Mixed-Methods Innovation Researcher (Future Contract Opportunities)

HighlineBeta is building a roster of Researchers with various levels of experience who would be interested in working with us on a contract basis when client demand requires to help our corporate clients define and design future businesses through design research practices. If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, please apply below: 

Roster of curious, creative, and driven researchers who are interested in working with us on a contract basis as client demand requires. In this role, you'll work alongside our team to help corporate clients define and design future businesses through design research practices, supporting project delivery during busy periods.

Your time will be split between activities such as generative research, evaluative research, solution prototyping and solution validation. The throughline to all these activities is that you thrive making sense of markets, people, products, and contexts that help inform the design of strategies, products, and new businesses.  

Responsibilities

These will vary based on the project, but sample responsibilities include:

• Conduct qualitative and quantitative user research and early discovery/problem validation/concept testing on new opportunities — interviewing, immersion, observation, early prototyping, surveys and more

• Create materials for user research testing (concepts, prototypes, landing pages, ads) using a variety of AI and digital tools 

• Operationalize research plans – writing screeners, recruiting participants, programming studies, and selecting participants

• Monitor and analyze market, competitive, and secondary research to identify trends, technological advances, and innovation opportunities

• Synthesize and rationalize research findings into actionable insights and recommendations

• Participate in client consulting, helping define the scope and plan for early-stage generative research projects

• Present and facilitate research findings among cross-functional internal and external teams, and train clients on Lean Startup, Design Thinking, and user research concepts

Qualifications

Required Experience & Skills

• Minimum of 2 years experience in design or user research, although we're looking to meet people with a range of experience levels

• Experience formulating and executing research plans

• Generative and evaluative research experience – knowing how to formulate a hypothesis and pick the right method/tool to validate it

• Mixed-methods (qualitative and quantitative) research experience

• Experience creating artifacts for digital user testing (concept tests, prototypes, wireframes)

• Experience with research recruiting methods and tools

• Experience with market research (competitive landscape, industry research)

• Strong written and verbal communication

• Experience building deliverables and translating research findings into product and design roadmaps

Nice-to-haves

• Background in research of digital products

• Experience building high fidelity prototypes such as clickable sites and tools using AI tools

• Experience and comfort working with and presenting to senior corporate stakeholders

• Experience with B2B audiences

Process

Whilst our intent is to build a roster for future projects, we'd like to complete an initial assessment to confirm alignment with the skills required and mutual relationship fit before demand requires it. As such, following a successful application, the process will be:

• Initial screening (c. 15 minute phone call)

• 1 hour interview on experience and methodologies. This stage will also include either a portfolio review or discussion of a brief take home task, which would be discussed during the application interview.

Learn more and apply