Senior User Researcher

ES06 (FCRS = ES006) Novartis Farmacéutica, S.A.; Sabadell; On-site; EUR 42,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

Novartis Farmacéutica, S.A. in Sabadell, Spain seeks a senior applied researcher to own the research agenda and turn ambiguity into actionable evidence for product decisions. This hands-on role combines qualitative and quantitative methods with collaboration across product, design, engineering and business stakeholders.

With 8+ years in applied research, you will mentor colleagues, advance methods, and apply AI responsibly while upholding ethics and inclusion in research processes.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of applied research experience in an applied research environment, such as product research or design research.
• Demonstrable expertise in both qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Ability to frame ambiguous problems and select proportionate approaches.
• A track record of research influencing meaningful product or business decisions.
• Hands-on experience with enterprise-scale research tools and/or repositories.
• Excellent written and spoken English and clear, credible communication with senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Define research initiatives aligned with business priorities and evidence gaps.
• Frame decision-focused research questions and determine when new studies, existing evidence or analytics offer the most value.
• Conduct mixed-methods research: Design and deliver end-to-end studies that apply appropriate sampling and methods for the problem at hand.
• Synthesize findings into clear, actionable recommendations and communicate confidence and limitations.
• Track how research influences decisions and subsequent outcomes.
• Partner and influence: Represent user needs in roadmap, prioritisation and design discussions, constructively challenging assumptions and helping stakeholders engage responsibly with research.
• Strengthen research practice: Mentor colleagues, improve methods and quality standards, and contribute reusable evidence to the shared insights repository.
• Leverage AI responsibly: Identify and apply AI where it can drive measurable efficiency in research workflows without compromising quality or rigour.
• Protect research integrity: Ensure ethical, inclusive research and appropriate participant consent, data handling and documentation throughout the research lifecycle.

Skills

Applied research experience

Qualitative methods

Quantitative methods

Stakeholder communication

Ethics & privacy awareness

English fluency

Education

Bachelor's degree in HCI, cognitive science, psychology, statistics, anthropology, design research, or related discipline

Tools

Enterprise-scale research tools

Job description

Salary Range: €41,900.00 - €77,700.00 Job Description Summary Within DD&IT Experience & Adoption at Novartis, researchers own the research agenda for one or more product or experience domains, turning ambiguous business challenges into actionable evidence that improves digital experiences and informs product and business decisions. This is a hands-on senior individual-contributor role. You will combine strong qualitative and quantitative expertise with sound judgement, partnering with product, design, engineering and business stakeholders to ensure research leads to meaningful action.

Major Accountabilities

• Own the research agenda: Define research initiatives aligned with business priorities and evidence gaps.
• Frame decision-focused research questions and determine when new studies, existing evidence or analytics offer the most value.
• Conduct mixed-methods research: Design and deliver end-to-end studies that apply appropriate sampling and methods for the problem at hand.
• Fluent triangulating insights from different sources.
• Turn evidence into decisions: Synthesize findings into clear, actionable recommendations, communicating confidence and limitations.
• Track how research influences decisions and subsequent outcomes.
• Partner and influence: Represent user needs in roadmap, prioritisation and design discussions, constructively challenging assumptions and helping stakeholders engage responsibly with research.
• Strengthen research practice: Mentor colleagues, improve methods and quality standards, and contribute reusable evidence to the shared insights repository.
• Leverage AI responsibly: Identify and apply AI where it can drive measurable efficiency in research workflows without compromising research quality or rigour.
• Protect research integrity: Ensure ethical, inclusive research and appropriate participant consent, data handling and documentation throughout the research lifecycle.

Minimum Requirements

• 8+ years of applied research experience in an applied research environment, such as product research or design research.
• Demonstrable expertise in both qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Ability to frame ambiguous problems and select proportionate approaches.
• A track record of research influencing meaningful product or business decisions.
• Hands-on experience with enterprise-scale research tools and/or repositories.
• Excellent written and spoken English and clear, credible communication with senior stakeholders.
• Accessibility and inclusive research expertise a plus.
• A bachelor's degree in human-computer interaction, cognitive science, psychology, statistics, anthropology, design research or a related discipline.
• Working knowledge of research ethics, consent, privacy and confidentiality.

Novartis is unable to offer relocation support for this role: please only apply if this location is accessible for you.

Expected Annual Base Salary Range for role

Expected Annual Base Salary Range for role: €41,900.00 to €77,700 The base salary offered is determined based on gender-neutral objectives, such as relevant skills, competencies and experience in accordance with the Novartis pay setting policy and upon joining Novartis will be reviewed periodically. In addition to your base salary, you may be eligible for a performance-based bonus depending on certain performance parameters. The rewards of being part of our team go far beyond base pay and incentives.

Compensation and Benefits

We also offer a variety of competitive benefits in kind to help you thrive personally and professionally, such as insurance plans, retirement plans, wellbeing resources and global recognition programs. In addition, we provide flexible and hybrid working options, where possible, and minimum 14 weeks paid parental leave. Pay equity is a fundamental principle of our employment policy and reflects our commitment to create a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment that treats all employees with dignity and respect, as outlined in our Code of Ethics. Read our brochure to learn more about our global total rewards offering: https://www.novartis.com/sites/novartis_com/files/novartis-life-handbook.pdf Note: Benefits and compensation may vary by country and are subject to local legal requirements, including provisions of collective bargaining agreements where applicable. A full overview of your compensation package, including any relevant collective bargaining agreement details applicable to your role based on your employment location and Novartis employer entity, will be communicated separately to you during the application process.

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion

Novartis is committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams representative of the patients and communities we serve.

Skills Desired

Digital Capabilities, Information Technology (IT) Infrastructure, IT Governance, IT Service Delivery, IT Service Management (ITSM), Project Stakeholder Management, Technology Use Improving the lives of people living with disease takes more than innovative science. It takes a focus on the needs of people and a community committed to meeting them. It takes a team of people like you. Working together. Learning together. Thriving together. Discover how you can join us in changing people’s lives.