Aleut Information Technology is looking for an experienced Human-Centered Designer to support Air Force CyberWorx (see: https://afcyberworx.org/ ), a public-private design center located at the US Air Force Academy (USAFA). CyberWorx brings together teams from across the Air Force, Space Force, Joint Services, USAFA (cadets and faculty/staff), private industry, academia, and federal government agencies to ideate, incubate, and transition innovative and potentially game-changing capabilities impacting operations across all domains. As a human-centric design center, we seek ways to connect warfighters with creative and impactful solutions, leveraging both current and future technology. We focus first on accurately defining the root problem, and then identify innovative solutions.

The ideal candidate for this position has experience in human-centered design, exceptional communications and teambuilding skills, a thirst for new challenges, and possesses the drive and enthusiasm to fill any gaps. A SECRET clearance is required for this role, and Aleut will work with you to obtain this clearance if you do not already have one.

Position Responsibilities:

• Providing HCD and UX design support for selected Air and Space Force projects
• Leading qualitative research efforts using tools such as: customer interviews, surveys, ethnographic research, and journey maps to create project goals and specifications
• Creating user modeling composite archetypes, personas, or user roles
• Developing interaction frameworks/wireframes
• Working with product stakeholders to create concepts and prototypes for evaluation
• Leading usability testing and assisting customers in incorporating results into design
• Leading and supporting virtual and in-studio collaborative design events, sessions, and exercises
• Being an advocate for UX design and AF CyberWorx with military and industry partners

Job Requirements:

Education

• Master’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction, or a related/similar design or behavioral science discipline, is required.
• Master’s degree in a design-related discipline is desired.

Experience

• Experience and expertise in the field of human centered design and/or design thinking and ability to provide key insights into core business processes, strategy, and solutions
• Fifteen years of relevant experience working as an Interaction or Service Designer, with a distinct orientation toward challenges in the realm of design for products revolving around technology is strongly desired
• Hands-on facilitation experience within a broad audiences, including senior executives, is more important than any credential
• Prior military experience or familiarity is a plus

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong foundation in UX research processes, and User-Centered Design principles
• Human Factors certifications such as HFI CUA or NN/g UXC
• Experience contributing to and conducting meaningful design critiques
• A portfolio of experiences showing artifacts of UX research and UX strategy
• Demonstrated experience leading teams through challenging projects
• Proficiency with some of the following design and prototyping tools: Adobe™ CS, Axure, Figma, Balsamiq Sketch, FramerJS, and a willingness to explore new tools
• Expertise in hand sketching (both on-the-fly and at a desk), prototyping, and low-fidelity modeling
• Fundamental understanding of UX generative research practices and deliverables
• Experience with research and usability testing of designs or prototypes to inform the direction of the solution to be implemented, leveraging testing to validate assumptions
• Exceptional English communications skills that enable you to be comfortable explaining your work and research findings to anyone, including executives
• Exceptional interpersonal and teambuilding skills including: group leadership, diplomacy, and facilitation skills; e.g., balancing listening to inputs with building consensus and helping move teams toward decisions
• Current SECRET clearance is desired, US Citizenship and ability to obtain a SECRET clearance is required