Digital User Experience Researcher (UX Researcher) (12

Summary

Click on “Learn more about this agency“ button below to view Eligibilities being considered and other IMPORTANT information. WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OTHER IRS CAREERS? Visit us on the web at Duties WHAT IS THE Office of Online ServicesDIVISION?

A description of the business units can be found at:

The following are the duties of this position at the full working level. If this vacancy includes more than one grade and you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform these duties and receive training to help you grow in this position. Define problems, design research studies, conduct qualitative and quantitative research and usability testing, evaluate findings and recommend evidence-based solutions. Track UX research needs and goals and work with site metrics tools to conduct quantitative analysis of user behaviors and investigate ways to improve the end-user interaction with computer programs to increase satisfaction, brand loyalty, and overall use. Conduct UX research identifying the probable causes of digital service experience variances. Select and apply the most effective UX methodology and applications and ensure that project and study teams use appropriate UX research and analysis methodologies appropriate to solving UX problems; determining the types of data to be collected, formulating study methodologies, assisting functional activities in the implementation of taxpayer segments and analyzing data. Conduct activities associated with running a usability study, such as recruiting and screening participants with or without participant incentive, scheduling sessions, and writing test plans and scripts. Participate in studies, panels, and teams focusing on Servicewide policy statements and other written guidelines and recommendations governing the development or modification of user experience designs, prototypes and specifications.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment Must be a U.S. Citizen or National and provide proof of U.S. Citizenship. (Birth certificate showing birth in the U.S; Unexpired U.S. Passport; Certificate of Citizenship or Naturalization; or Report of Birth Abroad of a U.S. Citizen (Form FS-240)) Undergo a review of prior performance/conduct and an income tax verification. Refer to “Get Your Tax Record“ at () to check the status of your account, balance owed, payment history, make a payment, or review answers to tax questions. If you are not in compliance, you will be determined unsuitable for employment with IRS. Must successfully complete a background investigation, including a FBI criminal history record check (fingerprint check). Complete a to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency. Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the . Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S. These must be unexpired original or certified copies. Subject to a 1-year probationary period (unless already completed). Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer. If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the or are exempt from having to do so. We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies. Additional jobs may be filled. The salary range indicated in this announcement reflects the minimum locality pay up to maximum locality pay for all duty locations listed. The range will be adjusted for selected duty location. General Schedule locality pay tables may be found under . This is a bargaining unit position.

Tour of Duty

Full-time, Day shift Alternative work schedule, staggered work hours or telework may be available.

Qualifications

You must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: GS-09 To be minimally qualified for this position you must have at least one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-7 grade level in the Federal service.

Specialized experience for this position includes:

Analyzing, evaluating and planning processes and techniques to research and provide advice on the design, content creation and development strategies for the Web, mobile devices, and other digital taxpayer experiences. Experience using current UX based research solutions and analytical methods to provide improved user experience in navigating websites. Experience using new and emerging UX technologies to recommend alternatives and/or changes in methods, processes and techniques to present a consistent branded and user-centric digital experience. Experience conducting studies using journey mapping, service blueprints, user stories, eco system maps and personal development to help improve customer experience and new product capabilities. Experience using workload management techniques to establish priorities and manage deadlines. Preparing draft reports and other substantive guidelines and materials.

OR You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows:

Master's or equivalent graduate degree in a related field of study at an accredited college or university. OR 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a degree in a related field of study. OR LL.B. or J.D., if related.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE

GS-11 To be minimally qualified for this position you must have at least one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the Federal service.

Specialized experience for this position includes:

Analyzing, evaluating and planning processes and techniques to research and provide advice on the design, content creation and development strategies for the Web, mobile devices, and other digital taxpayer experiences. Experience using current UX based research solutions and analytical methods to provide improved user experience in navigating websites. Experience using new and emerging UX technologies to recommend alternatives and/or changes in methods, processes and techniques to present a consistent branded and user-centric digital experience. Experience conducting studies using journey mapping, service blueprints, user stories, eco system maps and personal development to help improve customer experience and new product capabilities. Experience using workload management techniques to establish priorities and manage deadlines. Preparing draft reports and other substantive guidelines and materials.

OR You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows:

Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a related field of study at an accredited college or university. OR 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree in a related field of study. OR LL.M., if related SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: GS-12 To be minimally qualified for this position you must have at least one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service.

Specialized experience for this position includes:

Experience using analytical, evaluative, and planning processes and techniques (quantitative and qualitative) to research and provide advice on the design, content creation and development strategies for the Web, mobile devices, and other digital taxpayer experiences. Experience Using current UX based research and analytics methods to conduct studies, deliver findings and advise management on service delivery or recommend changes including new policy or policy changes. Experience using new and emerging UX technologies to recommend alternatives and/or changes in methods, processes and techniques to present a consistent branded and user-centric digital experience. Using UX based research solutions to provide improved user experience in navigating websites. Experience identifying and assessing research needs to determine those that would be useful to audiences. Experience conducting studies using journey mapping, service blueprints, user stories, eco system maps and persona development to help improve customer experience and new product capabilities. Experience using workload management techniques to establish priorities and manage deadlines. Preparing draft reports and other substantive guidelines and materials to make recommendations to management. Federal experience is not required. The experience may have been gained in the public sector, private sector or One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume. For more information on qualifications please refer to .How You Will Be Evaluated You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. Your application includes your resume, responses to the online questions, and required supporting documents. Please be sure that your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your resume may result in a “not qualified“ determination.

Rating

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):Communication and MediaOral CommunicationProblem SolvingTeamworkTechnical Competence Category rating will be used to rank and select eligible candidates. If qualified, you will be assigned to one of two quality level categories, CAT A/B, CAT C depending on your responses to the online questions, regarding your experience, education, and training related to this position. Your rating may be lowered if your responses to the online questions are not supported by the education and/or experience described in your application.

Referral

If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. Candidates, if required to participate in a selection interview (telephonic and/or in person at the discretion of the Selecting Official in accordance with hiring practices), will be interviewed in quality group order. We will not reimburse costs related to the interview such as travel to and from the interview site. Veterans' preference is applied after applicants are assessed. Qualified preference eligibles who have a compensable service-connected disability of 10 percent or more (CPS, CP) are placed at the top of the highest category on the referral list (except for scientific or professional positions at the GS-9 level or higher). Remaining preference eligibles are placed above non-preference eligibles within their assigned category. If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee (eligible for the , you must receive a rating of category C to be rated as “well qualified“ to receive special selection priority. Required Documents The following documents are required and must be provided with your application. All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English. Resume - Your resume MUST contain dates of employment (i.e., month/year to month/year or to present). To ensure you receive full credit for relevant experience, include the hours worked per week. We recommend that your resume not exceed 5 pages, only the first 5 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. If including Federal service experience, provide pay plan, series and grade, i.e. GS-0301-09. Your resume must NOT include photographs, inappropriate content, or personal information such as age, gender, religion, social security number. If your resume does not contain the required information specified, or contains prohibited information as listed above, your application will be determined incomplete, and you will not receive consideration for this position. ( are optional.) Please view Online Application - Questionnaire Education - See Education Section above Registration/License (if applicable) - active, current registration/license Veterans' Preference (if applicable) - You MUST submit a copy of your DD-214 (Member 4 copy), or other official documentation from a branch of the Armed Forces or the Department of Veterans Affairs showing dates of service and type of discharge. If you are serving under active duty, provide certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released within 120 days from the date of certification. The certification must indicate your dates of service, rank and that you will be separated under honorable conditions. Submit an , along with the required documentation listed on the back of the form if you are a 10-point preference eligible. For more information on veterans' preference view Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) (if applicable) - You MUST submit the required documentation as outlined at: If you are an IRS CTAP eligible, you can apply for jobs within and outside the commuting area. If you are a Treasury CTAP eligible can apply for jobs within the commuting area. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) (if applicable) - If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee, click for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents. High School Diploma (or equivalent) - If you are 16 or 17 years of age, you MUST submit documentation of graduation from high school (or equivalent); OR completion of a formal vocational training program; OR statement from school authorities agreeing with your decision to pursue employment rather than continuing your education. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, your application will be determined incomplete, and you will not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible). PDN-994ba3e7-e00f-4730-9c22-fcd1abf1369a

SDL2017

Qualifications

• Conditions of Employment Must be a U.S. Citizen or National and provide proof of U.S. Citizenship. (Birth certificate showing birth in the U.S; Unexpired U.S. Passport; Certificate of Citizenship or Naturalization; or Report of Birth Abroad of a U.S. Citizen (Form FS-240)) Undergo a review of prior performance/conduct and an income tax verification
• Must successfully complete a background investigation, including a FBI criminal history record check (fingerprint check)
• Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the
• Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S. These must be unexpired original or certified copies
• Subject to a 1-year probationary period (unless already completed)
• You must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: GS-09 To be minimally qualified for this position you must have at least one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-7 grade level in the Federal service
• Analyzing, evaluating and planning processes and techniques to research and provide advice on the design, content creation and development strategies for the Web, mobile devices, and other digital taxpayer experiences
• Experience using new and emerging UX technologies to recommend alternatives and/or changes in methods, processes and techniques to present a consistent branded and user-centric digital experience
• Experience conducting studies using journey mapping, service blueprints, user stories, eco system maps and personal development to help improve customer experience and new product capabilities
• Master's or equivalent graduate degree in a related field of study at an accredited college or university
• OR 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a degree in a related field of study
• OR LL.B. or J.D., if related
• GS-11 To be minimally qualified for this position you must have at least one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the Federal service
• Analyzing, evaluating and planning processes and techniques to research and provide advice on the design, content creation and development strategies for the Web, mobile devices, and other digital taxpayer experiences
• Experience using new and emerging UX technologies to recommend alternatives and/or changes in methods, processes and techniques to present a consistent branded and user-centric digital experience
• Experience conducting studies using journey mapping, service blueprints, user stories, eco system maps and personal development to help improve customer experience and new product capabilities
• Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a related field of study at an accredited college or university
• OR 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree in a related field of study
• OR LL.M., if related SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: GS-12 To be minimally qualified for this position you must have at least one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service
• Experience using analytical, evaluative, and planning processes and techniques (quantitative and qualitative) to research and provide advice on the design, content creation and development strategies for the Web, mobile devices, and other digital taxpayer experiences
• Experience Using current UX based research and analytics methods to conduct studies, deliver findings and advise management on service delivery or recommend changes including new policy or policy changes
• Experience using new and emerging UX technologies to recommend alternatives and/or changes in methods, processes and techniques to present a consistent branded and user-centric digital experience
• Experience identifying and assessing research needs to determine those that would be useful to audiences
• Experience conducting studies using journey mapping, service blueprints, user stories, eco system maps and persona development to help improve customer experience and new product capabilities
• Preparing draft reports and other substantive guidelines and materials to make recommendations to management
• Federal experience is not required
• The experience may have been gained in the public sector, private sector or One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis
• To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume
• Candidates, if required to participate in a selection interview (telephonic and/or in person at the discretion of the Selecting Official in accordance with hiring practices), will be interviewed in quality group order
• All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English
• Resume - Your resume MUST contain dates of employment (i.e., month/year to month/year or to present)
• To ensure you receive full credit for relevant experience, include the hours worked per week
• We recommend that your resume not exceed 5 pages, only the first 5 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications
• If including Federal service experience, provide pay plan, series and grade, i.e
• Please view Online Application - Questionnaire Education - See Education Section above Registration/License (if applicable) - active, current registration/license Veterans' Preference (if applicable) - You MUST submit a copy of your DD-214 (Member 4 copy), or other official documentation from a branch of the Armed Forces or the Department of Veterans Affairs showing dates of service and type of discharge
• If you are serving under active duty, provide certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released within 120 days from the date of certification
• The certification must indicate your dates of service, rank and that you will be separated under honorable conditions
• High School Diploma (or equivalent) - If you are 16 or 17 years of age, you MUST submit documentation of graduation from high school (or equivalent); OR completion of a formal vocational training program; OR statement from school authorities agreeing with your decision to pursue employment rather than continuing your education

Benefits

• The salary range indicated in this announcement reflects the minimum locality pay up to maximum locality pay for all duty locations listed
• General Schedule locality pay tables may be found under
• Full-time, Day shift Alternative work schedule, staggered work hours or telework may be available

Responsibilities

• Define problems, design research studies, conduct qualitative and quantitative research and usability testing, evaluate findings and recommend evidence-based solutions
• Track UX research needs and goals and work with site metrics tools to conduct quantitative analysis of user behaviors and investigate ways to improve the end-user interaction with computer programs to increase satisfaction, brand loyalty, and overall use
• Conduct UX research identifying the probable causes of digital service experience variances
• Select and apply the most effective UX methodology and applications and ensure that project and study teams use appropriate UX research and analysis methodologies appropriate to solving UX problems; determining the types of data to be collected, formulating study methodologies, assisting functional activities in the implementation of taxpayer segments and analyzing data
• Conduct activities associated with running a usability study, such as recruiting and screening participants with or without participant incentive, scheduling sessions, and writing test plans and scripts
• Participate in studies, panels, and teams focusing on Servicewide policy statements and other written guidelines and recommendations governing the development or modification of user experience designs, prototypes and specifications
• Experience using current UX based research solutions and analytical methods to provide improved user experience in navigating websites
• Experience using workload management techniques to establish priorities and manage deadlines
• Preparing draft reports and other substantive guidelines and materials
• Experience using current UX based research solutions and analytical methods to provide improved user experience in navigating websites
• Experience using workload management techniques to establish priorities and manage deadlines
• Preparing draft reports and other substantive guidelines and materials
• Using UX based research solutions to provide improved user experience in navigating websites
• Experience using workload management techniques to establish priorities and manage deadlines
• You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):Communication and MediaOral CommunicationProblem SolvingTeamworkTechnical Competence Category rating will be used to rank and select eligible candidates