Arena Careers

Who we are

Bloom Works is a women-owned civic technology consultancy that believes better government services start with putting people first. We partner with government agencies and purpose-driven organizations to guide equitable, accessible, intuitive, and functional improvements to services and benefits. We work alongside our partners to support them in transforming how they serve the public through product thinking, user experience design, content strategy, research, and technical strategy.

What this role will do

We are seeking 1-2 Senior User Experience Researchers with at least 7 years experience to join a cross-functional team. Current projects include: developing a single platform to access state benefits, empowering digital service teams to diagnose and respond to agency challenges, improving access to behavioral health services, and strengthening supports for foster youth…just to name a few.

The ideal candidate will be confident leading research in a variety of situations and across different communities to provide insights for process, technology, and policy interventions. They will champion research, include others in the process, and present their findings clearly and confidently. A successful UX researcher will also be able to think on their feet and navigate complex situations with empathy and kindness.

These roles are full-time, salaried, term-limited positions, with term length dependent upon project fit and availability. Each UX researcher is generally focused on one project at a time, so they can give their full attention to that client and team.

As Senior UX Researcher at Bloom you will:

Plan and conduct research

• Create research plans and help scope future work
• Utilize a range of research methods (e.g. quantitative or qualitative, generative or evaluative) and applying them appropriately for the objectives and constraints of each project
• Recruit participants that are representative of the populations served by the product or service
• Demonstrate respect for participants and their data
• Develop and maintain repurposable tools to make research more effective
• Support the successful completion of projects in accordance with their scope of work, timelines, and budgets

Analyze and apply research

• Synthesize research findings and formulate insights
• Seek feedback to counteract your biases or limited knowledge of a topic
• Use systems thinking to identify interdependencies in a product or service
• Demonstrate an awareness of the digital landscape and technical constraints of the project
• Identify, describe, and champion evidence-based recommendations

Communicate research findings

• Facilitate workshops and meetings with stakeholders that encourage participation, surface diverse perspectives, co-create options, and build a shared understanding
• Create documentation that others can easily navigate, understand, and utilize
• Speak about the research process, insights, and impact in an engaging and accessible manner
• Write about research with consideration for the audience and context
• Apply your design skills to create research deliverables such as journey maps, service blueprints, and slides

What we’re looking for

• 7+ years of experience doing user research
• Experience navigating complex systems or working on public service delivery
• Ability to communicate clearly and increase transparency, with a strong competency in situational awareness and conflict resolution
• Strong analytical and writing skills; ability to turn insights into recommendations
• An adaptive, proactive, tenacious, and positive mindset
• Experience working in an agile, iterative way
• Empathetic, collaborative, and able to adapt in the face of constraints
• Knowledge of trauma-sensitive research practices
• Experience working on government services and/or with vulnerable communities
• Familiarity with government procurement processes is a bonus (but not required)

Additional requirements:

• Located in the contiguous United States
• Legally allowed to work in the U.S. (we are unable to sponsor work visas)

Salary and term

• $128,000-153,000 annually

This role is for a full-time, salaried, term-limited position, with length of term depending on project fit and availability. There are potential opportunities for conversion to permanent positions based on performance and fit.

Benefits

In your first year, some benefits are prorated based on when you join.

• An environment that empowers you to apply your skills and experience for the public good
• Remote/distributed work environment
• Health and wellness benefits (medical, dental, vision, life & AD&D, FSA, STD, LTD, & 401k + 3% match)
• BYO device + tech equipment stipend
• Professional development stipend
• PTO, sick, and national holidays
• Paid company closures during the week of July 4th between Christmas and New Years Day

More about our team, and commitment to building a diverse workforce

Bloom Works believes a diverse workforce enhances our ability to improve public services. We are committed to ensuring equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals without regard to their race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

As a public interest technology company, we see diversity and equity-building as integral to both our mission and our research practices. We are committed to disrupting power dynamics and equity barriers in our work. We strive to recruit employees and partners who reflect the demographics of targeted end users, and we analyze, test, and iterate to make sure everyone can easily access and use the digital tools we build. As a public benefit company, we are compelled to generate social and public good, and to operate in a responsible and sustainable manner.

Background check and work authorization

Successful candidates will need to complete a background check before starting work.

We participate in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.