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Director Human Centered Design Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Trilogy Federal LLC

Human Factors Engineer

Arlington, VA · On-site

$100 - $118/hr

The HFE will apply human factors engineering, human-centered design, and usability principles to evaluate and improve healthcare information systems, clinical workflows, processes, and user ...

Trilogy Federal

Human Factors Engineer

Arlington, VA · On-site

$100K - $118K/yr

The HFE will apply human factors engineering, human-centered design, and usability principles to evaluate and improve healthcare information systems, clinical workflows, processes, and user ...

T-Mobile

Sr Manager, Content Design

Herndon, VA · On-site

Use human-centered design methods to design, craft, and test content and conversational experiences ... of direct people management experience, including coaching and developing design talent.

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Director Human Centered Design information

What is a director of human centered design?

A Director of Human Centered Design is a senior leader responsible for guiding the creation of products, services, or experiences that prioritize the needs, behaviors, and satisfaction of users. They lead multidisciplinary teams, oversee design strategy, and ensure that human-centered principles are integrated throughout the development process. This role often involves collaborating with stakeholders, conducting user research, and championing a user-first mindset within the organization. The director also mentors designers and helps shape the overall organizational approach to design.

How does a director of human centered design typically collaborate with cross-functional teams to implement user-centered solutions?

A Director of Human Centered Design works closely with product managers, engineers, marketers, and other stakeholders to ensure that user needs are prioritized throughout the development process. This role often leads workshops, facilitates user research, and translates insights into actionable design strategies, fostering open communication between teams. Directors also mentor design staff, advocate for best practices in usability, and help integrate feedback from diverse departments to create cohesive, user-focused solutions. Strong collaboration skills are essential, as the director must balance business goals with user experience to drive product success.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a director of human centered design, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Director of Human Centered Design, you need a strong background in user experience (UX) design, human-centered methodologies, and leadership, typically supported by a degree in design, psychology, or a related field. Familiarity with design thinking frameworks, prototyping tools (like Figma or Sketch), and user research platforms is essential, as are certifications such as UX Certified or Human-Centered Design Practitioner. Outstanding communication, strategic vision, and the ability to foster cross-functional collaboration are crucial soft skills for success in this role. These competencies ensure user needs are prioritized, innovative solutions are developed, and organizational goals are met through effective design leadership.

What is the difference between Director Human Centered Design vs User Experience Manager?

AspectDirector Human Centered DesignUser Experience Manager
CredentialsTypically requires a degree in design, psychology, or related fields; often advanced certifications in UX or HCDUsually holds a degree in design, human factors, or related areas; may have certifications in UX or usability testing
Work EnvironmentLeads strategic design initiatives across organizations, collaborating with cross-functional teamsManages UX teams, focusing on user research, usability testing, and interface design within projects
Industry UsageCommon in tech, healthcare, and product development sectors emphasizing user-centered innovationWidely used in digital agencies, tech companies, and corporate settings focusing on user experience improvements

The Director Human Centered Design oversees strategic, organization-wide design initiatives, while the User Experience Manager focuses on managing UX teams and project-specific user research and testing. Both roles require similar credentials but differ in scope and responsibilities within the organization.

What are the most commonly searched types of Human Centered Design jobs in Virginia?

The most popular types of Human Centered Design jobs in Virginia are:

What are popular job titles related to Director Human Centered Design jobs in Virginia?

For Director Human Centered Design jobs in Virginia, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Director Human Centered Design jobs in Virginia look for?

The top searched job categories for Director Human Centered Design jobs in Virginia are:

What cities in Virginia are hiring for Director Human Centered Design jobs?

Cities in Virginia with the most Director Human Centered Design job openings:

Director Human Centered Design jobs near you
Infographic showing various Director Human Centered Design job openings in Virginia as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 86% Full Time, 10% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 84% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution.

Human-Centered Design (HCD) Specialist

US Department of Commerce

Alexandria, VA • On-site

$85K/yr

Full-time

Posted 25 days ago

U.S. Department Of Commerce rating

8.9

Company rating: 8.9 out of 10

Based on 7 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

126th of 855 rated public administrative organizations

Job description

Are you up for an exciting challenge to work in the Office of Patents Stakeholder Experience? This position is located in the Office of the Commissioner for Patents, Office of Patents Stakeholder Experience (OPSE), Customer Experience (CX) Division. This position supports the Patents Customer Experience (CX) unit in OPSE in engaging the Patents organization to improve understanding of customer needs and drive customer-focused business decisions.Qualifications:You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. OPM Qualifications Standards are available at General Schedule Qualification Standards.
Specialized Experienceis experience that has equipped applicants with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, you must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 in the Federal service.
Specialized experience for this position includes:
  • Creating artifacts ( e.g., research plans, test plans, journey maps, personas, wireframes, and storyboards) to understand customer needs; AND
  • Partnering with various teams to design, test, and improve customer experience needs and research findings; AND
  • Conducting and applying research throughout all phases of the design cycle (e.g., discovery phase, explore phase, testing phase, listening phase).
OR
One must have completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M. if related to specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level at the federal service, or 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-9 grade level in the federal service.
OR
A combination of graduate education AND experience equivalent to the next lower GS-09 grade level that meets 100% of the equivalent requirements for this position.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.Education:Education may be substituted for specialized experience at this grade level.
If this position requires proof of higher education, or you are substituting education for experience, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to General Schedule Qualification Policies for more information. You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website - US Department of Education. Another listing of services that can perform this evaluation is available at the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) website. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.
NOTE: Only education and experience acquired before the filing deadline will be considered. Report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.Employment Type: OTHER

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