Senior Design Researcher

Are you the right applicant for this opportunity Find out by reading through the role overview below.

Job Description :

Are you looking for a career with a growing company and the opportunity to help build the role of Design Research as a core competency for a business?

Looking for a challenging and quick paced environment? Then look no further than our Senior Design Researcher role for Milwaukee Tool.

Milwaukee Tool is an industry-leading manufacturer of heavy-duty power tools, accessories and hand tools for professional users worldwide.

Since the company began in 1924, Milwaukee Tool has led the industry in both durability and performance. With an unwavering commitment to the trades, Milwaukee continues to lead with a focus on providing innovative, trade-specific solutions.

Milwaukee takes the time to work side by side with real craftsmen to understand the demands of a constantly changing workplace and how they can best deliver solutions that help the user work both faster and smarter.

This user focus leads to solutions for real jobsite challenges and fuels the disruptive innovation seen across all product lines.

Milwaukee offers benefits on your first day of work (health, dental, vision, life insurance, 401k) and an excellent working environment that includes an on-site cafeteria, state of the art fitness facility, organized fitness classes, recreational sports leagues, and company outings.

You must be permanently eligible to work in the U.S. without sponsorship for this position.

Senior Design Researcher

The Design Research team at Milwaukee Tool sits within a collaborative user-centered design and technology development group focused on the fuzzy front end of product development.

We are tasked with informing the entrepreneurial spirit of the company, influencing and inspiring the direction of the business through strategic and functional findings.

In this role you will be leading the research efforts of highly collaborative and diverse teams of Engineers, Industrial Designers, and Product Managers to inspire and influence key decision makers on new solutions for the construction industry.

As a senior member of the team you will also provide leadership in developing new methods and approaches, championing Design Research and Design Thinking at Milwaukee Tool, and coaching and mentoring junior-level researchers as needed.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Design and conduct multi-faceted research plans to learn about all aspects of the construction trade.
• Build, grow, and maintain a network of users to understand their evolving needs and work context.
• Analyze and synthesize research findings into key insights that inform opportunities for new feature sets, functionalities, and business approaches.
• Plan and facilitate hands-on tool evaluations, team workshops, and analysis sessions.
• Present research findings in an engaging and concise manner to key stakeholders across the business.
• Experiment with new approaches and methodologies to achieve ingenious results.
• Champion the importance of User-Centered Design and Design Thinking throughout the company.
• Mentor and coach junior researchers as appropriate.

Required Skills

• You are curious about your research topic, the company, your co-workers, and your process.
• You are comfortable working in the ambiguous fuzzy front end.
• You are a strategic thinker who looks not only at the stated problem but at the space around it.
• You are proactive and open to changing research plans based on new information.
• You have strong communication skills and can articulate your ideas effectively.
• You link everything back to our core end user’s activities and needs.
• You are a team player, focused on collaboration.
• You are passionate about user insights in the product development process.
• You are comfortable facilitating conversations with multi-disciplinary teams.
• You are proficient in Microsoft Office and have some experience with editing video and 2D software.

Desired Skills

• Experience within a design consultancy is a plus.
• Some familiarity with quantitative research methodologies and data analysis.
• An appreciation of how quantitative and qualitative research methodologies play best together.
• Master’s degree preferred.

Education and Experience Requirements

• Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in relevant fields.
• Five years + experience in the fuzzy front end of product development.
• Five years + experience using qualitative research methods.
• 25-35% overnight domestic travel.
• Must be prepared to present on a project and its methodology during an interview.

Milwaukee Tool is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with a disability.

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