Met Council UX Designer 25P350

Description Of ProjectThe Metropolitan Council (Met Council) is seeking one full-time UX Designer resource who will be part of the Fare Collection System Upgrade project which is a large-scale, high-profile initiative supporting Metro Transit's core business operations. The resource will be involved in designing public-facing websites and robust back-office functionalities within tight timelines in an Agile manner collaborating with the Product engineering team.The work is expected to be done with a hybrid of on-site and remote work. Resource will be required to work at a Met Council office at least two days per week with the possibility of more as business conditions dictate. Council offices are located at 560 North 6th Avenue, Minneapolis, MN.Sample TasksLead user research activities, including interviews and usability testing, to gather insights and inform design direction for an IT team.Design intuitive and accessible interfaces and workflows across digital platforms, ensuring consistency with design standards and project requirements.Develop wireframes, high-fidelity mockups, and interactive prototypes to communicate design concepts and interaction flows effectively.Collaborate closely with product owners, developers, and other stakeholders using Agile methodologies to iteratively refine designs and incorporate feedback.Ensure all deliverables comply with brand standards, accessibility guidelines, and universal design principles to provide an inclusive user experience.Present design concepts clearly to stakeholders and supply comprehensive documentation for smooth project handoffs and implementation/continuous improvement by development teams.Conduct 8-10 user interviews and 2-3 usability testing sessions per 2-week sprint to identify pain points and validate design assumptions.Design 20+ key interface screens and workflows for a core application module, adhering to WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards.Produce low-fidelity wireframes, high-fidelity mockups, and interactive prototypes (Mac laptop familiarity needed) for stakeholder review within 2-week iterations.Participate in daily stand-ups and sprint reviews with product owners and developers to incorporate feedback and refine design artifacts.Audit and update existing screens for brand consistency and inclusive design principles, providing rationale documentation.Present bi-weekly design reviews to 10+ stakeholders and hand off finalized prototypes with annotated specs for development implementationKnowledge transferSample DeliverablesUser Research Reports: Comprehensive summaries of findings from interviews, surveys, and usability testing sessions (delivered bi-weekly or per sprint).Wireframes and Mockups: Low- and high-fidelity designs for key interfaces and workflows (delivered iteratively within 2-week sprints).Interactive Prototypes: Clickable prototypes built in standard tools, including interaction flows and annotations (delivered at sprint end).Design Documentation: Style guides, component libraries, and handoff specs ensuring accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA) and brand compliance (delivered per project milestone).Stakeholder Presentation Materials: Slide decks and demo sessions for design reviews (bi-weekly).Weekly Status Reports: Progress updates on tasks, risks, and next steps (submitted every 2 weeks).Minimum QualificationsFive (5) years' experience in User Experience (UX) designs of web-based applicationsFour (4) years' experience designing compliant webpages per accessibility standards WCAG 2.1 Level AA or higherFive (5) years' experience creating wireframes, protypes, and mockupsThree (3) years' experience in information architecture and designTwo (2) years' experience in user experience design in an agile development environmentDesired SkillsBachelor's degree in UX Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or Graphic DesignDemonstrated experience applying accessibility and inclusive design best practicesUser research and persona development experienceUsability testing and analysis experienceData analysis and use of metrics experienceResponsive and adaptive design experienceVisual and UI design experienceDesign principles and aesthetics experienceUniversal design principles experienceDemonstrated experience managing projects, including demonstration of time management and organization skillsExperience with mobile app UI/UX for ticketing or payment systemsFamiliarity with transit fare structures, ticket vending machines, and validation devicesBasic understanding of front-end technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Blazor) to facilitate development collaborationExposure to data-driven design using analytics related to transit user behaviorAdaptability and willingness to learn new technology & toolsEmpathy for users and user-centric thinkingCritical thinking and creative problem solvingUX certifications or training in accessibility standards and Agile methodologiesExperience working in Figma