Digital Experience Intern (College)

THE POSITION

Calling all Pennsylvania's digitally experienced scholars! The Commonwealth Office of Digital Experience (CODE PA) is assembling a dream team of ambitious students to improve application processes across the state with an initiative we have appropriately titled "Forms That Suck Less." You will gain experience tackling real-world problems and creating digital experiences that focus on user needs with an emphasis on accessibility, ease-of-use, and aesthetics. If you love inventing original solutions to ambiguous problems, this is the perfect opportunity for you!

Our mission is to put our customers first by building and optimizing trusted digital experiences that allow every interaction between state government and the public to be simple, seamless, accessible, and secure.

DESCRIPTION OF WORK

The proposed "Forms That Suck Less" internship program aims to address the inconsistency and needless complexity of current forms hindering seamless user interactions, through mentorship of candidates who will inventory, assess, and enhance the design of forms, applications, and input experiences. During comprehensive research activities inclusive of interviews and focus groups with residents and stakeholders, interns will gather valuable insights to inform the design of accessible and user-friendly solutions. These efforts will contribute to the expansion of the Keystone Design System to include form design, further promoting a cohesive experience throughout PA.gov. In order to succeed in this environment, you must not only be analytically minded, but creative. Adventures in this position include:

• Working closely with project, program. and stakeholder teams to develop research plans
• Defining and conducting qualitative and/or quantitative research including usability studies and interviews
• Providing insights on requirements definition, content strategy, and visual and interactive design
• Synthesizing research findings and insights into actionable recommendations
• Formulating of fresh design ideas and evolving existing assets to be implemented across digital experiences
• Embracing a componentization mindset with emphasis on reusable designs
• Enhancing user experiences by designing seamless navigation and interfaces that prioritize accessibility
• Advancing a culture of design thinking
• Producing storyboards and user journeys to conceptualize experiences to present to stakeholders
• Developing interactive prototypes to communicate the user experience to stakeholders
• Presenting to project stakeholders while explaining and defending design decisions

Work Schedule and Additional Information:

• Full-time Internship 35 hours per week, approximately June 2024 through August 2024.
• Work hours are 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday - Friday.
• Telework: You may have the opportunity to work from home (telework) full-time. In order to telework, you must have a securely configured high-speed internet connection and work from an approved location inside Pennsylvania. If you are unable to telework, you will have the option to report to the headquarters office in Harrisburg.
• Salary: In some cases, the starting salary may be non-negotiable.
• You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE, TRAINING & ELIGIBILITY

QUALIFICATIONS

Internship Requirements:

• Current enrollment in a two-year or four-year degree seeking program at college/university; and
• Completion of design, UX, computer science, or digital experience courses in school; and
• Experience with UX industry standard tools such as: Adobe XD, Figma, Sketch, or Axure

Additional Requirements:

• You must reside in the state of Pennsylvania currently and for the duration of the internship.
• You must have professional written and interpersonal skills when communicating with customers and clients.
• You must have the ability to collaborate effectively in a cross-functional team environment.
• You must have the ability to prioritize and manage several milestones and projects efficiently.
• You must be able to perform essential job functions.

How to Apply:

• Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will not be reviewed, and the information contained therein will not be considered for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position. Information to support your eligibility for the position must be provided on the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education).
• If you are claiming education in your answers to the supplemental application questions, you must attach a copy of your college transcripts for your claim to be accepted toward meeting the minimum requirements. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.
• Your application must be submitted by the posting closing date. Late applications and other required materials will not be accepted.
• Failure to comply with the above application requirements may eliminate you from consideration for this position.

Veterans:

• Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. *7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs. To learn more about employment preferences for veterans, go to www.employment.pa.gov/Additional%20Info/Pages/default.aspx and click the Veterans' Preference tab or contact us at ra-cs-vetpreference@pa.gov.

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS):

• 711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals).

If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations due to a disability, please discuss your request for accommodations with the interviewer in advance of your interview date.

The Commonwealth is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce. The Commonwealth values inclusion as we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most qualified people to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, union membership, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, AIDS or HIV status, disability, or any other categories protected by applicable federal or state law. All diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.