Design Research Lead

Runyon Design; United States; On-site; USD 138,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Runyon Design is seeking a Design Research Lead to guide research across six-week sprints, translating insights into opportunities for partners and inspiring the design team. You will lead with empathy, ask thoughtful questions, and shape strategies that elevate user perspectives.

The ideal candidate has 6+ years in UX research with a strong portfolio, and a talent for storytelling. You will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to create human-centered, value-creating products in a

Qualifications

• 6+ years in UX research in a design studio or product team.
• Portfolio demonstrating how research translates into generative outcomes across UX/UI, service design, product design, etc.
• Clear opinion on the role of research in the design process today and its future impact.
• Experience with traditional usability testing methods like problem discovery, benchmarking, and competitive analysis.
• Appreciation for storytelling and presenting insights to stakeholders.
• Desire to lead and engage with multidisciplinary teams including partners.
• Thrive in ambiguity and experiment with generative ideas to find innovative solutions.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the team in research and engage partners throughout the six-week sprint.
• A point of view on designing and implementing methods of prototype and UX feedback capture.
• Planning, building and running design-led methods of inquiry beyond typical user interviews.
• Crafting recruiting briefs, screeners, screen testing interactions and discussion guides.
• Capture stories and insights that strengthen design strategy and UX iterations.
• Lead the team to shape design ideas and execution informed by user research.
• Present user and UX research back to the client through concise storytelling to secure buy-in.
• Establish deep partnerships across cross-functional teams to enable idea flow.

Skills

UX research

Portfolio

Storytelling

Leadership

Communication

Collaboration

Ambiguity tolerance

Job description

We are looking for a Design Research Lead to join our team. A candidate in this position will play a crucial role throughout the entire project process — using research to inspire our design team, inform better prototypes, and elevate the perspective of our partners. They must be adept at uncovering human-centered insights, and skillful at translating these insights into meaningful opportunities for design and innovation. They will lead projects with both empathy and conviction for the partner we’re designing for. At Runyon, Design Research Leads have a clear passion for translating user needs into meaningful, compelling ideas and inspiration, and possess a passion for effective, human-centered and value-creating products. They lead with listening and ask thoughtful questions with the understanding that you can see problems from different perspectives. They can be self-directed and independent, as well as a team leader or collaborative member of a multi-disciplinary team that often involves our partners. They are biased toward generosity and transparency and want to make a positive business and customer impact through meaningful products.

About Runyon Runyon is a product design and venture studio that helps companies grow. We are a team of customer-centered designers, researchers, and strategists that crafts new products, experiences and ventures. Our approach combines customer needs and behaviors with leading edge business strategy. Our work is sprint- and prototype-driven and we think about how we can craft strategies and products into the market in ways that are meaningful and measured from the start. Our team has decades of experience working with some of the largest global partners including Disney, The New York Times, American Express, Target and others.

• We're prototyping-led. We lead with tangible assumptions in the form of prototypes and test them with real stakeholders to validate and refine our strategy and design. Regardless of discipline, we think and communicate in concepts, and use those to move further, faster.
• We're detailed and intentional. We always back up our design decisions with sound reasoning—be it user research, market research, or both. We make things that make sense and that have a clear through line.
• We're fast. We work almost exclusively in sprints, and with lean teams. We need folks who like to run.
• We're collaborative. We jam as a multidisciplinary team of specialists who collectively contribute to the full spectrum of work across user research, strategy and design to arrive at high quality outcomes.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Partner with the team in research and engage partners throughout the six-week sprint
• A point of view on designing and implementing methods of prototype and UX feedback capture
• Planning, building and running design-led methods of inquiry that go beyond the typical user interview
• Crafting recruiting briefs, screeners, screen testing interactions and discussion guides
• Capture stories and craft insights that strengthen the design strategy and UX iterations
• Lead the team to shape design ideas and execution as informed by the user research
• Present user and UX research back to the client through concise and impactful storytelling, ensuring that they bring the client along the journey and define key touch points to ensure buy-in throughout the journey
• Establish deep partnerships across the cross-functional team, thereby establishing a space where ideas readily flow and everyone feels empowered to do their best work
• Communicate clearly with teammates, and present work appropriately (verbally and in client-facing decks)

QUALIFICATIONS

• 6+ years experience in UX research (or the equivalent) at a design studio or internally on a product team within an organization
• A portfolio of work that demonstrates how you’ve translated research into generative, effective outcomes across a range of design projects and deliverables (UX/UI, service design, product design, etc.)
• A clear opinion on the role of research within the design process today, and how it might be used to inspire design and shape the design process in the future
• Experience in and interest around innovating on more traditional usability testing methods like problem discovery, benchmarking, competitive analysis, etc.
• An appreciation of the power of storytelling and experience presenting those stories to stakeholders
• A desire to lead and engage with collaborative, multi-disciplinary teams which include our partners
• Great communication and collaboration abilities, including the skill to direct and manage small teams
• You thrive in ambiguity, and have a propensity to experiment with generative ideas in order to identify the most innovative and disruptive solutions

Please note that this job posting remains active as part of our ongoing effort to build a network of talented designers, strategists, researchers, and other creative professionals. As a result, it may not correspond to an immediate opening. Runyon’s dynamic, fast-paced environment makes this ideal for candidates who thrive in flexible, project-based roles.

Salary: $750 - $1,300 / day based on experience and skill level