Lead UX Researcher & Designer - SafeHome Earthquake Resilience Project

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Volunteer Opportunity: Lead UX Researcher & Designer

Location: Remote, with quarterly in-person hacknights at the Google Community Space in SF
Time Commitment: Flexible (~5 hours/week)

About SF Civic Tech

SF Civic Tech is a welcoming and inclusive community of developers, designers, data enthusiasts, and civic-minded volunteers. We leverage creative technology to tackle pressing civic and social challenges. We are proud members of the Alliance of Civic Technologists.

SafeHome

The SafeHome Project is building a web-based dashboard that helps San Francisco residents assess earthquake risks by address. As we approach the Alpha release, we’re seeking an experienced UX Researcher & Designer to shape the user experience and develop a data-informed testing strategy that supports both usability and strategic growth.

Role Summary

We're looking for a volunteer Lead UX Researcher/Designer who can:

- Design a cohesive and intuitive user experience for our earthquake risk dashboard.

- Architect and implement a user testing framework that helps us validate key interactions, optimize flows, and support growth hacking.

- Create wireframes, prototypes, and design assets that bring clarity and usability to our product.

- Ensure accessibility, responsiveness, and engagement across the site.

You’ll work closely with a passionate, multidisciplinary team to bring a civic-tech product to life - and into the hands of people who need it.

Skills We're Looking For

- Strong experience in UX research and interaction design.

- Proficiency with tools like Figma, Adobe XD, or Sketch. Figma is our current system.

- Experience conducting usability testing, interviews, and user surveys.

- Knowledge of growth-driven design and data-driven iteration.

- Familiarity with A/B testing and basic analytics

- Ability to create wireframes, prototypes, and user flows

- Passion for accessibility, mobile-first design, and civic impact

Key Responsibilities

- Lead UX research to identify user needs, pain points, and opportunities

- Design intuitive interfaces for core site functions and features

- Develop and execute a scalable user testing plan for pre-launch and post-launch stages

- Collaborate with front-end developers and project leads to translate designs into implementation

- Apply growth hacking principles to validate hypotheses and improve user engagement

- Help define success metrics and evaluate design impact using qualitative and quantitative feedback

Benefits of volunteering with us:

- Work on a meaningful civic-tech project with real-world impact.

- Collaborate with an enthusiastic team of technologists, designers, and activists.

- Build a strong portfolio of UX work that shows your ability to solve complex problems and drive growth.

- Connect with motivated professionals across tech, design, and civic service.

If you're a strategic, creative, and user-centered thinker who wants to use your skills for good, we’d love to hear from you. Join us in building a safer, more connected San Francisco.

Note:This is a lead role which requires industry experience with UX efforts for technology products. Please do not apply if you are a current or recently graduated student, or are looking for an OPT opportunity.

Note:You must live and work within the continental United States. For those located in the SF Bay Area, we do meet in person once a quarter. This project also supports remote volunteers.

Interested? Reach out to us and tell us a bit about your background and motivation.