Field UX Researcher

Title:

Field UX Researcher

Belong. Connect. Grow. with KBR!

Around here, we define the future.
We share one goal: to improve the world responsibly as a company of innovators, thinkers, creators, explorers, volunteers, and dreamers.

Note: This position is contingent upon contract award, customer approval, and funding availability.

Clearance: Ability to obtain and maintain a government background check
Citizenship Requirement: Applicants must be U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents
Travel: Up to 50-60% domestic travel

Preferred location is Sioux Falls, SD

Will consider Remote

About the Role

KBR is seeking a Senior UX Researcher to support mission‑critical Science & Space programs. In this role, you will uncover user needs, validate product decisions, and drive research‑backed insights that shape roadmap priorities and technical implementation.

You will work closely with highly specialized users—including scientists, engineers, and operations personnel—whose work underpins national infrastructure, space operations, and environmental monitoring. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in complex domains and wants to influence systems that have real national impact.

Why Join KBR?

Innovative, High‑Impact Work

Contribute to advanced systems powered by modern DevSecOps pipelines, cloud‑native architectures, containerization, automation, and real‑time data workflows supporting critical scientific missions.

Collaborative, Multidisciplinary Environment

Work alongside product managers, engineers, designers, scientists, and mission specialists in a culture that values iteration, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Meaningful Mission

Your insights directly influence systems that support satellite missions, national alert systems, geospatial analysis platforms, and other essential technologies.

Key Responsibilities

User Research & Discovery

• Conduct mixed‑methods research (interviews, observations, surveys, usability studies, analytics review).
• Perform on‑site fieldwork at scientific or federal facilities with minimal disruption to operations.
• Apply both qualitative and quantitative approaches to uncover root problems and define user needs.
• Develop research plans, scripts, and protocols aligned with product goals.

Analysis, Synthesis & Strategy

• Translate findings into actionable insights, clear problem statements, workflows, and journey models.
• Communicate insights that influence roadmap priorities and design direction.
• Facilitate alignment across product, engineering, and stakeholder groups.

Design Collaboration & Validation

• Partner with UI/UX designers on concept validation and iterative user testing.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to implement analytics for continuous learning.
• Conduct formative and summative usability tests to evaluate product solutions.

Advocacy & Leadership

• Mentor junior researchers or designers.
• Support development of research operations, experience metrics, and team best practices.
• Promote user‑centered thinking across cross‑functional teams.

Required Qualifications

• U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident
• Bachelor’s degree in human‑Centered Design, Psychology, Behavioral Science, IT, or related field
• 6+ years of UX research or UX design experience in complex, large‑scale systems
• Proficiency with research and design tools (Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision, Axure)
• Experience with collaboration/versioning tools (Zeplin, Storybook, Abstract)
• Strong understanding of Agile processes and integrating research into iterative workflows
• Excellent communication, facilitation, presentation, and storytelling skills
• Ability to rapidly understand technical domains and explain insights to diverse audiences
• Demonstrated ability to balance user needs, business goals, and technical constraints
• Portfolio showcasing research process, depth, and measurable impact

Desired Qualifications

• Experience in scientific, government, aerospace, defense, or similarly complex technical domains
• Familiarity with enterprise SaaS, responsive web apps, or cross‑platform systems
• Working knowledge of HTML/CSS, JavaScript frameworks (e.g., Angular), REST APIs
• Experience with data visualization tools (Power BI, Tableau, Python)
• Experience with modern research platforms (e.g., Dovetail, UserTesting, Lookback, Maze)
• Leadership experience in facilitation, mentor