(USA) Senior, Design Researcher

Walmart; Bentonville (AR); On-site; USD 90,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking team dedicated to transforming retail through innovative technologies. As part of the Emerging Tech team, you will drive the adoption of cutting-edge solutions like conversational AI and AR/VR, enhancing customer experiences for millions. Your role will involve user research, data analysis, and collaboration with stakeholders to create impactful product experiences. This dynamic environment fosters creativity and continuous learning, making it an exciting opportunity for those passionate about technology and user-centric design. Be part of a team that shapes the future of retail and delivers value-driven insights aligned with a mission of operational excellence.

Benefits

Medical Coverage

Vision Coverage

Dental Coverage

401(k)

Stock Purchase Plan

Paid Time Off

Parental Leave

Family Care Leave

Jury Duty Leave

Voting Leave

Qualifications

• 3+ years in user research or design research roles in a dynamic environment.
• Proficient in qualitative and quantitative research methods.

Responsibilities

• Conduct user research to uncover behaviors and needs.
• Design and execute usability tests to validate design assumptions.

Skills

User Research

Data Analysis

Usability Testing

Stakeholder Management

Communication Skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Human-Computer Interaction

Master's degree in Design or Psychology

Tools

Design Research Tools

Web Analytics

Job description

Position Summary

The Emerging Tech team is passionate about solving customer and associate problems with the newest technologies. The team is responsible for creating breakthrough capabilities, delivering frictionless experiences and making these technologies easily available to thousands of Walmart developers and 2.2 million associates. The applications and services built on these capabilities are used by hundreds of millions of customers daily.

Emerging Tech at Walmart, you will be instrumental in shaping the future of retail by driving the adoption of innovative technologies such as conversational AI, AR/VR, and spatial computing. You will be part of the Walmart Emerging Tech team, which is dedicated to transforming the retail experience through breakthrough technologies. The team focuses on providing new experiences and capabilities, enabling teams across the company to create and deliver new product experiences, including virtual experiences for fashion and home, virtual assistants for customers, and turn-by-turn navigation for shoppers in stores.

What you'll do...

• User Discovery & Research
  • Conduct qualitative and quantitative user research (interviews, surveys, contextual inquiries) to uncover user behaviors, needs, and pain points.
  • Develop user journeys, storyboards, and mapping techniques to visualize research findings.
  • Analyze existing data sources (e.g., web analytics, user surveys, customer support interactions) to identify gaps between business expectations and user experience.
• Design Research & Data Analysis
  • Propose and refine research hypotheses to guide project planning and execution.
  • Implement rigorous data validation processes to ensure accuracy and reliability.
  • Translate research insights into actionable recommendations that inform design decisions and business strategies.
• Stakeholder Management & Functional Partnership
  • Identify, map, and analyze key stakeholders, understanding their technical needs and business contexts.
  • Engage with both internal and external partners to share insights and align on research objectives.
  • Prepare clear, concise, and fact-based reports to build consensus and drive cross-functional collaboration.
• Usability Testing & Iteration
  • Design and execute user acceptance tests (alpha, beta) to validate design assumptions.
  • Develop comprehensive testing scenarios, documentation, and guidelines to support iterative design improvements.
  • Leverage testing outcomes to optimize user experience and process efficiency.
• Influence & Leadership
  • Communicate complex research insights effectively through verbal, nonverbal, and written mediums.
  • Build and maintain productive relationships with team members and business partners.
  • Foster a culture of respect, integrity, and continuous learning to drive team performance and customer satisfaction.
  • Act as a servant leader by guiding peers, mentoring colleagues, and supporting organizational best practices.
• Customer Focus & Strategic Impact
  • Understand customer and business problems through journey mapping and process optimization.
  • Anticipate product enhancements by identifying risks and opportunities in the user experience.
  • Deliver value-driven insights that align with the company’s mission of customer-centric innovation and operational excellence.

Expected Qualifications

• Education & Experience
  • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Design, Psychology, Sociology, or a related field.
  • Proven track record (typically 3+ years) in user research, design research, or a similar role in a dynamic, multi-stakeholder environment.
• Technical & Research Skills
  • Expertise in qualitative and quantitative research methods, including user interviews, surveys, and usability testing.
  • Proficiency in data analysis techniques with experience in analyzing web analytics, user data, and customer feedback.
  • Familiarity with modern design research tools and frameworks for mapping user journeys and creating storyboards.
• Stakeholder & Communication Skills
  • Strong ability to identify and engage key stakeholders across diverse functional areas.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex insights in a clear, concise manner.
  • Experience in building consensus and influencing cross-functional teams to adopt data-driven insights.

Models compliance with company policies and procedures and supports company mission values and standards of ethics and integrity.

At Walmart, we offer competitive pay as well as performance-based bonus awards and other great benefits for a happier mind, body, and wallet. Health benefits include medical, vision and dental coverage. Financial benefits include 401(k), stock purchase and company-paid life insurance. Paid time off benefits include PTO (including sick leave), parental leave, family care leave, bereavement, jury duty, and voting.

The annual salary range for this position is $117,000.00-$234,000.00 in Sunnyvale, California and $90,000.00-$180,000.00 in Bentonville, Arkansas. Additional compensation includes annual or quarterly performance bonuses.

Minimum Qualifications

Outlined below are the required minimum qualifications for this position. If none are listed, there are no minimum qualifications.

• Option 1: Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, or related area and 5 years’ experience in product management.
• Option 2: 7 years’ experience in product management or related area.

Preferred Qualifications

Outlined below are the optional preferred qualifications for this position. If none are listed, there are no preferred qualifications.

• Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Business Administration, or related area and 4 years’ experience as a product manager, ideally working on consumer-facing, large-scale, highly complex B2B/C products.

Primary Location

2501 Se J Street Suite 6, Bentonville, AR 72712-7722, United States of America