UX/UI Designer

Our client, a leading education innovation company, is hiring a UX/UI Designer on a contract basis.
Job ID: 82372

Work Location:
Chicago, IL (Remote Working model)

Summary:
As a Senior User Experience Designer with a strong focus on accessibility, you will play a key role in managing the responsibilities and overseeing the workload of an internal accessibility audit that is designed to bring our website to full compliance. Your work will ensure that all UI components and interactions are fully accessible, compliant with WCAG 2.1, ADA, and Section 508 guidelines, and meet the needs of users with various disabilities. You will be responsible for crafting UI elements within a design system and ensuring that accessibility is seamlessly integrated into every stage of the design process. This is a fully remote position and will need to be accessible during regular working hours.

Responsibilities:
Accessibility-First UI Design:

• Work with the auditing team at the oversite of the User Experience Manager to refine user interfaces with a high attention-to-detail on meeting strict accessibility standards, including WCAG 2.1, ADA, Section 508, and other relevant guidelines. A fully comprehensive understanding of these standards will be necessary to analyze, review and interpret which areas of our website will need to be updated to meet these strict accessibility standards. Fluency in Figma and a fully comprehensive understanding of user interface design is a cornerstone of this position.
• Create and maintain highly accessible, reusable UI components within a design system that support consistency and scalability across platforms. Understanding how to structurally design components for accessibility at the presentation layer is extremely important.
• Ensure that all components are visually accessible (color contrast, typography, spacing) and functionally accessible (keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility).

Component Creation & Maintenance:

• Design, build, and update UI components (e.g., buttons, forms, modals, navigation) to ensure they comply with contemporary accessibility best practices.
• Work closely with cross-functional teams, especially front-end developers, to ensure that the components you design are properly implemented and remain fully accessible throughout the development cycle.

Design System Accessibility:

• Act as the lead on integrating accessibility into our design system, ensuring all components are documented and accessible to designers and developers alike.
• Ensure that design system annotations for accessibility are clear, practical, and up-to-date, empowering other team members to create compliant and inclusive interfaces.
• Audit the design system for all perceivable, operable, understandable and robust potential accessibility gaps and drive the effort in making improvements based on the latest standards and guidelines including the 400% reflow.
  

Figma Mastery & Component Documentation:

• Use Figma as the primary tool for creating high-fidelity UI components and prototypes, ensuring they adhere to accessibility standards.
• Manage component libraries within Figma, ensuring all assets are well-organized, easy to use, and aligned with accessibility best practices.
• Provide clear, accessible documentation for every component, outlining how to use them in an accessible context and integrating accessibility features from the ground up.

Accessibility Audits & Testing:

• Ability to work within and understand the responsibility of accessibility audits of existing designs, using tools like Figma, Storybook, Lighthouse, and manual testing to ensure compliance with WCAG and other accessibility guidelines.
• Identify, report, and resolve accessibility issues in designs, recommending solutions and updates to improve the overall accessibility of the product.
  

Cross-functional Collaboration & Advocacy:

• Work closely with developers, product managers, and other designers to integrate accessibility into every aspect of the design and development process.
• Act as an accessibility advocate within the organization, educating stakeholders and raising awareness of the importance of inclusive design.
• Ensure that accessibility is considered during the early stages of product development, not as an afterthought.

Neighborly and professional attitude:

• Stay up-to-date with the latest trends, techniques, and technologies in accessibility and UI design.
• Continuously improve your knowledge of accessibility guidelines, ensuring all designs meet current legal requirements and industry best practices.
• Contribute to internal knowledge-sharing sessions and help educate the design team on accessibility principles and techniques.

Required Qualifications:

• 5+ years of experience as a UX/UI Designer with a strong focus on accessibility in design.
• Proven track record of creating and maintaining UI components that meet strict accessibility standards, including WCAG 2.1, ADA, and Section 508.
• Expert knowledge of accessibility guidelines and principles, and how they apply to UI design (color contrast, keyboard navigation, screen readers, etc.).
• Strong portfolio showcasing work focused on accessibility, including UI components and design systems that adhere to accessibility standards.
• Advanced proficiency in Figma, including managing component libraries, creating high-fidelity prototypes, and submitting accessible components.
• Knowledge of assistive technologies (e.g., screen readers, voice recognition, magnification tools) and their integration with digital products.
• Solid understanding of how to design for users with various disabilities, including visual, auditory, cognitive, and motor impairments.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to clearly advocate accessibility and explain complex concepts to non-designers.
• Fluency working within a project management system such as Jira, Asana or other similar software.
• Experience working with cross-functional teams, including developers, to ensure seamless implementation of accessible designs.
• Experience with front-end development or a deep understanding of the development process to ensure accessibility compliance during implementation.
• Experience conducting accessibility audits using tools like Lighthouse, or similar tools, and providing actionable recommendations to improve accessibility.
• Familiarity with version control systems or design system management tools (e.g., Zeroheight, Storybook).
• Experience with Agile methodologies and working in collaborative, fast-paced environments.
• Familiarity with accessibility testing tools like JAWS, NVDA, or VoiceOver.
• 7+ years of applicable experience or 5+ years of applicable experience and managerial experience preferred.
  

Education Requirement:

• Bachelor's degree in related field or equivalent experience preferred.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS: Approximate amount of travel this job will require. Up to 25%

Pay Rate: $50- $62/hour W2

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