Design Researcher – Innovation Consultancy
Design Researcher
Kaiser Permanente/Innovation Consultancy Department
Oakland, CA
Kaiser Permanente is seeking a Design Researcher to use human-centered research methodologies to support design and service innovation projects as sponsored by KP entities. This role will lead an interdisciplinary team throughout the discovery phase of the design process: creating the research plan, leading field research, guiding synthesis, and crafting actionable insights. Although this role is anchored in ethnography, this person will participate in all phases the design/innovation process.
Core Responsibilities
Leads observation activities in the assigned area and reports to team providing insight into current practices.
Analyzes fieldwork data into insights, themes, frameworks, and opportunity areas
Creatively describes insights via presentations, graphics, writing, video editing, and illustrations
Uses insights to create innovative product and service ideas
Leads concept testing in the field
Participate in the planning of scope of project with team, including background research of the topic (from a design perspective) to be innovated around.
Additional Skills
Use human-centered and participatory design research methods and techniques
Empathetic and able to deeply connect with the people and contexts we're designing for
Curious to understand the unmet needs of the patients and providers
High degree of rigor but also experimental in approach and flexible in process
Strategic and thoughtful is imperative in the complex systems you will be designing within.
Collaborative - you must have the eagerness to continue to learn and grow, as you will be participating in all phases of the project from gathering insights to implementation.
Experience in Service Design and Healthcare a plus Experience with online/remote human-centered research methods/techniques a plus
Qualifications:
Basic Qualifications:
- A minimum of 2 years of experience in design, innovation, or a related field.
- 1 year of ethnographic research
- Bachelor in ethnography, anthropology, social science or design with a concentration in research, strategy, or planning.
- Working knowledge of policies, practices and systems.
- Frequent use and general knowledge of industry practices, techniques, and standards.
- Full use and application of standard principles, theories, concepts, and techniques.
- Knowledge of health care or non-health care innovation.
An individual should have the following core behaviors:
Champions Innovation and Change
Collaborates
Communicates Effectively
Develops Self/Others
Drives for Results
Focuses on the Customer
Takes Accountability
Demonstrates Business Acumen
Exerts Influence
Emotional Intelligence*
Preferred Qualifications:
- Masters Degree in ethnography, anthropology, social science or design with a concentration in research, strategy, or planning.
- Knowledge of human-centered design.
- Knowledge of health care industry.
- Familiarity with Kaiser Permanente health care system.