Lead User Experience Designer

Summary

As a Lead User Experience Designer with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, you will shape how the Federal workforce experiences digital government. You will lead research, design, and usability testing for a large-scale web application, build the design system and standards that keep it consistent and accessible, and bring modern design practice to leaders and teams across the agency - turning research and emerging technology into services people actually want to use.

Duties

Lead end-to-end UI/UX design for a large-scale web application, from user research and information architecture through high-fidelity design and usability testing. Establish and maintain the design system - component library, design tokens, interaction patterns, and documented usage standards - governing visual and functional consistency across all user-facing interfaces. Produce high-fidelity designs and interactive prototypes in Figma, including reusable component libraries, responsive layouts, and annotated specifications for development handoff. Evaluate and apply emerging technologies, including AI-enabled capabilities, to improve digital services and user experiences - assessing them for usability, accessibility, customer needs, and responsible implementation. Apply user research, customer data, and human-centered design methods to inform product, service, and technology decisions. Serve as the technical design authority for the program: review and provide direction on design work performed by contractor and partner staff, and guide development teams in faithful implementation. Ensure digital products meet Section 508 and WCAG accessibility standards as well as modern web design and usability standards. Collaborate with product, engineering, business, and customer experience teams to translate customer requirements into digital solutions. Advise stakeholders on user-centered design practices through consultations, design reviews, demonstrations, and communities of practice. Requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen or National Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation May be required to successfully complete a probationary period Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required You will be required to report to an OPM assigned office. This announcement may be used to make Term or Permanent appointments. This position is not eligible for inclusion in a bargaining unit Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must demonstrate proficiency in the following competencies at or above the minimum levels shown and meet the specialized experience requirements described below. Competency Minimum Proficiency Level Attention to Detail 4-Advanced Customer Service 4-Advanced Decision Making 3-Intermediate Information Management 4-Advanced Interpersonal Skills 4-Advanced Oral Communication 3-Intermediate Problem Solving 4-Advanced Teamwork 4-Advanced Technical Competence 4-Advanced Requirements Analysis 4-Advanced Systems Life Cycle 4-Advanced Project Management 3-Intermediate Specialized Experience: You must demonstrate knowledge, skills, and abilities/competencies related to the work of this position, normally attained through the equivalent of one year of specialized experience at the GS-13 level or equivalent, or obtained through other means. Specialized experience for this position is defined as: Conducting user research and applying research findings, customer data, or usability results to design or improve digital products and services; Designing and testing user experiences using methods such as service design, interaction design, user interface design, information architecture, content strategy, or forms design; Evaluating or incorporating artificial intelligence-enabled tools, capabilities, or other emerging technologies into digital products, services, or business processes based on user or organizational requirements; Collaborating with product, engineering, business, or customer experience teams to translate customer requirements into product, service, or technical solutions; and Developing and communicating design recommendations, technical options, implementation approaches, risks, or delivery considerations to stakeholders and technical teams. You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Accountability Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Influencing/Negotiating Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork The USA Hire Assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Career Transition Assistance Programs: These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position (obtain a score of 85 or higher on the assessments); and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp. Other Information

This announcement will be used to fill vacancies through OPM-authorized Direct Hire Authority due to Critical Hiring Need/Severe Shortage of Candidates. Veteran preference and traditional rating/raking of applicants do not apply. For more information on OPM's authorization of Direct Hire Authority, please visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/direct-hire-authority/ Relocation expenses will not be paid. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across OPM. If you are unable to apply online and would like to request information about the Alternate Application process, please use the contact information at the bottom of this announcement. Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: - your performance and conduct; - the needs and interests of the agency; - whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and - whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.