Project Business Analyst & HCD Researcher

Join Skyward

We are Skyward. That is, a love for people, for improvement, for human advancement through information technology. We are a people-centered business with a desire to serve others. We are diverse and unified; creative and collaborative; a collection of complementary, not competing talents. And though on the surface we remain relaxed, beneath, a torrent of energy links us to our civic tech mission.

We stand by our values, and we won't compromise on any of them.

Integrity: We're conscientious, intentional, and empathetic. Our words and actions align. That's our character. Please don't ask us to play another part, we're poor actors.

Compassionate: If we may borrow a quote from Theodore Roosevelt: "No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care." Because our team is thoughtful and supportive, caring deeply for each other, our clients, and our work, this comes naturally.

Inquisitive: We remain students by failing openly and turning lessons into solutions.

Unconventional: For us, life isn't what happens outside of work. Work happens inside of life and our culture erases the line often dividing the two.

Authentic: Made possible only because we embody the values listed above. We're relaxed and fun yet intensely curious and driven. Team members are placed with thought, care, and precision to ensure that Trust, Truth, and Transparency continue to represent our brand.

Because of that, we continue Onward, Upward, and Skyward.

What you'll do:

Business Analysis & Requirements

• Sit shoulder-to-shoulder with product owners, stakeholders, and SMEs to dig out what they really need (not just what they first ask for).
• Translate messy, complicated business problems into crystal-clear user stories, acceptance criteria, and process flows that engineers actually want to read.
• Map out current-state processes and shine a light on the gaps, risks, and "wait, why do we still do it that way?" moments.
• Help shape the backlog and roadmap across multiple applications, keeping priorities straight when everything feels urgent.
• Make sure requirements line up with business goals, regulatory standards, and enterprise architecture (because surprise audits are nobody's friend).

Human-Centered Design & User Research

• Plan and run user research that actually changes things (interviews, contextual inquiry, journey mapping, usability testing, surveys, the works).
• Recruit, schedule, and coordinate sessions with a diverse user community of 500+ participants across programs.
• Turn mountains of qualitative and quantitative data into the kind of insights that get printed out and pinned to walls.
• Build personas, service blueprints, and experience maps that help everyone see the user clearly.
• Be the loudest voice in the room for users and accessibility — politely, but firmly — from kickoff through launch.

Project Support

• Help project managers and product teams put together project charters, business cases, and communications that actually get read.
• Support change management, training, and adoption when new features ship. Because launching something is only half the job.
• Track and report on KPIs, research outcomes, and system usage trends so we can prove what's working (and fix what isn't).
• Facilitate workshops, design sessions, and stakeholder meetings without anyone falling asleep.

What we'd like you to have:

• A bachelor's degree in business or a related field.
• 2+ years as a Business Analyst, UX/HCD Researcher, or similar role juggling multiple projects or systems at once.
• A solid grip on requirements analysis, process modeling, and documentation. You know what "good" looks like.
• Real, hands-on experience running HCD research and usability testing (not just reading about it).
• The rare gift of explaining complicated ideas to both engineers and executives without losing either one.
• Comfort in Agile/Scrum land, where user stories, backlogs, and ceremonies are part of the daily rhythm.
• Sharp analytical and problem-solving instincts, plus the facilitation chops to keep a room moving.
• The ability to keep a lot of plates spinning across a large user community without dropping any (or only dropping the ones nobody noticed).

What would blow us away:

• Experience supporting enterprise-scale applications or systems with 500+ users.
• A working knowledge of accessibility guidelines, service design, or UX/UI principles.
• Comfort in tools like Jira, Confluence, Mural/Miro, Figma, Qualtrics, or similar.
• Certifications like CBAP, CCBA, PSM/CSM, or UX/HCD credentials.
• A genuine curiosity about the humans behind the tickets — and a habit of asking "but why?" one more time than feels comfortable.

Even if you don't meet 100% of the qualifications, we encourage you to apply. At Skyward, we're focused on hiring individuals with the right skills and passion to grow, not just checking off every box. And now the important part. What we offer you:

• Medical, dental, vision insurance (fully paid for employees)
• 15 days of paid leave
• 7 days of sick leave
• 2 days bereavement leave
• 11 paid Federal holidays
• Up to 40 hours for jury duty
• 401K with 4% employer contribution (and no vesting period)
• Up to 4 weeks of paid paternity and maternity leave
• Company provided laptop
• $5,000 per year for professional development
• $600 per year for technical supplies and equipment
• $2,000 referral bonus
• Life and disability insurance
• HSA and FSA
• Legal Shield and ID Shield Voluntary Benefits
• Opportunity to work in a collaborative, motivated team focused on modernizing government services with cutting-edge technology and innovative solutions. Who says government work can't be exciting!

$85,000 - $100,000 a year We believe great work deserves great pay. That's why we ensure our compensation is not only competitive but also fair and transparent, as required by Maryland law. Expect a salary that matches your skills, experience, and the value you bring to the table — because you're worth it!

At Skyward, we are committed to creating an environment where everyone, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, or background, can thrive. We support flexible working hours and remote opportunities to help maintain a healthy work-life balance for all employees, including caregivers and those with unique needs.

Offers of employment with Skyward are contingent upon acceptable results of a background investigation.

Applicants must have the ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust security clearance due to the nature of our work as a government contractor.