Senior Enterprise UX Researcher & Design Strategist

• Location: Hybrid Onsite - Houston, TX (Spring Campus)
  

  Seniority: Senior / Lead Level (7+ Years Experience)

  Role Type: Long-Term Contract (1 Year + Extensions)

  
  About Aquent & The Opportunity
  

  Aquent, a leading talent solutions partner, is excited to connect top-tier talent with an exceptional opportunity at a globally recognized energy enterprise known for innovation and operational excellence.

  This role offers a unique opportunity to drive user-centered design and research initiatives that directly shape enterprise product direction. You will lead high-impact efforts to modernize complex, data-dense workflows-translating intricate operational challenges into intuitive digital experiences for a vast user base across upstream and downstream portfolios.

  
  Position Overview
  

  We are seeking a Senior Enterprise UX Researcher & Designer to lead strategic research and design initiatives within a dynamic, high-consequence enterprise environment.

  This pivotal role combines deep expertise in mixed-methods user research, interaction design, information architecture, and usability testing with strong stakeholder facilitation. As a strategic partner, you will evaluate complex workflows, optimize commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) and SaaS applications, and lead Design Thinking workshops to align technical capability with core business goals.

  
  Key Responsibilities
  

  1. Strategic UX Research & Insights

• Plan, execute, and synthesize qualitative and quantitative research studies (user interviews, contextual inquiries, field studies, usability testing, surveys, diary studies, and competitive analysis).
• Translate research findings into actionable journey maps, personas, workflow diagrams, and data-driven product recommendations.
• Effectively communicate insights to cross-functional stakeholders and executive leadership to foster a user-centered product strategy.
• Establish and promote research best practices, standards, and enablement programs across teams.
• 2. Enterprise & COTS Workflow Optimization
• Partner with business owners and technical architects to translate user needs into optimized configurations for COTS and enterprise SaaS platforms.
• Evaluate existing operational workflows to uncover usability gaps, efficiency bottlenecks, and system friction points.
• Create wireframes, task flows, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity specs that work within real vendor and platform constraints.
• Collaborate closely with implementation partners and vendors to maximize platform capabilities while ensuring accessibility (WCAG), usability, and visual consistency.
• 3. Strategy, Facilitation & Mentorship
• Facilitate impactful Design Thinking workshops, stakeholder interviews, and collaborative ideation sessions with cross-functional leadership.
• Partner with Product Managers to define product requirements, user metrics, and business success indicators.
• Mentor junior researchers and designers, driving continuous maturity in enterprise UX methodologies.
• Support change management, training, and user adoption strategies across enterprise platform launches.
• 
  Qualifications & Competencies
  

  Required Experience:

  
  
• Education: Bachelor's degree in HCI, Psychology, Design, Human Factors, Information Science, or a related discipline.
• Seniority: 7+ years of progressive experience leading UX research and design initiatives in complex enterprise or industrial settings.
• Portfolio: A proven portfolio demonstrating end-to-end research synthesis, interaction design deliverables, and measurable business outcomes.
• Domain Expertise: Demonstrated success optimizing complex workflows within COTS, SaaS, or enterprise platform constraints.
• Tooling Proficiency: Deep hands-on experience with industry tools such as Figma, FigJam, Miro, UserTesting, Dovetail, Optimal Workshop, or Qualtrics.
• Methodologies: Strong command of interaction design, usability principles, WCAG accessibility standards, and Agile product development frameworks.
• Communication: Exceptional storytelling, executive presentation, and workshop facilitation skills.
• Preferred Qualifications (Nice-to-Haves):
• Master's degree in HCI, Psychology, Human Factors, or a related scientific discipline.
• Direct experience designing for enterprise energy operations, industrial control systems, or data-dense workflows (Upstream/Downstream).
• Knowledge of advanced statistical research methods and mixed-method triangulation techniques.
• Experience with enterprise design systems and component library management.

About Aquent Talent:

Aquent Talent connects the best talent in marketing, creative, and design with the world's biggest brands.

Our eligible talent get access to amazing benefits like subsidized health, vision, and dental plans, paid sick leave, and retirement plans with a match.

Aquent is an equal-opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. We're about creating an inclusive environment-one where different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are valued, and everyone can contribute, grow their careers, and thrive.

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