Firebelly is the real deal. We push ourselves to excel at our craft and work together to make each other better.

Overview

Starting Salary: $80-90K, based on experience
Anticipated Start Date: January 1, 2025

About Firebelly

Founded in 1999, Firebelly is a socially conscious creative studio specializing in strategic design. From creating visual identities and sustainable strategies to custom typefaces and killer websites, we lead with a whole lot of love, intention, and a tremendous respect for our clients. Our capabilities span from brand strategy and naming through final execution of print, digital and experiential design. While we partner with a wide variety of clients from almost every industry, all have one thing in common: they are actively working to make a positive impact in the world.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion, with the goal of creating a more equitable, just world. We believe diversity—across age, gender, race, religion, citizenship status, ability, size, sexual orientation, education, class, and culture—builds perspective and empathy, which are critical to responsible design.

We aspire to create brave spaces where all voices can be heard, biases challenged and solutions arrived at together. We strive to live our values in all that we do, encouraging honesty, collaboration, generosity, gratitude, courage, and a commitment to doing the work. We pursue positive outcomes for stronger relationships among our employees, partners, and the communities we serve.

About this Role

As our UX Design Strategist, you'll play a crucial role in shaping user-centered digital experiences that align with our clients' social impact and business objectives. You'll conduct research, analyze data, and translate insights into actionable strategy and design recommendations and technical requirements, including architecture, navigation, content, features, and functionality for our clients’ websites.

Ideally, you are:

• Ravenous about uncovering precious insights and generating creative ideas

• Well-versed in classic—as well as unconventional!—discovery and design methods

• Capable of contributing to and leading a wide variety of digital experience projects

• Experienced in UX/web best practices, principles of information architecture and interaction design

• Innately curious, unafraid to ask questions and energized by new challenges

• A confident presenter who brings the clear perspective and education our clients need

• A self-starter, motivated and tenacious

• Dedicated to causes and clients that advance equity, inclusion and justice for all people

While every week is different, you can expect to:

• Evaluate existing websites and digital products to identify areas for improvement

• Plan and conduct user research studies using various methodologies (e.g. interviews, surveys, usability testing)

• Analyze qualitative and quantitative data to uncover user needs, behaviors, and pain points

• Present research findings, navigation models, and wireframes to stakeholders and clients

• Develop user personas, journey maps, and other UX artifacts to guide design decisions

• Create navigation models and information architecture for websites and digital products

• Produce wireframes to communicate layout and functional requirements

• Collaborate with designers and developers to implement research findings into effective UX solutions

• Plan and facilitate remote workshops, stakeholder interviews, and focus groups

• Stay updated on UX best practices and emerging trends

What helps you thrive here:

• 5+ years of experience in UX research and strategy, preferably in a studio/agency environment

• Proficiency in user-centered qualitative & quantitative research tools and methodologies

• Strong skills in developing navigation models and sitemaps

• Experience with digital collaboration and wireframing tools (e.g. Figma, Miro, Adobe Suite)

• Understanding of front-end development principles and collaboration with developers

• Understanding of responsive design principles

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

• Strong facilitation and collaboration skills

• Excellent communication and presentation abilities

• Portfolio demonstrating your research process, strategy deliverables, and their impact on final outcomes

THIS IS A FULL-TIME (3-MO CONTRACT TO START) REMOTE OR HYBRID POSITION

While this position is ideally filled by a candidate in the Chicago area, we welcome and encourage applicants outside of Chicago to apply. We are only able to consider applicants located in the United States who are legally able to work here.

OUR BENEFITS PACKAGE IS EXCEPTIONAL, ESPECIALLY AMONG COMPANIES OUR SIZE

While we maintain high standards of excellence for the creativity and integrity of our work, we also provide uncommon benefits for small studios, like mental health and professional development stipends. We offer a competitive salary with fully paid health insurance, a contribution to a Simple IRA, unlimited paid time off, flexibility in work location, and an inspiring workplace.

Firebelly is an equal opportunity employer.

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To apply for this position, email us your resume, a note on why you'd like to join our team + any relevant work experience.