Principal Design Researcher

Actalent; Risch-Rotkreuz; On-site; CHF 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Senior Design Researcher / Design Research Lead to join a multidisciplinary design environment in Rotkreuz. In this role, you will lead research activities across complex projects, translating customer insights and business needs into clear experience strategies and design decisions.

You will work closely with cross-functional teams and stakeholders to drive customer-centric solutions within a regulated healthcare setting, mentoring junior designers and ensuring research

Qualifications

• 5–10 years of professional experience in MedTech, healthcare or another regulated environment.
• Strong, in-depth expertise in Design Research, with knowledge of Product Design and Service Design.
• Proven experience developing experience strategies based on customer and user insights.
• Strong knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, incl. integration of multiple data sets.
• Experience coordinating research across multiple projects, products or services.
• Proven ownership of research/design deliverables for products or services that have reached the market.
• Experience working within complex healthcare and regulatory contexts.

Responsibilities

• Lead design research activities across multiple projects and cross-functional teams.
• Translate business objectives, customer needs and research insights into actionable design strategies.
• Plan and conduct qualitative and quantitative research, integrating different data sources to support decision-making.
• Own key research deliverables and communicate findings, recommendations and business value to stakeholders.
• Define, plan and facilitate workshops, synthesising outcomes into strategic project decisions.
• Guide projects through the design process from discovery through to delivery/launch.
• Identify project dependencies and risks early and contribute to mitigation strategies.
• Work closely with Product Design, Service Design and other disciplines to ensure a consistent customer-centric approach.
• Support and mentor junior designers, sharing research methodologies and best practices.
• Navigate healthcare domain and regulatory requirements and incorporate these into research and design activities.
• Contribute to presentations, experience frameworks, client discussions and thought-leadership initiatives.

Skills

Design Research

Product Design

Service Design

Qualitative Research

Quantitative Research

Stakeholder Management

Workshop Facilitation

Mentoring

Education

Design/UX degree

Job description

One of our clients is looking for an experienced Senior Design Researcher / Design Research Lead to join a multidisciplinary design environment in Rotkreuz.

In this role, you will lead research activities across complex projects, translating customer insights and business needs into clear experience strategies and design decisions. You will work closely with cross-functional teams and stakeholders, helping drive customer-centric solutions within a highly regulated healthcare environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead design research activities across multiple projects and cross-functional teams.
• Translate business objectives, customer needs and research insights into actionable design strategies.
• Plan and conduct qualitative and quantitative research, integrating different data sources to support decision-making.
• Own key research deliverables and communicate findings, recommendations and business value to stakeholders.
• Define, plan and facilitate workshops, synthesising outcomes into strategic project decisions.
• Guide projects through the design process from discovery through to delivery/launch.
• Identify project dependencies and risks early and contribute to mitigation strategies.
• Work closely with Product Design, Service Design and other disciplines to ensure a consistent customer-centric approach.
• Support and mentor junior designers, sharing research methodologies and best practices.
• Navigate healthcare domain and regulatory requirements and incorporate these into research and design activities.
• Contribute to presentations, experience frameworks, client discussions and thought-leadership initiatives.

Requirements

• 5–10 years of professional experience in MedTech, healthcare or another regulated environment.
• Strong, in-depth expertise in Design Research, with good knowledge of related disciplines such as Product Design and Service Design.
• Proven experience developing experience strategies based on customer and user insights.
• Strong knowledge of both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, including the ability to integrate multiple data sets.
• Experience coordinating research activities across multiple projects, products or services.
• Proven ownership of research/design deliverables for products or services that have reached the market.
• Experience working within complex healthcare and regulatory contexts.
• Ability to independently manage projects with minimal senior guidance.
• Experience mentoring or guiding more junior designers.
• Strong stakeholder management, workshop facilitation and presentation skills.
• Strategic and analytical mindset with a strong focus on data-driven decision-making.
• Ability to work effectively within complex, multidisciplinary and international teams.
• Resilient, collaborative and comfortable navigating changing project requirements and priorities.