BU46P5 Lead UX Researcher

About ACS Publications

The American Chemical Society (ACS) is the world's largest scientific membership association, with a mission to "advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and its people".

ACS Publications is a Division of the ACS and has all the characteristics of a medium-large scientific and technical publishing organization. It is one of two Divisions charged with serving the dual function of generating a reliable annual surplus to support the Society's programmatic activities, while also fulfilling a core goal of the Society in advancing knowledge in the field of chemistry and the chemical enterprise. The Division publishes 80+ high-quality peer-reviewed journals covering the breadth of chemistry and allied fields, as well as numerous other high-quality products and services of benefit to the global community.

The Division has US-based facilities in Washington, D.C. and Columbus OH, as well as worldwide operations in a growing number of international locations under ACS International, Ltd. (ACSI) including but not limited to the UK, Singapore, China, and India.

ACS Publications is passionate about supporting the mission of ACS through products and services that meet the most critical needs of researchers and the scientific enterprise. We are ambitious for our customers and believe transformative technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) will drive the transformation of our industry, accelerating the dissemination of the scientific discovery needed to address Earth's greatest challenges.

If you're an experienced user researcher who is obsessed with user-centric solutions, we'd love to have you on our team in the role of Lead User Researcher.

This position will reside within the Product Management vertical and will report to the Lead UX Designer.

About the Role

As the Lead User Researcher, you will play a critical role in shaping the future of ACS Publications' products. Joining a team of UX Designers and reporting to the Lead UX Designer, you will lead and conduct user research studies to ensure our products meet the evolving needs of our diverse audience.

To be successful in this role, you should be:

• A self-starter who can work independently and is motivated by getting things done.
• A creative thinker who can identify innovative solutions to complex problems.
• A collaborative team player who can build strong relationships with cross-functional teams.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership




• Develop and implement a comprehensive user research strategy aligned with the organization's goals.
• Identify and prioritize research topics in collaboration with cross-functional teams.
• Advocate for user-centered design principles and ensure research findings are integrated into product decisions.




• Research Management and Execution




• Plan and execute a variety of user research methods, including usability testing, surveys, interviews, and A/B testing.
• Analyze and synthesize qualitative and quantitative research findings to uncover actionable insights that align with business objectives.
• Create compelling reports and presentations to communicate findings to diverse audiences.
• Create a strategy for engaging and managing research vendors, including but not limited to; identifying and contracting vendor partners, collaborating on research plans, monitoring data collection, reviewing analysis plans, and validating insights and reports while ensuring alignment with ACS Publications standards and goals.




• Team Collaboration




• Collaborate closely with product managers, designers, and other stakeholders to inform product design decisions.
• Support the work of consultants, contractors or interns, as needed, providing guidance and oversight.
• Stay up to date with the latest trends in user research and usability testing.




• User Advocacy:




• Champion the voice of our users throughout the product development lifecycle.
• Identify KPIs for new initiatives and measure the impact of user research efforts.
• Consider the implications of research findings for a broad, global audience.

Required Skills:

• Experience with a variety of user research and prototyping tools and software (e.g. Figma, Adobe XD, Qualtrics, Hotjar, Maze).
• Strong understanding of user research methodologies, including quantitative and qualitative research.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong data analysis skills.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Understanding of WCAG web accessibility standards and accessibility best practices.
• Ability to manage multiple time-sensitive projects simultaneously.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Knowledge of digital product design and/or scholarly publishing is a plus.

Additional Information:

ACS believes in the strength of diversity in all its forms, because inclusion of and respect for diverse people, experiences, and ideas lead to superior solutions to world challenges and advance chemistry as a global, multidisciplinary science. We strongly encourage people from global majority ethnicities, members of the LGBTQ+ , people with disabilities, and members of other historically marginalized communities in the global chemical enterprise to apply.

Job location: ACS operates in a hybrid capacity, and this position is based, primarily, in the D. C. office. ACS offers hybrid work arrangement of three days per week working in the office and two days per week working remotely. New employees are immediately eligible for this hybrid work arrangement. There is an expectation for significant presence in the office. Relocation assistance is available.

*A minimal amount of travel is required, typically between Columbus, OH and Washington, DC. Additional travel requirements within the US and abroad for scheduled meetings may be required with advanced notice.

DC-based: This role is based in our Washington, D.C. office. A reasonable rate of compensation for this position is between $140,000 & $189,000 per year.

ACS currently provides the following benefits for this position: paid vacation leave, paid sick leave, paid holidays, health insurance, flexible spending account or health care savings account, dental insurance, life insurance, vision insurance, retirement benefits, short- and long-term disability, and 4-week work from anywhere; each benefit is subject to the terms of the applicable program. Additional benefits may apply based on skills, experience, and location.

Any actual offer of employment, reflecting the total compensation package and benefits, will be made in the sole discretion of ACS. ACS reserves the right to amend or modify its employment benefits and compensation structure at any time.

Detail Oriented - Capable of carrying out a given task with all details necessary to get the task done well
Innovative - Consistently introduces new ideas and demonstrates original thinking
Team Player - Works well as a member of a group
Enthusiastic - Shows intense and eager enjoyment and interest
Leader - Inspires teammates to follow them

Goal Completion - Inspired to perform well by the completion of tasks
Self-Starter - Inspired to perform without outside help
Flexibility - Inspired to perform well when granted the ability to set your own schedule and goals
Ability to Make an Impact - Inspired to perform well by the ability to contribute to the success of a project or the organization

Bachelors of Psychology (preferred)

5 years: 5+ years of experience in user research, preferably in a digital product environment. (required)