UX Researcher/Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Researcher/Designer Company: Syncreon Consulting Location: Chicago, Illinois, United States Job Type: Contract Category: User Experience (UX) Operations / Design Operations Date Posted: September 19, 2025 Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5-10 years) Remote Status: Remote OK

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end user research initiatives, encompassing planning, execution, and synthesis of qualitative and quantitative data to inform product strategy and design.
• Translate research findings into actionable insights and tangible deliverables, including personas, journey maps, wireframes, and flow diagrams, to guide product development.
• Facilitate collaborative sessions with cross-functional teams and stakeholders to uncover user needs, validate design concepts, and ensure alignment on product direction.
• Manage research documentation and archives, ensuring insights are accessible and actionable for product and design teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "UX Researcher/Designer," the core responsibilities and required skills lean heavily towards the research and strategy side of UX, with design being a secondary output (low-fidelity wireframes, sketches). This role is crucial for "operations" in the sense of informing and optimizing the user experience of products or services, aligning with GTM strategies by ensuring user needs are met.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and execute comprehensive user research plans, defining research objectives, methodologies (e.g., interviews, surveys, usability testing, contextual inquiry), and participant recruitment strategies.
• Conduct user interviews and workshops to deeply understand user behaviors, pain points, workflows, and unmet needs within enterprise or B2B contexts.
• Synthesize research data into clear, concise, and actionable insights, translating findings into compelling narrative presentations for executive and cross-functional audiences.
• Create user-centered artifacts such as lean personas, current-state and future-state journey maps, task flow diagrams, and low-fidelity wireframes to visualize user experiences and proposed solutions.
• Collaborate closely with product managers, designers, and engineers to integrate user insights into the product development lifecycle, ensuring user needs are prioritized and addressed.
• Maintain a research archive and documentation system to ensure knowledge continuity and facilitate future research efforts.
• Facilitate stakeholder discussions and workshops, effectively managing group dynamics, addressing pushback, and driving consensus on research findings and recommendations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "enterprise or B2B applications" and understanding "jobs, pain points, and workflows" suggests a need to grasp complex business processes and user roles within an organizational context, a key aspect of operational efficiency and adoption. The role requires translating these complex needs into understandable UX deliverables.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: A bachelor's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Design, Computer Science, or a related field is typically expected, though equivalent practical experience will be considered.

Experience: 4-7+ years of hands-on experience conducting user research within product development teams, with a strong preference for experience in enterprise or B2B application environments.

Required Skills:

• Proficiency in user research methodologies, including planning, conducting, and synthesizing qualitative research such as user interviews, contextual inquiries, and usability testing.
• Demonstrated ability to translate raw research notes and observations into clear, actionable insights, executive-friendly readouts, and prioritized recommendations.
• Expertise in creating user experience artifacts, including lean personas, journey maps, task flows, and low-fidelity wireframes.
• Proficiency with key UX tools such as Figma for wireframing and flow diagrams, and Mural for collaborative sessions and mapping.
• Strong facilitation skills, with the ability to effectively guide user interviews, workshops, and stakeholder discussions, manage pushback, and drive clarity.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas concisely and persuasively to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience in planning and running user research, observing real work, testing early ideas, and conducting quick usability checks.
• Familiarity with the Microsoft Office Suite for documentation and presentation.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in complex or regulated industries such as tax, audit, finance, healthcare, or the public sector.
• Basic survey design and analysis skills to complement qualitative research.
• Exposure to service design principles and practices, including process mapping.
• Experience with Research Operations (Research Ops), including participant recruitment, consent management, and template creation.
• User testing and feedback gathering across different product development stages.
• Design experience with high-fidelity mockups and/or clickable prototypes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Must Haves" clearly define the core competencies. The "Nice to Haves" indicate a preference for candidates who can contribute to broader UX operational processes and handle more complex, regulated environments, suggesting a growth path within the company's operations.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A portfolio demonstrating a minimum of 2-3 distinct UX research projects, showcasing your end-to-end process from discovery to recommendation.
• Each project sample should clearly articulate the research goals, methodologies employed, your specific role and contributions, key findings, and the impact of your recommendations.
• Include examples of personas, journey maps, task flows, and low-fidelity wireframes, with clear explanations of how these artifacts informed design decisions or product strategy.
• Redactions for sensitive company information are acceptable, provided the core process and insights are still discernible.

Process Documentation:

• Evidence of creating practical UX plans and documenting interview results and findings.
• Examples of delivering concise presentations summarizing key insights, their implications, and recommended actions.
• Demonstration of creating lean personas for key roles and mapping current-state and future-state user journeys, highlighting pain points and success measures.
• Submission of task/flow diagrams and low-fidelity wireframes for critical paths, illustrating your ability to visualize user interactions.
• A prioritized UX backlog or similar artifact demonstrating how you would structure and manage UX recommendations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for specific deliverables like "lean personas," "journey maps," and "low-fi wireframes" emphasizes a pragmatic, results-oriented approach to UX operations, focusing on actionable outputs that directly inform product development. This aligns with the efficiency and impact drivers common in operations roles.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: As this is a contract position, the salary will be presented as an hourly rate. Based on the experience level (4-7+ years), location (Chicago, IL), and the specialized skills in UX research and design for enterprise/B2B applications, the estimated hourly rate for this role in the Chicago market is typically between $50 - $80 per hour.

Benefits: As a contract role, benefits are typically provided through the contracting agency or are not included by the hiring company. Specific benefits may include:

• Potential for contract extension or conversion to a full-time role.
• Exposure to diverse enterprise B2B projects within Syncreon Consulting's client base.
• Opportunity to develop expertise in complex industries.
• Flexible work arrangements (Remote OK).

Working Hours: The expected working hours are approximately 40 hours per week, aligning with standard business operations. The role requires availability during core business hours to facilitate collaboration with teams located in similar time zones.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the lack of explicit benefit information for contract roles, the focus is on potential career progression and project diversity. The salary estimate is based on market data for experienced UX professionals in a major metropolitan area like Chicago, balancing the demand for specialized UX skills with the contract employment type.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Consulting Services, Staffing, Business Solutions. Syncreon Consulting positions itself as a trusted business partner, focused on delivering value and ROI for its clients through highly trained professionals.

Company Size: The provided data does not specify the exact size of Syncreon Consulting. However, the nature of consulting often implies a dynamic, project-based environment that can range from boutique firms to larger global organizations. The focus on "leading staffing trade associations, training, and research organizations" suggests an active engagement with industry best practices.

Founded: The founding date is not provided.

Team Structure:

• As a consulting firm, project teams are likely assembled on a client-by-client basis, drawing from a pool of specialized professionals.
• The UX Researcher/Designer will likely report to a Project Manager or a Lead UX Strategist within the consulting engagement.
• Cross-functional collaboration will be extensive, involving client stakeholders, product managers, designers, and potentially engineering teams from the client's organization, as well as other consultants from Syncreon.

Methodology:

• Syncreon Consulting emphasizes a client-centric approach, aiming to deeply understand client needs and deliver tailored solutions.
• The company's commitment to staying abreast of "latest industry trends and technologies" suggests a methodology that incorporates contemporary UX practices and tools.
• The emphasis on delivering value and ROI implies a data-driven approach to project success measurement and client satisfaction.

Company Website: Not provided in the input data.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company description highlights a commitment to client partnership and industry knowledge, which is crucial for understanding how UX operations contribute to business value in a consulting context. The team structure implies adaptability and strong communication skills to navigate client environments.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Mid-Senior Level contributor within the UX discipline, specifically focusing on research and foundational design. In an operations context, this means executing established research processes and contributing to the refinement and optimization of those processes for client engagements.

Reporting Structure: The UX Researcher/Designer will likely report to a Project Lead or Engagement Manager within Syncreon Consulting, and will collaborate closely with client-side product and design teams. The structure is project-driven, meaning direct reporting lines can shift based on client engagements.

Operations Impact: The UX Researcher/Designer directly impacts operational efficiency and product success by ensuring that user needs are understood and integrated into product development from the outset. This reduces the risk of costly rework, improves user adoption rates, and contributes to higher client satisfaction and ROI for Syncreon's services. By identifying pain points and proposing optimized workflows, the role enhances the user experience of critical business applications.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific industries (e.g., finance, healthcare) or UX research methodologies.
• Leadership: Transition into lead UX roles on larger projects, managing research efforts and mentoring junior researchers.
• Process Improvement: Contribute to developing and refining Syncreon Consulting's internal UX research and design processes, potentially moving into a UX Operations Manager role.
• Client Relationship Management: Develop stronger client-facing skills and potentially move into client strategy or account management roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth opportunities highlight a potential career path within consulting that bridges UX expertise with operational process development and client management, offering a unique blend for operations-minded UX professionals.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: While the job is listed as "Remote OK," Syncreon Consulting operates as a consulting firm. This could mean client site visits are occasionally required, or that the company maintains its own office spaces for internal collaboration or client meetings. The "Remote OK" status suggests a modern, flexible work environment.

Office Location(s): The primary listed location is Chicago, Illinois, USA. However, as a consulting firm, Syncreon likely has a distributed workforce and engages with clients across various geographies.

Workspace Context:

• The environment is likely project-driven, requiring adaptability and the ability to work independently and collaboratively with remote and on-site teams.
• Access to industry-standard UX software and collaboration tools (Figma, Mural, Office Suite) is expected.
• Opportunities for interaction with diverse teams and clients will be frequent, fostering continuous learning and exposure to different business challenges.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is likely 40 hours per week. Flexibility may be offered, but project deadlines and client availability will often dictate the specific hours and cadence of work. The requirement for "time-zone overlap" indicates a need for availability during specific business hours to facilitate communication and collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Remote OK" designation is key, but the consulting nature implies potential for client-facing interactions that might require occasional on-site presence or synchronized availability across time zones.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume, including your hourly rate, location, and time zone overlap. This is also where your portfolio and specific project examples will be assessed.
• Hiring Manager/Team Interview: Likely a conversation with Mohammed Ilyas or another member of the hiring team to discuss your experience, approach to user research, and how you handle specific UX challenges. Be prepared to discuss your "best discovery project."
• Skills Assessment/Case Study: You may be asked to complete a short, timed exercise or present a case study from your portfolio that demonstrates your ability to synthesize findings and propose solutions. This is where your preparation of detailed portfolio items will be crucial.
• Final Interview (if applicable): Potentially a discussion with senior leadership or a client representative to assess cultural fit and strategic alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Clarity and Conciseness: Ensure your portfolio clearly communicates your process, your role, and the impact of your work. Use executive-friendly language.
• Process Focus: Highlight how you planned and executed research, synthesized findings, and translated them into actionable deliverables like personas, journey maps, and wireframes.
• Problem/Solution: For each project, clearly state the problem you were trying to solve, the methods you used, and the outcome or recommended actions.
• Deliverable Examples: Showcase your ability to produce high-quality personas, journey maps, task flows, and low-fidelity wireframes in tools like Figma or Mural.
• B2B/Enterprise Relevance: Emphasize projects that demonstrate your understanding of complex user workflows and business needs in enterprise or B2B contexts.

Challenge Preparation:

• Synthesize: Be ready to quickly synthesize information from a provided scenario or your own portfolio into actionable insights and recommendations.
• Structure: Organize your thoughts and presentation logically, following a clear problem-solution-impact framework.
• Tools Proficiency: Be prepared to discuss or demonstrate your familiarity with Figma and Mural, especially for wireframing and mapping tasks.
• Stakeholder Communication: Practice articulating your findings and recommendations in a way that is persuasive and easy for non-UX stakeholders to understand.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on resume details like hourly rate and time zone overlap, along with the specific portfolio requirements, indicates a structured and pragmatic hiring process focused on immediate utility for client projects.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for creating wireframes, flow diagrams, and potentially mockups. Proficiency in Figma is a must-have.
• Mural: Required for collaborative sessions, journey mapping, persona development, and workshop facilitation.
• Microsoft Office Suite: Necessary for documentation, presentations, and general productivity (Word, PowerPoint, Excel).

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly mentioned as primary tools, experience with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Pendo) could be beneficial for understanding user behavior data to complement qualitative research.
• Proficiency in creating clear, data-driven presentations (PowerPoint) is key for reporting findings.

CRM & Automation:

• Not primary tools for this role, but an understanding of how CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and business automation tools impact user workflows could provide valuable context for research.
• Familiarity with survey tools (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Typeform) is a preferred skill for complementing interview data.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma and Mural highlights the critical technical skills required. Understanding the broader tech stack of the client's product is an advantage for contextualizing research.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Client-Centricity: A strong focus on understanding and meeting client needs to deliver tangible business value and ROI.
• Professionalism & Expertise: Valuing highly trained professionals who are knowledgeable of industry trends and technologies.
• Collaboration: Working closely with clients and internal teams to achieve project goals.
• Efficiency & Pragmatism: Delivering practical UX plans and insights, focusing on actionable recommendations and clear communication.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Expect to work closely with individuals from various disciplines (product, design, engineering, client stakeholders).
• Active Facilitation: Proactively leading discussions, workshops, and research sessions to drive clarity and consensus.
• Knowledge Sharing: Contributing to a shared understanding of user needs and product strategy through clear documentation and presentations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's description emphasizes partnership and expertise, suggesting a culture where professionals are trusted to deliver high-quality work and client solutions. This aligns with a proactive, collaborative approach common in operations.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Bridging Insight to Action: Translating complex user research findings into clear, prioritized, and actionable recommendations that stakeholders can readily implement.
• Navigating Stakeholder Pushback: Effectively managing differing opinions and priorities among stakeholders to maintain focus on user needs and research-driven decisions.
• Adapting to Diverse Client Needs: Quickly understanding new business contexts, user roles, and technical environments across various client engagements.
• Balancing Research Depth with Project Timelines: Delivering thorough research within the often-compressed timelines of consulting projects.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Industry Specialization: Gaining in-depth knowledge of complex sectors like finance, healthcare, or government through client work.
• Methodology Expansion: Developing skills in survey design, service design, and advanced research operations.
• Consulting Acumen: Enhancing client management, presentation, and strategic advisory skills.
• Tool Mastery: Deepening proficiency in advanced features of Figma, Mural, and potentially other UX and collaboration tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for a consulting role, requiring strong problem-solving and communication skills. The growth opportunities are significant, allowing for specialization and development in both UX and broader business consulting competencies.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• On Research Strategy: "Describe how you would approach planning a user research study for a new enterprise workflow tool. What factors would you consider, and what methods would you prioritize?" (Prepare to discuss objective setting, participant criteria, and method selection).
• On Synthesis & Communication: "Walk me through your process for taking raw interview notes and turning them into actionable insights and recommendations for a product team. How do you ensure your findings are understood by non-UX stakeholders?" (Prepare a concise framework for synthesis and a clear example from your portfolio).
• On Collaboration: "How do you handle disagreements or pushback from stakeholders regarding your research findings or design recommendations?" (Prepare examples of navigating difficult conversations and achieving consensus).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What attracts you to consulting, and specifically to Syncreon Consulting?" (Research Syncreon's mission and values, and align your motivations with their client-focused approach).
• "Describe your ideal work environment and how you collaborate with team members." (Relate your preferred collaboration style to the project-based, cross-functional nature of consulting).
• "How do you ensure your UX recommendations align with business objectives and drive ROI for clients?" (Connect your UX work to tangible business outcomes and demonstrate an understanding of business impact).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Structure your portfolio presentations as compelling narratives, guiding the interviewer through the problem, your process, your contributions, and the impactful outcome.
• Visual Clarity: Ensure your personas, journey maps, and wireframes are easy to read and understand. Use annotations to explain key elements.
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics or qualitative feedback to demonstrate the success or impact of your work. If specific metrics aren't available, focus on the clarity of insights and the logic of recommendations.
• Tool Demonstration: Be prepared to speak confidently about your usage of Figma and Mural, and how you leverage their features for collaboration and output.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation advice focuses on demonstrating practical application of UX skills within a business context, emphasizing communication, collaboration, and the ability to drive tangible value – all key aspects of operations.

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📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Researcher/Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on SmartRecruiters.
• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight your experience with enterprise/B2B applications, your proficiency in user research methodologies, and your specific skills with tools like Figma and Mural. Clearly state your required hourly rate, current location, and time zone overlap.
• Portfolio Customization: Select 2-3 of your strongest UX research projects that best showcase your ability to conduct discovery, synthesize findings, and create deliverables like personas, journey maps, and low-fidelity wireframes. Ensure each project clearly articulates the problem, your process, and the outcome.
• Prepare Your "Best Discovery Project": Be ready to discuss in detail a project where you led user research, detailing the goals, your actions, and the resulting outcomes or recommendations.
• Research Syncreon Consulting: Familiarize yourself with the company's mission, values, and the types of clients they serve to better align your responses during interviews.

⚠️ 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.