Design researcher

Global Technical Talent; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading staffing firm is looking for a Design Researcher to support human-centered research initiatives in Toronto. The role involves applying user-centered research methods to inform design decisions and drive innovation across digital products. Candidates should have a relevant bachelor's degree and 3–5 years of experience. This contract position offers a hybrid work arrangement with flexible onsite requirements starting in 2026, paying between C$70–80 per hour, depending on experience.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of relevant experience in research.
• Experience with applied research in technology.
• Strong written, oral, and graphical communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead research design activities to identify opportunity areas.
• Conduct design research using various methods.
• Analyze data to generate actionable insights.

Skills

User-Centered Design

Strong communication skills

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in psychology, anthropology, computer science, or related fields

Tools

Figma

Confluence

Job description

Design Researcher

Alternate/Related Job Titles:

• User Experience Researcher
• Human-Centered Design Researcher
• UX Insights Specialist
• Design Strategy Researcher

Location: Toronto, ON

Onsite Flexibility: Hybrid – 3 days onsite starting January 2026 (potentially 4 days later in 2026)

Contract Details

• Position Type: Contract
• Contract Duration: 13 months
• Start: As Soon As Possible
• Pay Rate: C$70–80/hr
• Schedule: Monday–Friday, 9–5
• Extension Possible: Yes
• Conversion Possible: Yes

Job Summary

The Design Researcher will support a range of human‑centered research initiatives within a multidisciplinary Human Centered Design Practice. This role involves applying user‑centered research methods to discover insights, inform strategy, guide design decisions, and enable innovation across digital products and services. The researcher will work closely with POD leaders, service design directors, engineers, and other partners to ensure research drives meaningful, actionable outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

Conduct Research

• Lead research design activities including identifying opportunity areas, defining research questions, creating actionable plans, and selecting appropriate qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Prepare research materials such as participant screeners, protocols, and recruitment strategies (employee panels, networks, snowball sampling, external vendors).
• Conduct design research using observation/ethnography, diary studies, user interviews, usability testing, card sorting, experiments, and other methods.
• Analyze data using qualitative and quantitative approaches to generate actionable insights.
• Translate insights into clear deliverables such as experience maps, usability test reports, personas, walkthroughs, and one‑pagers.

Enable Research

• Collaborate with POD leaders, service design directors, designers, developers, engineers, and business partners to understand and support research needs.
• Build research roadmaps/plans aligned with partner groups’ goals.
• Oversee or manage research vendors as required.
• Support and mentor interns assigned to projects.
• Participate in research strategy development, helping maintain a human‑centered focus across innovation efforts.
• Increase organizational awareness of research science processes through education, knowledge sharing, and expanding the research knowledge base.

Required Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in psychology, anthropology, computer science, industrial engineering, human factors, human‑computer interaction, or related fields.
• 3–5 years of relevant experience (academic work toward graduate degrees counted as experience).
• Experience with applied research addressing emerging technologies and user needs.
• Strong written, oral, and graphical communication skills.
• Strong project management abilities across multiple concurrent studies.

Nice‑to‑Have Experience

• Financial industry experience.
• Internship support and mentorship experience.
• Knowledge of inferential statistics and statistical analysis tools (R, SAS, SPSS).

Required Skills

• Deep knowledge of User‑Centered Design and Human Factors research methods
• Strong communication skills
• Strong project management skills

Preferred Skills

• Research role mapping and planning
• Data collection experience using ethnography, diary studies, interviews, usability testing, card sorting, experiments
• Qualitative and quantitative analysis approaches
• Experience disseminating insights across diverse formats
• Familiarity with tools such as Figma, Confluence, and Figgem

Additional Skills

• Observation and diary studies
• User interviews and usability testing
• Experience maps, personas, and walkthroughs
• Ability to balance tasks across multiple studies
• Attention to detail

About the Client

Top 10 bank in Canada and North America offering comprehensive financial solutions. Providing retail, commercial, wealth management, and wholesale banking services, they help clients thrive in today's evolving market.

About GTT

GTT is a minority‑owned staffing firm and a subsidiary of Chenega Corporation, a Native American‑owned company in Alaska. As a Native American‑owned, economically disadvantaged corporation, we highly value diverse and inclusive workplaces. Our clients are Fortune 500 banking, insurance, financial services, and technology companies, along with some of the nation’s largest life sciences, biotech, utility, and retail companies across the US and Canada. We look forward to helping you land your next great career opportunity!

Job Number: 25‑29197

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