Online media is in a state of flux. Twitter, Facebook, blogs, so-called fake news – these are all recent developments that have radically altered the landscape of news and information online. We call this the “networked public sphere”, and the Media Cloud project was created to track and understand it. Come help us design easier-to-use data-centric web tools for academic internet researchers and human rights activists that let them investigate coverage and conversations online about topics they care about.

The Media Cloud project is seeking a contract user experience specialist to help assess our existing web-based tools, and design new ones, to support data-driven research about the role of online media in civic discourse. The specialist will begin by designing and leading a process to evaluate the usability of our current suite of web based tools (available at tools.mediacloud.org). They will collaborate with the technology team to understand the current and future features available, focused on how they could be used by media-makers like documentary film producers. They will assist in development of training guides for novice users in the non-profit space. The position will be a 6-month part-time contract position based at the Center for Civic Media (at the MIT Media Lab), but the UX specialist will work closely with members in other institutions as well. This is a grant-funded contract position that we hope to extend, or perhaps turn into a staff position.

Media Cloud is a joint project between the Center for Civic Media at MIT and the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University. We are an open source project producing research about the networked public sphere, and helping others do their own research about online media. We make available to the public our existing archive of more than 550 million stories, adding more than 40,000 new stories daily. The project is funded by human rights foundations. We produce both the open platform and research that helps our funders make decisions about how best to influence online civic conversations about democracy, activism, and health.

We are a diverse project of researchers and technologists who love to wrestle with hard questions about online media by using a combination of social, computer, and data sciences. The ideal candidate will work well with all members of the team, from senior faculty to junior developers, and will thrive in an academic atmosphere that privileges constant questioning and validation at all levels of the platform and of our research products. Experience working on big data systems, or data-driven interfaces, as is experience working on projects investigating online media.

Minimum Qualifications

at least two years experience working as a UX designer on web-based products;
familiarity with user-centered design and research methodologies;
demonstrated ability to translate between technical and non-technical audiences;
demonstrated ability to iterate on design ideas quickly;
demonstrated ability to use data to validate decisions;
experience writing design documents and user guides;
interest in working on issues related to democracy, gender, race, health, and globalization.

Duties

design and lead a usability study with non-profit partners;
document key findings in a report;
create and assess mockups for existing and new features;
contribute to the ongoing identification of key features to add to the platform;
assist in the development of user guides for tools;
collaborate with undergraduate interns working on same project.

Helpful Skills

a strong portfolio showing user-centered design approaches applied to data-intensive products;
passion for solving difficult engineering and data problems;
experience designing data-driven interfaces;
experience working with design tools like Sketch, Photoshop and Illustrator;
knowledge and interest in social sciences;

Much of our substantive work focuses on issues of gender, race, and globalization. We strongly encourage women, people of color, people of all ages, and people of any sexual identity to apply.

The job is based in Cambridge, MA, but much of our team is distributed around the world. We are open to alternative working arrangements that include part time residence in Cambridge. We imagine this position as a 2- or 3-day a week engagement over 5 to 6 months, but are open to other approaches.

Apply by sending a cover letter, resume, and portfolio to jobs@mediacloud.org.