Freelance User Experience Designer Jobs in Reston, VA

UX Designer

Our Company

N2IA Technologies is a consulting company specializing in acquisition/contracting support, cost/FinOps, and technology optimization for federal clients. We deliver tailored strategies, robust software solutions, and streamlined operations to help organizations achieve their goals. At N2IA, we are committed to developing innovative financial and compliance-based solutions that address evolving business and regulatory needs. If you are passionate about accounting, financial accuracy, and supporting government programs, N2IA is the place for you.

Overview

N2IA is seeking a Mid-Level UX Designer to improve the usability, accessibility, and effectiveness of digital services used by the public and internal staff. In this role, you will contribute to the design of user-centered experiences for web applications, forms, workflows, and service journeys. You will work closely with senior designers, product managers, engineers, researchers, content specialists, and program stakeholders to create solutions that meet user needs while addressing policy, security, technical, and accessibility requirements. The ideal candidate has experience working through the full UX design process, is comfortable contributing independently to defined projects, and is ready to continue developing their research, facilitation, systems-thinking, and design skills.

Key Responsibilities:

• Conduct user research to understand needs, constraints, and service pain points (interviews, contextual inquiry, surveys, usability testing).
• Document decisions, research findings, and design rationale.
• Translate research into insights, personas, journey maps, service blueprints, and prioritized design opportunities. (review deliverables, ensure alignment with standards and user needs).
• Create information architecture, user flows, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity designs for websites and applications.
• Support design systems and reusable components that improve consistency across government services.
• Facilitate design workshops with cross-functional stakeholders (program owners, legal/policy, IT, operations, call centers, and community partners).
• Ensure compliance with accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG 2.1 AA) and support inclusive design practices.
• Collaborate with product, engineering, content, and analytics to define requirements, acceptance criteria, and success metrics.

Required Qualifications:

• Approximately 4–6 years of professional UX, product design, interaction design, or related experience delivering digital products or services.

• Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, Computer Science, related field, or 8 years of UX Designer experience.

• Experience designing for complex, data-heavy applications (not just marketing sites and mobile apps).

• Demonstrated experience with user research and usability testing, including synthesis of findings into actionable recommendations.

• Proficiency in modern design/prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Adobe XD, Sketch). 

• Strong understanding of interaction design, information architecture, and content-aware design.

• Working knowledge of 508 (WCAG) accessibility and inclusive design principles.

• Experience working with cross-functional teams and navigating complex stakeholder environments.

• Ability to conduct user research to understand needs, constraints, and service pain points (interviews, contextual inquiry, surveys, usability testing). Document decisions, research findings, and design rationale.

• Ability to manage assigned work with moderate independence while seeking guidance when project complexity or ambiguity requires it.

• Ability to communicate clearly, comfortable speaking up to drive alignment across design and engineering, and with technical and non-technical audiences. Confidently shares ideas, raises concerns early and advocates for users in cross-functional discussions. Demonstrates integrity and skilled at defending design decisions with evidence.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with design libraries, react, templates, and scalable UI architecture.

• Familiarity with role-based access, auditing, privacy, security, records management, or regulated workflows.

• Experience in enterprise, government, or compliance-heavy environments (role-based access, auditing, security).

• Experience working in government environments.

• Brings a productive team culture, collaborative approach; curiosity, adaptability, and a willingness to help teams solve problems within real-world constraints and has a sense of humor.

• Ability to prototype interactions and demonstrate flows (Figma prototypes, Axure, Adobe XD, or light code).

Portfolio Required (please include link):

The portfolio should include two to four case studies that demonstrate:

• The candidate's role and level of ownership.
• The product, service, or user problem being addressed.
• Research methods and synthesis activities.
• User flows, wireframes, prototypes, or final designs.
• Design iterations and the reasoning behind key decisions.
• Collaboration with product, engineering, research, content, or stakeholders.
• Accessibility and inclusive-design considerations.
• Outcomes, lessons learned, or measurable impact when available.

N2IA is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. We are an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and encourage applications from all qualified individuals, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status.