Accessibility Specialist - Contingent

Public Trust Eligibility Required

This is a contingent position, meaning employment is dependent upon the successful award of the associated contract to Aretum and completion of any required background investigation or security clearance verification.

About Aretum

Aretum is a mission-driven organization committed to delivering innovative, technology-enabled solutions to our customers across defense, civilian, and homeland security sectors. Our teams work at the intersection of strategy, technology, and transformation, helping agencies solve their most critical challenges. We believe in investing in our people and creating a culture where collaboration, inclusion, and professional growth are at the forefront.

Job Summary

Aretum is seeking an Accessibility Specialist to join our team supporting a large-scale federal technology modernization program. As an Accessibility Specialist, you will be embedded within a User Experience and Accessibility Services workstream, performing accessibility evaluation throughout the software development lifecycle using both automated and manual techniques. You will evaluate design concepts and coded solutions against Section 508 (36 C.F.R. 1194.1), WCAG 2.1 A and AA, and applicable agency digital accessibility standards, beginning during wireframing and continuing through high-fidelity prototypes and code review. You will document accessibility issues and fixes in the program's tracking systems, author Accessibility Conformance Reports (ACRs) and Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates (VPATs) prior to major releases, and collaborate daily with the program's accessibility leads, product owners, UX designers, and developers to ensure accessibility issues are identified early and remediated within sprint cadence. This is a hands-on role that requires deep, current expertise in digital accessibility evaluation and the ability to work effectively inside a SAFe Agile environment.

Due to the nature of our work as a federal consulting organization, employees may be expected to handle Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and must adhere to applicable safeguarding and compliance requirements.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate design concepts for accessibility issues and opportunities in alignment with applicable federal digital accessibility standards, providing expert guidance on how to address gaps in design concepts
• Collaborate with the program's accessibility lead and federal accessibility staff to ensure early identification and resolution of accessibility barriers
• Conduct manual and automated accessibility evaluations on coded solutions, beginning during wireframing and continuing through high-fidelity prototypes and code review
• Document accessibility issues and fixes in the program's project tracking and documentation systems, with WCAG 2.1 success criteria mapping, severity classification, and clear remediation guidance for developers
• Report accessibility test results on coded solutions and ongoing issues per Sprint and on a major release basis for the federal accessibility team's review and validation
• Author Accessibility Conformance Reports (ACRs) and/or Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates (VPATs) prior to major releases, aligned to Section 508 and applicable agency accessibility standards
• Produce accessibility review notes, annotated design files, issue summaries, and full accessibility conformance evaluation reports as program deliverables
• Verify accessible code per the standards defined in the applicable Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan and support remediation of accessibility issues identified in the program backlog
• Ensure designs and patterns support users without vision; with limited vision; without perception of color; without hearing; with limited hearing; without speech; with limited manipulation; with limited reach and strength; and with limited language, cognitive, and learning abilities
• Proactively identify potential accessibility barriers in design and development solutions and raise them for discussion and remediation with the program's accessibility architects and product owners, working closely with the development team to ensure successful remediation
• Review documentation of accessibility considerations included with design handoffs in collaboration with federal accessibility staff
• Participate in the User-Centered Design (UCD) process (Discover, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Validate) ensuring accessibility is considered from the earliest stages of UX work, including information architecture, wireframes, visual design, and content strategy
• Participate fully in SAFe Agile ceremonies (Sprint Planning, Daily Standup, Sprint Review, Retrospective, and Backlog Refinement), planning and estimating accessibility work within normal sprint workflows rather than as external dependencies
• Contribute to design system governance by reviewing proposed components, patterns, and tokens against WCAG 2.1 A and AA standards prior to final approval
• Coordinate with product owners, federal subject matter experts, software engineering staff, user experience design staff, accessibility staff, and IT security staff as needed to align accessibility work with program priorities

Requirements:
• Minimum 3 years of applicable experience as a digital accessibility specialist evaluating web applications throughout the software development lifecycle using both automated and manual techniques
• Bachelor's degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field (or equivalent additional experience)
• Demonstrated, hands-on experience evaluating web applications against WCAG 2.1 A and AA, Section 508 (36 C.F.R. 1194.1), and equivalent federal digital accessibility standards
• Hands-on proficiency with manual screen reader testing using JAWS and NVDA
• Hands-on proficiency with accessibility evaluation tools including aXe, pa11y, ANDI, and a Color Contrast Analyzer
• Demonstrated experience authoring Accessibility Conformance Reports (ACRs) and/or Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates (VPATs) for software products
• Experience evaluating design artifacts (wireframes, mockups, prototypes, design system components) in Figma for accessibility conformance prior to developer handoff
• Experience documenting accessibility issues, fixes, and test evidence in Jira and Confluence, with the ability to map findings to specific WCAG success criteria and provide actionable remediation guidance to developers
• Experience working in Agile/Scrum environments, integrating accessibility evaluation into sprint cadence rather than as a downstream activity
• Working knowledge of the User-Centered Design (UCD) process and the ability to embed accessibility into Discovery, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Validate phases
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to provide clear status updates, collaborate with designers and developers on remediation, and present accessibility results to government stakeholders

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting federal government clients
• DHS Trusted Tester certification with experience applying the Trusted Tester conformance test process
• IAAP certification (CPACC, WAS, or CPWA)
• Experience working in a SAFe environment with multiple synchronized Scrum teams and Program Increment (PI) planning
• Experience contributing accessibility guidance to a shared enterprise design system
• Experience supporting user research with participants who rely on assistive technology, including advocating for their inclusion in research protocols
• Experience evaluating Angular web applications and responsive design implementations for accessibility conformance
• Familiarity with GitLab CI/CD pipelines and the integration of automated accessibility scans (e.g., aXe, pa11y) into continuous integration workflows

Travel Requirements

This is a remote position; however, occasional travel may be required based on project needs, client meetings, team collaboration events, or training sessions. Travel is expected to be less than 10% and will be communicated in advance whenever possible.

EEO Statement

Aretum is committed to fostering a workplace rooted in excellence, integrity, and equal opportunity for all. We adhere to merit-based hiring practices, ensuring that all employment decisions are made based on qualifications, skills, and ability to perform the job, without preference or consideration of factors unrelated to job performance.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Aretum complies with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws.

We are proud to support our nation’s veterans and military families, providing career opportunities that honor their service and experience.

If you require reasonable accommodation during the hiring process due to a disability, please contact [email protected] for assistance.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled

U.S. Work Authorization

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. This position supports a federal government contract and requires the ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust or Suitability Determination, depending on the agency’s background investigation requirements. Sponsorship is not available.

Benefits:
• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)

• Retirement Plan (401k)

• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)

• Paid Time Off

• Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)

• Short Term & Long-Term Disability

• Training & Development