User Experience Designer 2/3

Description

This position is dual posted as a User Experience Designer 2 or User Experience Designer 3. All applications must include a cover letter and resume as part of their submission.

Stanford University Libraries is seeking a mid-level to senior User Experience Designer to join a team devoted to collaborative development of platforms and services to support the Library's mission of creating, preserving and making digital resources available in support of teaching, learning and research. We are a mission-driven organization that emphasizes open, collaborative work and community engagement within Stanford and with partner institutions around the world.

The User Experience Designer will take a primary role in understanding user requirements, defining functionality, and designing the interface and application flow of digital library services and web properties in order to meet user needs. The successful candidate will work on a variety of projects relating to the core functions of an academic library and its digital library, including discovery and fulfillment systems, digital object access and presentation, and many other patron-facing services. You will also work with your colleagues to ensure that our applications and services meet accessibility guidelines and best practices. Understanding and designing open standards and open source software will be part of the work of the position. 

A successful candidate will play an integral role in a small team environment that uses an agile design and development process, with close collaboration with other designers, developers, and product and service managers. In many cases, this role will extend beyond Stanford and into the broader digital library community, and include work on multi-institutional initiatives including open source software or grant-funded collaborative projects.

About Stanford Libraries
Stanford Libraries is a network of over 15 libraries with over 400 employees committed to fueling teaching, learning and research across Stanford. Our dedication to discoverability and information management also has us engaged in dynamic global partnerships. The Stanford Libraries’ values are rooted in a commitment to mutual respect and the idea that every member of the staff has something to contribute, and that learning is constant. We seek a team member who is ready to share their skills and perspectives and collaborate with colleagues across the organization.

This position is part of the Access and Discovery Team within Digital Library Systems and Services (DLSS), the technology division of Stanford Libraries. Including this position, the Access and Discovery Team comprises six software engineers. We develop, maintain, and support a portfolio of services and applications that support patrons and users at and beyond Stanford University in finding and using materials for research, teaching, and learning. This includes our SearchWorks (our library catalog platform), the Stanford Libraries website, Spotlight at Stanford (our online exhibit platform), EarthWorks (our GIS data discovery platform), and other tools that deliver and present digital library content. The Access and Discovery Team values working as a self-directed and unified team, fostering community and collaboration, improving process incrementally through regular retrospectives, and fostering an environment with psychological safety, joy, and humor.

DLSS is a team of nearly 60 software developers, user experience designers, devops engineers, system administrators, service managers, and technologists. We develop and contribute to open source software and open standards communities like Mirador, the International Image Interoperability Framework, and Blacklight (including ArcLight, Spotlight, and GeoBlacklight). We also have helped host and facilitate events like the Lighting the Way Forum, Fantastic Futures, and the LDCX series of unconferences, and contribute to technical efforts on collaborative projects like Virtual Tribunals, the Digital Library of the Middle East, LD4P3, and more. DLSS works with our colleagues across the organization to world-class services and uphold the Stanford Libraries values. Find more about our recent work through looking at our recent demo videos on YouTube.

CORE DUTIES:

Reporting to the Associate Director for Digital Systems and Services, DLSS, the User Experience Designer will (at all levels):

●      Define, design and test the functionality and interface of applications with user interfaces; work with users, product and service managers, software engineers, and other library staff to ensure designs aligned with user needs and underlying technology.

●      Conduct user research, create personas, identify required tasks and information flows for given systems.

●      Create relevant design artifacts, including, but not limited to, information architecture, requirements, personas, wireframe and data flows.

●      Make systems compliant with Stanford’s online accessibility policies by applying accessible design patterns and best practices.

●      Create and orchestrate graphic, visual and interactive design or work with specialists to integrate these into the interface.

●      Create application code to manifest the designs, or work with software engineers to develop them.

●      Conduct usability testing on applications during the development lifecycle; refine designs based on the results of testing.

●      Review metrics and user feedback for issues and opportunities for improvement; liaise with quality assurance and help desk specialists to identify defects in application functionality or design and create strategies for mitigation.

●      Contribute, maintain and review documentation on design assumptions, application requirements and specifications, business logic, training materials, help text, and release notes.

●      Engage with the broader cultural heritage community on the design and development of open source digital library applications. Participate in, and occasionally organize requirements gathering, business analysis, and systems design of software used not only by Stanford Libraries, but by peer institutions as well. This may include working directly with stakeholders, designers and software developers from other institutions.

●      Manage relationships with third party vendors implementing systems based on specifications produced by the Designer.

To qualify at User Experience Designer 2 level:

Education & Experience:

Bachelor's degree and three years of experience or combination of education and relevant

experience.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

●      Requires knowledge of computer system capabilities, business processes and workflows. 

●      Experience in designing web applications.

●      Experience in current web technologies, such as JavaScript, AJAX, CSS, and HTML5.

●      Experience in responsive design, and application of human-computer interaction principles to application development.

●      Experience in designing for accessibility, ensuring access to information through assistive technologies.

●      Skill in conducting user research, user testing, usability testing and gathering requirements.

●      Skill in developing specifications and mockups using UI design tools and/or programming in web application languages.

●      Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, including the ability to bridge functional and technical resources by communicating effectively with colleagues of varying systems expertise.

●      Ability to design and document complex business systems and workflows. 

●      Proven problem solving and analytical thinking and ability to approach problems systematically.

Other Relevant Knowledge, Skills and Abilities May Include:

●      Experience with library discovery and access environments and metadata standards, or interpretation of complex structured data for presentation and search.

●      Experience with web content management systems and templating languages

●      Experience working in, and facilitating, an agile design and software development process

●      Demonstrated experience in facilitating community or open source design processes

●      Illustrating design ideas using storyboards, process flows and/or sitemaps

To qualify at User Experience Designer 3 level: With the above criteria, plus:

Education & Experience:

Bachelor's degree and five years of relevant experience, or a similar combination of education

and relevant experience.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

●      Ability to define UX vision and inspire others to execute against it.

●      Advanced knowledge of computer systems, business processes and workflows.

●      Demonstrated experience in designing web applications.

●      Defining and undertaking user research, user testing, usability testing and gathering requirements.

●      Collaborate with partners to develop and maintain consistent standards for the end-to-end user experience, including linkages between key systems.

Other Relevant Knowledge, Skills and Abilities May Include:

●      Demonstrated leadership skills and experience modeling collaborative processes.

●      Advanced communication skills to clearly and effectively communicate information to internal and external audiences, and all levels of management.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS*:

●      Constantly perform desk-based computer tasks.

●      Frequently stand/walk, grasp lightly/fine manipulation, grasp forcefully, and reach/work above shoulders.

●      Occasionally sit, twist/bend/stoop/squat.

●      Visual acuity including color vision.

*- Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable

accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the

essential functions of his or her job.

WORKING CONDITIONS: 

●      Occasionally work weekends, evenings, holidays, and flexible shifts.

WORK STANDARDS: 

●      Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates the ability to work well with Stanford colleagues and clients and with external organizations.

●      Promote Culture of Safety: Demonstrates commitment to personal responsibility and value for safety; communicates safety concerns; uses and promotes safe behaviors based on training and lessons learned.

●      Subject to and expected to comply with all applicable University policies and procedures, including but not limited to the personnel policies and other policies found in the University's Administrative Guide, http://adminguide.stanford.edu.

The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job

classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of

all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on

department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level

of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.

Stanford is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified

applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex,

sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any

other characteristic protected by law. Stanford welcomes applications from all who would bring

additional dimensions to the University’s research, teaching and clinical missions.

The position is part of the Access and Discovery team within Digital Library Systems and Services located on Stanford’s main campus. Local candidates are preferred, but we will consider qualified remote candidates.

This position is eligible for full-time Hybrid or Remote work: Stanford University has five Regional Pay Structures.  The compensation for this position will be based on the location of the successful candidate. Local candidates preferred. The expected pay range for these positions are:

Level 2: $110,000 to $138,000 per annum

Level 3: $133,000 to $157,000 per annum

Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location, and external market pay for comparable jobs.

Why Stanford is for You:

Imagine a world without search engines or social platforms. Consider lives saved through first-ever organ transplants and research to cure illnesses. Stanford University has revolutionized the way we live and enriched the world. Supporting this mission is our diverse and dedicated 17,000 staff. We seek talent driven to impact the future of our legacy. Our culture and unique perks empower you with:

●      Freedom to grow. We offer career development programs, tuition reimbursement, and course auditing. Join a TedTalk, watch a film screening, or listen to a renowned author or global leaders speak.

●      A caring culture. We provide superb retirement plans, generous time-off, and family care resources.

●      A healthier you. Choose from hundreds of health or fitness classes at our world-class exercise facilities. We provide excellent health care benefits.

●      Discovery and fun. Stroll through historic sculptures, trails, and museums.

●      Enviable resources. Enjoy free commuter programs, ridesharing incentives, discounts and more.