User Experience Designer (KTP Associate)

The aim of the project is to develop a User Experience (UX) toolkit that will enhance the digital capability of Axial3D with a particular focus on cardiovascular medicine, aiming to strengthen Axial3D’s ambition to be leaders in user-focused medical solutions. The toolkit will incorporate leading advancements in usability and UX research, design and testing, embed best practice design principles into the company’s new product development process and transform how the company moves towards regulatory approval of their products.

The KTP Associate will lead the development of a User Experience (UX) toolkit that aims to enhance the capability of Axial3D’s AXCEL offering – a software platform for medical device companies to better utilise medical imaging for diagnostics and procedure planning, ultimately resulting in improved and more efficient patient care.

At Axial3D we recognise the importance of having a strong focus on usability and UX. As such, this toolkit will incorporate leading advancements in usability and UX research, design and testing, embed best practice design principles into the Axial3D’s new product development process and transform how the company moves towards regulatory approval of their products.

This project will focus particularly on cardiovascular medicine, with a primary aim to support cardiologists, interventionalists and other clinicians involved in patient-specific treatment.

The role involves utilising skills in UX research, design and evaluation. It also involves working with clinicians, stakeholders (academics and industry) and managing the project to create a robust system to place the diverse needs of different users at the heart of new product development at Axial3D. The Associate will need to advocate for the project’s importance and convince stakeholders of its value, thus highlighting the potential benefits it brings to the business, targeted development partners and clients.

Main Duties

1. Develop a human-centric UX toolkit of methods to support and validate new product development, with emphasis on cardiology applications.
2. Analyse regulatory frameworks and industry best practices related to usability and interface design for clinical applications.
3. Observe and map interactions in pre- and intra-operative settings, including clinical workflows and decision points.
4. Examine visual language methods used within cardiology, medical imaging and related decision-making processes.
5. Document and share your work through presentations, research reports and academic research publications.
6. Design and develop a diverse suite of UX research techniques, usability tests and feedback loops suitable across the product development lifecycle (TRL1 to TRL9).
7. Develop UX and UI design outcomes to enhance usability for both screen-based UI and 3D digital twin environments.
8. Deliver training to staff on best practice usability testing.
9. Develop UX protocols for ethical approval applications and subsequently apply these in a real-world use case.
10. Review emerging green and circular economy policies relevant to digital healthcare platforms.

The selection process will also require candidates to prepare a presentation on user experience research for discussion at the interview.

Benefits

This KTP project provides a unique opportunity to apply your knowledge and skills to a real industry challenge whilst benefitting from industrial and academic supervision and mentoring from Ulster University’s experts Professor Justin Magee, Professor Raymond Bond and Dr Kyle Boyd who will enhance your technical expertise in user experience/empathic design and usability engineering/UX data analysis. As a KTP Associate you will also acquire new skills in strategic leadership that can help to super-charge your career. Additional benefits include:

• Generous £12k Training, Development, equipment & Travel Budget dedicated to project delivery, which include but not limited to trainings and courses to enhance research skills as well as for critical networking with key players in the field, specific project equipment etc.
• FREE formal management training and development
• FREE University postgraduate study opportunity including 2 years of part time PhD study if appropriate
• 10% Associate development time built into work plan
• Opportunity to work with academics to develop scientific articles to be published in peer-reviewed, world-class academic journals
• Competitive salary
• Enhanced skills and experience that are marketable and highly transferable
• KTPs accelerate careers

About You

Applicants should hold an honours degree in product design, graphic design, interaction design, human computer interaction (HCI), digital marketing, psychology, healthcare, computing or a related discipline at 2:1 or above.

The Associate should have good skills and experience in three or more of the following areas:

• User experience (UX) research, design and evaluation
• Confidently planning, facilitating and synthesising research and presenting insights to senior stakeholders
• Work in a delivery environment where you’ve needed to use research to support design decisions
• Work experience in cardiovascular medicine or other clinical care
• Academic output related to user experience (UX) research, digital health or similar.

Further information can be found in the Candidate Briefing Document.

The appointment will be for a period of two years and although the post is administratively linked to the University, the Associate will be based at the Company’s premises in Alexander House, 17a Ormeau Ave, Belfast BT2 8HD, UK. Successful completion of the KTP may lead to a new position within the company partner at the end of the project period.

Both Axial Medical Printing Limited and Ulster University are Equal Opportunities employers.

Axial3D, in partnership with Ulster University, has established a 2-year KTP Project and is offering an exciting opportunity for an ambitious and highly motivated UX Researcher to apply their expertise in a real-world highly impactful environment. This role provides a unique and exciting opportunity to gain hands-on experience at the intersection of research, design, technology and healthcare, working with clinicians, stakeholders, whilst being supported by both academic experts and experienced professionals within Axial3D.