Cogent People

Human-Centered Design Research Lead – Federal Health

Cogent People

full-time

Posted on:

Location Type: Hybrid

Location: Columbia • Maryland • United States

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Job Level

Senior

About the role

  • Lead the development and execution of human-centered design strategies for federal health IT programs
  • Define and institutionalize HCD methodologies, standards, and best practices
  • Guide the integration of UX research and UI design into agile delivery lifecycles
  • Serve as the primary advocate for user needs across business, technical, and policy stakeholders
  • Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and user-focused design culture
  • Assign work, manage priorities, and ensure high-quality deliverables across the HCD function
  • Design and oversee qualitative and quantitative research efforts including interviews, usability testing, journey mapping, and surveys
  • Synthesize complex user, stakeholder, and policy inputs into actionable insights and design recommendations
  • Ensure research reflects the needs of diverse user groups, including state Medicaid agencies and CMS stakeholders
  • Translate findings into personas, service blueprints, workflows, and experience maps
  • Provide hands-on leadership in UI design, interaction design, and information architecture
  • Establish and maintain design systems, UI standards, and accessibility compliance (e.g., Section 508)
  • Oversee the creation of wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity designs aligned with user needs and technical constraints
  • Ensure consistency and usability across complex, multi-user systems
  • Partner with product owners, engineers, data teams, and program leadership to align design with system capabilities and constraints
  • Facilitate design workshops, stakeholder interviews, and co-creation sessions
  • Communicate design rationale and research findings to technical and non-technical audiences, including federal clients
  • Support proposal and capture efforts by contributing to solution design, win themes, and UX differentiators

Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree or higher in Human-Centered Design, Human-Centered Design Engineering (HCDE), Human-Computer Interaction, User Experience (UX) Design, Informatics, Design, Psychology, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
  • 7+ years of experience in UX research, UI/UX design, or human-centered design within federal or healthcare environments
  • Demonstrated experience leading HCD or UX teams on complex, enterprise-scale systems
  • Strong expertise in both UX research methodologies and UI design principles
  • Experience supporting federal healthcare agencies (e.g., CMS, HHS, or state Medicaid programs)
  • Exceptional communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders and present to leadership
  • Proficiency with design and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD) and collaboration platforms
  • Strong understanding of accessibility standards (Section 508, WCAG)
  • Ability to translate complex policy and technical requirements into intuitive user experiences
  • Proven ability to operate independently while collaborating across multidisciplinary teams
  • Strong attention to detail with a commitment to delivering high-quality and accurate work.
  • Proven ability to manage time and prioritize tasks in a fast-paced environment.
  • Demonstrated problem-solving skills with a proactive and solution-oriented mindset.
Benefits
  • Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance (comprehensive coverage)
  • 401(k) with company match
  • Company-paid life insurance
  • Short-term and long-term disability coverage
  • Paid Time Off: 3 weeks annually + 10 paid holidays
  • Employee assistance and wellness resources (if applicable)
Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills & Tools
human-centered designUX researchUI designinteraction designinformation architectureaccessibility compliancequalitative researchquantitative researchprototypingdesign systems
Soft Skills
communicationleadershipcollaborationproblem-solvingattention to detailtime managementinfluenceprioritizationuser advocacystakeholder engagement