Design Strategy & Research Associate (Health Innovation)

University of Pennsylvania; United (PA); On-site; USD 59,000 - 81,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Pennsylvania seeks an Associate Design Strategist to manage complex, design-led projects in the CHIBE Design Core Lab. You will apply human-centered and service design to define opportunities and translate insights into actionable strategies.

You will collaborate with Penn faculty and external partners, develop design artifacts, and help disseminate findings through papers and briefs. The role emphasizes stakeholder management, rigorous qualitative analysis, and ethical design

Qualifications

• Professional experience conducting service design projects demonstrating the ability to complete complex, thoughtful, and timely work with colleagues, clients or stakeholders.
• Design-related degree or equivalent industry experience; Experience with design research methods, including user interviews, ethnography, contextual inquiries, usability testing, surveys, or desk research.

Responsibilities

• Lead professional service design projects with complex stakeholders and timelines.
• Apply design research methods including user interviews, ethnography, contextual inquiries, usability testing, surveys, or desk research.
• Code and analyze qualitative data; translate findings into actionable insights.
• Create artifacts like design research reports, user journey maps, workflow diagrams, blueprints.
• Facilitate workshops, feedback sessions, and participatory design with internal and external participants.
• Document design-informed insights for papers, briefs, and policy engagement.
• Communicate findings and actionable recommendations to diverse audiences.
• Plan and conduct research activities to advance project objectives independently.

Skills

Service design

Design research methods

User interviews

Ethnography

Usability testing

Communication skills

Human-centered design

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor of Science with 3-5 years experience

Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Arts with 5-7 years or Master of Science/Master of Arts with 3-5 years

Job description

University of Pennsylvania seeks an Associate Design Strategist to manage complex, design-led projects in the CHIBE Design Core Lab. You will apply human-centered and service design to define opportunities and translate insights into actionable strategies.

You will collaborate with Penn faculty and external partners, develop design artifacts, and help disseminate findings through papers and briefs. The role emphasizes stakeholder management, rigorous qualitative analysis, and ethical design