Senior Design Researcher & Strategy Leader

Highland US; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 132,000 - 142,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental & vision insurance

401k retirement plan

Unlimited sick time

9 paid company holidays

4 weeks of paid time off

Professional development time

Learning stipend

Fully paid parental leave

Disability and life insurance

Job summary

Highland, a Chicago-based digital product and innovation consultancy, seeks a Lead Design Researcher & Strategist. You will lead design research from discovery to synthesis, translating insights into actionable product concepts and strategy, while guiding client teams and mentoring colleagues.

The role emphasizes driving research-led design, shaping GTM plans, and advancing the firm’s thought leadership in design strategy across the US market.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of human-centered, exploratory/generative research experience.
• Strong experience in coaching and mentoring on Design Thinking methods.
• Excellent written, visual, and verbal communication skills.
• Fluent English required; additional languages a plus.

Responsibilities

• Execute product/design research from planning through reports, with research plans and recruitment as needed.
• Define and synthesize insights to inform ideation, concepts, and value propositions for user co-creation.
• Lead project teams, manage timelines, deliverables, and budgets.
• Contribute to GTM planning and roadmap priorities with design development.
• Mentor team members and deepen client relationships.

Skills

Design research

Mentorship

Client management

Communication

English fluency

Quantitative research

US work authorization

Education

Undergraduate degree in design/related field + advanced degree (optional)

Tools

Excel

Google Analytics

Tableau

Job description

Highland, a Chicago-based digital product and innovation consultancy, seeks a Lead Design Researcher & Strategist. You will lead design research from discovery to synthesis, translating insights into actionable product concepts and strategy, while guiding client teams and mentoring colleagues.

The role emphasizes driving research-led design, shaping GTM plans, and advancing the firm’s thought leadership in design strategy across the US market.