Insurance
Employee Opportunity Program (EAP) - Health and Wellness
Wellness Reimbursement Program
401k Retirement Plan (with 6% matching)
15 Days Paid Time Off Per Year
20 Days Paid Time Off Per Year (after 3rd Anniversary)
25 Days Paid Time Off Per Year (after 6th Anniversary)
16 Paid Holidays (14 common plus 2 flexible holidays, including Dec 25 - Jan 1)
Paid Bereavement Leave
Paid Parental Leave for Moms and Dads (two weeks after first year)
Company
Digital Harbor Foundation
The non-profit Digital Harbor Foundation fosters innovation, tech advancement.
2-10 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageTotal Funding
$1.95MKey Investors
TEDCONational Science FoundationConnect Maryland
2025-08-06Grant
2024-10-24Grant
2024-06-27Grant
Leadership Team
Andrew Coy
CEO & President
Brent Watkins
Chief Technology Officer
Recent News
Maryland Daily Record
2025-05-10
Business – Baltimore Sun
2024-12-17
Company data provided by crunchbase