Job Title: Qualitative Researcher & Design Strategist
Location: Remote (New York, NY)
Duration: 6 months

The Devices and Services Design Research team is looking for a researcher to help drive cultural and innovation research work streams. The teams work helps our design and product partners situate emerging technologies within a deep understanding of enduring and emerging human needs, cultural trends, and broader systems (e.g., STEEP analysis). We identify the shifts and needs that will shape the future relationships people will have with technologies in the next 3–5 years and the opportunities for device and service innovation within them.

Responsibilities

• Analysis of primary qualitative and quantitative research data into clear, compelling insights, recommendations, or other durable frameworks
• Crafting visually compelling, persuasive presentations with the insights using Figma, other visual design programs or other AI platforms
• Help socialize and activate the research and its impact within the organization through presentations, workshops, working sessions, or creative artifacts (e.g., speculative concepts, design briefs)
• Collaborate with product and design partners as needed to translate long-term insights and implications into near-term experiences and actions
• Collaborate with research partners to learn from their existing research and knowledge and identify opportunities to extend the team's work into research questions or topics of exploration for product-line research roadmaps

 
Basic Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in the field of research, with a focus on early, generative design research that informs long-term business strategy, ideally in the digital products and services industry
• Experience translating and creatively activating insights via design principles, strategic frameworks, scenarios, design provocations, and immersion workshops
• Working knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methods, with deep expertise in ethnographic, semiotic, co-design, and design research methods
• Ability to travel internationally to conduct in-context, in-person research (e.g., home, workplace, office) as needed
• A portfolio that illustrates how your research has informed strategic decision-making, with a focus on innovation initiatives

 
Preferred Qualifications

• Excellent written communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills; the ability to communicate complex concepts clearly and persuasively across different audiences and varying levels of the organization
• Strong design acumen and comfort working with AI and other design tools to create research outputs (e.g., Figma-based presentations, trend reports) and activation materials (e.g., scenarios, design prompt cards)
• Experience with emerging technologies (e.g., AI, XR) and multimodal device interaction (e.g., touch, voice, and mediated control)

 
 
At SPECTRAFORCE, we are committed to maintaining a workplace that ensures fair compensation and wage transparency in adherence with all applicable state and local laws. This position’s starting pay is: $ 60.00/daily.