Design Researcher II

Milwaukee-Tool; Town of Brookfield (WI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Milwaukee Tool is seeking a Design Researcher II to lead user-centered research across our construction-focused products. You will design and execute multi-faceted studies, collaborate with engineers, industrial designers and product managers, and translate findings into actionable insights that shape direction and features.

Field work, co-creation sessions, and workshops will be a regular part of the role, with 25–40% overnight travel.

Qualifications

• Masters or Bachelor degree in Psychology, Anthropology, Sociology, Industrial Design, Graphic Design, Business, or Engineering with 3+ years experience or 4-5 years for Bachelor path.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience in product development with understanding of innovation and design thinking.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience using qualitative research methods including observation, interviews, co-creation, participatory design, and design sprints.
• 25-40% overnight domestic travel.
• Must have a valid driver's license.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute multi-faceted research plans to learn about construction trade and user contexts.
• Build and maintain a network of users to inform discovery research and co-create solutions.
• Plan and facilitate hands-on tool evaluations, team workshops, and analysis sessions.
• Present research findings to key stakeholders through engaging, concise presentations and demos.
• Experiment with new approaches and methodologies to achieve insightful results.

Job description

Design Researcher IIJob Description:Design Researcher IIThe Design Research team at Milwaukee Tool sits within a collaborative user-centered design and technology development group focused on the fuzzy front end of product development. We are tasked with informing the entrepreneurial spirit of the company, influencing and inspiring the direction of the business through strategic and functional findings. In this role you will be leading the research efforts of highly collaborative and diverse teams of Engineers, Industrial Designers, and Product Managers to inspire and influence key decision makers on new solutions for the construction industry.You must be permanently eligible to work in the U.S. without sponsorship for this position.Duties and Responsibilities:Design and execute multi-faceted research plans to learn about all aspects of the construction trade. These plans typically include qualitative discovery research on jobsites, primary and secondary research exercises to understand the competitive product set, and evaluation of mock-ups and preliminary concept prototypes in field.Build, grow, and maintain a network of users to understand their evolving needs and work context. Establishing strong relationships with our end users is critical to conducting appropriate discovery research, co-creating solutions, and eliciting honest feedback.Analyze and synthesize research findings into key insights that inform opportunities for new feature sets, functionalities, and business approaches.Plan and facilitate hands-on tool evaluations, team workshops, and analysis sessions. These participatory co-creation sessions result in a common ground of familiarity with a tool and its use, while inspiring creativity and collaboration within your team.Present research findings in an engaging and concise manner to key stakeholders across the business. You will need to communicate through well-crafted presentations and events that educate and inspire your team through photos, video, diagrams, storytelling and demonstrations.Experiment with new approaches and methodologies to achieve ingenious results. As a research group we encourage new ways of thinking, and we want you to help us build new tools and methodologies appropriate to the work we do.Required Skills:You thrive when approaching potential research participants (e.g., on a construction site) to introduce yourself and engage in observation and open-ended lines of questioningYou are curious, not just about your research topic but also the company, your co-workers, and your processYou are ready to jump in with both feet to try new methods and learn from your mistakesYou are comfortable working in the ambiguous “fuzzy front end”You are a strategic thinker who looks not only at the stated problem but at the space around itYou are proactive and open to changing research plans on the fly based on new informationYou have strong communication skills and can get your ideas across to engineers, industrial designers, and marketers alikeYou link everything back to our core end user’s activities and needs to provide insight for developing breakthrough productsYou are a team player, focused on bringing the team along on the journeyYou have passion for the importance of user insights in the product development process and are ready to champion those insightsYou are comfortable facilitating both conversations with multi-disciplinary teams and co-creation sessions with usersYou make non-obvious connections and revel in talking about ideasYou are proficient in Microsoft Office, online collaboration tools such as Mural or Miro, and have some experience with editing video and 2D softwareEducation and Experience Requirements:Master’s degree in Psychology, Anthropology, Sociology, Industrial Design, Graphic Design, Business, or Engineering plus 3 years’ experience, or Bachelor’s degree in the same fields plus 5 years of experience (including internships)Minimum 3 years’ experience in product development with an understanding of innovation and design thinkingMinimum 3 years’ experience using qualitative research methods including observation, interviewing, co-creation, participatory design, and design sprints25-40% overnight domestic travelMust have a valid driver's licenseUpon an interview, must be prepared to present on a project and its methodologyMilwaukee Tool is an equal opportunity employer.Milwaukee Tool is an equal opportunity employer.