Design Research Operations Coordinator Save

We are looking for an organized, detail-oriented, and proactive Design Research Operations Coordinator to join our growing, distributed team at Coforma.

The Design Research practice at Coforma focuses on understanding, defining, and articulating individual, organization- and system-level needs and opportunities. Design research aims to ensure that design solutions are informed by and responsive to the lived experiences, expertise, and aspirations of a diverse range of human beings and communities.

As a Design Research Operations Coordinator, you’ll follow and nurture operational recruitment strategies for one or more of our projects. You’ll work across diverse and complex ecosystems and environments to recruit participants following an established process and best practices, in close collaboration with the Research Operations lead and project team(s). Your primary mission is to strip away the logistical friction, allowing researchers to focus entirely on gathering insights.

A typical day in this role might include:

• Fielding recruitment requests from the client team
• Recruiting participants for individual studies that match specific screening criteria identified during research planning
• Following a set process for participant screen, recruiting, scheduling, and technological assistance activities

If you’re passionate about improving lives through digital products and services, Coforma is a great company for you.

$79,452 to $86,900 Annual Salary + Benefits + Growth Potential
Placement within this range will be based on the competency level of the candidate. An offer will be made at one of the following tiers:

• Tier 1 — $79,452.90: Meets stated qualification and experience requirements. May need guidance and training beyond onboarding to perform the more complex functions of the role.
• Tier 2 — $83,176.92: Experienced and fully competent. Will be able to independently perform key responsibilities of the role once onboarding is completed.
• Tier 3 — $86,900.94: Highly experienced and can perform all responsibilities of the role at a higher level than expected once onboarding is completed.

To honor our company-wide equitable pay system, the posted salary range and corresponding tier salaries are non-negotiable.

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What You’ll Do (Key Responsibilities):

• Targeted Participant Recruitment: Under the direction of the Research Ops Lead, you will support the end-to-end recruitment process by executing screening and scheduling tasks for various design studies, using online user research recruitment platforms and Coforma’s existing partnerships with recruitment vendors. Your role will involve contributing to and implementing the recruitment plans and screeners, identifying qualified participants based on pre-defined criteria, and coordinating session timing and logistics to ensure a smooth handoff to researchers. You will work closely with the Research Ops Lead to refine your vetting techniques and ensure the participant pool accurately reflects the project’s specific requirements.
• Incentive Management and Support: Working within established protocols, you will handle the day-to-day administration of participant incentives to ensure timely delivery following session completion. You will serve as the first point of contact for participant inquiries regarding payments, resolving standard issues independently while escalating more complex financial or vendor hurdles to the Research Ops Lead. By maintaining this process, you will help the team uphold a professional and reliable reputation with all research participants.
• Technology & Session Access Support: You will provide front-line technical assistance to ensure participants can successfully access and navigate research sessions. Following the Research Ops Lead’s guidance on platform standards, you will help troubleshoot common audio, video, or login issues and confirm that participants are comfortable with the necessary tools before a study begins. By handling these immediate technical needs and "pre-flight" checks, you will help the broader team maintain a seamless schedule without technical delays.
• Operational Excellence and Compliance: You will assist in maintaining accurate records of recruitment progress, attendance, and participant history. You will help prepare status updates for the Government research team and ensure that all administrative tasks align with the Research Ops Lead’s data privacy and security standards. Your focus will be on the meticulous handling of participant information, ensuring all activities are documented and stored in strict compliance with team policies.

In Your First 30 Days, You Will:

• Complete new hire orientation training and familiarize yourself with Coforma’s onboarding Guide
• Confirm proper access to internal and external systems, Google Drive folders, and attend regular meetings
• Train on internal tools such as Slack, Mural, Confluence, Google Docs and Sheets, and Unanet
• Begin onboarding and orienting to your new project and meet key project team members and key stakeholders

After 60 Days:

• Complete work against established objectives as discussed or agreed upon with your manager and/or the Research Ops Lead
• Support the recruitment and scheduling process
• Confidently navigate tools and systems related to participant recruitment

After 90 Days:

• Identify skills or knowledge gaps and establish a professional development plan for yourself in coordination with your manager
• Identify opportunities to evolve and improve current research operations practices based on first-hand project experience, in partnership with the Research Ops Lead

Who You Are and What You Know (Knowledge and Experience Requirements):

• A minimum of 1 year of experience recruiting for and supporting different types of qualitative and quantitative research (interviews, UX sessions, focus groups, surveys, etc.) for digital products or services
• Experience protecting sensitive client and research participant data and ensuring security of technology systems, processes, and workflows
• Prior experience working with creative teams embedded with cross-functional counterparts in Engineering, Product Management, and Delivery in a fast-paced studio or agency environment
• Ability to cultivate strong working relationships across functions and teams and comfortable adapting to challenging or changing situations when new information is presented
• Critical thinker who is not afraid to ask questions, question assumptions, and offer suggestions to help reinvent and improve established ways of working
• Experience with a variety of user research recruitment platforms and tools and a willingness to learn new methods, technologies, and tools as needed
• Full-time resident of the contiguous United States (must be legally authorized to work in the US now and in the future without sponsorship)
• Must be able to successfully pass any applicable background and/or security checks related to project requirements

Other:

• Internet: Will prioritize and maintain access to strong, reliable internet for the remote nature of our work, except when on vacation or holiday.
• Security: Will keep the highest security practices to ensure privacy and security of Coforma and client information, given the nature of our work, even when on vacation.
• Travel Flexibility: On request and with advanced notice, will attend in-person events such as meetings, workshops, and trainings as assigned for projects that require it.
• Brand Representation: Will represent Coforma professionally and sincerely, modeling our Company Values in all interactions.

About Coforma:

We believe ethical technology begins with responsible innovation.

We’re a remote-first company that values collaboration, inclusivity, transparency, autonomy with accountability, and ethical design processes to facilitate responsible innovation and collaboration.

Our cross-functional team works closely with each other and with our government, nonprofit, and commercial partners to research, design, and build better products and services. From empowering patients navigating surprise medical bills to streamlining the digital claims process for Veterans, we’re dedicated to improving people’s lives through thoughtful technology products and services. Together.

Equal Opportunity & Inclusive Workplace:

Coforma is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. It's our policy to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, religion, sex, gender, age, disability, military or veteran status, or any other factors protected under federal, state, or local law.

We're committed to ensuring accessibility and equal opportunity and offering reasonable accommodations to those with disabilities. We adhere to the guidelines set forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act and all relevant federal, state, and local laws concerning disability discrimination and accommodation. To request a reasonable accommodation for the application or interview process, please email [email protected].

About Public Trust and Other Background Investigations:

Due to the nature of our client and project work, most roles may require a National Agency Check and Inquiries (NACI), Moderate Background Investigation (MBI), Background Investigation (BI) or other relevant investigations as needed. Additional information regarding background evaluations or investigations can be found on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management website (opm.gov).