Lead UX Designer

The Lead UX Designer delivers UX design and research on complex, ambiguous problems. The position’s work may span multiple rider journeys, multiple user types, or varied operational scenarios. This role brings clarity to complicated scopes, makes sound design decisions independently, and drives work from problem definition through to shipped outcomes., * Lead and deliver UX work on complex problems, across journeys, user types, or operational contexts, ensuring the work is coherent and complete.

• Define UX research scope during planning, decide when and why research is needed, surface knowledge gaps, and help teams act on what they learn.
• Shape product direction by advocating for riders and staff while understanding agency priorities and constraints.
• Design information architectures, content systems, reusable patterns, and interactions that are intuitive and accessible, thoughtfully determining when to extend and apply existing systems versus when new patterns or structures are needed.
• Understand and design for full user contexts across journeys and touchpoints, frame problems around real needs, and champion end-to-end experiences.
• Partner strategically with stakeholders, frame problems together, and align the team around user-centered approaches.
• Lead design efforts by sharing expertise with peers through design reviews, critique, and pairing, and contributing to a collaborative team environment.
• Lead accessibility work within the team by anticipating risks, ensuring inclusive design across experiences, and coaching others in accessible design practices.
• Follow and improve design practices including alignment frameworks, design system use, file organization, design reviews, research documentation, usability testing, and accessibility reviews.
• Protect data security, compliance, and privacy across all work by following best practices and established industry/MBTA policies, standards, and procedures for secure research, design, documentation, and data handling.
• Perform all other duties and projects that may be assigned.

Additional responsibilities may include focus on one or more departments or locations. See applicable addendum for department or location specific functions.

Supervision

• No direct reports.

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
• Six (6) years of relevant professional experience in UX design, product design, and/or interaction design, including experience designing complex digital products that integrate operational systems, real-time data, or customer facing experiences.
• Experience conducting or leading UX research activities and applying research findings to product, service, or design decisions.
• Experience designing end-to-end experiences that span multiple touchpoints or systems.
• Working knowledge of accessibility standards and inclusive design practices for digital products or services.
• Experience working on cross-functional teams that include product management, engineering, and business, operational, or stakeholder partners.
• Experience providing design leadership through mentoring, coaching, establishing best practices, or influencing product and organizational decisions.
• As part of the selection process, candidates will be asked to complete and pass job-related technical assessments, which may include presenting a UX case study and/or a timed whiteboarding exercise., * A high school diploma or GED with an additional seven (7) years of directly related experience substitutes for the bachelor’s degree requirement.
• An associate’s degree from an accredited institution and an additional three (3) years of directly related experience substitutes for the bachelor’s degree requirement.
• A master’s degree in a related subject substitutes for two (2) years of general experience.
• A nationally recognized certification, or statewide/professional certification in a related field substitutes for one (1) year of experience.

Preferred Experience & Skills

• Experience designing complex digital products that integrate customer-facing experiences, operational workflows, business rules, payments, eligibility requirements, or real-time information.
• Experience with service design methods, including journey mapping, ecosystem mapping, and cross-channel experience design.
• Experience designing for complex, constraint-heavy contexts, such as government, healthcare, financial services, or other regulated industries.
• Experience in public sector, mobility, or civic technology.
• Experience using qualitative research, analytics, operational data, or performance metrics to inform design decisions.

Job Conditions:

• Ability to effectively read, comprehend, communicate, and respond to instructions, orders, signs, notices, inquiries, etc. in English.
• Be at least eighteen (18) years of age, except if participating in an approved high school internship / co-op program.
• Ability to commute to assigned work locations in the Boston, MA metro area, as required by the role.
• Ability to provide internal and external customers with courteous and professional experiences.
• Ability to work effectively, independently, and as part of a diverse workforce team (or supervise, if required).
• Ability to uphold the rights and interests of the MBTA while building and maintaining effective relationships with employees and co-workers.
• Ability to adhere to rules, regulations, collective bargaining agreements (if applicable), and policies of the MBTA, including the EEO, anti-discrimination, anti-harassment, and anti-retaliation policies.
• Have a satisfactory work record for the two (2) years immediately prior to the closing date of this posting (unless if current student or recent graduate), including overall employment, job performance, discipline, and safety records (infractions and/or offenses occurring after the closing of the posting and before the filling of a vacancy may preclude a candidate from consideration for selection).
• Ability to pass a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check, comprehensive background screening, and / or medical Clinic screening, potentially including physical examination and drug and alcohol screenings.
• Ability to work all shifts and / or locations assigned, directed, or necessary for this position, including (for some transit / operations roles) up to twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week as necessary to accommodate severe weather conditions, emergencies, or any other circumstances that may potentially impact service or the safety of service.
• Intern / co-op staff must be enrolled full or part-time in an accredited educational program and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 for the entire duration of the internship / co-op. Additionally, interns / co-ops must have valid work authorization and U.S. Social Security Number prior to starting pre-employment screenings / pre-boarding, working in their positions, and throughout the duration of their program.

At the MBTA, we envision a thriving region enabled by a best-in-class transit system. Our mission is to serve the public by providing safe, reliable, and accessible transportation. MBTA’s core values are built around safety, service, equity, sustainability, culture, and accessibility, and each employee that works for the MBTA performs their roles based on our vision, mission, and values. This includes attendance, participation, and contribution in local safety committee meetings as needed.