As the Accessibility Research Program Lead, you will play a pivotal role in shaping and evolving our inclusive design program by grounding it in robust research and user insights. You will be responsible for setting strategic priorities for the pipeline of teams ready to embark on the inclusive design journey. Your expertise in accessibility research methodologies will be essential in guiding product teams towards inclusive design practices, measuring the impact of our efforts, and driving continuous improvement.

Responsibilities:

Outreach and advocate

• Strategize and execute on initial outreach opportunities to identified product teams, and evangelize the benefit of the inclusive design program.

• Identify expansion opportunities and maintain a pipeline to broaden the volume of teams engaged in the inclusive design program.

Research & Discovery:

• Design and conduct user research studies with people with disabilities to gather insights into their needs and pain points.

• Develop strategic plans for teams on inclusive design, ensuring they have a clear path to success to achieve benchmarks on inclusive user experience.

• Perform design reviews and analysis on new and existing products, and serve as an subject matter expert to teams.

Measurement & Evaluation:

• Develop and implement metrics to measure the effectiveness of our inclusive design program.

• Track progress towards accessibility goals and identify areas for improvement.

• Communicate research findings and recommendations to key stakeholders.

• Contribute to the development of case studies and other materials that showcase the impact of our work.

Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Accessibility, Human Factors, or a related field with a focus on research.

• Proven experience conducting user research with people with disabilities.

• Strong understanding of accessibility standards and guidelines (e.g., WCAG, ADA, Section 508).

• Expert understanding of assistive technologies and their usage patterns.

• Excellent analytical and communication skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information and present it clearly and persuasively.

• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams.

• Passion for creating inclusive and accessible technology experiences.

Base Salary:

• $120,000 - $160,000 USD

Salary range for this position is included in accordance with current state/local pay transparency legislation. Please note that salaries may vary for different individuals in the same role based on several factors, including but not limited to location of the role, individual competencies, education/professional certifications, experience, and performance in the role.

Why us?

We work with some of the leading digital companies in the world, helping them to build amazing digital experiences for their customers. The work is exciting, innovative, and entrepreneurial. Our global community and tech platform enables us to provide innovative digital solutions that have a meaningful impact on our clients business.

Applause is a place where everyone belongs and where we believe everyone deserves the exceptional. Since our founding, we have continued to celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment. We have a global workforce that, like our crowd, embraces diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and abilities. Our employees bring their true self to Applause. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, veteran status, genetic information, disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. If you are qualified to perform the essential functions of this role, but believe you require a reasonable accommodation to do so, please email adaaccommodations@applause.com. Please be sure to include the role you are applying for and the nature of the reasonable accommodation you are seeking in your email.