Full-time; remote (US-based)

Overview

Cortico is a non-profit committed to fostering deep conversations and raising up under-heard voices. We don’t think we can solve these difficult problems with technology, but we do think we can make them easier to tackle.

Our platform brings people together in recorded small-group conversations. Through a powerful combination of AI and human listening, this platform enables organizations to make sense of the conversations they collect, and surfaces community voices into public dialogue and decision making.

Communities have used our platform to lift up voices and perspectives in the selection of Madison, WI’s police chief and the election of Boston’s mayor. Local newsrooms have used our platform to understand citizen agendas and include underheard voices directly in their reporting. Global nonprofits are using our platform to elevate conversations on climate from around the world. Local non-profits have used our platform to surface experiences of people in the margins and amplify their voices through artist collaborations.

Our platform continues to grow as we leverage new technology to better understand conversations with less work. We also want to better meet people where they are, whether that be on their phones as we build out a mobile app, or in a conference room as we develop a hardware listening device.

Cortico’s unique human/machine system is the product of an effort led by Cortico in cooperation with MIT’s Center for Constructive Communication (MIT CCC).

About this role

Cortico believes that constructive conversations can help move our society in a positive direction. We also recognize that constructive conversations don’t just happen; they need to be designed for. As our team grows in scale and impact, we’re looking for strong design thinkers who can help reduce complexity and confusion while crafting delightful interactions that encourage connection and cooperation between participants.

Our UX Lead will work closely with the VPs of Design and Engineering to identify opportunities that create consistent frameworks across our product suite, allowing for seamless user experiences across all phases of a participant’s engagement. This role will catalog a variety of current use cases within the product while uncovering unmet user needs, helping to solve for both in parallel with a renewed sense of the importance of user research and iterative prototyping.

The annual compensation range for this role is $100,000 – $115,000 and we have competitive benefits which can be found here. Unfortunately, we are unable to sponsor visas at this time.

About you

• You’ve read about our mission and values and they strongly align with yours.
• You’re an expert systems thinker who can work across organizational disciplines to identify efficient and effective ways to bring consistency to the product platform and meet users where they are at. 
• You’re naturally inquisitive and curious, excited to learn from our users and partners about how our products might best help them achieve their goals through research and observation. 
• You’re a natural storyteller, able to translate complex research results into actionable insights that help the design team meaningfully improve our product. 
• You’re inherently collaborative and enjoy the process of learning from your peers while helping grow them in return. 
• You work at multiple zoom levels, from high-level strategic concepts to translational prototypes. 
• And you’re T-shaped — able to work broadly across multi-problem sets and deeply against specifically scoped initiatives.

A note about our culture

The Cortico team is kind, collaborative, inquisitive, and inclusive. We have high standards for quality and ethics, and help each other learn in order to reach our objectives. We think technology is best built by teams with a diversity of background, thought, and experience. Every team member is a human first, and we strive to create a culture and environment that supports your career goals and respects all of the hats you wear in life, not just the ones that earn you a paycheck.

Minimum qualifications

• At your core, you have a passion for user research and work in a highly collaborative style to foster shared understanding across multiple projects with diverse stakeholders, translating strategic organizational objectives into a comprehensive work plan.
• 5+ years direct experience managing complex projects/systems
• Exemplary verbal, written and visual communication skills effective at reaching a wide array of audiences and stakeholders
• Experience defining and validating problems and possible solutions within both scoped and free-form assignments 
• Demonstrated command of UX Research, Design Thinking Methodologies and Prototyping that elicits and promotes shared understanding
• Strong self-starter with a core understanding of the technical tools required to accomplish job tasks
• Proficiency in user research and design tools that support the key responsibilities of the role — surveying, analysis, prototyping and testing. Your specific software suite may vary, but examples include: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, Miro, Dscout, Typeform, Userzoom, Lookback, Maze, Qualtrics, Google Analytics, Notion, etc.

Responsibilities

• Interact with stakeholders in Design, Engineering, and Partnerships to develop strategies that support our business goals while providing the necessary data and evidence to reduce risk and increase value
• Coordinate UX research and design work in specific product areas, helping make critical design decisions in collaboration with peers across organizational verticals
• Uncover and define new ideas/concepts that help innovate and evolve our core offering 
• Work in-person and remotely with users and the Cortico team while maintaining clear communication and strong collaboration
• Foster a deep sense of design and usability across mobile and desktop experiences
• Define and report on the results and progress of your tasks
• Help grow the UX Research + Prototyping practice within our organization
• Mentor and collaborate with team members interested in helping expand the practice for our users and partners

Next steps

Please apply here and include the following information:

• A little about you and your interest in the role. Please share with us why this role excites you and how you see yourself in this work.
• A resumé / cv.

This is not an entry level position. However if you are unsure if you are qualified, please consider applying anyway.

The process

We aim to review and respond to all applicants within three weeks of submission. Our process will include an initial interview with key stakeholders, case studies and/or take homes, and a final interview. 

Cortico maintains a strong policy of equal opportunity in employment. It is our objective to recruit, hire, and retain the most qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation or identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic or status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Our equal employment philosophy applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, compensation, benefits, training, promotions, transfers, job benefits, and terminations.