Job Summary ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION: User ExperienceArchitects apply user-centered design principles to build seamless,consistent, and desirable interfaces for NGA enterprise systems.They lead web-based design activities, including gathering,validating, analyzing, and defining requirements; conductingresearch and best practice reviews; performing user engagements andtesting (e.g., interviews, site navigation); and creatingprototypes. User Experience Architects create and plan interfacesthat promote intuitive navigation and enhanced user workflow.Additional Job Information At NGA, UX Architects workcollaboratively with other UX disciplines to drive and implement,research, design and development strategies. They interact dailyacross the entire UX team to understand and guide research needs(known and unknown) to ultimately produce informed interactivesolutions. UX Architects work on overlapping projects, whichrequires the ability to multi-task and juggle competing priorities.The right candidate will have a deep understanding of UX methodsand best practices, and also a nimble, creative and pragmaticapproach to recommendations and solutions, while pushing theboundaries for better product experiences. UX practitioners at NGAare the champions for its consumers and help solve end-user painpoints. They collect and use research data to better understandproblems and opportunities. For this position, NGA is looking forexperienced individual contributors who will help elevate thepractice of user-centered design and research by applying creativebut rigorous qualitative, quantitative, and/or design researchmethods. Other duties may include: * Build, prioritize, levy,track, review, and validate customer requirements and ensure theyare documented and measurable. * Apply knowledge of humanabilities, limitations, and characteristics and application ofhuman factors principles to the design of tools, systems, tasks,and environments for safe, comfortable, and effective human use. *Conduct qualitative and quantitative research including usertesting sessions, surveys, card sorts, interviews, diary studies,field studies, and ethnographies. * Data Analysis derived fromqualitative and quantitative research to provide recommendations toteam members and stakeholders. * Create documentation, includingpersonas, empathy maps, journey maps, service blueprints,jobs-to-be-done maps, high and low-fidelity prototypes, HTML etc. *Design high- and low-fidelity concepts, interactive prototypes, orfully functional proofs-of-concepts. * Create HTML, CSS, and JSdeveloped design interfaces. * Organize, structure, and labelcontent in an effective and sustainable way. * Evaluate software,tools, and technologies for future use, and analyze the potentialimpacts of new technologies. Identify technology trends andopportunities. * Develop test and evaluation plans, design andconduct appropriate systems/software tests/evaluations, anddocument and distribute results. * Arrange and conduct user reviewsand tests to evaluate and improve user interfaces. * Applyknowledge of the methods and processes to design systems,interfaces, and technologies in order to satisfy end-user needs andrequirements. * Convey data, information, and analyticalconclusions using a variety of visual tools, techniques, andmethods. * Design websites on multiple networks and modify websitedesigns to meet changing customer needs. * Design and test the lookand feel of websites and web-enabled applications, ensuringappropriate user interactions are compliant with accessibilitystandards for web. * Work collaboratively across research, designand development disciplines to define technical approach. Writecode for front-end supporting full-stack development projects. Thisposition is eligible for an INCENTIVE: The selected candidates maybe offered an incentive as part of the offer of employment, basedon budget availability. To receive the incentive, the selectedcandidate must sign a service agreement depending on the approvedamount or duration of the incentive. If the employee leaves beforethe end of the service agreement, the employee may be required torepay a pro rata share amount of the incentive to the government.Additional Application Requirement: You may be asked to completeone or more assessments in addition to the application you submiton this website as part of your application to NGA. Theseassessments may include but are not limited to: * Onlinequestionnaires or assessments that require you to describe yourjob-related knowledge, skills, abilities, or other characteristicsthat are aligned with the mandatory and desirable qualifications ofthis job posting. The information you provide in the applicationyou submit must support the response you provide to thisquestionnaire. You will receive an email to describe any additionalassessments required. Please monitor your emails and complete anyrequired assessments as soon as possible Mandatory QualificationsMANDATORY QUALIFICATION CRITERIA: For this particular job,applicants must meet all competencies reflected under the MandatoryQualification Criteria to include education (if required). Onlineapplications must demonstrate qualification by providing specificexamples and associated results, in response to the announcement'smandatory criteria specified in this vacancy announcement: *Demonstrated experience designing user-centered products and/orservices or applying user-centered principles to web designs. *Experience solving problems utilizing UX processes, methods and/orstrategies such as, design thinking principles and processes orequivalent UX methods. * Understanding of Human Factors (e.g.accessibility, empathy, or ergonomics). * Demonstrated experiencewith data analysis derived from qualitative and/or quantitativeresearch. (e.g. data analysis, surveys, web analytical tools,interviews , or user testing). EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: A. Education:Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university inHuman-Computer Interaction, Information Science, User ExperienceDesign, Interaction Design, Visual Communication Design, ComputerScience, Statistics, or a degree that provided a minimum of 24semester hours in one or more of the fields identified above andrequired the development or adaptation of applications, systems, ornetworks. -OR- B. Combination of Education and Experience: Aminimum of 24 semester (36 quarter) hours of coursework in any arealisted in option A, plus experience working in interactive designand user testing, full stack development, or a related field thatdemonstrates the ability to successfully perform the dutiesassociated with this work. As a rule, every 30 semester (45quarter) hours of coursework is equivalent to one year ofexperience. Candidates should show that their combination ofeducation and experience totals 4 years. -OR- C. Experience: Aminimum of 4 years of experience in interactive design and usertesting, full stack development, or a related field thatdemonstrates the ability to successfully perform the dutiesassociated with this work. -AND- IT-related experiencedemonstrating each of the four competencies: Attention to Detail,Customer Service, Oral Communication, and Problem Solving. HighlyDesired Qualifications QUALIFICATION CRITERIA: In addition to themandatory qualifications, experience in the following is desired: *Ability to work independently and handle multiple projects invarious stages of completion. * Demonstrated experience validatinguser evaluations and testing results to improve products andservices. * Experience with UX research, content strategy,information architecture, wire framing, visual design, interactiondesign, or prototyping. * Experience with UX artifact creation(e.g. personas, empathy maps, journey maps, service blueprints). *Knowledge and understanding of modern web technologies (e.g., CSS,HTML5, Java Script, SharePoint, or Service Plus). * Demonstratedexperience leveraging collaborative and constructive groups ofdiverse coworkers, peers, customers, stakeholders, or teams.Additional Job Requirements You must be able to obtain and retain aTop Secret security clearance with access to SensitiveCompartmented Information. In addition, you are subject to aCounterintelligence Polygraph examination in order to maintainaccess to Top Secret information. All employees are subject to aperiodic examination on a random basis in order to determinecontinued eligibility. Refusal to take the examination may resultin denial of access to Top Secret information, SAP, and/orunescorted access to SCIFs. Employees with SCI access and who areunder NGA cognizance are required to submit a Security FinancialDisclosure Report, SF-714, on an annual basis in order to determinecontinued eligibility. Failure to comply may negatively impactcontinued access to Top Secret information, Information Systems,SAP, and/or unescorted access to SCIFs. Pay, Benefits, & WorkSchedule PROMOTION OPPORTUNITY: Promotion opportunities allowapplicants at all band levels to be considered. Qualifications forNGA positions do not include specific time-in-band requirements.NGA will emphasize quality of experience, rather than duration, andassess how the quality of the experience demonstrates possession ofthe knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies necessary forsuccessful job performance in the NGA occupational structure. Band03 $64,948 - $133,465 PERMANENT CHANGE IN STATION: PCS expenses arenot authorized. Pay is only part of the compensation you will earnworking for the Federal Government. We offer a broad array ofbenefits programs and family friendly flexibilities to meet theneeds of you and your family. For more information on the array ofbenefits programs, please visithttps://www.intelligencecareers.gov/nga/ngabenefits.html CoverLetter Applicants are not required to submit a cover letter. Theentire cover letter cannot exceed the specified limits provided inthe Cover Letter field (3,000 characters). Pages exceeding thislimit will not be considered. The cover letter is recommended butis not required for employment consideration with the NationalGeospatial-Intelligence Agency. Applicants should place theirnarrative information in the Cover Letter / Other ProfessionalDetails field. Who may apply External Applicants Only How to applyApplication submission involves applying using the IntelligenceCommunity's Applicant Gateway on-line application process. ONLYELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED. How will I be evaluated?APPLICANT EVALUATION PROCESS: Applicants will be evaluated for thisjob opportunity in three stages: * All applicants will be evaluatedusing the Mandatory Qualification Criteria, * Qualified applicantswill then be evaluated by an expert or panel of experts using acombination of qualification criteria to determine thebest-qualified candidates, * Best-qualified applicants may then befurther evaluated through an interview process. Military retireeapplicants, if selected, may be impacted by the 180-day appointmentrestrictions of DODI 1402.01. HD personnel will provide additionalinformation if applicable. Applicants are encouraged to carefullyreview the Assignment Description, Additional Information ProvidedBy the Selecting Official, and the Qualification Requirements; andthen construct their resumes to highlight their most relevant andsignificant experience and education for this job opportunity. Thisdescription should include examples that detail the level andcomplexity of the performed work. Applicants are encouraged toprovide any education information referenced in the announcement.If education is listed as a mandatory requirement, only degreesobtained from an institution accredited by an accreditingorganization recognized by the Secretary, US Department ofEducation will be accepted. In accordance with section 9902(h) oftitle 5, United States Code, annuitants reemployed in theDepartment of Defense shall receive full annuity and salary uponappointment. They shall not be eligible for retirementcontributions, participation in the Thrift Savings Plan, or asupplemental or redetermined annuity for the reemployment period.Discontinued service retirement annuitants (i.e., retired undersection 8336(d)(1) or 8414(b)(1)(A) of title 5, United States Code)appointed to the Department of Defense may elect to be subject toretirement provisions of the new appointment as appropriate. (SeeDoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 300, athttp://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives.) All candidates will beconsidered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, nationalorigin, age, marital status, disability, or sexual orientation. NGAprovides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.Applications will only be accepted online. If you need a reasonableaccommodation for any part of the application and hiring process,please notify us at EMAIL_HIDDEN. The decision on grantingreasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.Conditions of Employment As a condition of employment at NGA,persons being considered for employment must meet NGA fitness foremployment standards. * U.S. Citizenship Required * SecurityClearance (Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information) *Polygraph Test Required * Position Subject to Drug Testing * TwoYear Probationary Period * Direct Deposit Required DCIPS DisclaimerNGA utilizes all processes and procedures of the Defense CivilianIntelligence Personnel System (DCIPS). Non-executive NGA employeesare assigned to five distinct pay bands based on the type and scopeof work performed. The employee's base salary is established withintheir assigned pay band based on their unique qualifications. Aperformance pay process is conducted each year to determine apotential base pay salary increase and/or bonus. An employee'sannual performance evaluation is a key factor in the performancepay process. Employees on term or temporary appointments are noteligible to apply for internal assignment opportunity notices. Thisposition is a DCIPS position in the Excepted Service under 10U.S.C. 1601. DoD Components with DCIPS positions apply Veterans'Preference to preference eligible candidates as defined by Section2108 of Title 5 USC, in accordance with the procedures provided inDoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, DCIPS Employment andPlacement. If you are an external applicant claiming veterans'preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 U.S.C., you mustself-identify your eligibility in your application.