Designer/Researcher

About Nava

Nava is a consultancy and public benefit corporation working to make government services simple and effective. Since 2015, federal, state, and local agencies have trusted Nava to help solve highly scrutinized technology modernization challenges.   As a client services company, we guide agencies constrained by legacy systems to a future with sharp user experiences built on secure, reliable, fault-tolerant cloud infrastructure. We bill for our time, offering our expertise and problem-solving approach to help our government partners enhance their digital products and services. People are at the heart of our work, from members of the public who rely on benefit programs to government agency staff. Through human-centered design and modern engineering best practices, we help our government partners understand user needs and deliver on their missions more effectively. This focus gives everyone at Nava the opportunity to do work that is meaningful, impactful, and deeply connected to public good.  

This position is contingent pending contract award.

Position summary 

Nava is at the forefront of reimagining how our government serves its people, and we’re looking for a Designer/Researcher to help drive this mission forward.

As a Designer/Researcher at Nava, you’ll drive the design and research efforts of our work with the government, for programs that affect millions of Americans. You’ll lead work on cross-functional teams, moving from concept to implementation and championing user needs with everything from user research to prototyping to designing systems. You’ll bring us closer to the people we ultimately serve, helping deliver high-quality work that is simple, empathetic, and accessible. 

You will be working within the government ecosystem, collaborating dynamically with other government contractors and civil servants. This means you'll likely encounter different working styles, and cultural norms, and be responsible for maintaining order and focus in complex stakeholder ecosystems.

What you'll do

• Prioritize, plan, and deliver roadmap-level design and research initiatives on projects
• Apply a human-centered design mindset to challenges by relentlessly focusing on user needs
• Drive understanding of users, by running quantitative and qualitative user research initiatives and sharing findings with internal and external collaborators
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver design work, including discovery artifacts, diagrams, user flows, high-fidelity prototypes, and design systems
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary Nava product teams and government staff to turn complex requirements into simple and accessible digital experiences

Required skills

• Designed claims, eligibility, or benefits administration systems for state government programs (PFML, Medicaid, unemployment insurance, or related public assistance), translating complex policy and regulatory requirements into accessible digital workflows.
• At least five years of experience working as a designer working in product teams within a professional working environment
• Experience mapping and driving systemic improvements within complex service environments
• Experience in designing, testing, and implementing digital services
• Experience designing with web and responsive user interface best practices
• A relentlessly curious mindset that is never satisfied with easy answers and able to quickly pick up new knowledge
• Equal parts systems thinker and advocate for users
• Highly resourceful, reliable, organized, and detail-oriented 
• Ability to think strategically around trade-offs and short-term vs. long-term benefits in complex ecosystems
• Ability to build and form strong collaborative relationships with the internal team and external partners
• An adaptive, empathetic, and positive mindset
• Excellent communication skills

Compensation$126,000—$143,100 USD

Other requirements

All roles at Nava require the following: Legal authorization to work in the United States Ability to meet any other requirements for government contracts for which candidates are hired Work authorization that doesn’t require visa sponsorship, now or in the future May be subject to a government background check or security clearance, depending on the contract  

Perks working with Nava

Health coverage — comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans to support your overall health needs Insurance coverage — Nava provides disability, life, and accidental death insurance at no cost Time off — vacation, holidays (including Juneteenth), and floating holidays to rest and recharge Company holidays — enjoy 12 paid federal holidays each year on top of your regular PTO Annual bonus — when Nava meets its goals, eligible employees receive a performance-based annual bonus Parental leave — paid time off for new parents, plus weekly meals delivered to your home Wellness program — full platform offering physical, mental, & emotional health resources & support tools Virtual care — see doctors online with no copay through a virtual visit program (depending on available providers) Sabbatical leave — earn extended unpaid leave after continuous service for personal growth or rest 401(k) match — Nava matches 4% of your salary to support your retirement savings plan Flexible work — remote-first environment with flexibility built around your schedule and responsibilities Home office setup — company laptop & setup assistance provided via Staples for remote work needs Utility support — monthly reimbursement to help offset eligible home office utility expenses Learning opportunities — internal training programs and resources to help grow your professional skills Development opportunities — LinkedIn Learning access & an annual allowance for courses, tuition, & certs  Referral bonus — get rewarded when you refer great people who join the Nava team Commuter benefits — pre-tax commuter programs to support in-office travel when applicable Supportive culture — A collaborative and remote-friendly team environment where people genuinely care  

Location

We have fully remote options if you reside in one of the following states:    Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, DC, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin   *If you are not living in one of the states listed above, unfortunately, you will not be considered for a position at this time.   

Stay in touch

Sign up for our newsletter to find out about career opportunities, new partnerships, and news from the broader civic tech community.   Please contact the recruiting team at recruiting@navapbc.com if you would like to request any form of reasonable accommodation during the application or interviewing process.     We participate in E-Verify. Upon hire, we will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. This role requires you to work from the contiguous United States.   

Equal Employment Opportunity

Nava is committed to providing equal employment opportunities without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, gender and/or gender identity or expression, color, creed, religion, religious creed, age, national origin, ethnicity, disability, veteran or military status, sex, sexual orientation, reproductive health autonomy, pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth, genetic information, domestic violence victim status, marital status, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Nava prohibits any such discrimination or harassment. This policy applies to all employees, applicants, contractors, and temporary workers of Nava.