Wanted: Information Architect 8 Jun 2006

About Etre

We design, manage and deliver profitable user experiences. Read more about us here.

You will be responsible for:

• Segmenting users.
• Producing user profiles and personas.
• Creating detailed content inventories.
• Producing detailed sitemaps that document the structure of websites.
• Developing taxonomies and validating them through card sorting and related user testing techniques.
• Producing annotated wireframe designs of webpages and components.
• Producing process flows that encapsulate business, user and system logic.
• Producing prototypes - from lo-fidelity paper prototypes to high-fidelity HTML mock-ups.
• Producing controlled vocabularies and thesauri.
• Producing metadata frameworks based upon established standards like DublinCore and RDF.
• Developing content migration plans.
• Producing documentation in industry standard formats (where they exist) - e.g. UML / JJG's Visual Vocabulary.
• Combining all of the above within detailed functional design documents.

You need to have:

User experience knowledge

You need to have a good understanding of all of the areas that we work in (not just IA). We usually prefer a formal qualification such as an MSc / MA in a related field - but we'll make exceptions for the exceptionally-talented.

We expect your knowledge to be up-to-date (You would be surprised at how many people we've interviewed who don't even know who Jakob Nielsen and Lou Rosenfeld are).

Technical competence

You should be an expert user of the extended Microsoft Office suite - Visio expertise is obviously essential.

You should also know about XHTML, CSS and JavaScript (You can't design a good user experience if you don't understand the medium you're working within). Knowledge of AJAX / Flex and other emerging technologies would also be useful.

Strong analytical skills

You need to be able to analyse user testing data, develop insights and apply them to your IA work.

Interpersonal skills

You need to be able to communicate in a clear and confident professional manner. This is a client-facing role, so you should be comfortable in presenting your work to an audience.

You also need to be able to get on well with us - reading this blog and our newsletter should give you some idea of what we're about. Watching Alan Partridge will get you up to speed on most of our in-jokes.

Writing skills

This is the skill we value most of all. Sloppy writing is the product of sloppy thinking. At interview, we'll therefore ask you to provide samples of your writing.

Please, please don't present us with dry academic tomes or jargon-filled management briefings. If you "run it up the flagpole", you can be certain that we won't salute.

Can-do attitude

We're a fairly small company, so that means you'll need to pitch in here, there and everywhere...without moaning. Don't expect someone to clean your desk and refill the printer for you. Do expect to be fully involved in some great thinking and great work.

A point of view

We're looking for someone who'll contribute - someone who won't shy away from debate and who'll challenge our ideas.

A professional approach

You must care about your work being of the highest quality. And about meeting deadlines - even if it means working late sometimes.

Passion and ambition

You love IA, design, usability, accessibility and all things user experience. (You wouldn't believe how many people apply for jobs at Etre, who have never read a book about usability).

Willingness to travel

We work all over the world. In fact, the majority of our clients are based outside of the UK. If you don't like living out of a suitcase, this isn't the job for you.

What we can give you

• As much experience as you can handle in a leading user experience agency.
• The ability to define your own role as we continue to grow.
• A chance to work with global brands on interesting projects.
• International travel.
• Supremely-talented people to work with (and to support you as your career develops).
• Top training.

How to apply

Please send your CV and a covering letter explaining how you think you fulfil the above requirements to careers at etre dot com.

Please note that we can only consider people who are already eligible to work in the UK for this position.

No recruitment agencies please.