UX/UI Researcher and Designer

Job Description:

Job Purpose

Berklee's division of Pre-College, Online, and Professional Programs (POPP) is at the forefront of contemporary music education worldwide, serving more than 3.5 million students to date. As we continue to scale our digital offerings and enhance user experiences across our platforms, we are seeking a UX/UI Researcher and Designer to establish and maintain cohesive, accessible design standards that support our mission of bringing the best of Berklee to students all over the world.

The UX/UI Researcher and Designer role is an exciting opportunity for a candidate with exceptional UX/UI research capabilities and systematic design thinking, as well as a strong passion for music education, to play a vital role in creating scalable design solutions that enhance the digital experience for our students, instructors, and staff, and contribute to the continued growth and success of Berklee POPP.

Under the direction of the Director of Creative and User Experience, and in close collaboration with the Assistant Vice President of Creative Strategy, the UX/UI Researcher and Designer is responsible for conducting UX/UI research, translating insights into systematic design solutions, and maintaining comprehensive design systems that ensure consistency across all digital touchpoints. This role combines user research methodologies with design system development to create accessible, user-centered components and patterns that scale across the entire Berklee POPP ecosystem.

This role is highly collaborative, working across multiple teams to gather user insights, establish design standards, and maintain design system governance. The UX/UI Researcher and Designer serves as the guardian of our digital design consistency, ensuring that all components, patterns, and interactions align with accessibility standards and user needs while supporting Berklee POPP's brand objectives.

Capabilities Required (Experience, Education, Skills)

• Bachelor's degree in UX/UI design, human-computer interaction, psychology, design, or equivalent professional experience
• 3-5 years of professional experience in UX/UI research and design systems development
• Expert proficiency in Figma, including component creation, design tokens, and collaborative workflows
• Strong understanding of accessibility principles and standards (WCAG 2.1 AA, ARIA, inclusive design practices)
• Experience conducting user research methodologies, including usability testing, interviews, surveys, and behavioral analysis
• Proven experience developing and documenting comprehensive design systems, component libraries, and design guidelines
• Knowledge of design tokens, architecture, and a systematic approach to colors, typography, spacing, and interaction states
• Understanding of AI-powered design tools and emerging technologies, with experience adapting design systems for AI-enhanced workflows and automated content generation
• Ability to anticipate and design for evolving user needs in AI-integrated educational platforms and adaptive learning systems
• Solid understanding of user-centered design principles, information architecture, and responsive design patterns
• Experience with design-to-development handoff processes and basic understanding of HTML/CSS
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate research insights into actionable design solutions
• Excellent communication and presentation skills for sharing research findings and design rationale with stakeholders
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to maintain up-to-date documentation, mockups, and design specifications
• Experience with version control and collaborative design workflows
• Passion for music education and alignment with Berklee's mission is preferred
  
  
  

Use Of Capabilities (Illustrated By Typical Activities)

• User Research & Analysis. Conduct comprehensive user research, including usability testing, user interviews, surveys, and behavioral analysis, to identify user needs, pain points, and opportunities for systematic design improvements across Berklee POPP platforms
• Design System Development. Create and maintain scalable design systems, including component libraries, design patterns, interaction guidelines, and comprehensive documentation that supports consistent user experiences across all digital touchpoints
• Design Token Management. Establish and maintain design token architecture for colors, typography, spacing, sizing, and interaction states in Figma, ensuring systematic consistency and efficient design-to-development workflows
• Accessibility Implementation. Ensure all design system components meet WCAG standards and support inclusive design practices, conducting accessibility audits and implementing improvements to enhance usability for all learners
• AI-Enhanced Design System Architecture. Design and implement flexible component systems that accommodate AI-powered features, automated content generation, and adaptive user interfaces that respond to individual learning patterns and preferences
• Emerging Technology Integration. Research and prototype design solutions for emerging educational technologies, ensuring design systems can adapt to new interaction paradigms while maintaining consistency and accessibility standards
• Mockup and Specification Maintenance. Create and regularly update high-fidelity mockups, wireframes, prototypes, and detailed design specifications that accurately reflect current design standards and user needs
• Cross-functional Collaboration. Partner with developers, product managers, instructional designers, and other stakeholders to gather requirements, validate design solutions, and ensure proper implementation of design system components
• Design System Governance. Establish processes for design system adoption, provide training and support to teams using the system, and conduct regular audits to ensure consistency across all digital products and platforms
• Continuous Improvement. Monitor design system usage, gather feedback from users and stakeholders, and iterate on components and patterns based on evolving user needs and technological capabilities
  
  
  

Hiring Range:

$90,000 - $107,000; salary dependent on relevant experience and education.

Please visit the Total Rewards page to learn more about the benefits of working at Berklee.

This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” employment relationship.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Equal Employment Opportunity at Berklee:

We support an inclusive workplace where everyone excels based on personal merit, qualifications, experience, ability, and job performance. Berklee affirms that inequality is detrimental to our faculty, staff, students, and the communities we serve. Our goal is to make lasting change through our actions. Berklee is committed to providing fair and equitable consideration of all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, ancestry, age, national origin, place of birth, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, genetic information, or status as a member of the armed forces or veteran of the armed forces, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

As part of this commitment, Berklee will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact the Human Resources Team at hroperations@Berklee.edu or call 617-747-2375.

*Currently enrolled Berklee students are not permitted to apply for staff or faculty positions.*

Employee Type:

Staff