Design Researcher [AQ-12659]

About the role

Aquent is proud to partner with a leading global innovator at the forefront of shaping how people interact with technology. This organization is dedicated to pioneering groundbreaking devices and services that seamlessly integrate into daily life, driven by a deep understanding of human needs and cultural evolution. Join a team that is not just building products, but defining the future of human-technology interaction. This is an unparalleled opportunity to shape future experiences, identify emerging trends, and translate complex human behaviors into actionable strategies that will impact millions globally.

As a pivotal member of a dynamic research team, your insights will directly influence the long-term strategic direction of innovative devices and services, defining how people interact with technology for years to come.

Responsibilities

• Analyze primary qualitative and quantitative research data to generate clear, compelling insights, recommendations, or other durable frameworks.
• Craft visually compelling and persuasive presentations using Figma, other visual design programs, or AI platforms.
• Help socialize and activate research findings and their impact within the organization through presentations, workshops, working sessions, or creative artifacts (e.g., speculative concepts, design briefs).
• Collaborate with product and design partners to translate long-term insights and implications into near-term experiences and actions.
• Partner with research teams to learn from existing research and knowledge, identifying opportunities to extend the team’s work into new research questions or topics for research roadmaps.

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in the field of research, with a focus on early, generative design research that informs long-term business strategy, ideally within the digital products and services industry.
• Proven experience translating and creatively activating insights via design principles, strategic frameworks, scenarios, design provocations, and immersion workshops.
• Working knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methods, with deep expertise in ethnographic, semiotic, co-design, and design research methods.
• Ability to travel internationally to conduct in-context, in-person research (e.g., home, workplace, office) as needed.
• A portfolio that illustrates how your research has informed strategic decision-making, with a focus on innovation initiatives.

Skills

• Excellent written communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills; the ability to communicate complex concepts clearly and persuasively across different audiences and varying levels of the organization.
• Strong design acumen and comfort working with AI and other design tools to create research outputs (e.g., Figma-based presentations, trend reports) and activation materials (e.g., scenarios, design prompt cards).
• Experience with emerging technologies (e.g., AI, XR) and multimodal device interaction (e.g., touch, voice, and mediated control).

Benefits

Aquent Talent connects eligible talent with access to amazing benefits, including:

• Subsidized health, vision, and dental plans.
• Paid sick leave.
• Retirement plans with a match.
• Free online training through Aquent Gymnasium.