User Experience (UX) Research
Fall 2026 Student Fellowship Program

Center for Academic Innovation

Deadline to apply: Ongoing; first consideration will be given to those who apply by Sunday, September 6, 2026. (This posting may close earlier if a high volume of applications is received.)

Application Link: https://myumi.ch/rwAbR 

Location: 317 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, MI 48104 (75% weekly in-person fellowship experience)

Pay Rate: Undergraduate $17/hr, Master’s $20/hr, Doctoral $23/hr

Job Duration: 10 hours/week for the fall semester, with the possibility of extending the fellowship

Supervisor: Adrian Berrigan (cai-student-hiring@umich.edu)
 

Who we’re looking for: 

We’re looking for a thoughtful and motivated student fellow to help us conduct user/learner research for our Michigan Online platform. 

 

What You’ll Do: 

The UX Research fellowship will help cross-functional teams understand user needs and experiences to drive innovation and improve usability for our educational tools. Fellows in this role will have the opportunity to apply a variety of methods in conducting user research and synthesize findings that translate into real improvements for Michigan Online. Fellows will also practice their presentation and storytelling skills, tailoring communication to a range of technical and non-technical audiences. 
 

Students are expected to regularly participate in Student Fellowship Program events, professional development sessions, workshops, and community-building activities.
 

How to apply:

To apply, please complete the Student Fellowship Application and upload your resume with the following supplemental documents:

• Portfolio (or link to portfolio site) showcasing at least one UXR case study
• Written response detailing your interest in this position & UX research

Required Student Qualifications:

• Current U-M student enrolled in a degree or online degree program at the Ann Arbor campus
• Pursuing a degree in Human-Computer Interaction / User Experience, or another field in human behavior or technology, such as Cognitive Science, Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Communication, Economics, or Computer Science
  • Priority will be given to those at the junior/senior undergraduate level and all graduate-level students
• Work well independently and as part of a multicultural and collaborative environment
• Excellent communication skills (oral, written, and listening) and attention to detail 
• Experience with methods and artifacts commonly used in user research (e.g., in-depth interviews, tree testing, contextual inquiries, usability tests, surveys, focus groups, competitive analyses, journey maps, personas, heuristic evaluations, card sorting, diary studies, and participatory design)
• Strong writing skills to support project documentation, research reports, and slide decks 
• A portfolio that demonstrates experience with different research methods and communicates the context, process, findings, and outcomes of at least one project
• Understanding of when and how to apply different research methods by considering factors such as quantitative versus qualitative, behavioral versus attitudinal, and stages of the UX product cycle
• Some familiarity with tools commonly used in UX research such as Qualtrics, Dovetail, Figma, Miro, Excel, Sheets, Airtable, UXMetrics, Maze, and Optimal Workshop

Desired Student Qualifications (not required to apply):

• Interest in educational technology, research practices in higher education, or online learning