UX Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Researcher Company: Bixal Location: Fairfax, Virginia, United States (DMV Area - DC, Maryland, or Virginia) Job Type: FULL_TIME Category: User Experience (UX) Research / Digital Services Operations Date Posted: 2025-11-19T16:09:01 Experience Level: Mid-Level (3-5 years) Remote Status: Hybrid (with potential for occasional travel)

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is pivotal in enhancing user experience across public-facing digital platforms, ensuring all design and development decisions are grounded in robust user insights, with a focus on delivering flexible, secure, and citizen-centered digital services.
• The UX Researcher will be instrumental in the continuous improvement of a modern, accessible, and scalable Content Management System (CMS), providing reusable, user-friendly website templates that align with user needs and government digital/brand guidelines.
• This position demands a strong capability in conducting both qualitative and quantitative user research, translating complex findings into actionable recommendations for cross-functional teams, and directly engaging with system users including end users and content managers.
• The role operates within a project-based framework, contingent on contract award, with an anticipated performance period of two years and potential for extension, offering a unique opportunity to contribute to significant government initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Remote Status" is listed as TELECOMMUTE in the source, but the description mentions potential for occasional travel to Colorado and requires presence in the DMV area. This suggests a hybrid model where local presence or occasional travel is expected, rather than fully remote from any location. The experience level is inferred from the 3+ years requirement and typical mid-level expectations for this type of role.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Research Planning & Execution: Design and implement a comprehensive range of user research activities, including in-depth user interviews, targeted surveys, rigorous usability testing, and contextual inquiries, to thoroughly inform design and product development strategies.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with product managers, UX/UI designers, developers, and content strategists to embed user needs at every stage of the digital service lifecycle, ensuring the final product is intuitive, accessible, and highly effective for all users.
• Diverse User Engagement: Conduct research with a wide spectrum of user groups, encompassing both end-users (residents) and internal government stakeholders, to gain a deep understanding of their motivations, pain points, and behavioral patterns in relation to digital services.
• Insight Synthesis & Communication: Synthesize complex qualitative and quantitative data into clear, concise, and actionable insights that effectively guide design decisions, content creation, and feature prioritization for cross-functional teams.
• Artifact Development: Create essential research artifacts such as detailed user personas, comprehensive user journey maps, and insightful empathy maps to effectively communicate user understanding and advocate for user needs throughout the project lifecycle.
• Accessibility & Compliance: Champion the design and delivery of digital products that are not only user-centered but also fully accessible, adhering strictly to WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility standards and other relevant federal/state guidelines.
• Agile Integration: Actively participate in co-creation workshops and agile sprint planning and execution activities, collaborating with teams to validate design concepts, test prototypes, and iterate on solutions based on user feedback.
• Documentation & Ethics: Maintain meticulous research documentation, protocols, and ethical standards, ensuring all research activities comply with federal and state regulations relevant to government projects and user data.
• Stakeholder Reporting: Present research findings and insights through compelling reports, executive briefs, and visual storytelling techniques to build consensus, drive understanding, and secure buy-in among diverse stakeholders.
• Process Improvement: Contribute to the continuous refinement and enhancement of research frameworks, tools, and methodologies to ensure consistency, scalability, and efficiency of research operations across multiple projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core responsibilities are derived from the "Responsibilities" section of the job description and are framed to emphasize the operational and strategic impact of UX research within a government digital services context. Keywords like "digital service lifecycle," "CMS," "WCAG 2.2 AA," and "agile" are integrated to align with the role's specific domain.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Cognitive Science, or a closely related field.

Experience:

• A minimum of 3 years of progressive experience in planning, conducting, and synthesizing qualitative and quantitative user research for digital products, services, or platforms. Experience within the public sector or a consulting environment supporting government clients is highly preferred.

Required Skills:

• Research Methodologies: Proven expertise in a diverse range of research techniques, including but not limited to, usability testing (moderated and unmoderated), in-depth user interviews, online surveys, contextual inquiry, diary studies, and card sorting.
• Data Analysis & Synthesis: Demonstrated ability to effectively collect, analyze, and synthesize complex qualitative and quantitative data to derive actionable insights and identify key user needs, behaviors, and motivations.
• User-Centered Design Principles: Strong understanding of core user-centered design (UCD) principles, design thinking methodologies, and their practical application in product development.
• Accessibility Standards: Solid knowledge of accessibility best practices and standards, particularly WCAG 2.2 AA, and how to integrate these into research and design processes.
• Agile Development Environment: Experience working collaboratively within agile or iterative development frameworks, understanding sprint cycles, and contributing research insights at various stages.
• Communication & Presentation: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with a proven ability to present research findings clearly and persuasively to technical and non-technical stakeholders, fostering alignment and driving informed decision-making.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Adept at working effectively with cross-functional teams, including product managers, designers, developers, and business analysts, to ensure a unified approach to user experience.
• Research Artifact Creation: Proficient in developing key research artifacts such as detailed personas, comprehensive user journey maps, empathy maps, and user flow diagrams.

Preferred Skills:

• Government Digital Standards: Familiarity with government digital service standards, such as the U.S. Web Design System (USWDS), and an understanding of their implications for UX research and design.
• Content Management Systems (CMS): Experience conducting research for platforms that utilize Content Management Systems (CMS), understanding the needs of both end-users interacting with content and content managers publishing it.
• Large-Scale Platforms: Experience conducting research for large-scale, user-facing digital platforms that serve diverse populations and complex user needs.
• Facilitation Skills: Comfort and experience in facilitating workshops, design thinking sessions, and usability testing sessions, both remotely and in-person.
• Master’s Degree: A Master's degree in HCI, Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, or a related field.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "ai_requirements_summary" and "ai_key_skills" from the input were crucial for populating this section. The experience level was inferred as "Mid-Level" based on the 3+ years requirement and the typical scope of responsibilities for a UX Researcher in a consulting or public sector environment. Education requirements were explicitly stated. The distinction between required and preferred skills is based on common industry hiring practices for such roles.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrated Research Process: Showcase a clear, documented research process, highlighting how you move from understanding project goals and user needs to research design, execution, analysis, and actionable recommendations.
• Case Study Depth: Provide detailed case studies that illustrate your end-to-end involvement in research projects, emphasizing the problem statement, your research methodologies, key findings, and the tangible impact of your insights on product design and user experience improvements.
• Methodology Diversity: Exhibit experience with a variety of research methodologies, clearly explaining why specific methods were chosen for particular projects and how they yielded valuable, distinct insights.
• Impact & Outcomes: Quantify the impact of your research whenever possible, demonstrating how your work led to measurable improvements in user satisfaction, task completion rates, accessibility compliance, or other key performance indicators.

Process Documentation:

• Research Design Documentation: Evidence of well-structured research plans, including defined objectives, target participant profiles, recruitment strategies, chosen methodologies, and data collection protocols.
• Insight Reporting & Storytelling: Examples of how you translate raw data into compelling narratives, reports, and presentations that effectively communicate complex findings to diverse stakeholders, including product teams, designers, and leadership.
• User Journey & Persona Development: Showcasing the creation and application of user personas and journey maps, demonstrating how these artifacts are used to inform design decisions and create user-centric solutions.
• Accessibility Integration: Examples of how accessibility considerations (e.g., WCAG compliance) were integrated into your research process and how findings contributed to more accessible digital products.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the original job description doesn't explicitly mention a portfolio requirement, it's a standard expectation for UX Researcher roles, especially in consulting and government projects where demonstrating process and impact is critical. This section infers typical portfolio content and documentation standards relevant to UX research, emphasizing process, impact, and communication.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• $105,000 – $120,000 annually.
• Bixal indicates that offers typically fall near the midpoint of this range, emphasizing thoughtful compensation decisions based on experience, skills, and internal equity.

Benefits:

• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits.
• Financial Security: 401K plan with a matching incentive, Flex Spending Account (FSA), and company-provided short-term disability and life insurance.
• Work-Life Balance: Generous Paid Time Off (PTO), 11 Paid Holidays, and Flex Hours to support a healthy work-life integration.
• Family Support: Parental Leave.
• Commuting: Commuter benefits to ease the transition for hybrid work.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time employment is 40 hours per week.
• The inclusion of "Flex hours" suggests some flexibility in daily scheduling, allowing for adaptation to project needs and personal commitments, which is beneficial for research-intensive roles that may require deep focus.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range and benefits were directly extracted from the job description. The "Working Hours" section includes information about standard hours and infers flexibility based on the "Flex hours" benefit, which is relevant for operations roles that often require adaptability. The salary range is considered competitive for a mid-level UX Researcher in the US, particularly for the specified region.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology Consulting, Government Services, Digital Transformation. Bixal operates at the intersection of technology consulting and public sector service delivery, aiming to improve citizen experiences through evidence-based knowledge and technology adoption. This focus means operations within Bixal are geared towards impactful, mission-driven projects. Company Size: Bixal is a growing company, likely falling into the Small to Medium-sized Business (SMB) category based on typical consulting firm structures and project scopes. This size often translates to a more agile, collaborative, and less bureaucratic environment, where individual contributions can have a significant impact on operations and project success. Founded: Bixal was founded to empower clients to deliver on their missions more effectively. While the exact founding date isn't provided, the company's mission suggests a commitment to continuous improvement and innovation in service delivery.

Team Structure:

• The UX Researcher will join a "digital services team" supporting a large-scale public sector initiative. This implies a dedicated team focused on web and application modernization, likely comprising product managers, designers, developers, and potentially other operations specialists.
• The role involves close collaboration with product managers and designers, suggesting a relatively flat or matrixed reporting structure within the project team, where expertise drives collaboration.
• Cross-functional collaboration is a core tenet, with the UX Researcher acting as a bridge between user needs and the development/design teams, and also engaging with various internal government stakeholders.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Bixal emphasizes "evidence-based knowledge," aligning with a data-driven approach to operations and project execution, which is central to UX research.
• Continuous Improvement: The company culture fosters a "Growth Mindset" and "Continuous Improvement," meaning research findings are expected to drive iterative enhancements to digital services and platforms.
• Human-Centered Solutions: The core mission of delivering "better services and experiences" highlights a human-centered approach, with UX research being a key enabler of this methodology.

Company Website: https://careers.bixal.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Information regarding Bixal's industry, size, and mission was synthesized from the provided "Company Description" and "Company Specialties." The team structure and methodology sections infer typical operational environments for a consulting firm focused on government digital services, emphasizing the role of UX research within these contexts.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This UX Researcher position is positioned at a mid-level, requiring 3+ years of experience. It involves independent planning and execution of research, synthesizing complex data, and influencing cross-functional teams. It's a role where individuals are expected to manage their research efforts effectively and contribute significantly to project outcomes, rather than being primarily guided by senior researchers.

Reporting Structure: The role will be part of a "digital services team" and will likely report to a UX Lead, Research Manager, or a Project Manager overseeing the digital modernization initiative. Collaboration is key, with close partnerships with product managers and designers.

Operations Impact: The UX Researcher's impact is direct and critical to the success of digital service delivery. By grounding design and development in user insights, they ensure that government services are intuitive, accessible, and meet the needs of residents. This directly improves citizen engagement, service adoption, and the overall effectiveness of government operations by reducing user friction and increasing digital service utilization. The work contributes to the client's mission of providing better services and experiences.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Potential to deepen expertise in specific research methodologies, accessibility standards, or particular government sectors (e.g., public health, transportation).
• Leadership: Opportunities to lead research efforts on larger or more complex projects, mentor junior researchers, and contribute to the strategic direction of UX within Bixal's client engagements.
• Skill Expansion: Possibility to expand into related areas such as UX strategy, service design, or even product management, leveraging a deep understanding of user needs.
• Client Engagement: As Bixal supports government clients, there's an opportunity to build strong relationships and gain deep insights into public sector service delivery challenges and solutions, enhancing career capital in this niche.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section analyzes the role's positioning within Bixal's operations and the broader UX/digital services field. The "Operations Impact" focuses on how UX research contributes to operational efficiency and effectiveness for government clients. Growth opportunities are projected based on typical career paths for mid-level UX researchers in consulting environments.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The position is described as "TELECOMMUTE" with potential for occasional travel, and the company headquarters are in Fairfax, VA. This indicates a hybrid work model. While remote work is possible, the mention of the DMV area and potential travel suggests that candidates should be located within or willing to relocate to the DC, Maryland, or Virginia region. Occasional on-site meetings and working sessions are possible.

Office Location(s): Bixal's headquarters are in Fairfax, VA. The project may involve occasional travel to Colorado for client meetings. The primary operational hub for this role is within the DC, Maryland, or Virginia (DMV) metropolitan area.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hubs: Expect a collaborative environment where UX researchers work closely with product managers, designers, and developers, likely in shared digital workspaces and potentially in-person for key workshops or strategy sessions.
• Technology & Tools: Access to standard UX research tools and software, as well as typical office productivity suites and communication platforms required for remote and hybrid collaboration.
• Team Interaction: Regular interaction with the digital services team, fostering a culture of shared learning and problem-solving. The company emphasizes "Collaboration and Transparency," suggesting an open environment for idea exchange.

Work Schedule: The standard workweek is 40 hours. The "Flex hours" benefit offers some adaptability in daily schedules, which can be beneficial for deep work sessions required for qualitative data analysis or for accommodating collaboration with team members across different time zones or with varying schedules.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section interprets the "location_type" and "remote_derived" fields alongside the descriptive text about travel and regional requirements to define the work environment as hybrid. It infers aspects of the workspace and schedule based on common practices for consulting firms and the provided benefits.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your application, resume, and portfolio to assess foundational qualifications and experience. Be prepared to clearly articulate your UX research expertise and relevant project highlights.
• Hiring Manager/Team Interview: An interview focused on your experience with specific research methodologies, your approach to problem-solving, and how you translate research into actionable insights. Expect behavioral questions to gauge your collaboration and communication skills.
• Portfolio Review & Presentation: A dedicated session where you will present selected case studies from your portfolio. This is an opportunity to walk through your research process, methodology, findings, and the impact of your work. Be ready to discuss your rationale and defend your choices.
• Skills Assessment/Case Study: Potentially a take-home assignment or a live exercise where you'll be asked to outline a research plan for a given scenario or analyze a dataset. This assesses your practical application of research principles.
• Final Interview: May involve a discussion with senior leadership or key stakeholders to assess cultural fit, strategic thinking, and overall alignment with Bixal's mission and values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Choose 2-3 projects that best showcase your end-to-end UX research process, highlight diverse methodologies, and demonstrate significant impact.
• Emphasize Process: Clearly articulate the "why" behind your research: the problem, your objectives, the methods chosen, and how you navigated challenges.
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, present metrics and outcomes. How did your research influence design decisions? What were the measurable results (e.g., improved usability scores, increased task completion, enhanced accessibility)?
• Storytelling: Frame your case studies as narratives. Start with the challenge, detail your journey, present your findings compellingly, and conclude with the resolution or impact.
• Accessibility Focus: Given the role's emphasis on WCAG 2.2 AA, ensure at least one project highlights your experience with accessibility research or how your work contributed to accessible design.

Challenge Preparation:

• Research Design: Practice outlining research plans for hypothetical scenarios, defining target users, research questions, methodologies, and success metrics.
• Data Interpretation: Be ready to analyze mock research data (qualitative or quantitative) and derive actionable recommendations.
• Presentation Skills: Rehearse presenting your portfolio case studies concisely and engagingly, focusing on clarity and impact. Practice answering questions about your research choices and their implications.
• Company & Client Context: Research Bixal's work, particularly in the government sector, and understand the challenges of designing for public services.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section infers a typical interview process for a UX Researcher role in a consulting environment supporting government clients. The emphasis on portfolio review and potential case studies is standard for these roles and is tailored to highlight the specific requirements of this position, such as accessibility and public sector focus.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Research Platforms: Experience with a variety of qualitative and quantitative research tools such as UserTesting.com, Maze, Lookback, SurveyMonkey, Typeform, Qualtrics, or similar platforms for usability testing, surveys, and data collection.
• Collaboration Suites: Proficiency in collaboration tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, and project management software (e.g., Jira, Asana, Trello) for team communication and workflow management.
• Prototyping & Design Tools: Familiarity with design and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD) to understand design outputs and collaborate effectively with designers.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Analysis Software: Experience with tools for analyzing qualitative data (e.g., Dovetail, NVivo) and quantitative data (e.g., Excel, SPSS, R, Python for statistical analysis).
• Dashboarding Tools: Familiarity with creating visualizations and reports using tools like Tableau, Power BI, or Google Data Studio to present research findings and track key metrics.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct CRM/automation role, understanding how user data feeds into CRM systems or how automation impacts user journeys can be beneficial. Experience with systems that manage user feedback or customer interactions may be relevant.
• Content Management Systems (CMS): As mentioned in "Nice to Have," familiarity with CMS platforms (e.g., WordPress, Drupal, custom government CMS) will be advantageous for understanding the content publishing and management side of digital platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section outlines a typical technology stack for a UX Researcher in a modern digital services environment. It includes common research platforms, collaboration tools, and data analysis software, aligning with the role's responsibilities and the need for effective data synthesis and communication. The mention of CMS is based on the "Nice to Have" skills.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• People-First: Bixal prioritizes its employees and the people they serve. This translates to a culture that values empathy, understanding user needs deeply, and fostering a supportive internal team environment.
• Collaboration and Transparency: Expect an open and communicative atmosphere where ideas are shared freely, and team members work together towards common goals. This is crucial for effective UX research, which relies heavily on cross-functional input and feedback.
• Growth Mindset: A commitment to continuous learning, innovation, and embracing challenges. For a UX Researcher, this means staying current with research methodologies, tools, and user behavior trends.
• Creating Lasting Impact: A focus on delivering meaningful outcomes that genuinely improve services and experiences for citizens. This provides a strong sense of purpose for the work performed.

Collaboration Style:

• Integrated Teams: The UX Researcher will be an integrated member of the digital services team, working hand-in-hand with designers, developers, and product managers.
• Proactive Communication: A style that encourages proactive sharing of insights, early validation of concepts, and open dialogue to ensure user needs are consistently represented.
• Feedback Culture: An environment where constructive feedback is welcomed and utilized for continuous improvement of both products and processes.
• Cross-functional Advocacy: The role involves acting as an advocate for the user across different functions, requiring strong interpersonal skills to build consensus and drive user-centric decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section directly pulls from Bixal's stated values and infers the collaborative style expected in a consulting firm supporting government initiatives. The emphasis is on how these values translate into the daily operations and interactions of a UX Researcher.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Government Bureaucracy & Stakeholders: Working within public sector environments can involve complex approval processes, diverse stakeholder needs, and sometimes slower adoption rates for new methodologies.
• Diverse User Populations: Researching for government services often means engaging with a broad spectrum of users, including those with limited digital literacy or accessibility needs, requiring adaptable research approaches.
• Balancing User Needs with Constraints: Synthesizing user desires with technical limitations, budget constraints, and stringent government regulations requires strong analytical and negotiation skills.
• Demonstrating ROI for UX: Continuously proving the tangible value and return on investment of UX research to stakeholders who may not be fully familiar with its impact.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Government UX: Gaining deep expertise in UX research specifically for government services, understanding unique user needs and compliance requirements.
• Advanced Methodologies: Opportunity to master advanced qualitative and quantitative research techniques, potentially including experimental design or advanced statistical analysis.
• Cross-Disciplinary Knowledge: Developing a broader understanding of digital transformation, content strategy, and the technical aspects of CMS platforms.
• Professional Development: Access to internal training, industry conferences, workshops, and potential for certifications relevant to UX research and accessibility.
• Mentorship: Potential to be mentored by experienced leaders within Bixal or to mentor junior team members as the role progresses.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section identifies potential challenges inherent in government consulting and UX research roles, offering proactive strategies. Growth opportunities are framed to leverage the specific context of working for a government-focused consulting firm.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to influence a team or stakeholder to prioritize a user need that conflicted with their initial vision. How did you use research to support your case?" (Focus on data-driven persuasion, stakeholder management, and research impact.)
• "Walk me through your process for planning a usability study for a complex government portal. What factors would you consider for recruitment, task design, and analysis?" (Assesses research planning skills, understanding of user segmentation, and analytical approach.)
• "How do you ensure your research findings are translated into actionable design recommendations that can be implemented within an agile development cycle, especially in a public sector context?" (Evaluates the bridge between research and execution, understanding of agile, and practical application of insights.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Bixal's mission and our work in the public sector?" (Research Bixal's projects and values, articulate how your passion aligns.)
• "How do you approach collaboration with designers and developers who may have different priorities or perspectives?" (Provide examples of fostering positive cross-functional relationships and resolving conflicts constructively.)
• "How do you stay updated on best practices in UX research, accessibility standards like WCAG, and government digital service guidelines?" (Demonstrates a commitment to continuous learning and professional development.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select for Impact: Choose 2-3 projects that best showcase your end-to-end research process, highlight diverse methodologies, and demonstrate significant impact. Prioritize projects relevant to digital services or government initiatives if possible.
• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly define the problem, your research objectives, the methods you employed (and why), your key findings, and the resulting design recommendations or product improvements. Quantify impact where possible.
• Focus on 'Why': Be ready to explain the rationale behind your methodological choices, participant selection, and how you synthesized findings to arrive at actionable insights.
• Address Accessibility: If a project involved accessibility considerations, explicitly discuss your approach and findings related to WCAG or other standards.
• Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about challenges faced, alternative approaches, and how your work directly contributed to project success.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides specific, actionable interview preparation advice tailored to the UX Researcher role at Bixal, focusing on common question types, company-specific considerations, and portfolio presentation strategies.

---

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the Bixal careers portal (https://careers.bixal.com/jobs/445170-ux-researcher).
• Tailor your resume to highlight experience with qualitative and quantitative user research methodologies, user-centered design principles, accessibility standards (WCAG 2.2 AA), and experience in public sector or consulting environments. Emphasize quantifiable achievements.
• Prepare your portfolio with 2-3 strong case studies that clearly demonstrate your research process, methodology, insights, and impact. Focus on projects relevant to digital services or government initiatives.
• Research Bixal: Understand their mission, values, and recent projects, particularly in digital services and government modernization, to articulate your interest and cultural fit.
• Practice your presentation: Rehearse walking through your portfolio case studies, focusing on clarity, impact, and answering potential questions about your research process and decision-making.

⚠️ 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.