2026 Graduate - Design Strategist - Design Thinking Group

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory • Laurel, MD

74d • $85,000 - $155,000

About The Position

Do you get energized by working with teams to tackle difficult challenges and rapidly deliver user-centered solutions? Are you motivated by delivering high-impact products and experiences that solve complex problems? Do you have a growing understanding of design methodologies and are you looking to learn more about innovation? If so, we're looking for someone like you to join our Design Thinking team at APL. APL's Design Thinking Group is a team of engineers, designers, creatives, and makers dedicated to tackling some of the nation's most complex security challenges. By applying Human-Centered Design (HCD) and Design Thinking (DT) methodologies, we immerse ourselves in user environments, partner with government and industry leaders, and rapidly develop impactful product concepts and user experiences. We believe the best solutions emerge from authentic collaboration, intellectual humility, and unrelenting curiosity. Above all, we remain focused on the human at the center of every challenge. We are seeking innovative partners to join our multi-functional teams working across the front-end of innovation (FEI) continuum-from immersive discovery of unmet needs, to solution landscaping, to concept development.

Requirements

• BA/BFA/BS or MA/MS in a relevant field, including Industrial Design, Mechanical Engineering, Human Factors Engineering, Interaction Design, User Experience Design, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Web Development, Game Development, Human Computer Interaction or equivalent.
• An understanding of how to use human-centered design frameworks as an approach to problem solving.
• Experience planning, conducting, and communicating user research findings to a group of partners.
• Experience planning and/or conducting both qualitative and quantitative research.
• Are able to obtain an Interim Secret level security clearance by your start date and can ultimately obtain Secret level clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.
• Willingness to travel up to 25% of the time. Locations are TBD, but include Naval Bases, Research Locations, and meeting in geographies such as San Diego, Hawaii, Norfolk, Groton, and San Francisco.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in federal government, federal government consulting, or equivalent.
• Familiarity with leading collaboration methodologies from industry.
• Strong visual, written, and/or oral story-telling capabilities.
• Experience quoting and planning complex front-end innovation projects in a consulting or design firm environment.
• Product or project management experience and/or credentials.
• An active Secret security clearance or above.
• Experience with Agile and other development methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with talented teammates to build empathy through research and shape every aspect of end-to-end product and experience design.
• Advocate for human-centered design across APL, empowering others to apply these approaches to their work.
• Translate complex problems into clear opportunities and deliver novel, human-centric solutions.
• Be an integral member of the Design Thinking Group, working in multi-disciplinary teams to generate creative concepts and solutions for our customers.
• Apply your understanding of engineering and design principles, contextual inquiry, and user research to inform product requirements and design direction.
• Identify insights and opportunities from user research, connecting the dots between user groups, workflows, and emerging technologies.
• Simplify complexity-turning research findings into clear, compelling, and actionable outcomes.
• Seek out opportunities to solve problems in unexpected and innovative ways.
• Balance great design with the realities of fast-moving projects and tight timelines.
• Continuously refine your process, sharpening both your craft and strategic thinking.
• Leverage your skills in design, development, and prototyping to bring concepts to life.
• Use generative and collaborative methods to explore a wide range of design decisions and scenarios.
• Create compelling pitches, stories, presentations, and workshops that engage teammates and customers alike.

Benefits

• Generous benefits, including a robust education assistance program.
• Unparalleled retirement contributions.
• Healthy work/life balance.
• Comprehensive benefits package including retirement plans, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, education assistance, and training and development.

What This Job Offers

• Industry: Educational Services
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees