UX Research and Designer

Who we are:

Raft (https://TeamRaft.com) is a customer-obsessed non-traditional small business with a purposeful focus on Distributed Data Systems, Platforms at Scale, and Complex Application Development, with headquarters in Reston, VA. Our range of clients include innovative federal and public agencies leveraging design thinking, cutting edge tech stack, and cloud native ecosystem. We build digital solutions that impact the lives of millions of Americans.

We’re looking for an experienced UX Research and Designer  to support our customers and join our passionate team of high-impact problem solvers. This is a unique opportunity to help build and shape a game-changing organization where we put our customers and people first. 

About the role:

As a UX designer, you'll work with the client to support the Discovery and Framing process, plus follow-on user interviews. You'll apply a user-centered approach in application design development. The spotlight will be on you to advise on product decisions through your user research, customer development, and iterative feedback loops. You will leverage Lean UX principles in defining minimum viable products (MVPs) for prototyping and testing. All in all, you'll implement iterative development and delivery, plus synthesize your findings to create actionable outcomes!

What we are looking for: 

• Relevant work experience in UX, product design, and/or enterprise application fields
• Experience creating flow diagrams, wireframes, prototypes, and visual comps all demonstrated in your portfolio
• Experience using Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, Sketch, or other design tools
• Experience with design and product development processes
• Experience with early-stage design, ideation techniques, concept and usability testing, and other research methods
• Experience collaborating with a team of programmers
• Great management, communication, and facilitation/presentation skills

Highly preferred:

• Experience working with frontend development
• Experience includes User Centered Design (UCD) methods
• Experience providing input on product decisions through user research, customer development, and iterative feedback loops
• Experience in Agile work environment
• BA/BS of higher in experience design, industrial design, HCI, or other relevant degree/ experience

Clearance Requirements:  

• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret Security Clearance

Work Type:  

• Remote

What we will offer you:  

• Highly competitive salary 
• Fully covered healthcare, dental, and vision coverage 
• 401(k) and company match 
• Unlimited PTO + 11 paid holidays 
• Education & training benefits 
• Annual budget for your tech/gadgets needs 
• Monthly box of yummy snacks to eat while doing meaningful work 
• Team off-site in fun places! 
• Generous Referral Bonuses 
• And More!

Our Vision Statement:  

We bridge the gap between humans and data through radical transparency and our obsession with the mission.

Our Customer Obsession:

We will approach every deliverable like it's a product. We will adopt a customer-obsessed mentality. As we grow, and our footprint becomes larger, teams and employees will treat each other not only as teammates but customers. We must live the customer-obsessed mindset, always. This will help us scale and it will translate to the interactions that our Rafters have with their clients and other product teams that they integrate with. Our culture will enable our success and set us apart from other companies.

How do we get there?

Public-sector modernization is critical for us to live in a better world. We, at Raft, want to innovate and solve complex problems. And, if we are successful, our generation and the ones that follow us will live in a delightful, efficient, and accessible world where out-of-box thinking, and collaboration is a norm.

Raft’s core philosophy is Ubuntu: I Am, Because We are. We support our “nadi” by elevating the other Rafters. We work as a hyper collaborative team where each team member brings a unique perspective, adding value that did not exist before. People make Raft special. We celebrate each other and our cognitive and cultural diversity. We are devoted to our practice of innovation and collaboration.

We’re an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.