Senior UX Innovation Research Specialist

Opening / Selling Statement -

• We are currently recruiting a Senior Innovation Research Specialist to join our fast-paced Innovation team!
• We are seeking a highly skilled and innovative professional to join our multi-disciplinary team in the 0-1 phase of product development. The ideal candidate will be comfortable with ambiguity, have a strong background in research design methodologies and business case development. The Senior Innovation Research Specialist will use research tools and techniques to discover and synthesize market feedback and evaluate value propositions across concepts. They must be fluent in observational and qualitative research methods and bring ethnographic techniques that can be applied to both physical and virtual contexts. They will also support all research efforts around the iterative testing of desirability prototypes and the creation of compelling data-driven business cases.
• If you are a highly motivated and innovative Research Designer with a passion for 0-1 product development, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity to join our team and make a significant impact on our company's growth and success.

Required Skills - UX, Research, Product Innovation

Job Duties -

• Participate in the collaborative definition of the vision for new products, services or businesses.
• Have a robust catalog of experience design frameworks that they will be able to use on-the-fly based on circumstances and opportunities.
• Have strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to help make data-driven decisions.
• Be at ease with cross-functional teams, including product management, engineering, and marketing, to design and develop innovative product concepts and solutions.

How might we...

• define and select the correct methods/frameworks that generate the most value during workshops?
• build a precise financial plan that will speak for itself and be used as a target state for a novel product?
• help articulate clear hypotheses and design qualitative research efforts to test and evaluate those hypotheses?
• translate a vast amount of research inputs into weighted evidence that will enable the team to make decisions?

Job Requirements

• Located in Jersey City, NJ or Boston, MA and willing to be on site 3 days/wk.
• Conduct market research and analysis to identify opportunities for new product development in the 0-1 space, featuring in-depth competitive analysis and TAM/SAM/SOM calculations.
• Develop and execute research plans, including qualitative and quantitative methods, to gather data and insights on target markets, customer needs, and competitive landscapes.
• Create and present compelling business cases for new ideas, featuring market analysis, and pro forma financial statements, including ROI, P&L, FCF projections.
• Collaborate with the product management team to prioritize product features and develop and maintain a product roadmap, including short-term and long-term goals, milestones, and key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Mastery of design thinking workshop facilitation, following the Design Sprint format, both on-site and online using digital tools like Mural and Miro.
• Stellar communication skills and fluency in pitching creative concepts confidently to a range of stakeholders, both internal and external.
• Deep understanding of CX, including the ability to wireframe using tools like Figma or Balsamiq.
• Curious nature leading to continuously evaluating the frameworks and techniques being shared in the innovation, research, design and product ecosystems, ensuring our work remains cutting-edge and relevant.

Desired Skills & Experience

• 5+ years of professional experience as a Consultant, Researcher, Product Manager, Product Designer, Strategist, or equivalent roles.
• Proven ability to work in environments characterized by rapid change, ambiguity, and high expectations. E.g., Consulting Agencies focused on Innovation and Strategy, Founders or Founding contributors in venture-backed companies, Innovation departments from market leaders in their industries.
• Track record of innovation work, and a portfolio showcasing both the work done and the processes followed.