Market Research Associate

Protolabs•Maple Plain, MN

4d•$59,800 - $79,700•Hybrid

About The Position

As a Market Research Associate at Protolabs, you will build a strong foundation in market intelligence by supporting and leading a variety of qualitative and quantitative research initiatives. In this role, you will help uncover customer, market, and industry insights that directly inform business decisions across the organization. You will serve as a key voice of the customerâtranslating feedback, behavior, and market trends into clear, actionable insights that reduce risk, influence priorities, inspire strategic direction, and fuel company growth. Your work will empower teams to make dataâdriven decisions and strengthen Protolabsâ understanding of customer needs in a rapidly evolving digital manufacturing landscape. This is a hybrid role being onsite at HQ in Maple Plain, MN on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

Requirements

Bachelorâs Degree OR equivalent experience in liue of degree
2+ years of business experience in a market research role
Experience discovering customer insights through analyzing and synthesizing qualitative and quantitative information
Working knowledge of quantitative research techniques such as Concept Testing, Max/Diff, Conjoint, etc.
Experience programming and analyzing surveys in an online platform
Excellent project management skills: Able to prioritize and own multiple complex projects with little assistance and execute from start to completion, paying strong attention to detail and accuracy
Strong communication skills (verbal and written/visual) to create and deliver compelling presentations of insights to teams, senior management and customers across technology platforms
Demonstrate strong collaboration with the ability to effectively communicate across multiple levels within the organization in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment
Ability to use survey tools to design and execute surveys
Comfort analyzing survey data and bringing insights to life in an actionable way
Comfort interviewing people - moderating and focus group skills
Expert ability to effectively use a computer, including MS Office suite and web browsers

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated ability to design and conduct research, draw insights from primary and secondary sources, and translate information into actions and recommendations to meet the overall research objectives that are highly impactful to the business
Ability to problem solve with a mind to data integrity, including identifying and overcoming conflicting research or inaccurate data
Leverage storytelling to explain facts, data or other information and providing actionable recommendations to enhance decision making to grow the business
Experience with organizing and maintaining qualitative platforms including online communities
UX specific research experience
B2B and/or manufacturing experience

Responsibilities

Champion the Voice of the Customer (VOC): Serve as a trusted advocate for customer needs and perspectives, ensuring they shape decisions across the organization.
Drive InsightâLed Collaboration: Partner closely with internal teams and customers to translate research findings into actionable recommendations that influence strategy and improve experiences.
Lead and Support Primary Research Projects: Execute a variety of qualitative and quantitative studies that uncover insights into customer expectations, behaviors, and preferencesâhelping Protolabs deliver bestâinâclass service across all offerings.
Own EndâtoâEnd Research Activities, including: Designing surveys, writing questionnaires, programming and fielding studies, analyzing results, and communicating insights. Facilitating customer and internal stakeholder interviews, leading focus groups, synthesizing themes, and presenting clear and compelling findings.
Manage Global Customer Satisfaction Tracking: Oversee the continuous measurement of customer satisfaction worldwide, ensuring the business has a pulse on customer health and emerging trends.
Build and Maintain a Customer Advisory Board: Lead the ongoing development and engagement of our online advisory community, enabling deeper customer relationships and continuous feedback loops.