Engagement Manager (Lead Design Researcher)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Engagement Manager (Lead Design Researcher)

Company: Fractal Analytics

Location: New York, NY, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Design Research & Strategy (Operations Focus within Healthcare & Life Sciences)

Date Posted: April 22, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and define user-centered research and design strategy for complex, enterprise-scale products and services within the Healthcare & Life Sciences sector.

• Drive actionable outcomes by translating deep user insights and operational realities into impactful product and business decisions.

• Serve as a senior individual contributor and people leader, mentoring researchers and designers while fostering a culture of curiosity and collaboration.

• Partner strategically with product, engineering, and business stakeholders to shape user experiences that align with business objectives and technical constraints.

• Establish and evolve research practices, standards, and artifacts to ensure scalability and consistency across teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Engagement Manager (Lead Design Researcher)", the core responsibilities and qualifications clearly indicate a senior-level UX/Design Research role with leadership and strategic influence. The "Engagement Manager" aspect likely refers to managing research projects and client engagements within Fractal's consulting framework, particularly for their Healthcare & Life Sciences practice. This role is crucial for ensuring GTM (Go-To-Market) readiness and product-market fit by deeply understanding user needs in enterprise environments.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define and articulate a compelling research and experience vision, ensuring alignment with overarching business and product strategy for Fractal's clients in the Pharma and Life Sciences sector.

• Spearhead end-to-end design research initiatives, encompassing discovery, generative research, evaluative testing, and validation phases to inform product development.

• Collaborate closely with product management, engineering, data science, and business development teams to accurately frame complex problems, formulate precise research questions, and translate research findings into tangible, actionable recommendations.

• Design, plan, and execute a diverse range of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, including user interviews, contextual inquiry, usability testing, persona development, and customer journey mapping.

• Synthesize intricate findings from disparate data sources into clear, compelling narratives, strategic frameworks, and actionable insights suitable for presentation to senior executives and cross-functional teams.

• Champion user-centric decision-making processes, ensuring that synthesized user insights are effectively integrated throughout the entire product lifecycle, from ideation to iteration.

• Mentor and develop junior designers and researchers, cultivating a team environment that emphasizes research rigor, intellectual curiosity, data-driven decision-making, and strong collaborative practices.

• Develop, implement, and refine research best practices, operational standards, and reusable artifacts that can be effectively scaled and adopted across multiple project teams and client engagements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic leadership and hands-on execution, common in senior operations-adjacent roles focused on product and customer experience. The emphasis on "enterprise-scale products," "highly regulated environments," and "operational reality" suggests a need for candidates who can navigate complex business processes and deliver insights that are practical for large organizations, particularly within the Pharma and Life Sciences domain. This includes understanding GTM implications of research findings.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years of progressive professional experience in design research, UX research, or a comparable discipline, with a proven track record of leading impactful research initiatives.

Required Skills:

• Profound understanding of human-centered design principles and methodologies, with a strong grounding in robust design research practices.

• Proven ability to navigate and bring clarity to ambiguous problem spaces through structured research methodologies and rigorous synthesis.

• Demonstrated success in influencing senior stakeholders, building consensus, and driving alignment across diverse cross-functional teams (e.g., product, engineering, marketing, sales).

• Versatility in operating effectively at both strategic (vision setting, long-term planning) and tactical (hands-on research execution, data analysis) levels.

• Strong capability to synthesize user needs, business objectives, and technical constraints into cohesive and actionable experience strategies.

• Expertise in planning and conducting qualitative research methods such as in-depth interviews, contextual inquiry, and ethnographic studies.

• Proficiency in designing and executing quantitative research methods, including surveys, usability testing, and data analysis.

Preferred Skills:

• Prior experience working within enterprise environments, B2B product development, or highly regulated industries such as Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare, or Financial Services.

• Familiarity and practical application of design thinking frameworks and agile development methodologies.

• Proven experience collaborating effectively and iteratively with product managers, engineers, and other key stakeholders.

• Working knowledge of contemporary design and prototyping tools, including Figma, Sketch, or the Adobe Creative Suite.

• Exposure to service design, understanding of complex operational workflows, or experience with systems-level design thinking.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience level and specific skills required (e.g., enterprise, regulated environments, B2B, service design, operational workflows) are highly relevant to roles that bridge product development with business operations and GTM strategy. The emphasis on influencing stakeholders and synthesizing complex information points towards a need for strong analytical and communication skills, critical for operations success.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a range of end-to-end design research projects, clearly illustrating your role, process, and the impact on product development or business outcomes.

• Demonstrations of how research insights were translated into actionable recommendations and influenced product strategy or design decisions.

• Examples of navigating complex problem spaces and bringing structure and clarity through research.

• Evidence of leadership in research initiatives, including guiding teams, mentoring junior members, or establishing research processes.

Process Documentation:

• Ability to articulate and document research plans, methodologies, and findings in a clear and organized manner.

• Examples of processes for synthesizing complex qualitative and quantitative data into digestible insights and strategic recommendations.

• Documentation of how research insights were embedded into product development workflows and decision-making cycles.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role like this, a portfolio isn't just about showcasing design but demonstrating a structured, data-driven approach to understanding users and influencing product strategy. This directly impacts the effectiveness of GTM efforts by ensuring products meet market needs and operational realities. The portfolio should reflect an understanding of how research findings drive business value and operational efficiency.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

The base salary range for this role is up to $185,000 USD annually.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health insurance plans (medical, dental, vision).

• Life insurance coverage.

• Disability insurance plans.

• Participation in the Company's 401(k) plan.

• 11 paid holidays per year.

• 12 weeks of paid Parental Leave.

• Flexible "free time" Paid Time Off (PTO) policy for sick or vacation needs.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time work schedule, typically 40 hours per week, with flexibility offered in line with Fractal's PTO policy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is an upper limit, and actual compensation will depend on factors such as candidate experience, skills, and specific role responsibilities. The benefits package is competitive and includes provisions like parental leave and flexible PTO, which are attractive to professionals balancing work and personal life, including those in operations-focused roles. The on-site requirement means the salary is not adjusted for remote work, aligning with typical New York City compensation standards for this level of experience.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Analytics, with a strong focus on Healthcare & Life Sciences (Pharma). Fractal Analytics positions itself as an AI-first company, differentiating from traditional consulting firms by making AI its core business.

Company Size: Fractal Analytics is a global organization with a significant employee base, suggesting a structured environment with established processes and opportunities for scale, yet potentially with the agility of a growing tech company.

Founded: Fractal Analytics was founded with a vision to leverage advanced analytics and AI for enterprise decision-making, building on over 25 years of experience. This long history implies stability, deep domain expertise, and a well-defined operational framework.

Team Structure:

• The role operates within Fractal's Healthcare & Life Sciences practice, indicating specialization and deep domain knowledge within this sector.

• As a Lead Design Researcher, you will likely be part of a broader product, design, or analytics team, working closely with product managers, engineers, data scientists, and business strategists.

• The structure encourages cross-functional collaboration, essential for translating complex AI solutions into tangible business impact for clients.

Methodology:

• Fractal emphasizes an AI-first approach, meaning data-driven decision-making and advanced analytics are central to their operations and client solutions.

• The company focuses on designing, building, and scaling "production-grade AI and GenAI solutions," indicating a strong emphasis on practical implementation, scalability, and operational robustness.

• The role requires a user-centered approach, integrating deep user insights with operational realities and business objectives.

• Agile development methodologies are likely employed, requiring adaptability and iterative processes.

Company Website: https://fractal.ai/

📝 Enhancement Note: Fractal's focus on AI and its deep specialization in Healthcare & Life Sciences offer a unique environment. For operations professionals, this means working with cutting-edge technology and understanding the specific challenges and regulatory landscapes of the pharma industry. The culture likely values data-driven insights, strategic problem-solving, and delivering measurable client impact, all critical components of successful GTM and operational strategies.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a senior individual contributor and people leader, equivalent to a senior manager or director level within a specialized function. It requires strategic thinking, deep domain expertise (in design research and potentially the Pharma/Life Sciences sector), and the ability to influence organizational direction.

Reporting Structure: The Lead Design Researcher will report to a senior leader within the Healthcare & Life Sciences practice, likely a Director or VP of Product, Design, or Strategy. They will work closely with product, engineering, and business stakeholders across various client engagements.

Operations Impact: This role directly impacts Fractal's ability to deliver successful AI and GenAI solutions to its clients. By ensuring products are user-centered, operationally feasible, and aligned with business goals, the Lead Design Researcher contributes significantly to client satisfaction, product adoption, and the overall success of Fractal's GTM strategy within the Pharma sector. Strong research insights can de-risk product development, optimize user workflows, and ultimately drive revenue for both Fractal and its clients.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization Advancement: Deepen expertise in design research within the highly specialized and regulated Healthcare & Life Sciences industry.

• Leadership Development: Transition into formal management roles, leading larger research teams or entire design functions within the practice.

• Strategic Influence: Play a key role in shaping product strategy and client engagement approaches for AI solutions in Pharma.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Leverage research insights to move into product management, strategy, or GTM roles within Fractal or client organizations.

• Continuous Learning: Engage with emerging AI technologies, research methodologies, and industry trends through internal training, conferences, and client projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Lead" title and the emphasis on influencing strategy and mentoring suggest a clear path for career progression. For operations-minded individuals, this role offers a unique opportunity to apply analytical and strategic skills in a fast-paced, AI-driven environment, directly impacting product success and client business outcomes, which are core to GTM and operational excellence.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is specified as "On-site" in New York, NY. This implies a traditional office environment where collaboration, in-person meetings, and team synergy are valued.

Office Location(s): New York, NY, a major hub for technology, finance, and life sciences, offering access to a diverse talent pool and a dynamic business ecosystem.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Expect a dynamic workspace designed to foster collaboration among researchers, designers, product managers, engineers, and business strategists. This environment is conducive to brainstorming, workshops, and iterative design sprints.

• Technology Rich: Access to modern design and research tools, as well as Fractal's advanced AI and data analytics platforms, will be available.

• Client-Facing Interaction: Opportunities to engage directly with clients, understand their operational challenges, and present research findings, contributing to a strong client relationship and operational alignment.

• Project-Based Work: The nature of consulting and AI solutions development means working on diverse projects, often with tight deadlines and specific client objectives.

Work Schedule: A standard full-time schedule of approximately 40 hours per week is expected. While on-site, there may be flexibility in daily hours, but the focus will be on meeting project deliverables and client needs, which can sometimes require extended hours during critical phases.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in New York City suggests a professional, potentially fast-paced office environment. For operations professionals, this means being part of a visible team, contributing to a collaborative culture, and having direct access to colleagues and resources, which can accelerate problem-solving and project execution.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review applications and conduct an initial screening call to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Review & Presentation: Candidates will be asked to present their portfolio, showcasing 2-3 key projects that demonstrate their expertise in design research, strategic thinking, and impact. This is a critical stage for evaluating problem-solving skills and communication abilities.

• On-site Interviews: A series of interviews with cross-functional team members, including peers, product managers, engineers, and senior leadership. These will likely cover domain expertise, research methodologies, leadership capabilities, and problem-solving scenarios.

• Case Study/Challenge: Potentially a take-home assignment or a live case study exercise designed to assess how candidates approach a complex design research problem relevant to Fractal's work in Pharma/Life Sciences.

• Final Round: Discussions with senior leadership to assess strategic alignment, leadership potential, and overall fit for the company culture and GTM objectives.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Impact: Clearly articulate the business problem, your role, the research process, key insights, and most importantly, the tangible impact your work had on the product or business. Use metrics where possible.

• Showcase Process: Detail your research methodology, from problem framing and participant recruitment to synthesis and recommendation. Demonstrate how you navigated ambiguity and complexity.

• Highlight Leadership: Include examples of mentoring, guiding teams, or influencing stakeholders. Show your ability to drive consensus and user-centricity.

• Tailor to Fractal: Research Fractal Analytics, their AI-first approach, and their Healthcare & Life Sciences practice. Frame your portfolio examples to align with their mission and the challenges they address.

• Practice Your Narrative: Be prepared to walk through your projects clearly and concisely, focusing on the "why," "how," and "so what."

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Familiarize yourself with common challenges and trends in the Healthcare & Life Sciences industry, particularly concerning AI adoption, data privacy, and user experience for enterprise systems.

• Think Strategically: Approach any case study from a strategic perspective, considering user needs, business objectives, technical feasibility, and operational implications.

• Structure Your Approach: Outline your problem-solving process clearly before diving into details. Use frameworks if helpful, but focus on demonstrating sound reasoning and adaptability.

• Emphasize Collaboration: Be ready to discuss how you would work with other functions (product, engineering, sales) to implement solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on portfolio review and potential case studies is crucial for this role. Candidates should prepare to demonstrate not just research skills but also strategic thinking, leadership, and the ability to translate insights into actionable business outcomes – all key for operations and GTM success.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop) - for creating wireframes, mockups, and visual assets.

• Research Platforms: Tools for user recruitment, survey deployment, and remote usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey).

• Data Analysis & Synthesis: Tools for qualitative data analysis (e.g., Dovetail, NVivo) and potentially quantitative analysis (e.g., Excel, R, Python basics).

• Collaboration & Project Management: Tools like Jira, Confluence, Miro, Asana, or similar platforms for team collaboration, documentation, and workflow management.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Experience working in environments where CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms are used is helpful for understanding the broader customer journey and enterprise systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency with modern design and research tools is essential. For operations, understanding how research findings integrate with CRM, marketing automation, and BI tools is key to ensuring that user insights translate into effective GTM strategies and operational improvements.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the user in all product and business decisions.

• Data-Driven Excellence: Relying on rigorous research and data analysis to inform strategies and validate hypotheses.

• Strategic Partnership: Acting as a strategic partner to product, engineering, and business teams, driving alignment and shared goals.

• Curiosity & Continuous Learning: An intrinsic desire to explore, learn, and stay ahead of evolving user needs, technologies, and industry trends.

• Impact & Accountability: Focusing on delivering measurable business impact and taking ownership of research outcomes.

• Collaboration & Mentorship: Fostering a supportive environment where knowledge is shared, and team members are developed.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Working seamlessly with product managers, engineers, data scientists, and business stakeholders to ensure a holistic approach to product development and client solutions.

• Open Communication: Encouraging transparent dialogue, constructive feedback, and active listening to build trust and ensure clarity.

• Iterative Process: Embracing an iterative approach to research and design, continuously refining based on feedback and new insights.

• Knowledge Sharing: Proactively sharing learnings, best practices, and research findings across teams and the wider organization to foster collective growth.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on user-centricity, data-driven insights, and strategic partnership aligns directly with the principles of effective operations and GTM strategy. A collaborative and learning-oriented culture is crucial for driving innovation and ensuring that research translates into tangible business value.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Ambiguity: Working with complex, ill-defined problems in enterprise environments and translating them into researchable questions.

• Influencing Stakeholders: Gaining buy-in and driving adoption of research insights among senior leaders and diverse teams with potentially competing priorities.

• Balancing Strategic vs. Tactical: Effectively managing time and resources between high-level strategic vision setting and hands-on research execution.

• Scalability of Research Practices: Developing and implementing research processes that can scale efficiently across multiple projects and client engagements within a consulting framework.

• Domain Complexity: Understanding the intricate regulatory landscape and operational workflows within the Healthcare & Life Sciences sector.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deepen Pharma/Life Sciences Expertise: Gain specialized knowledge in the unique challenges and opportunities within this highly regulated industry.

• Advance AI/GenAI Understanding: Become an expert in applying research methodologies to AI and Generative AI products.

• Leadership Skill Enhancement: Develop advanced mentoring and team leadership capabilities.

• Strategic Consulting Skills: Hone skills in client management, business development, and strategic advisory within the AI consulting space.

• Industry Conferences & Certifications: Opportunities to attend relevant industry events and pursue certifications in design research, AI, or specific domain areas.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the need for strong problem-solving, communication, and strategic thinking skills—all vital for operations roles. The growth opportunities are substantial, offering pathways to specialized expertise and leadership within a cutting-edge field.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to influence a senior stakeholder who was resistant to user insights. What was your approach, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on communication, data synthesis, and negotiation skills.)

• "Walk us through a complex, ambiguous problem you tackled using design research. How did you define the problem, what methods did you use, and how did you translate findings into actionable strategies?" (Demonstrate structured thinking, methodological rigor, and strategic impact.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What attracts you to Fractal Analytics and our work in the Healthcare & Life Sciences sector?" (Research Fractal's mission, AI focus, and specific client work.)

• "How do you foster a collaborative and user-centered culture within a team or across departments?" (Highlight experience with cross-functional collaboration and mentorship.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Craft a Narrative: Structure each case study as a compelling story: the challenge, your approach, the journey, the insights, and the impact.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the business value and operational improvements derived from your research.

• Showcase Your Process: Clearly articulate the "why" behind your methodological choices and how you adapted as needed.

• Highlight Leadership: Emphasize instances where you led initiatives, mentored others, or influenced strategic decisions.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your methodology, decision-making, and the specific outcomes of your projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparing for these types of questions requires candidates to draw upon their experience to demonstrate strategic thinking, problem-solving prowess, and a clear understanding of how user research drives business and operational success. A strong portfolio is key to substantiating these answers.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations-focused Design Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the provided job link on the Fractal Analytics careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects that demonstrate experience in enterprise environments, regulated industries (like Pharma/Life Sciences), and cases where your research directly influenced product strategy or business outcomes. Emphasize your strategic thinking and leadership.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 10+ years of experience, highlighting keywords such as "design research," "user-centered design," "systems thinking," "stakeholder management," "enterprise solutions," and any relevant domain expertise. Quantify achievements wherever possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your portfolio case studies with a focus on impact and strategic contribution. Prepare thoughtful questions about Fractal's culture, their approach to AI in healthcare, and the team's operational workflows.

• Company Research: Deeply research Fractal Analytics, their AI-first strategy, their specific offerings within the Healthcare & Life Sciences practice, and their company values. Understand how your role contributes to their GTM strategy and client success.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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