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Graduate Student Research Assistant

Graduate Student Research Assistant

Position: Graduate Student Research Assistant
Location: UCLA Continuing Education of the Bar, Los Angeles, CA (Hybrid/Remote options available)
Compensation: $23 - $25 per hour (depending on experience)
Employment Type: Part-time (20 hours per week)
Start Date: Immediate
Duration: Flexible (Ideal for students working on a thesis/dissertation)

About the Organization
UCLA Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) is a nonprofit program within UCLA that provides California attorneys with essential legal research products and educational resources. Our mission is to help legal professionals stay informed, efficient, and effective in their practice. This role offers the opportunity to contribute to the improvement of our legal research platform, which is used by thousands of legal professionals across California.

About the Position
UCLA CEB is seeking a Graduate Student Research Assistant to lead and support user experience (UX) research aimed at enhancing our California legal research platform. This is an exciting opportunity for graduate students interested in applying research skills to the legal field, as well as those passionate about UX design and human-centered research methods.

In this role, you will have the chance to design, implement, and analyze user research studies to help improve the usability and effectiveness of our platform. You will work closely with business stakeholders and UX designers to ensure the platform aligns with the needs of California’s legal professionals.

Key Responsibilities

Lead UX Research Studies: Design and conduct end-to-end user experience research studies to understand how legal professionals use our platform. You will help drive the entire research process, from study design to delivering insights to stakeholders.

Consult on Research Methodology: Advise on appropriate research methods and tools, ensuring the best approaches are used for each study.

Develop Moderator Guides & Test Prototypes: Work with the team to create moderator guides for user interviews and usability tests. Assist in the development and refinement of prototypes to test with legal professionals.

Conduct User Interviews & Usability Testing: Lead and moderate user experience research studies, conducting interviews or testing with legal professionals, gathering valuable feedback to inform design decisions.

Analyze and Synthesize Findings: Analyze user research data, including qualitative feedback, to identify patterns, pain points, and areas for improvement. Present findings in a clear and actionable format to business and design teams.

Collaborate with Stakeholders: Work closely with product managers, designers, and business stakeholders to translate research insights into concrete recommendations for platform improvements.

Required Qualifications

  • Currently enrolled in a graduate program in Experimental Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Human Factors, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field.
  • Strong foundation in qualitative research methods, particularly user-centered research and human-computer interaction.
  • Experience conducting user interviews, usability testing, and synthesizing data into actionable insights.
  • Knowledge of UX design principles and human-centered design approaches.
  • Strong communication skills, including the ability to present research findings and recommendations to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
  • Ability to work independently, manage research projects, and collaborate effectively in a cross-functional team.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Familiarity with legal research or legal technologies is a plus, but not required.
  • Experience with prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD) or usability testing software is a bonus.

Why This Role is a Great Opportunity

  • Real-World Experience: Gain hands-on experience leading UX research studies for a platform used by thousands of legal professionals in California.
  • Impactful Work: Your research will directly influence the design and functionality of a tool that helps attorneys improve their legal practice.
  • Flexibility: This part-time position offers flexible hours that can work around your academic schedule, making it ideal for graduate students.
  • Thesis/Dissertation Potential: The research opportunities in this role can potentially be applied to your thesis or dissertation, providing a practical, real-world focus for your graduate studies.
  • Collaboration: Work with a team of professionals from diverse backgrounds, including business, design, and legal experts.

Compensation & Schedule

  • Hourly Wage: $23 - $25 per hour, based on experience.
  • Hours: Approximately 20 hours per week, with flexible scheduling options.
  • Work Environment: Hybrid/remote options available, with the expectation that you may work both independently and collaborate in-person or virtually with the team.

How to Apply
Please submit your resume and a cover letter outlining your relevant experience and interest in this opportunity. Be sure to highlight any past research or projects related to UX, human-computer interaction, or qualitative research methods. If you are working on a thesis or dissertation, please feel free to mention how this opportunity could align with your academic goals.

We look forward to hearing from motivated and talented graduate students ready to make a significant impact on the user experience of legal research platforms!