Associate Design Strategist

U Penn Dental Medicine; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); Hybrid; USD 59,000 - 81,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition assistance

Retirement plans (TIAA/Vanguard)

Paid time off

Professional development

Job summary

University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia is seeking a design-focused researcher to collect and analyze qualitative data, create design artifacts, and develop service blueprints for testing interventions. You will facilitate workshops, document insights, and translate findings into briefs and papers, communicating recommendations to diverse audiences.

The role involves independent planning for Project Manager B and requires experience with interdisciplinary teams in a hybrid work setting.

Qualifications

• Experience leading service design projects and delivering timely work with teams or clients.
• Familiarity with interviews, ethnography, contextual inquiries, usability testing and surveys.
• Proficient in qualitative coding, thematic analysis and survey analysis.
• Experience with diverse populations using empathetic, intersectional, trauma-informed approaches.
• Knowledge of human-centered service design methods (journey maps, blueprints, workflows, prototyping).

Responsibilities

• Collect, code, and analyze unstructured qualitative data to inform problem definition and solutions.
• Create design artifacts such as research reports, journey maps, and workflow diagrams.
• Develop service blueprints, prototypes, mock-ups, flyers, posters and other designs for testing interventions.
• Support workshops, feedback sessions, and participatory design with diverse participants.
• Document insights for papers, presentations, and policy engagement outputs.
• Translate findings into case studies, briefs and participant materials for dissemination.
• Communicate findings and actionable recommendations to varied audiences.
• As Project Manager B: lead research activities, execution, design assets, and workshop dissemination.

Skills

Qualitative coding

Thematic analysis

Survey analysis

Usability testing

User interviews

Desk research

Ethnography

Journey mapping

Service blueprints

Workflow diagrams

Workshop facilitation

Communication

Ethical design practices

Education

Design-related degree or equivalent

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree

Tools

Graphic/UI/UX design

Job description

The University of Pennsylvania is a world-renowned Ivy League institution and the largest private employer in Philadelphia. It consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the US and operates 12 schools spanning undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education. This role is based within the Perelman School of Medicine, specifically in the CHIBE Design Core Lab, which develops solutions to persistent health challenges and works to strengthen engagement with those solutions.

What you would do

• Collect, code, and analyze unstructured qualitative data, translating findings into insights that inform problem definition and solution refinement.
• Create design artifacts including research reports, user journey maps, and workflow diagrams.
• Develop service blueprints, prototypes, mock-ups, flyers, posters, and other design assets to gather feedback while testing interventions in context.
• Support facilitation of workshops, feedback sessions, and participatory design sessions with internal and external participants.
• Document design-informed and qualitative insights from projects for papers and presentations.
• Support translation and dissemination of insights into case studies, briefs, participant feedback materials, and policy engagement outputs.
• Communicate findings and articulate actionable recommendations to diverse audiences.
• At the Project Manager B level: plan and conduct research activities independently, manage execution of research strategies, lead development of design assets, and lead workshop facilitation and dissemination of design insights.

What they are looking for

• Professional experience conducting service design projects, demonstrating the ability to complete complex, thoughtful, and timely work with colleagues, clients, or stakeholders.
• A design-related degree or equivalent industry experience, with familiarity in design research methods such as user interviews, ethnography, contextual inquiries, usability testing, surveys, or desk research.
• Proficiency in accurate, thorough, and ethical data analysis, including qualitative coding, thematic analysis, and survey analysis.
• Experience working with highly diverse populations using an empathetic, intersectional, and trauma-informed approach.
• Understanding of human-centered design principles and service design techniques including journey mapping, blueprints, workflow maps, and prototyping.
• Excellent communication skills across writing, presenting, and facilitation.
• Ability to work through complexity and ambiguity in projects with complex workflows, stakeholders, and systems.
• A high standard for ethical, equitable, and rigorous design practice.
• Preferred: graphic, visual, or UI/UX design skills; rapid prototyping and experiment design; background in health care (clinical or management/innovation); experience applying behavioral science, implementation science, informatics, or design thinking.
• Manager Research Project A: Bachelor's degree and 3-5 years of experience (or equivalent).
• Manager Research Project B: Bachelor's degree and 5-7 years, or Master's degree and 3-5 years of experience (or equivalent).

Working arrangements

The role is hybrid eligible and based at 3600 Civic Center Boulevard, 8th Floor, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Pay and benefits

The annual pay range is $58,506 - $81,441.

Penn offers comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance; tuition assistance for employees, spouses, and dependent children; generous retirement plans through TIAA and Vanguard; substantial paid time away; long-term care insurance; wellness and work-life resources; and professional development programs.