OPT UX Researcher Jobs
UX Researcher roles are strong candidates for OPT authorization because the work requires a relevant degree in human-computer interaction, cognitive science, psychology, or a related field. Most positions are full-time and STEM-adjacent, and many employers at mid-size and large tech companies have experience sponsoring international researchers.
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Get Access To All JobsJoin us as we work to create a thriving ecosystem that delivers accessible, high-quality, and sustainable healthcare for all.
Position Summary:
Design experiences that help healthcare teams work more effectively in athenahealth’s EHR and practice management products. In this role, you will partner with product and engineering to solve complex clinical and workflow challenges through thoughtful UX design, research-informed decision-making, and clear design execution. This position is based in Boston, MA and follows a hybrid work mode. This role reports to the UI & UX Design Director.
About the Team:
This team designs user experiences that support healthcare workflows across athenahealth’s product suite. The team partners closely with product, engineering, clinical, and other stakeholders to identify user needs, shape product direction, and deliver practical solutions. Team members use design, research, prototyping, and collaboration tools to explore ideas, test concepts, and support implementation. The team focuses on improving usability, clarity, and consistency across the experiences it helps create.
Essential Job Responsibilities:
- Frame user problems and facilitate solutioning sessions to guide design direction.
- Create sketches, wireframes, prototypes, and other design artifacts that communicate concepts clearly.
- Conduct user research and heuristic reviews to evaluate usefulness, usability, and workflow fit.
- Partner with product and engineering throughout planning, design, and development to support high-quality implementation.
- Apply systems thinking to simplify complex user, workflow, and data relationships.
- Contribute to journey maps, vision documents, and other design planning materials that inform prioritization.
- Present and explain design decisions to product, clinical, and engineering stakeholders.
- Use AI tools as part of the design process to support ideation, prototyping, and faster exploration of design options while applying sound judgment to determine when human review and refinement are needed.
- Support client engagements, including onsite sessions when needed, to gather feedback and validate design decisions.
Additional Job Responsibilities:
- Support junior designers through feedback, reviews, and informal coaching.
- Contribute to team process improvements and design standards.
- Participate in collaborative discussions that improve product direction and design quality.
- Help identify opportunities to improve consistency across product experiences.
- Assist with documentation that supports design decisions and implementation.
- Stay current on design methods, healthcare workflows, and emerging tools relevant to the role.
Expected Education & Experience:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Cognitive Psychology, Computer Science, Business, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
- 4–5+ years of professional experience in digital product design.
- Experience creating high-quality design deliverables, including visual design, prototyping, copywriting, and specifications.
- Experience planning, facilitating, analyzing, and reporting user research using qualitative and quantitative methods.
- Experience working in an agile product development environment.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to explain design decisions clearly.
- Experience using Figma.
- Experience using AI tools such as Claude, Codex, Figma Make, or similar tools as part of a regular design workflow.
- Ability to collaborate effectively with peers, clients, and cross-functional partners throughout the design process.
- Comfort working in a changing environment and adapting to evolving priorities.
- Interest in experimentation and continuous learning, with the ability to apply critical thinking to determine when human judgment should guide the final outcome.
Expected Compensation
$107,000 - $181,000* The base salary range shown reflects the full range for this role from minimum to maximum. At athenahealth, base pay depends on multiple factors, including job-related experience, relevant knowledge and skills, how your qualifications compare to others in similar roles, and geographical market rates. Base pay is only one part of our competitive Total Rewards package - depending on role eligibility, we offer both short and long-term incentives by way of an annual discretionary bonus plan, variable compensation plan, and equity plans.
About athenahealth
Our vision: In an industry that becomes more complex by the day, we stand for simplicity. We offer IT solutions and expert services that eliminate the daily hurdles preventing healthcare providers from focusing entirely on their patients — powered by our vision to create a thriving ecosystem that delivers accessible, high-quality, and sustainable healthcare for all.
Our company culture: Our talented employees — or athenistas, as we call ourselves — spark the innovation and passion needed to accomplish our vision. We are a diverse group of dreamers and do-ers with unique knowledge, expertise, backgrounds, and perspectives. We unite as mission-driven problem-solvers with a deep desire to achieve our vision and make our time here count. Our award-winning culture is built around shared values of inclusiveness, accountability, and support.
Our DEI commitment: Our vision of accessible, high-quality, and sustainable healthcare for all requires addressing the inequities that stand in the way. That's one reason we prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in every aspect of our business, from attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce to maintaining an inclusive environment for athenistas, our partners, customers and the communities where we work and serve.
What we can do for you:
Along with health and financial benefits, athenistas enjoy perks specific to each location, including commuter support, employee assistance programs, tuition assistance, employee resource groups, and collaborative workspaces — some offices even welcome dogs.
We also encourage a better work-life balance for athenistas with our flexibility. While we know in-office collaboration is critical to our vision, we recognize that not all work needs to be done within an office environment, full-time. With consistent communication and digital collaboration tools, athenahealth enables employees to find a balance that feels fulfilling and productive for each individual situation.
In addition to our traditional benefits and perks, we sponsor events throughout the year, including book clubs, external speakers, and hackathons. We provide athenistas with a company culture based on learning, the support of an engaged team, and an inclusive environment where all employees are valued.
Learn more about our culture and benefits here: athenahealth.com/careers
https://www.athenahealth.com/careers/equal-opportunity
Join us as we work to create a thriving ecosystem that delivers accessible, high-quality, and sustainable healthcare for all.
Position Summary:
Design experiences that help healthcare teams work more effectively in athenahealth’s EHR and practice management products. In this role, you will partner with product and engineering to solve complex clinical and workflow challenges through thoughtful UX design, research-informed decision-making, and clear design execution. This position is based in Boston, MA and follows a hybrid work mode. This role reports to the UI & UX Design Director.
About the Team:
This team designs user experiences that support healthcare workflows across athenahealth’s product suite. The team partners closely with product, engineering, clinical, and other stakeholders to identify user needs, shape product direction, and deliver practical solutions. Team members use design, research, prototyping, and collaboration tools to explore ideas, test concepts, and support implementation. The team focuses on improving usability, clarity, and consistency across the experiences it helps create.
Essential Job Responsibilities:
- Frame user problems and facilitate solutioning sessions to guide design direction.
- Create sketches, wireframes, prototypes, and other design artifacts that communicate concepts clearly.
- Conduct user research and heuristic reviews to evaluate usefulness, usability, and workflow fit.
- Partner with product and engineering throughout planning, design, and development to support high-quality implementation.
- Apply systems thinking to simplify complex user, workflow, and data relationships.
- Contribute to journey maps, vision documents, and other design planning materials that inform prioritization.
- Present and explain design decisions to product, clinical, and engineering stakeholders.
- Use AI tools as part of the design process to support ideation, prototyping, and faster exploration of design options while applying sound judgment to determine when human review and refinement are needed.
- Support client engagements, including onsite sessions when needed, to gather feedback and validate design decisions.
Additional Job Responsibilities:
- Support junior designers through feedback, reviews, and informal coaching.
- Contribute to team process improvements and design standards.
- Participate in collaborative discussions that improve product direction and design quality.
- Help identify opportunities to improve consistency across product experiences.
- Assist with documentation that supports design decisions and implementation.
- Stay current on design methods, healthcare workflows, and emerging tools relevant to the role.
Expected Education & Experience:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Cognitive Psychology, Computer Science, Business, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
- 4–5+ years of professional experience in digital product design.
- Experience creating high-quality design deliverables, including visual design, prototyping, copywriting, and specifications.
- Experience planning, facilitating, analyzing, and reporting user research using qualitative and quantitative methods.
- Experience working in an agile product development environment.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to explain design decisions clearly.
- Experience using Figma.
- Experience using AI tools such as Claude, Codex, Figma Make, or similar tools as part of a regular design workflow.
- Ability to collaborate effectively with peers, clients, and cross-functional partners throughout the design process.
- Comfort working in a changing environment and adapting to evolving priorities.
- Interest in experimentation and continuous learning, with the ability to apply critical thinking to determine when human judgment should guide the final outcome.
Expected Compensation
$107,000 - $181,000* The base salary range shown reflects the full range for this role from minimum to maximum. At athenahealth, base pay depends on multiple factors, including job-related experience, relevant knowledge and skills, how your qualifications compare to others in similar roles, and geographical market rates. Base pay is only one part of our competitive Total Rewards package - depending on role eligibility, we offer both short and long-term incentives by way of an annual discretionary bonus plan, variable compensation plan, and equity plans.
About athenahealth
Our vision: In an industry that becomes more complex by the day, we stand for simplicity. We offer IT solutions and expert services that eliminate the daily hurdles preventing healthcare providers from focusing entirely on their patients — powered by our vision to create a thriving ecosystem that delivers accessible, high-quality, and sustainable healthcare for all.
Our company culture: Our talented employees — or athenistas, as we call ourselves — spark the innovation and passion needed to accomplish our vision. We are a diverse group of dreamers and do-ers with unique knowledge, expertise, backgrounds, and perspectives. We unite as mission-driven problem-solvers with a deep desire to achieve our vision and make our time here count. Our award-winning culture is built around shared values of inclusiveness, accountability, and support.
Our DEI commitment: Our vision of accessible, high-quality, and sustainable healthcare for all requires addressing the inequities that stand in the way. That's one reason we prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in every aspect of our business, from attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce to maintaining an inclusive environment for athenistas, our partners, customers and the communities where we work and serve.
What we can do for you:
Along with health and financial benefits, athenistas enjoy perks specific to each location, including commuter support, employee assistance programs, tuition assistance, employee resource groups, and collaborative workspaces — some offices even welcome dogs.
We also encourage a better work-life balance for athenistas with our flexibility. While we know in-office collaboration is critical to our vision, we recognize that not all work needs to be done within an office environment, full-time. With consistent communication and digital collaboration tools, athenahealth enables employees to find a balance that feels fulfilling and productive for each individual situation.
In addition to our traditional benefits and perks, we sponsor events throughout the year, including book clubs, external speakers, and hackathons. We provide athenistas with a company culture based on learning, the support of an engaged team, and an inclusive environment where all employees are valued.
Learn more about our culture and benefits here: athenahealth.com/careers
https://www.athenahealth.com/careers/equal-opportunity
See all OPT UX Researcher Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT UX Researcher Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship in UX Researcher
Lead with your research methods, not just tools
Employers hiring UX Researchers want to see your methodology: usability testing, diary studies, contextual inquiry, survey design. Naming specific methods signals expertise and makes your OPT application a straightforward sponsorship decision for hiring managers.
Target companies with dedicated research functions
Companies with standalone UX research teams, not just design teams that do occasional user interviews, are far more likely to have sponsorship infrastructure in place. Look for research ops roles as a signal that the organization takes UX research seriously.
Connect your degree field to the role explicitly
OPT requires your job to relate to your degree field. In your cover letter and interviews, draw a direct line between your coursework in psychology, HCI, or information science and the research responsibilities listed in the job description.
Demonstrate cross-functional collaboration in your portfolio
UX Researchers who can show impact beyond reports, influencing product roadmaps and design decisions, are prioritized in hiring. This directly strengthens your sponsorship case by showing you are a core contributor, not a peripheral function.
Flag your OPT timeline early, not at the offer stage
Raising your OPT end date after an offer creates friction. Mentioning it during a recruiter screen, framed as a straightforward authorization with a clear timeline, lets the company plan and avoids last-minute complications that can derail offers.
Prioritize STEM OPT-eligible degree programs where possible
Programs like HCI, information science, or cognitive science at many universities carry STEM designation, giving you 36 months of OPT instead of 12. Confirm your program's CIP code with your DSO before applying, as this significantly extends your window.
UX Researcher OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Is UX Researcher a valid job title for OPT work authorization?
Yes. UX Researcher is a recognized specialty occupation requiring a bachelor's degree or higher in a relevant field such as human-computer interaction, cognitive science, psychology, or information science. Your job offer must relate directly to your degree field, so document that connection clearly in your offer letter and keep a copy for your records.
Does a UX Researcher role qualify for STEM OPT extension?
It depends on your degree's CIP code, not the job title itself. Degrees in human-computer interaction, information science, and cognitive science often qualify for STEM OPT, extending your authorization from 12 to 36 months. Confirm with your DSO before accepting an offer, since the determination is based on your program, not your employer's classification.
How do I find UX Researcher jobs that explicitly support OPT sponsorship?
Migrate Mate filters UX Researcher openings by OPT sponsorship willingness, so you are not spending time on roles where authorization is a dealbreaker. Many companies that hire researchers at scale, particularly in enterprise software, fintech, and consumer tech, have handled OPT candidates before and have clear internal processes for it.
Can I do freelance or contract UX research work on OPT?
Standard OPT does not permit self-employment or independent contracting in the traditional sense. You must be employed by a specific employer who is actively reporting your employment to your DSO. Contract roles through a staffing agency where the agency is your legal employer of record are generally permissible, but you should confirm the arrangement with your DSO before accepting.
What happens to my OPT if my UX Researcher role is eliminated or I am laid off?
You have a 60-day grace period from your last day of employment to find new authorized employment, transfer to a new visa status, or depart the U.S. Report the job loss to your DSO immediately, since the unemployment clock starts from your separation date. Aggregate unemployment during OPT cannot exceed 90 days for standard OPT or 150 days for STEM OPT extension.