Lead Design Researcher

Overview

As a Lead Design Researcher within the AI & Digital Transformation (ADT) program at WM Digital, you will spearhead research strategies that shape the future of our digital ecosystem. This is a high-impact role where business acumen meets deep user empathy. You will blend traditional design research methodologies with advanced digital transformation strategies, translating complex data into actionable insights that directly influence senior leadership and executive product decisions.

You will split your time across three core pillars: Design Research Strategy (30%), Research & Testing Execution (50%), and Practice Leadership (20%).

What You Will Work On

Design Research Strategy | 30%

• Strategic Advisory: Direct discussions with Design and cross-functional teams regarding overarching research strategies. Provide expert recommendations and contribute heavily to developing new, cutting-edge research methodologies.
• Cross-Pollination: Direct and mentor Design peers on research methodologies, share pre-existing insights with broader stakeholders, and collaborate with fellow researchers to tackle shared questions and deepen organization-wide user understanding.
• Business Alignment: Deeply understand business needs and goals. Evaluate and prioritize research activities to support core business objectives, identifying key stakeholders to build trust and elevate the visibility and impact of design research.

Research & Testing (Execution, Synthesis, Analysis) | 50%

• Research Planning & Systems: Lead the planning, organization, and development of scalable systems for evaluating and prioritizing research topics, questions, and activities to achieve critical Product and Design goals.
• Execution & Moderation: Lead the design and moderation of complex research activities, including multi-stage studies and live sessions, to evaluate prototypes, map user needs, and validate design principles (with a heavy emphasis on Accessibility and Inclusive Design).
• Synthesis & Influence: Drive the collation, synthesis, and translation of complex, highly technical data sets into actionable product insights. Lead stakeholders through the design decision-making process and present compelling findings to senior and executive-level leadership.

Practice Leadership & Advocacy | 20%

• Practice Advocacy: Act as a champion for the Design Research discipline within the WM Digital organization, building strong cross-functional relationships and providing expert guidance to adjacent teams.
• Mentorship & Standards: Establish and enforce Design Research standards, tools, and processes across the design team. Provide hands-on coaching and guidance to junior team members to elevate their capabilities and foster career growth.

What You Need to Succeed

Must-Have Qualifications

• Education: BA/BS degree in Psychology, Anthropology, Sociology, Information Studies, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Computer Science, Design (Interaction, Product, Industrial, Graphic), or a related field (or equivalent practical experience).
• Experience: A minimum of 7 years of dedicated experience in Design Research, ideally with a proven track record of driving projects end-to-end.
• Technical Mastery: Deep technical understanding of design research theory, tools, and a robust working knowledge of a wide variety of qualitative and quantitative methodologies.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Proven experience successfully embedding within and collaborating across cross-functional product and engineering teams.

Nice-to-Have Qualifications

• Advanced Degree: MA/MS degree or specialized certification in HCI, Psychology, Anthropology, Design, or a related field.
• Enterprise Agile Experience: Experience navigating large, complex organizations and thriving within an Agile product development environment.
• Product Delivery: Direct experience contributing to the successful launch of a commercial digital product.
• AI Expertise: Direct experience researching or designing for AI-based applications and emerging technologies.
• Design Thinking: A deep appreciation for and mastery of “Design Thinking” frameworks.

Core Behavioral Competencies

• Business Acumen: Ability to effortlessly connect granular research findings to high-level business goals and strategic product decisions.
• Navigating Ambiguity: A proactive, self-starting mindset with strong judgment and the ability to drive projects independently from concept to completion through ambiguous landscapes.
• Facilitation & Collaboration: Exceptional communication and facilitation skills, with an open-minded approach to feedback and diverse perspectives.
• Lean Mindset: A lean approach to research—knowing how to balance speed and rigor to deliver maximum value without unnecessary overhead.

About Aquent Talent:

Aquent Talent connects the best talent in marketing, creative, and design with the world’s biggest brands. 

Our eligible talent get access to amazing benefits like subsidized health, vision, and dental plans, paid sick leave, and retirement plans with a match. We also offer free online training through Aquent Gymnasium. 

Aquent is an equal-opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. We’re about creating an inclusive environment—one where different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are valued, and everyone can contribute, grow their careers, and thrive.

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