Design Researcher

Milwaukee Tool•Brookfield, MT

About The Position

The Design Researcher is part of Milwaukee Tool’s collaborative, user-centered design and technology development group, focused on the early stages of product development. The role informs and influences business direction through strategic and functional research findings. The researcher leads research efforts with engineers, industrial designers, and product managers to inspire and influence decision-makers on new solutions for the construction industry. The position involves researching construction trades and users’ work contexts, developing relationships with end users, and translating research into insights and opportunities for product features, functionality, and business approaches. The researcher also facilitates hands-on evaluations and collaborative workshops, and communicates findings to stakeholders through engaging presentations and events.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Anthropology, Sociology, Industrial Design, Graphic Design, Business, or Engineering plus three years of experience, or a master’s degree in one of those fields plus at least one year of experience, including internships.
At least one year of product development experience, with an understanding of innovation and design thinking.
At least one year of experience using qualitative research methods, including observation, interviewing, and contextual inquiry.
Able to travel domestically overnight 25–40%.
Valid driver’s license required.
Must be prepared to present a project and its methodology during an interview.

Responsibilities

Design and execute multi-faceted research plans, including qualitative discovery research on jobsites, primary and secondary research into competitive products, and field evaluation of mock-ups and preliminary concept prototypes.
Build, grow, and maintain a network of users to understand their evolving needs and work contexts.
Establish strong relationships with end users to support discovery research, co-creation, and candid feedback.
Analyze and synthesize research findings into insights that inform new features, functionality, and business approaches.
Plan and facilitate hands-on tool evaluations, team workshops, and analysis sessions.
Present research findings to business stakeholders through concise and engaging presentations and events, using photos, video, diagrams, storytelling, and demonstrations.