Design Insights & Validation Research Lead

HP•Vancouver, WA

26d•$93,400 - $143,800•Onsite

About The Position

This role leads end-to-end design research, insights, and validation to inform product, experience, and strategic decisions across hardware, software, and services. The Specialist applies advanced mixed-method approaches (qualitative and quantitative) to solve complex business problems, shape product direction, and influence cross-functional decision-making. The role operates with a high degree of independence, partnering closely with design, product, and engineering to ensure insights drive measurable experience improvements and business outcomes.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Human Factors, Psychology, Social Sciences, HCI, Design Research, or related field.
Typically 3–6 years of experience in UX research, design research, or market research.
Strong expertise in mixed-method research (qualitative + quantitative) and selecting appropriate methodologies for complex problems.
Curiosity to understand human behavior, especially with shifts in technology (physical and digital interactions) and evolving AI attitudes & behaviors.
Ability to frame ambiguous problems into structured research approaches and actionable outputs.
Advanced analytical and synthesis skills, translating data into clear, decision-oriented insights.
Strong understanding of user-centred design, validation frameworks, and experience metrics.
Experience influencing stakeholders and driving decisions through insights.
Proficiency with research platforms (e.g., UserTesting, Suzy, Qualtrics, or similar).
Familiarity with AI-assisted research tools (e.g., synthesis, survey generation, insight scaling) and curiosity to continuously learn more AI tools
Experience with remote, unmoderated, and scaled research methods.
Strong communication and storytelling skills, with ability to present to senior stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

Exposure to behavioural analytics or eye-tracking tools is a plus.

Responsibilities

Lead end-to-end research initiatives (qualitative + quantitative) from problem definition to insight delivery across multiple workstreams.
Design and execute advanced research studies (e.g., in-depth interviews, usability testing, surveys, concept validation, journey evaluation, and behavioral analytics) for complex and ambiguous problem spaces.
Synthesize insights into strategic recommendations, connecting user needs to product, design, and business decisions.
Drive customer centric mindset with exploration & validation of concepts, prototypes, and live experiences, ensuring clarity, usability, trust, and value of experiences.
Partner with cross-functional stakeholders (Design, Product, Engineering, Business) to influence roadmaps and decision-making with objectivity and actionable insights.
Act as a research lead on projects, guiding priorities, aligning stakeholders, and ensuring methodological rigor.
Contribute to and evolve research frameworks, tools, and best practices, including scaling insights across teams.
Mentor junior researchers or guide designers on research best practices, where applicable.
Ensure insights continuity through documentation, repositories, and reusable knowledge systems.