Lead Researcher

About the job

Position - Lead Design Researcher

Duration - 3 months

Location - You will need to relocate to the customer's office in Europe

Rate - Open to negotiation

We're looking for a Lead Design Researcher who can do more than uncover user insights and help our client build and embed user research capability within their own organisation.

You'll work directly with client teams across financial services, technology, and eCommerce environments, helping them mature their approach to human-centred design. This includes designing and running research projects, coaching internal teams, creating frameworks and playbooks, and shaping research-driven decision-making at both product and strategy levels.

This role blends hands-on research delivery with strategic enablement — enabling clients to run robust, scalable, and ethical research long after your engagement ends.

Key Responsibilities

• Assess a client's current research maturity, tools, processes, and governance to identify growth opportunities.
• Plan and conduct research (qualitative and quantitative) to model best practices while co-creating with internal teams.
• Mentor designers, PMs, and stakeholders in research methods, synthesis techniques, and evidence-based decision-making.
• Develop reusable frameworks, templates, and guidance materials to institutionalise research capability.
• Ensure insights flow into product roadmaps, service design, and strategic planning cycles.
• Support the setup of repositories, data compliance standards, and tools such as Dovetail, Maze, or Miro.
• Help senior leaders and delivery teams appreciate the strategic value of user insight in digital transformation.

Essential:

• 5 + years of experience in UX or design research.
• Proven track record in building or scaling design research capability inside organisations.
• Expertise in qualitative research (e.g. interviews, contextual inquiry, diary studies) with strong synthesis and storytelling skills.
• Strong communication and facilitation skills — able to run workshops, coach teams, and present confidently to senior stakeholders.
• Experience working in agile or product-led environments, bridging design, technology, and strategy.