The Research Lead helps design an ecosystem of digital and physical products and services across the entire customer journey, from shopping and buying, to owning and maintaining vehicles. They will design and conduct research activities that help identify key opportunity areas, and evaluate and refine design solutions. This role will collaborate closely with the Design, Strategy, and Creative Technology teams.
The UX Research Lead is expected to function with a high degree of autonomy and contribute to the development and growth of the research practice by serving as a mentor, guide, and expert, both within and outside of the XD research team.
About You
- A seasoned individual contributor with a pragmatic and creative approach
- Someone who is comfortable with formal research studies, when time and resources allow, but can also find creative ways to get in front of customers quickly when rapid feedback is needed.
- You value curiosity, experimentation, and collegiality.
- You are an exceptional storyteller, and a deeply empathetic researcher.
- You thrive in a collaborative environment but can work independently to plan and execute research projects.
- You have a passion for new consumer technology, and significant experience in digital product and service development.
Responsibilities
- Translate project goals and learning objectives into appropriate research plans.
- Identify effective research methods based on learning objectives, time, and resources.
- Conduct generative research, both primary and secondary, to identify and explore opportunity areas.
- Conduct evaluative research to refine design solutions and test new products/services in pilot programs.
- Design learning experiences for your project team that generate actionable insights and build empathy with users.
- Experiment with different tools and methods to execute research plans, e.g. co-creation.
- Partner with the Design and Creative Technology teams to create research stimuli to deeply understand user needs, uncover possibilities, and test assumptions.
- Make research findings relevant and impactful for design through a variety of formats.
- Inspire the team through collaboration as well as direction, vision, and planning of all aspects of project work and deliverables.
- Manage the project research budget, including compensation for participants and travel for fieldwork.
- Communicate effectively with teammates, partners, and executive stakeholders.
- Support development of the Experience Design Research practice across the community.
- Do your part to help build a culture of trust and innovation where teams can do the best work of their careers.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant social science discipline or a combination of education and equivalent experience.
- 5+ years of UX research experience culminating in a sound ability to lead a team, scope a research process, lead fieldwork, and conduct interviews and user feedback sessions with working prototypes.
- 5+ years’ experience using human-centered design, design thinking principles or methods
- 3+ years’ experience leading highly collaborative project teams.
- Proficiency with common testing platforms (UserTesting, dScout, etc.).
Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s or PhD in sociology, anthropology, psychology, design, or other relevant discipline.
- Significant experience in evaluative research is a plus, both moderated and unmoderated studies.
- Experience operating in cross-functional organizations.
