How to Apply
A cover letter and resume are important submissions for the hiring team to get a sense of your experience. In the cover letter, in two pages or less, please let us know how this role aligns with your career aspirations and skill set. Submit both a cover letter and resume as one file (because of system limitations).
What You'll Do
The Center for Academic Innovation at the University of Michigan is seeking a qualified User Experience Designer to help advance Michigan Online, the university's destination for online learning, and to support the center's edtech accelerator. Reporting to the Associate Director of UX and Design, the person in this role will work collaboratively with a multi-disciplinary team of designers, developers, product managers, and specialists across the center to create impactful user experiences across digital technologies for students and learners around the world.
Who We Are
About the Center for Academic Innovation
Through curricular innovation, tools for student success, and educational research and analytics, the University of Michigan Center for Academic Innovation is building the future of education. Our vision is a future in which education connects and empowers learners everywhere to reach their full potential throughout their lives. To realize our vision, we make it our mission to collaborate across campus and around the world to create equitable, lifelong educational opportunities for learners everywhere.
About the Marketing and Market Strategy Team
The Marketing and Market Strategy (M&MS) team works with all the center's teams to help enhance the center's awareness and reputation, lead enrollments in online learning experiences, lead user experience and product design, and conduct market research. The UX and design group, consisting of UX and multimedia designers, is part of the M&MS team and collaborates with colleagues across the center.
For more information, please visit our website: Center for Academic Innovation.
Responsibilities*
User-centered design
- Deeply understand user needs and advocate for them throughout the product's lifecycle
- Lead and execute end-to-end UX/UI design processes for specific features and product areas, from conceptualization to launch
- Develop user flows, wireframes, prototypes, and detailed interaction designs that effectively solve user needs and achieve intended user outcomes
- Work closely with cross-discipline team members in quick feedback loops to conceptualize design solutions, solve problems, transfer knowledge, and deliver meaningful product designs
Design implementation
- Work closely with the UX and design team and technical team members to establish and refine design patterns and user improvements
- Support design systems by using and creating reusable components, illustrations, data visualizations, and other design elements
- Support implementation designs using HTML/CSS/JS
- Ensure designs and implementation are consistent with current accessibility standards
- Employ a pragmatic approach with frequent iterations of working solutions based on user feedback
User experience research
- Collaborate with user experience research specialists to assist with research by developing prototypes and relevant stimulus, providing input on research objectives, and translating research findings into design solutions
- Participate in user research and discovery to inform design solutions
Required Qualifications*
- Bachelor's degree plus 2 years experience in HCI, User Experience Design, Product Design, Graphic Design, Interaction Design, or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
- Proficiency in design and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD)
- Knowledge of accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 Level AA) and responsive design principles
- Understanding of user research methodologies, data analysis, and how to apply insights to design decisions
- Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to articulate design rationale clearly
- Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team in an agile environment
Modes of Work
Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.
Additional Information
Please Note: This is a 5-year term-limited position with the possibility of renewal depending on funding.
Candidates must have legal authorization to work in the United States.
The mode of work for this position is Hybrid with a minimum of 4 days in the office per week, Monday through Thursday, with an option of remote work on Fridays. On occasion, you may be required and must be available to work onsite on Fridays if necessitated by our center's policy and domain leadership or by your job requirements.
Excellent benefits are available; for details, see http://benefits.umich.edu/
The salary for this position will be based on the selected candidate's education and experience.
Salary Information
The general salary range for this position is $78,000 - $84,000. Candidates can expect to be paid a competitive and equitable salary. Factors used to determine salary include education level, experience, knowledge and skills for the position and salaries that are currently established within the unit. All candidates are encouraged to discuss salary questions to honor alignment and transparency throughout the recruiting process.
Organizational Statement on Harassment
We believe all individuals deserve to be treated with respect and dignity and have the right to work in a professional atmosphere that promotes mutual respect and a safe space for collaboration. Any concerns shared with any staff members and student employees in the Center for Academic Innovation will be reported to the Equity, Civil Rights, & Title IX Office to be reviewed and addressed, and the Center for Academic Innovation encourages reporting of any forms of harassment, including sexual and gender-based harassment.
Background Screening
The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks will be performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Application Deadline
Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. This job may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.
Decision Making Process
Applications will be reviewed as received throughout the posting period and continue until the position is filled.
U-M EEO Statement
The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.