User Experience Researcher
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Job Location:
Blacksburg, VA - USA
Hourly Salary:
$ 70000 - 85000
Posted on:
30+ days ago
Vacancies:
1 Vacancy
Job Summary
Job Description
The User Experience (UX) Researcher within Technology-enhanced Learning and Online Strategies (TLOS) works in the domains of user research evaluation and service design. This role seeks evidence-based insights that help shape Virginia Techs digital learning environment to best support instructors success and improve learning outcomes for Virginia Tech students. The UX Researcher achieves these goals by translating findings from user research into data-based insights and actionable recommendations across TLOSs four mission-focused areas: instructional tools and environments faculty digital fluency accessible technologies and universal design for learning (UDL) and course and program design. Complementing their focus on research the UX Researcher helps gauge impact by assisting with the design and data collection for evaluations of teaching and learning technologies services and programs. This role also facilitates design of new services and improvement of existing services to advance teaching and learning using service design principles and methods.
As a member of the Digital Learning Innovation group the UX Researcher strives for a balanced holistic view informed by a deep understanding of faculty student and employee needs combined with knowledge of institutional priorities organizational capabilities emerging tools and technologies and Virginia Techs digital learning ecosystem. Synthesizing these multiple dimensions into evidence-based insights the UX Researcher develops practical recommendations that guide strategic decision-making.
Core Responsibilities:
- Lead user research initiatives from design through deliveryincluding study design participant recruitment data collection analysis and synthesis into actionable recommendations that inform decision making and improve services.
- Create and maintain user experience artifacts such as personas and journey maps that accurately represent stakeholder perceptions and experiences with digital teaching and learning tools.
- Partner with TLOS teams and instructional faculty to design and implement evaluations for services technology pilots and programs providing both evaluation guidance and hands-on assistance with data collection.
- Translate findings from user research or evaluations into clear communications through reports presentations and visual materials that highlight user needs and drive decision-making.
- Apply service design principles and methods to improve new and existing services providing both facilitation consultation and methodology expertise.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelors degree in a discipline that draws on qualitative research methods data analysis technical communication user experience research or related analytics and research skills plus working experience applying some of these skills.
- Demonstrated success designing recruiting for and conducting user research to answer a research question or inform a decision.
- Substantial experience carrying out qualitative research interviews focus groups surveys and other qualitative research methods.
- Experience with quantitative or mixed-methods research and analysis.
- Demonstrated experience communicating user research findings and recommendations to stakeholders.
- Experience creating visualizations of user processes workflows or journey steps.
- Demonstrated success in effective stakeholder engagement including facilitating team and/or user group sessions to brainstorm ideate or explore solutions.
Preferred Qualifications
- Masters degree in a relevant field.
- Experience applying UX research or service design in higher education or educational technology contexts.
- Experience designing and conducting evaluations for services projects or programs.
- Strong understanding of service design principles or experience with service design methods.
- Professional training or certification in UX research service design or design thinking.
- Experience with learning management systems especially Canvas and other academic technology platforms.
Overtime Status
Exempt: Not eligible for overtime
Appointment Type
Regular
Salary Information
$70000 - $85000
Hours per week
40
Review Date
November 28 2025
Additional Information
The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.
About Virginia Tech
Dedicated to its mottoUt Prosim(That I May Serve) Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world Virginia Tech is aninclusive communitydedicated to knowledge discovery and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36000 undergraduate graduate and professional students in eightundergraduate colleges aschool of medicine aveterinary medicinecollegeGraduate School andHonors College.The university has a significant presence across Virginia including Blacksburg the greater Washington D.C. area the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke sites in Newport News and Richmond and numerousExtension officesandresearch institutes.A leading global research institution Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in research annually.
Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance. These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.
Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees students or applicants on the basis of age color disability sex (including pregnancy) gender gender identity gender expression genetic information ethnicity or national origin political affiliation race religion sexual orientation or military status or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about discuss or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants or on any other basis protected by law.
If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation please contact Judy Alford at during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.
Key Skills
- Computer Science
- user experience
- User Interface
- SME
- CSS
- Interaction Design
- Windows
- Android
- Usability Studies
- Visual Design
- HTML
- User Research
- JavaScript
- Web Services
- Wireframes
About Company
About Johnson & Wales University: Founded in 1914, Johnson & Wales University is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution with campuses in Providence, Rhode Island, and Charlotte, North Carolina.
