Director, UX Research

About us 

We turn customer challenges into growth opportunities.   

Material is a global strategy partner to the world’s most recognizable brands and innovative companies. Our people around the globe thrive by helping organizations design and deliver rewarding customer experiences.  

We use deep human insights, design innovation and data to create experiences powered by modern technology. Our approaches speed engagement and growth for the companies we work with and transform relationships between businesses and the people they serve.  

About UX Research at Material 

Our mission is to create transformative customer experiences lies in our growing UX research and design practice - a diverse group of designers, thinkers, and creators spread across the globe. We don't just design; we tell stories, we unravel complexities, and we create omnichannel experiences that resonate. Our projects span from reimagining digital interfaces for Fortune 500 companies to implementing new mobile experiences for fast-growing startups. To provide top-tier service to our broad array of clients, we pay special attention to the selection and application of various dynamic research methodologies and study designs that inform tailored, groundbreaking solutions to meet the unique needs of each research project. 

Material’s UX Researchers bridge the gap between rich insights and actionable design, turning data points into compelling screen-based user experiences. Rather than relying on trends or personal taste, this team delves into data, user feedback, and business objectives to inform and propose solutions. Then, they partner with technologists, engineers and product managers to bring designs to market through an agile methodology. Projects range in scope and type, from new-to-the-world app and website creation, to feature enhancements and optimizations for existing products, to the creation of new design language systems and more.

About the Director, UX Research role 

We are seeking an experienced Director of UX Research as an end-to-end driver and people manager on qualitative projects for a major tech client and various other custom client projects. As a Director within the Design practice, you will be expected to uphold the standards for high-quality UX research, ensuring the team you lead, the research you conduct and insights and recommendations you deliver improve the experience of users and support product and business goals. 

As Director, UX Research you will 

Management:

• Stay with projects from start to near finish as a member of the business operating team (BOT)

• Manage and oversee the work of Senior or Associate UX Researchers 

• Partner with an Associate Director to assist you in carrying out the day to day functions and operations of the team

• Keep abreast of research industry standards and developments and act as a long-term point of reference and design research and user experience advocate both internally and externally

• Participate in product design leadership meetings, design research team meetings, further developing the processes and activities for our business unit

• Participate in new business pitches
   

Product Discovery & Definition:

• Direct the discovery phase with a multi-disciplinary team including content strategists, ux copywriters, design researchers, product designers and client teams 

• Conduct stakeholder interviews and worksessions to deduce key business goals and KPIs

• Conduct user interviews and baseline testing 

• Leading both generative and evaluative research, producing a range of deliverables not limited to heuristics analysis, archetypes, competitive research, experience mapping, user journeys, user flows 

• Visualize research insights into a more digestible fashion in both presentation decks and tools such as miro 

• You will tie research insights directly to opportunities and co-conduct opportunity prioritization working sessions 

Product Design Phase:

• Collaborate with design in brainstorming and whiteboarding sessions

• Ensure design research insights and opportunities are carried through in design 

• Conduct usability testing and product concept testing and present findings throughout the agile design process 

• Compare baseline findings to prototype testing findings

• Co-conduct working sessions and workshops throughout the design process 

About You 

• You are kind, insightful, analytical, curious, eager, collaborative, empathetic, adaptive, communicative, experienced

• You not only solve problems given to you, you strategically solve problems that may be unseen by others

• You thoroughly understand the purpose of UX/Design Research within an agile human-centered design approach and have experience shaping this discipline within the product design context, bringing your unique points-of-view to the table 

• You are a leader who drives projects forward, supporting client team integration & collaboration

• You partner with other leaders and Directors within the practice in a collaborative and synergistic manner

• You work beyond the template of classic design research deliverables to create what is necessary and useful to any given project 

• You know how to create compelling stories, tying research insights to design initiatives both verbally and visually 

• You have background in UX Direction 

• You lead with qualitative research, but have direct experience supporting with quantitative insights 

• You are able to see the big picture

• An eye for how to identify and surface new opportunities with current clients.

• Strategic and nimble thinker who can rapidly ideate and assist with contributing to business growth. 

Required Research Skills

• You have 10+ years of related experience and a portfolio showing UX Research process and direction leading to innovative deliverables

• Required: 5+ years experience managing a team of UX Researchers and multiple projects simultaneously with an exceptional track record of building and empowering your team to help them grow and succeed, including establishing and streamlining workflows and operations. 

• Experience working and maintaining relationships with high-profile tech industry clients.

• Expert qualitative or mixed methods UX Researcher capable of conducting and/or managing rapid wave research with quick turnarounds, at times, possibly working on several projects at once. 

• Experienced in designing, facilitating and moderating qualitative or mixed methods research. 

• Candidates should be experienced and well versed in foundational, generative, evaluative and exploratory research. 

• Highly skilled in a broad array of research methodologies, including but not limited to: interview, survey, thematic analysis, diary studies, usability testing, focus groups, prototype testing, participant observation, persona creation, journey mapping, and UX heuristic evaluation.

• Expert at owning the entire research process end-to-end with minimal oversight. 

• Developing discussion guides, conducting research and analysis, writing/reading out the report, etc. 

• A confident communicator with both internal cross-functional teams and external clients. 

• Candidates will be responsible for client communications and expected to maintain a professional and collaborative relationship, incorporating client feedback and guidance into the work in progress. 

• Strong slide deck building and presentation skills.

• Research investigations include: usability, discoverability, accessibility, concept testing and overall user sentiment on UIs and various feature prototypes.

• Impeccable written and verbal communication, facilitation, and interpersonal skills 

• Excellent presentation and persuasion skills. 

• Experienced with Figma, Miro and other digital visualization or collaboration tools. 

• Highly experienced with various research and communication platforms (Google Meet, Discuss.io, UserTesting, etc.). 

• Highly experienced with study recruitment processes and/or working with recruitment vendors

• Team spirit; strong communication skills to collaborate and help lead various stakeholders and team members both in person and remotely. Effectively requests and receives feedback, developing cross-disciplinary trusted relationships. 

• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills, ability to translate user needs into effective design solutions. 

• Excellent time and project management skills. 

• Experience with creating standards, processes, procedures and documentation that will enhance the UX Research team and client experience overall.  

• Bachelor's or Master’s Degree in UX Research or related field (psychology, information science, UX design, computer science, etc.)

Why work for Material? 

In addition to fulfilling, high-impact work, company culture and benefits are integral to determining if a job is a right fit for you. Here’s a bit about who we are and highlights around what we offer. 

Who We Are & What We Care About 

• Material is a global company and we work with best-of-class brands worldwide.  We also create and launch new brands and products, putting innovation and value creation at the center of our practice. Our clients are in the top of their class, across industry sectors from technology to retail, transportation, finance and healthcare. 

• Material employees join a peer group of exceptionally talented colleagues across the company, the country, and even the world. We develop capabilities, craft and leading-edge market offerings across seven global practices including strategy and insights, design, data & analytics, technology and tracking. Our engagement management team makes it all hum for clients.  

• We prize inclusion and interconnectedness. We amplify our impact through the people, perspectives, and expertise we engage in our work. Our commitment to deep human understanding combined with a science & systems approach uniquely equips us to bring a rich frame of reference to our work. 

• A community focused on learning and making an impact. Material is an outcomes focused company. We create experiences that matter, create new value and make a difference in people's lives.  

What We Offer 

In addition to Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Disability and FSA, Material offers: 

• A work environment that works best for you. Whether that’s fully remote, in one of our offices, or hybrid.

• Flexible & synchronous time off. We trust our colleagues to take responsibility for and manage their workloads. That’s why we offer Flexible Time Off along with synchronous companywide closures and 11 company holidays.   

• 12 weeks of paid parental leave. Every parent deserves to spend the first few months of their new child’s life with them. 

• Help planning for your future. We offer 401K match, as well as periodic financial wellness and planning sessions throughout the year.  

Pay Range: $94,600.00-150,100.00

The range shown represents a grouping of relevant ranges currently in use at Material. Actual range for this position may differ, depending on location and specific skillset required for the work itself. 

Equal Employment Opportunity

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other factors prohibited by law.

Privacy Statement

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