Lead Design Researcher

humana; United States; Remote; USD 130,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance bonus

Health coverage

Retirement savings

Paid time off

Leave programs

Job summary

Humana is seeking a Lead Researcher to guide studies across the product design lifecycle, shaping Medicare experiences from exploration through implementation. You will partner with design, product, analytics, and engineering to translate insights into prioritized product work in an agile environment.

The role requires advanced research leadership, strong communication, and the ability to mentor teams while aligning research with business goals. Remote work within the United States is supported.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or higher in a research-related field (e.g., HCI, design, psychology, anthropology, or cognitive science).
• At least eight years leading design research in innovation, human-centered design, or digital products.
• At least five years independently managing research programs.
• Experience with a range of UX and design research methods, design thinking, and agile development.
• Strong communication, problem-solving, coaching, and management skills.

Responsibilities

• Plan and lead research programs across the product design lifecycle, including current-state studies, concept evaluation, and usability testing.
• Recruit and screen participants, prepare research plans and interview guides, and help colleagues run their own studies.
• Collaborate with design and product partners to explore future experiences using storyboards, wireframes, and other concept materials.
• Synthesize findings into insights, provide recommendations, and backlog input; communicate implications through stories and artifacts.
• Collaborate with customers, operators, and leaders to develop and assess improvements against user needs and business priorities.

Skills

UX research methods

Design thinking

Agile product development

Communication

Coaching

Management

Education

Master's degree in a research-related field

Job description

Role overview

Lead research that helps shape clear, connected healthcare experiences for Medicare consumers. You'll guide studies from early exploration and problem framing through concept development, testing, and implementation, turning what you learn into product priorities and experience improvements. The work spans research, design, product, analytics, and engineering in an agile environment.

Responsibilities

• Plan and lead research programs across the product design lifecycle, including current-state studies, concept evaluation, and usability testing.
• Recruit and screen participants, prepare research plans and interview guides, and help colleagues run their own studies.
• Work with design and product partners to explore future experiences using storyboards, wireframes, and other concept materials.
• Synthesize findings into insights, recommendations, and backlog input; communicate implications through clear stories and artifacts.
• Collaborate with customers, operators, and leaders to develop and assess experience improvements against user needs and business priorities.

Requirements

• Master's degree or higher in a research-related field, such as human-computer interaction, design, psychology, anthropology, or cognitive science.
• At least eight years leading design research in innovation, human-centered design, or digital products.
• At least five years independently managing research programs.
• Experience with a range of UX and design research methods, design thinking, and agile product development.
• Strong communication, problem-solving, coaching, and management skills.
• U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residency; immigration sponsorship is not available.

Nice to have

• Experience in the health insurance industry.

Benefits and work setup

• Remote within the United States, with work generally aligned to Eastern Time and occasional travel for meetings or training.
• Full-time schedule of 40 hours per week. Home internet must support at least 25 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload, and work requires a dedicated space suitable for protecting confidential health information.
• Eligible for a performance-based bonus plan and benefits that include health coverage, retirement savings, paid time off, and leave programs.