Sr. UX Researcher & Designer (Remote)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Sr. UX Researcher & Designer (Remote)

Company: Jobgether (on behalf of a partner company)

Location: Colorado, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: User Experience (UX) Research & Design Leadership

Date Posted: April 1, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and mentor a User Experience (UX) team, fostering growth through performance assessments and dedicated career development initiatives.

• Drive the design and refinement of practical UX processes, ensuring alignment with company culture and product lifecycles.

• Establish and maintain high standards for UX quality, with a strong emphasis on usability and robust accessibility compliance.

• Collaborate cross-functionally to develop and implement a centralized design system, ensuring consistency in UI components across all products.

• Champion the innovative integration of AI-assisted tools within the UX practice to enhance efficiency and creativity.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a hybrid leadership and hands-on position, requiring a candidate who can both manage a team and contribute directly to UX research and design. The focus on public services (B2G) and SaaS applications indicates a need for structured, scalable, and user-centric design principles. The emphasis on shifting from reactive to strategic improvements highlights the importance of proactive UX strategy and process ownership.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Team Leadership & Development: Guide, mentor, and manage UX researchers and designers, conducting regular performance assessments and actively supporting their professional growth and career trajectories.

• Process Design & Optimization: Develop, refine, and implement effective UX research and design processes that are practical, scalable, and well-integrated into the company's product development lifecycle.

• Quality & Accessibility Standards: Define, communicate, and enforce high standards for UX quality, ensuring products are not only user-friendly but also meet rigorous accessibility guidelines (e.g., WCAG).

• Design System Management: Partner with product management and engineering teams to create, maintain, and promote a centralized design system, ensuring consistent application of UI components and brand identity.

• AI Tool Integration: Explore and advocate for the innovative adoption of AI-assisted tools within the UX workflow to improve research efficiency, design ideation, and overall team productivity.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders to ensure UX considerations are integrated early and throughout the product development process, with a specific focus on accessibility.

• Strategic UX Improvement: Drive initiatives to transition UX practices from a reactive support model to a more strategic, proactive approach, focusing on long-term product quality and user experience enhancements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a blend of people management, strategic process improvement, and technical UX expertise. Candidates should demonstrate experience in building and scaling UX functions, implementing design systems, and ensuring accessibility compliance, particularly within B2B/B2G or SaaS environments.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Design, Psychology, Computer Science, or a related field is often preferred for senior UX roles. Equivalently, extensive practical experience and a strong portfolio can substitute for formal education.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in User Experience (UX) Research and Design.

• At least 2 years of direct people management experience, including performance reviews, coaching, and career development for UX professionals.

Required Skills:

• UX Research Methodologies: Expertise in a wide range of qualitative and quantitative research methods (e.g., user interviews, surveys, usability testing, ethnographic studies, persona development, journey mapping).

• UX Design Principles: Strong command of user-centered design principles, information architecture, interaction design, and visual design.

• Leadership & Mentorship: Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate, and develop a team of UX professionals, fostering a collaborative and high-performing environment.

• Usability & Accessibility: Deep understanding of usability best practices and comprehensive knowledge of WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) standards and their practical application.

• Modern UX Tools: Proficiency with industry-standard UX design and prototyping tools, with specific mention of Figma, and experience with various research platforms and analytics tools.

• Process Development: Ability to design, document, and implement effective UX workflows and processes that align with product lifecycles and organizational culture.

• Cross-Functional Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the proven ability to articulate UX strategies, research findings, and design rationale to diverse audiences, including technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Prioritization & Strategy: Demonstrated ability to prioritize UX initiatives based on business impact, user needs, and resource constraints, and to translate strategic goals into actionable UX plans.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with AI-assisted tools for UX research, design, or workflow automation.

• Experience in building and scaling a design system from inception.

• Familiarity with agile development methodologies and working within cross-functional agile teams.

• Experience in government or public sector digital services.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on both research and design indicates a need for a T-shaped or combi-shaped skill set, where candidates possess deep expertise in one area and broad competence in the other. The requirement for leadership and process development suggests a strategic orientation beyond individual contributor tasks.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies: A robust portfolio showcasing a minimum of 3-5 comprehensive case studies that detail your involvement in UX research and design projects from conception to completion. Each case study should clearly articulate the problem, your role, the methodologies used, the design process, key challenges, and measurable outcomes.

• Leadership & Process Examples: Include examples demonstrating your leadership in managing UX teams, developing UX processes, or implementing design systems. Highlight instances where you mentored junior designers or researchers, or where you successfully advocated for process improvements.

• System Design & Implementation: Showcase examples of your work on design systems, UI component libraries, or style guides. Detail the process of their creation, adoption, and impact on product consistency and development efficiency.

• Metrics & Impact: Quantify the impact of your work whenever possible. Demonstrate how your UX initiatives have led to measurable improvements in user satisfaction, task success rates, conversion rates, accessibility compliance, or development efficiency.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design: Present documentation or examples of UX workflows you have designed and implemented, illustrating how they integrate with broader product development and engineering processes.

• Methodology Application: Clearly outline the research and design methodologies employed in your portfolio projects, explaining why specific approaches were chosen and how they contributed to project success.

• Accessibility Integration: Demonstrate how accessibility considerations were integrated into your design and research processes, with examples of specific checks, tools, or standards applied.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a leadership role with a focus on process, the portfolio should not only highlight individual design and research skills but also demonstrate strategic thinking, process ownership, and the ability to guide and develop a team. The ability to articulate the "why" behind process choices and demonstrate measurable impact is critical.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $110,000 – $170,000 per year.

Benefits:

• Fully Remote Work Environment: Enjoy the flexibility and autonomy of working remotely from anywhere.

• Time Zone Flexibility: While based in Colorado, the remote nature allows for flexibility across various time zones, facilitating collaboration.

• Coaching and Mentoring Opportunities: Benefit from structured support for professional development and skill enhancement.

• Continuous Learning & Growth: Access resources and support for ongoing education, training, and professional advancement in UX.

• Occasional Travel: Up to 10% travel may be required for team gatherings, strategic meetings, and client interactions, providing opportunities for in-person collaboration and networking.

• Competitive Salary: A strong compensation package reflective of the senior leadership and specialized UX skills required.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are typically 40 hours per week. Given the fully remote and flexible nature, there is an expectation of core availability for team collaboration, with flexibility around specific daily schedules.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is competitive for a Senior UX Researcher & Designer role with leadership responsibilities in the US market. The benefits package emphasizes flexibility, professional development, and a supportive remote work culture, which are key attractors for senior talent in the tech and design fields.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: The partner company operates within the technology sector, with a specific focus on providing digital experiences for public services (B2G) and potentially SaaS applications. This blend suggests a company that values user-centricity, efficiency, and impact for a broad audience.

Company Size: While not explicitly stated, the need for a Senior UX Lead to "grow the UX team" and "elevate our UX practices" implies a company that is either scaling its UX function or is in a phase of significant growth and strategic investment in user experience. It's likely a mid-sized to larger organization where dedicated UX leadership is becoming increasingly important.

Founded: The founding date is not provided, but the focus on modernizing processes and integrating AI suggests a company that is forward-thinking and adaptable, willing to invest in new technologies and methodologies.

Team Structure:

• UX Team: The role involves leading and growing a UX team. This team likely comprises UX researchers and UX designers. The size is expected to grow under this leadership.

• Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Researcher & Designer Lead will likely report to a Director or VP of Product, Engineering, or Design, depending on the company's organizational structure. They will directly manage UX team members.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Significant collaboration is expected with product management, engineering, marketing, and potentially client-facing teams, particularly for public service initiatives.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Insights: The emphasis on research and strategic improvements indicates a reliance on data and user insights to inform design and product decisions.

• Process Optimization: A core aspect of the role is refining and implementing practical UX processes, suggesting a culture that values efficiency, best practices, and continuous improvement.

• Innovation & AI Integration: The explicit mention of AI-assisted tools points to a culture that embraces innovation and is open to leveraging new technologies to enhance workflows and outcomes.

Company Website: jobgether.com (This is the platform posting the role; the actual partner company's website is not directly provided but would be the focus of candidate research).

📝 Enhancement Note: The context suggests a company that is serious about user experience, particularly in the B2G or complex B2B SaaS space. This implies a need for robust, user-focused processes and a commitment to accessibility and quality. The remote-first nature also points to a culture that values autonomy and effective asynchronous communication.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role represents a significant step into leadership within the UX discipline. It's beyond a senior individual contributor role and moves into management, strategy, and team building. The "Lead" designation signifies responsibility for guiding a function and its people, influencing the overall product strategy through UX expertise.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Researcher & Designer Lead will typically report to a higher-level executive (e.g., VP of Product, Chief Product Officer, or Head of Design). They will have direct reports, likely UX Researchers and UX Designers. This position acts as a crucial bridge between executive strategy and the hands-on execution of UX initiatives.

Operations Impact: The role's impact is significant, extending beyond just the usability of products. By leading the UX team and refining processes, this individual will directly influence:

• Product Quality & Adoption: Improved UX leads to better product adoption, user satisfaction, and retention.

• Development Efficiency: A strong design system and well-defined processes can streamline development cycles and reduce rework.

• Accessibility Compliance: Ensuring accessibility mitigates legal risks and broadens the user base, particularly critical for public services.

• Team Performance & Retention: Effective leadership fosters a positive team environment, driving productivity and retaining talent.

• Strategic Direction: By championing user needs and innovative UX approaches, the role helps shape the product roadmap and overall company strategy.

Growth Opportunities:

• Advancement to Director/VP Level: Successful performance in this lead role can pave the way for promotion to Director of UX, Head of Design, or VP of Product, overseeing larger teams and broader strategic responsibilities.

• Specialization: Opportunities to deepen expertise in specific areas like AI in UX, advanced accessibility, or user research strategy for complex B2G environments.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Potential to move into broader product leadership roles, leveraging a deep understanding of user needs and product development.

• Process & Methodology Innovation: Opportunities to become a recognized expert in developing and implementing cutting-edge UX processes and frameworks.

📝 Enhancement Note: This is a strategic leadership role. Candidates should be looking for an opportunity to build and shape a UX function, not just execute tasks. The growth trajectory is clearly towards higher levels of leadership and strategic influence within a product organization.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is fully remote. This indicates a distributed team structure with no central office requirement for the employee. The company likely utilizes various digital collaboration tools to maintain connectivity and productivity.

Office Location(s): While the role is remote, the mention of "Colorado, United States" in the location data suggests that the company may have headquarters or a significant presence in Colorado. The remote nature means candidates are not tied to a specific city or state for daily work, offering broad geographical flexibility within the US. However, some companies may have restrictions on remote work based on US state for tax or legal reasons.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Digital Environment: Expect a work environment heavily reliant on digital collaboration tools such as Slack, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, project management software (e.g., Jira, Asana), and collaborative design platforms (e.g., Figma, Miro).

• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard UX research and design tools (Figma, research platforms, analytics dashboards) will be provided or expected.

• Team Interaction: While remote, opportunities for interaction will occur through virtual meetings, design critiques, team syncs, and potentially virtual social events. Occasional travel is also factored in for in-person team gatherings.

Work Schedule: The role offers flexibility across time zones. While a standard 40-hour work week is implied, the emphasis is on results and collaboration, allowing for some adjustment of daily working hours to accommodate personal needs and team synchronization requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: This is a remote-first position. Candidates should be experienced in working independently, managing their time effectively, and collaborating asynchronously. The flexibility offered is a key perk, but it requires strong self-discipline and communication skills.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening (Jobgether AI): Your application will first be processed by Jobgether's AI to assess core requirements. This ensures quick, objective review.

• Hiring Company Review: Shortlisted candidates will have their profiles and portfolios shared directly with the partner company's internal hiring team.

• Stage 1: Recruiter/Hiring Manager Screen: An initial conversation to discuss your background, interest in the role, leadership experience, and alignment with the company's mission. Expect questions about your team management philosophy and approach to UX strategy.

• Stage 2: UX/Design Team Interview: This will likely involve a deep dive into your UX research and design methodologies. You may be asked to walk through specific case studies from your portfolio, explaining your process, decision-making, and outcomes. Questions about accessibility and design systems will be common.

• Stage 3: Leadership/Cross-Functional Interview: A discussion with product leaders, engineering managers, or other key stakeholders. This stage assesses your strategic thinking, ability to collaborate across departments, and your vision for UX within the organization.

• Stage 4: Portfolio Presentation & Challenge (Potential): You might be asked to prepare a presentation of a key portfolio piece or tackle a small, relevant design challenge. This will demonstrate your ability to communicate complex ideas, articulate strategy, and problem-solve under pressure.

• Final Round: This could involve a final interview with a senior executive, focusing on cultural fit, long-term vision, and strategic impact.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest, most relevant case studies. Prioritize those that showcase leadership, process development, B2G/SaaS experience, and measurable impact.

• Structure Your Narratives: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your specific role and contributions, the methodologies used (and why), key design decisions, challenges faced, and the quantifiable results achieved. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) as a guide.

• Highlight Leadership & Process: Explicitly call out instances where you led a team, mentored individuals, developed processes, or implemented a design system. Show your strategic thinking and ability to influence.

• Emphasize Accessibility: Clearly demonstrate how you incorporated WCAG standards and accessibility best practices into your work.

• Quantify Impact: Use metrics to support your claims. This could include improvements in user satisfaction, task completion rates, conversion rates, efficiency gains, or reduction in support tickets.

• Be Prepared to Discuss: Anticipate questions about your design choices, research findings, trade-offs made, and how you handled disagreements or challenges.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If a challenge is given, ensure you fully understand the problem statement, target users, and business objectives.

• Think Out Loud: For design challenges, articulate your thought process clearly. Explain your assumptions, the questions you're asking, and the rationale behind your decisions.

• Focus on Process: Demonstrate a structured approach to problem-solving, even if time is limited. Outline the steps you would take.

• Consider Constraints: Acknowledge potential constraints (time, resources, technical limitations) and how you would navigate them.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes both individual UX expertise and leadership capabilities. The portfolio is a critical component for demonstrating both. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their strategic approach to UX and their experience in building and managing teams.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for UI design, prototyping, and collaboration. Proficiency is a key requirement.

• User Research Platforms: Experience with tools like UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, or similar for conducting remote usability testing, interviews, and surveys.

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma, familiarity with tools like Adobe XD, Sketch, InVision, or Axure RP may be beneficial.

• Collaboration Suites: Proficiency in tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace for communication and collaboration.

• Project Management Software: Experience with Jira, Asana, Trello, or similar for managing tasks, workflows, and project timelines.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or Mixpanel to understand user behavior and track product performance.

• Data Visualization Tools: Experience with tools like Tableau, Power BI, or Looker for creating dashboards and reporting on UX metrics.

• Heatmapping & Session Recording Tools: Tools like Hotjar or FullStory can be useful for understanding user interaction patterns on digital interfaces.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: While not a primary focus, understanding how UX integrates with CRM data (e.g., Salesforce) can be advantageous for B2B/B2G contexts, especially for understanding customer journeys and feedback loops.

• Workflow Automation: Familiarity with how UX processes can be automated or integrated into broader business workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack highlights a modern, digitally-enabled UX practice. Proficiency in Figma is non-negotiable. Experience with a range of research, collaboration, and analytics tools is expected for a senior role. The mention of AI-assisted tools suggests an openness to exploring emerging technologies.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for user needs in all aspects of product development. This translates to prioritizing user research and usability testing.

• Collaboration & Partnership: Fostering strong working relationships with product, engineering, and other departments, emphasizing shared goals and open communication.

• Excellence & Quality: A drive to deliver high-quality, well-designed, and accessible digital experiences that meet and exceed user expectations and business objectives.

• Innovation & Continuous Improvement: An ongoing effort to explore new tools, methodologies, and approaches to enhance the UX practice and product offerings, including the integration of AI.

• Growth & Learning: A culture that supports professional development, encourages knowledge sharing, and provides opportunities for team members to expand their skills and careers.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Expect an environment where UX is deeply integrated into the product development lifecycle, working hand-in-hand with product managers and engineers from ideation through launch and iteration.

• Constructive Feedback Culture: A willingness to engage in open, honest, and constructive feedback sessions regarding designs, research findings, and processes.

• Knowledge Sharing: Practices that encourage sharing of insights, best practices, and learnings across the UX team and with other departments, potentially through regular syncs, documentation, or internal presentations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values suggest a dynamic and user-focused organization that is invested in its people and products. Candidates should align with a culture that values teamwork, quality, and forward-thinking approaches to UX.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scaling a UX Function: Growing the UX team and processes effectively to meet the demands of a scaling company or expanding product lines can be challenging, requiring strategic planning and resource management.

• Balancing User Needs with Business Constraints: Navigating the complexities of B2G or SaaS environments often involves balancing diverse user needs, strict accessibility requirements, and various business objectives and technical limitations.

• Driving Strategic UX Adoption: Shifting from reactive UX support to a proactive, strategic role requires consistent advocacy, clear communication of value, and strong cross-functional influence.

• Integrating AI Effectively: Identifying the most impactful AI tools and integrating them seamlessly into existing workflows without disrupting productivity or compromising quality can be a significant undertaking.

• Remote Team Management: Maintaining team cohesion, fostering collaboration, and ensuring consistent productivity and engagement within a fully remote team requires strong leadership and communication skills.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Formal and informal opportunities to hone management skills, strategic planning, and team-building capabilities.

• Industry Trends: Exposure to emerging UX methodologies, AI advancements in design, and evolving accessibility standards through conferences, workshops, and internal knowledge sharing.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Opportunities to collaborate closely with product management, engineering, and data science teams, broadening understanding of the entire product lifecycle.

• Mentorship: Potential to receive mentorship from senior leaders within the organization and to mentor junior team members, deepening leadership expertise.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents opportunities for significant professional growth by tackling complex challenges in scaling UX, driving strategic impact, and leading a remote team. Candidates should be prepared to embrace these challenges as learning experiences.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach building and scaling a UX team from its current stage to support a growing product portfolio?" (Focus on team structure, hiring, process, and metrics).

• "Describe your philosophy on integrating AI-assisted tools into a UX workflow. What are the potential benefits and risks?" (Highlight cautious optimism, focus on augmentation, not replacement).

• "How do you balance the needs of diverse user groups (e.g., different government agencies or SaaS customers) with business objectives and technical constraints?" (Discuss user research, prioritization frameworks, stakeholder negotiation).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about our company and our mission to improve digital experiences for public services?" (Research the partner company's specific work and impact).

• "How do you foster a collaborative and innovative culture within a remote UX team?" (Discuss communication strategies, virtual team building, feedback mechanisms).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Tell a Story: For each case study, frame it as a narrative. What was the problem, what journey did you take, and what was the resolution and impact?

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (screenshots, wireframes, prototypes, charts) to illustrate your points. For process, use diagrams or flowcharts.

• Quantify Everything Possible: Be ready to discuss the metrics that demonstrate the success of your projects. If exact numbers aren't available, discuss the types of metrics you would track and why.

• Focus on Your Role: Clearly articulate your specific contributions, especially in leadership and process development aspects.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about specific design decisions, research findings, and trade-offs made.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating leadership acumen, strategic thinking, process orientation, and a deep understanding of UX principles, particularly in the context of B2G/SaaS and accessibility. The portfolio is your primary tool for showcasing these capabilities.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit Your Application: Utilize the provided application link on Jobgether. Ensure all requested fields are completed accurately.

• Tailor Your Resume: Customize your resume to highlight experience in UX research, UX design, team leadership, process development, accessibility (WCAG), and familiarity with tools like Figma. Use keywords from the job description to optimize for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate a strong portfolio that includes 3-5 detailed case studies showcasing your leadership, process implementation, and measurable UX outcomes. Be ready to walk through these confidently.

• Research the Partner Company: Invest time in understanding the specific partner company (beyond Jobgether) they are representing. Research their mission, products, and any public-facing digital services they provide to grasp the context of their UX challenges.

• Practice Your Narrative: Rehearse how you will articulate your experience, particularly your leadership approach, process development contributions, and how you've driven strategic UX improvements. Prepare to discuss your portfolio pieces in detail.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.