We’re Hiring – Researcher, UI/UX Innovation and Design Specialist

Post Summary

Candidates are invited to apply for the position of User Experience (UX) Research, Innovation and Design Specialist.

Working alongside learning science researcher, innovation services technology developers you will drive a user-centred approach to the development of innovative UX design concepts.

The post holder will carry out research into designated areas of focus to keep the centre at the leading edge of user experience design. You will be supporting clients through innovative design concepts, rapid prototyping, user research, product reviews, SotA and SotM reviews, analysing data (qualitative and quantitative), delivering workshops, written reports and recommendations. This work will support Learnovate clients and partners to turn state of the art learning and UX research into usable and desirable solutions.

This role will involve being a part of numerous different projects and challenges so you must be comfortable with managing deadlines and switching from project to project on a regular basis. The role offers the chance to work on some very exciting and diverse projects.

The ideal candidate will thrive in a highly collaborative, analytical, creative, and fast-paced environment. This role is best suited to candidates who are passionate, curious, and questioning about ongoing User Interface and Experience Design research.

Standard Duties and Responsibilities of the Post

• Reporting to the Principal Investigator, the Researcher will develop the UI/UX components of research and customer-focused projects
• Facilitate formative research such as State of the Market (SoTM) and State of the Art (SoTA) during early points in development and clearly articulate findings to inform clients’ design solutions
• Create wireframes, prototypes of varying fidelity and detailed design mock-ups
• Develop and define user flows, journey maps, use cases
• Demonstrate understanding of behaviours of target audiences to identify and design appropriate UX and UI solutions
• Assess existing products for UX strengths and weaknesses
• Deliver user experience workshops to achieve focused objectives
• Conduct user research, such as remote and online testing, value propositions, interviews, journey maps, personas, wireframes etc.
• Design, create and validate solutions through prototyping, testing, and delivery
• Participate in the realisation of research projects from idea conception through development to evaluation and user trials
• Collaborate with a cross-functional team which consists of project managers, designers, learning science specialists and business stakeholders
• Participate in dissemination activities including industry showcases, reviews and report writing
• Collaborating with external partners on international projects.
• Evaluation – designing research evaluation instruments – surveys, focus groups etc.

Person Specification

Qualifications:

Degree or Diploma in a design related discipline or relevant computer science field AND 5+ years minimum experience directly applied within a technology sector

Knowledge & Experience (essential and desirable)

• You should have experience leading and planning design solutions; starting at the problem identification stage right through to supporting development teams execute hi-spec production files (essential)
• 5 year’s experience in a UI/UX role, ideally in a technology environment (essential)
• Excellent knowledge of tools for creating UX flows, maps, wireframes and prototypes such as Adobe Creative (Illustrator and Photoshop), Figma, Axure, Sketch and/or similar (essential)
• Deep knowledge of UX methods, heuristic evaluations, co-design, prototyping, journey maps, and persona development (essential)
• Proven experience user testing such as lab studies, remote testing, in person testing and the interpretation and application of results (essential)
• Innovation process skills, including design thinking, ideation process, Design Spring or Lean Start-up experience (desirable)
• Experience of working with developers to realise, build and test designs (desirable)
• Experience in the development of eLearning software and/or knowledge of the learning science theories underpinning modern approaches to eLearning (desirable)
• Experience working in a research driven working environment (desirable)

Skills and Competencies:

• Committed to collaboration within a multidisciplinary team
• Strong knowledge of UX design processes and methodology
• Demonstrable creative thinking, paired with strong analytical ability
• Experience in planning and running workshops
• Comfortable speaking to users and empathising with their needs
• Clear and concise report writing skills
• Flexible and adaptable in their approach to stakeholder needs
• Proven ability to deliver projects on-time and within budget
• Desire to learn about new products, technologies, frameworks, processes and methodologies and keep abreast of new developments within the technology and UX space.
• Project management skills – ability to manage several research streams at any one time
• Excellent written, verbal and room management communication skills: the right candidate must be able to communicate in writing and/or present in person, strategic design concepts and creative vision – in any team or stakeholder setting – with passion and confidence

Application Information

In order to assist the selection process, candidates should submit a curriculum vitae AND a 1 page cover letter. Your cover letter should address

1. 5+ years experience UX designer/researcher. Applicants should clearly address this experience and how they obtained their knowledge
2. Applicants should provide examples of working directly with clients to identify innovative UI/UX approaches and detail the impact of this work
3. Provide link to a portfolio of your previous work

Note:

Please note: Candidates who do not address the application requirements above in their cover letter will not be considered at the shortlist stage.

Candidates should note that the interview process for this appointment may include the delivery of a presentation and may include a test of practical skills.

Please send your cover letter and CV to lorna.maguire@learnovatecentre.org, with ‘application for the post of UIUX specialist’ in the title.

About Learnovate:

Learnovate is one of Europe’s leading research and innovation centres in learning technologies. An industry-led technology centre funded by Enterprise Ireland, Learnovate connects world-class academic research with entrepreneurs at the leading edge of the global learning technologies sector.  Our research fuses expertise in technology, the learning sciences, product design, user experience and strategic innovation to drive commercial success for our industry partners.

The aim of Learnovate is to maximise the growth potential of individual companies working in the EdTech and e-learning sector and enhance Ireland’s competitiveness as a global leader for learning technology innovation.

Learnovate’s industry-led collaborative research programme develops and exploits breakthrough learning technologies for the collective benefit of Ireland’s learning technologies sector.

The Centre is hosted by Trinity College, Dublin located in the Grand Canal Dock.