Working Title: Digital Experience (DX) Researcher

　　Job Class: Information Technology Specialist 3

　　Agency: Minnesota IT Services

　　Who May Apply : Open to all qualified job seekers

　　Date Posted : 01/18/2024

　　Closing Date : 01/31/2024

　　Hiring Agency/Seniority Unit : Minnesota IT Services

　　Division/Unit : Department of Human Services / IT Communication and User Experience Design

　　Work Shift/Work Hours : Day Shift

　　Days of Work : Monday - Friday

　　Travel Required : Yes

　　Salary Range: $31.47 - $51.73 / hourly; $65,709 - $108,012 / annually

　　Job Class Option : IS Planning

　　Classified Status : Unclassified

　　Bargaining Unit/Union : 214 - MN Assoc of Professional Empl/MAPE

　　FLSA Status : Exempt - Administrative

　　Telework Eligible : Yes

　　Designated in Connect 700 Program for Applicants with Disabilities (https://mn.gov/mmb/careers/diverse-workforce/people-with-disabilities/connect700/) : No

　　Make a difference in the lives of Minnesotans.

　　The work you’ll do is more than just a job. Join the talented, engaged and inclusive workforce dedicated to creating a better Minnesota.

　　Join the 2,500+ professionals of Minnesota IT Services (https://mn.gov/mnit/) (MNIT) who connect Minnesotans to services that will improve their lives. This position serves our partners at Minnesota’s largest state agency, the Department of Human Services (DHS). The MNIT DHS team supports complex and varied technical needs, including systems that provide health care coverage, deliver child protection and welfare services, and provide support for Minnesotans with special needs including mental illness, chemical dependencies, and physical or developmental disabilities.

　　As a Digital Experience (DX) Researcher, you will design, conduct, and lead user research activities for MNIT partnering with the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Your work will result in an enterprise suite of evidence-based personas and UX research guidance for business and IT projects, but more importantly, help to mature human-centered design as a core function within the software development life cycle of MNIT and DHS.

　　In addition, your role will include:

　　partnering with teams at MNIT, DHS, and various stakeholders in counties and tribal nations;

　　developing research plans, identifying and recruiting study participants, and conducting field research using a variety of human-centered design and UX methods;

　　following standard research processes and adhering to ethical best practices; and,

　　gathering, synthesizing, and analyzing large amounts of qualitative and quantitative evidence.

　　Research insights will be communicated to project teams in the form of compelling documentation (e.g. personas, journey maps, service design maps, toolkits, etc.) that can be understood, accessed, and used by a variety of audiences. You will also ensure participant privacy is protected at all times and will be expected to uphold ethical standards as set by the DHS Internal Review Board.

　　**This position will require occasional travel (less than 25%) within the Twin Cities Metro Area and Greater Minnesota to meet with counties, tribes, etc. to conduct interviews and qualitative research.

　　This position is temporary and includes full state fringe benefits; the position is anticipated to last up to three (3) years.

　　This position is currently eligible for full-time telework:

　　Telework (https://mn.gov/mmb-stat/policies/1422-telework.pdf) for Minnesota IT Services allows an employee to perform work from a telework location and an employee may be required to be in the office based on business needs and other dependencies in St. Paul, Minnesota.

　　Only candidates located in Minnesota and bordering states (Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, or Wisconsin) are telework eligible.

　　Minimum Qualifications

　　Candidates must clearly demonstrate all of the following qualifications in their resume:

　　This position requires a minimum of three (3) years of experience in performing User Experience (UX) research and/or design functions.

　　Experience must include:

　　Ability to deliver effective verbal or written messages that facilitate a mutual understanding on both parties.

　　Customer service skills that include active listening, empathy, and problem-solving.

　　A Master’s degree in Information Technology or a related field may substitute for three (3) years of experience, OR a related Bachelor’s degree may substitute for two (2) years, OR a related Associate’s may substitute for one (1) year.

　　Preferred Qualifications

　　Knowledge of and experience in the theory, principles, and best practices of user experience design

　　Inclusive design, WCAG 2.0 or 2.1, Section 508, and the State of Minnesota accessibility standards¿

　　Responsive design and UI conventions utilized in mobile, web, and desktop applications

　　Knowledge of and/or experience with software development lifecycles

　　Knowledge of product design and agile methodologies

　　Knowledge of usability testing techniques in software development (e.g., focus groups, remote testing, card sorting, audio and video recording, click tracking, loggers, diary studies, etc.)

　　Experience analyzing, reporting, and visualizing test data to communicate research insights

　　Knowledge of inter-relationships of data and programs

　　Experience with MS Office software, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Outlook, etc.

　　Knowledge of and/or experience with UX modeling software (e.g., Sketch, Axure, Adobe Experience Design, etc.)

　　General knowledge of programming languages and/or experience with HTML/HTML5, ARIA, CSS, SASS, SVG, Bootstrap, or Java

　　Ability to work with a diverse team, resolve interpersonal conflict, motivate and develop team members, and influence stakeholders and key decision-makers

　　Ability to communicate effectively, clearly, and proficiently with individuals at all levels in the Departments

　　Skill in technical and report writing and public speaking with the ability to communicate technical details to non-technical audiences

　　Human relation skills sufficient to work with diverse stakeholders

　　Ability to organize and work independently, to define problems as they arise, and to recommend, implement, and/or discuss alternative solutions

　　Additional Requirements

　　It is the policy of Minnesota IT Services that a successful candidate must pass all legally required checks prior to employment which may consist of the following:

　　SEMA4 Records Check (applies to current and past state employees only)

　　Criminal History Check

　　Reference Check

　　Social Security and Address Verification

　　Education Verification

　　Other legally required checks

　　Minnesota IT Services will not sponsor applicants for work visas. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

　　AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

　　Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is an Equal Opportunity employer/educator committed to the principles of diversity. We prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or membership in a local commission as defined by law. As an affirmative action employer, we actively seek and encourage applications from women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and individuals with protected veteran status.

　　Reasonable accommodations will be made to all qualified applicants with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability who needs assistance or cannot access the online job application system, please contact the job information line at 651-259-3637 or email [email protected] . Please indicate what assistance is needed.