Human-Experience (HX) Apprenticeship Program

Who We Are:

Tria Federal delivers digital services and technology solutions that support the health and safety of veterans, service members and civilians. For two decades, federal agencies have relied on Tria companies to advance their critical missions and modernize their systems, so that they can uphold their commitment to the American people. Today, we are pushing the boundaries of possibility through partnerships and investments in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, developing solutions for the biggest challenges that will face government tomorrow.

Job Description:

The HX (human experience) Apprenticeship Program is a 12-week, hands-on learning and development program designed to cultivate design thinking, research, and prototyping skills through real-world application. The apprentice will evaluate existing user experiences, uncover opportunities for improvement, and deliver actionable design recommendations that enhance usability, accessibility, and overall effectiveness. Throughout the program, the apprentice will receive structured mentorship, collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, and contribute to building a living knowledge base of HCD practices.

• Focus: Evaluating and improving .
• Format: Weekly tasks and deliverables, 1-1 and collaborative mentorship with HX managers & peers
• Outcome: Portfolio-ready case studies

Basic Requirements:

• Must be a permanent resident or citizen of United States.
• Must reside in and be able to perform work in the United States.
• Must have lived in the United States for 3 of the last 5 years.
• Strong interest in technology, problem-solving, and continuous learning.
• Bachelor's degree in any field OR equivalent practical experience.
• Prior design experience is required.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is:

• Curious and driven to understand how people interact with digital tools.
• Enthusiastic about solving complex problems through structured design thinking.
• Comfortable talking to users, conducting research, and synthesizing insights from conversations and data.
• A natural systems thinker - able to zoom out to see the big picture and zoom in to optimize detailed interactions.
• Eager to learn, receive mentorship, and grow into a full-time design role.

Preferred experience or interest:

• Exposure to design thinking, HCD, or UX methodologies (academic or practical).
• Familiarity with design tools such as Figma and Figjam.
• Ability to communicate ideas visually and verbally.
• Coursework or experience in interaction design, UX, service design, product design, or related fields.

Program Highlights

• Real-world experience on live platforms: Work on evaluating current user flows and identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Structured mentorship: Weekly 1:1 mentoring, collaboration time with platform teams, and design critiques.
• HCD curriculum: Guided weekly modules covering research → synthesis → ideation → prototyping → usability testing.
• Deliverables: Final prototypes, usability test findings, and implementation recommendations presented to leadership.
• Knowledge base creation: Build a Coda resource library with templates, research artifacts, and learnings -expanding team capability beyond the apprenticeship.
• Career pathway: High-performing apprentices may transition into a full-time Interaction Design or UX role.

Key Responsibilities

Research & Discovery

• Conduct user interviews, contextual inquiry, and usability evaluations.
• Document findings and synthesize insights into journey maps, personas, and problem statements.

Interaction Design & Prototyping

• Translate insights into design concepts and user flows.
• Create low- and high-fidelity prototypes using tools such as Figma or Miro.
• Iterate in response to feedback from stakeholders and users.

Usability Testing

• Plan and facilitate usability testing.
• Analyze feedback and recommend design improvements.

Collaboration & Communication

• Work closely with product managers, developers, and policy stakeholders.
• Participate in weekly mentorship and design critiques to improve work quality.
• Present findings and solutions to the UX team and leadership.

Knowledge Sharing

• Create templates, artifacts, research summaries, and process documentation.
• Build and maintain a Coda knowledge base so insights and methods are reusable across the organization.

What This Role Offers

• Hands-on experience in healthcare and AI platform design.
• Mentorship from senior UX and product leaders.
• Real impact on mission-critical digital services.

Work Location: Hybrid to our Woodlawn, MD Office

Salary Range: $25/hourly

Why Tria?
What defines the Tria brand is more than just our dedication to excellence in our craft; it's our incredible team of dedicated, talented, and passionate people that make Tria so exceptional. As people powering possible, we are all partners in our team's shared success.

As a company that cares about people, we seek to cultivate a culture in which all can thrive personally and professionally. We offer a top-tier benefits package to invest in your physical, mental, and financial health and wellness so that you can be your best self - at work and in life. At Tria, we are growth-minded, entrepreneurial in spirit, and committed to fostering a culture of inclusion and opportunity for all. Whatever your background, your role, your department, or stage in your professional journey, here you will have opportunities to learn new skills, seize new challenges, and advance your career as we grow.

California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)

We are committed to protecting your privacy. As part of our compliance with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), we want to inform you about how we collect, use, and protect your personal information during the job application process. For more details, please review https://www.oag.ca.gov/privacy/ccpa .

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