User Research & Testing Intern - VR Headset Strap

User Research & Testing Intern – VR Headset Strap

Location: Must be based out of Pittsburgh, New York City, or Los Angeles

Duration: 6-month contract (October 2025 – February 2026)

Pay: $20/hour, up to 10 hours per week

About Us: Titan Tether Technologies, Inc. is a pre-revenue, early-stage startup dedicated to developing functional uses for a novel textile known as the rate-activated tether. (Rate-activated tethers are self-adjusting, tensile energy absorbers with rate-dependent elasticity representing a significant advancement in wearable smart materials and safety fabrics.) We are proud alumni of the National Security Innovation Network's Foundry startup studio powered by FedTech.

Role Overview: We are seeking a self-managed, methodical, and articulate User Research & Testing Intern who is passionate about industrial design and product development. The ideal candidate will have knowledge and/or interest in consumer needs and a large, accessible network to conduct in-person user testing. As part of our team, you will research, test, and evaluate a VR headset strap to translate a physical prototype into a production-ready final product.

Key Responsibilities:

• Perform user testing with VR head strap designs that leverage a novel, self-adjusting energy absorbing material technology
• Conduct material and usability tests under repeated wear to assess durability, comfort, and overall performance
• Use incentives to encourage participation, source diverse set of participants (i.e. people who have never used VR before vs experienced users)
• Compare scoring of various categories against baseline metrics and suggest specific prototype improvements
• Work in cross-functional teams (design, marketing, manufacturing)
• Present progress to internal and external stakeholders
• Willingness to meet 2-4 hours during weekend for team weekly progress reports (flexible)

Qualifications:

• US Citizenship (will require proof)
• Must be currently enrolled in a college or university and pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design, Product Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field
• Previous experience in user testing of physical prototypes
• Attention to detail, able to collect and track quantitative and qualitative metrics; identify key stories and experiences related to design team
• Written and verbal communication skills; ability to detail progress to internal and external stakeholders across industry, academia, and government
• Ability to work up to 10 hours per week asynchronously with design team
• Preferred: passion for wearable technology, novel materials, virtual reality gaming systems, human-computer interaction, and/or Metaverse

What You’ll Gain:

• Hands-on experience in real-world user testing and product development
• Opportunity to work on a startup project from the ground up with full autonomy

How to Apply:

Send your resume, cover letter, and portfolio to kaitlinparulan@titantethertechnologies.com

Deadline: Applications close 9/1 at 11:59pm EST.