Principal Design Researcher
Job Title: Principal Design Researcher
Location: London, UK (3 days a week Work from the office.)
Job Type: Permanent
Mandatory: Our client is looking for local British Citizens only.
Experience:
Role Overview:
As a Principal Design Researcher, you will lead the integration of design and research to shape the next generation of AI-powered products.
You will champion user-centered discovery, ensuring that every design decision is informed by deep insights into user behavior, psychology, and context.
This role requires a thought leader who can blend design excellence with rigorous UX research, driving company-wide initiatives that make the Descrial product ecosystem smarter, more intuitive, and more valuable for users.
You will focus on guiding product lifecycle strategies—activation, retention, and expansion—through evidence-based design research, experimentation, and system thinking.
Roles and Responsibilities:
- Lead strategic UX research programs across product lifecycles (activation, retention, renewal) to uncover unmet user needs.
- Proactively identify opportunities where research insights can transform user experience and business outcomes.
- Design and execute mixed-method research (qualitative and quantitative) including interviews, usability testing, surveys, ethnographic studies, and behavioral analytics.
- Translate research findings into actionable design strategies, user journeys, and product recommendations.
- Partner with Product Designers, Product Managers, and Engineers to embed research into product development.
- Develop scalable research frameworks, playbooks, and systems that ensure repeatable excellence.
- Establish style standards and design principles informed by user evidence.
- Maintain an iterative mindset—continuously testing, learning, and refining.
- Advocate for the voice of the user across the organization, backing opinions with strong logic and data.
- Review product requirements and technical documents to provide meaningful, research-driven feedback.
Prerequisites:
- Deep expertise in UX research methodologies (qualitative & quantitative).
- At least 3 years of leadership experience in UX research, guiding teams and influencing product strategy.
- Strong knowledge of human interaction design and usability principles.
- Balanced mindset regarding functional, aesthetically pleasing, and evidence-based design.
- Proficiency with design and research tools (Figma, Adobe Suite, UserTesting, Dovetail, Optimal Workshop, or similar).
- Demonstrated experience in technology product design and research.
- Experience working in Agile product environments.
Experience:
- 10+ years in UI/UX design and research, with a proven track record of leading research-driven design initiatives
- Minimum 3 years in UX research leadership roles, managing teams or programs.
Education:
Bachelor's degree in design, HCI, Psychology, Cognitive Science, Behavioral Science, or a related field from a premier institution. Advanced training in UX research or human-centered design is a plus.