Co-op, Design Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Co-op, Design Researcher

Company: Fidelity Investments

Location: Boston, MA, United States

Job Type: Full-Time / Intern

Category: Design Research & Innovation Operations

Date Posted: 2026-04-06

Experience Level: 0-2 Years (Co-op/Intern)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This Co-op role focuses on applying speculative design philosophies and user research methodologies to envision and create future financial experiences.

• The position involves collaboration with an experienced design team in a fast-paced innovation hub, emphasizing creativity, strategy, and rigorous research.

• You will contribute to the entire design process, from initial research and ideation through to sketching and rapid prototyping, with a focus on developing compelling story arcs.

• This role is ideal for individuals with a strong intellectual curiosity, a bias towards action, and a passion for exploring emerging technologies and their impact on customer experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Design Researcher," the responsibilities and context provided by Fidelity's FCAT (Fidelity Center for Applied Technology) strongly indicate a role focused on future-state innovation, speculative design, and user experience research within a GTM (Go-To-Market) and product development support framework. The emphasis on "envisioning and creating future experiences" and "shaping the future of financial services" places this within the broader scope of operations that support strategic product evolution and market readiness.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the FCAT design team to conduct user research, leveraging speculative design and design thinking methodologies to explore future financial services.

• Assist in the ideation, conceptualization, and rapid prototyping of innovative products, spaces, and customer journeys.

• Develop multimodal outputs and craft comprehensive story arcs to articulate future concepts and their potential impact.

• Support the creation of user personas, journey maps, and other research artifacts to inform design decisions.

• Participate in cross-functional team discussions, contributing insights from research and design explorations.

• Conduct market research and competitive analysis to identify emerging trends and opportunities within the financial technology landscape.

• Assist in the design and execution of user testing sessions for early-stage prototypes and concepts, gathering feedback to iterate on designs.

• Translate complex technological concepts into understandable and engaging narratives for various stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities have been inferred to align with a "Design Researcher" within an innovation context, emphasizing research, ideation, prototyping, and communication, which are critical operational functions for driving new product development and market strategy.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Currently pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Business, or a related field.

Experience:

• Prior co-op or internship experience in design, research, or a related innovation role is preferred.

Required Skills:

• Strong interest in the future of digital experiences and human-centric design principles.

• Comfortable with ambiguity, possessing strong intellectual curiosity and a proactive learning mindset.

• Excellent problem-solving skills, with the ability to think critically and conceptualize innovative solutions.

• Effective communication skills, with the ability to articulate ideas clearly and concisely.

• Passion for a human-centric approach in all actions and decisions.

• Ability to work collaboratively within a diverse team environment.

• Strong presentation and facilitation skills, capable of engaging stakeholders with research findings and design concepts.

• Proficiency in conducting market research and analyzing consumer trends.

• Ability to perform competitive analysis to understand market dynamics.

• Experience with quantitative research methods to inform qualitative insights, including writing screeners and surveys.

• Skill in identifying customer segments and latent customer needs.

Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with software such as Adobe Creative Suite and Figma.

• Participation in extracurricular clubs or projects demonstrating initiative and collaboration (e.g., Scout, Sandbox).

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Qualifications" section has been expanded to detail the core and preferred skills, inferring a need for research methodology proficiency, analytical capabilities, and strong communication/collaboration skills essential for operations support in an innovation setting. The preference for specific software tools is also highlighted.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate projects showcasing a human-centered design approach, illustrating how user needs were identified and addressed.

• Include examples of research methodologies applied, such as user interviews, surveys, or usability testing, and the insights derived.

• Showcase ideation and conceptualization processes, including sketches, wireframes, or mood boards that led to design solutions.

• Present examples of rapid prototyping or iterative design efforts, highlighting the learning and refinement process.

Process Documentation:

• Candidates should be prepared to discuss their personal process for approaching design challenges, from problem definition to solution development.

• Highlight experience with iterative design cycles and how feedback was incorporated to improve outcomes.

• Be ready to explain how research findings were synthesized and translated into actionable design recommendations.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role involving research and design, a portfolio is crucial. This section outlines what a strong portfolio should contain, focusing on the process, methodologies, and outcomes expected from a design researcher supporting innovation and product development operations.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $20 - $32 per hour

• This hourly range is based on the provided information for the Co-op, Design Researcher position at Fidelity Investments.

Benefits:

• This is a co-op position, typically offering valuable hands-on experience and networking opportunities. Specific benefits may vary but often include:

• Exposure to cutting-edge technologies and innovation methodologies within the financial services industry.

• Mentorship from experienced design and research professionals at Fidelity.

• Opportunity to contribute to impactful projects that shape the future of financial services.

• Networking opportunities within a large, reputable financial institution.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time work hours are expected, likely around 40 hours per week.

• The role is designated as Hybrid, requiring associates to work onsite approximately every other week (all business days, Monday-Friday) in the Boston office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range and working hours have been directly extracted. Benefits are inferred based on the nature of a co-op role within a large corporation, focusing on experience, mentorship, and career development. The hybrid work arrangement is explicitly detailed.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services, Technology, Innovation

Company Size: Fidelity Investments is a very large, established financial services company with tens of thousands of employees globally. This scale offers stability and vast resources.

Founded: 1946, indicating a long history and deep expertise in the financial sector.

Team Structure:

• The role is within the Fidelity Center for Applied Technology (FCAT), a dedicated innovation hub focused on emerging technologies.

• The FCAT design team likely comprises experienced designers, researchers, strategists, and technologists who collaborate on experimental projects.

Methodology:

• FCAT emphasizes a culture of innovation, experimentation, and rapid iteration, often described as "sci-fi meets financial investing."

• Key methodologies include speculative design, design thinking, user research, and rapid prototyping.

• A strong emphasis is placed on a human-centric approach, leveraging data and customer insights to drive product development.

Company Website: https://www.fidelity.com/ (FCAT overview: https://fcatalyst.com/overview)

📝 Enhancement Note: Company information has been synthesized from the provided text and general knowledge of Fidelity Investments. The emphasis is on FCAT's innovation-driven culture and its role within the broader financial services industry.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Co-op/Internship. This entry-level position is designed for individuals early in their academic or professional careers to gain practical experience.

Reporting Structure: The co-op will report to a manager or lead within the FCAT design team, receiving guidance and mentorship. Collaboration will occur with experienced team members on specific projects.

Operations Impact: While a co-op role, contributions will directly support FCAT's mission to drive innovation and enhance customer experiences, indirectly impacting Fidelity's market leadership and future product strategy.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Development: Deepen understanding and practical application of speculative design, user research, prototyping, and emerging technologies.

• Industry Exposure: Gain firsthand experience in the financial services innovation space and understand the challenges and opportunities in that sector.

• Networking: Build professional connections within Fidelity Investments, potentially leading to future co-op or full-time opportunities.

• Career Exploration: Explore a career path in design research, innovation, or product development within a leading financial institution.

📝 Enhancement Note: This analysis focuses on the expected growth and learning trajectory for a co-op student in an innovation operations role, emphasizing skill acquisition and potential career pathways within Fidelity.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fidelity Investments generally operates with a hybrid model, indicating a professional office environment designed for collaboration and focused work.

Office Location(s): The position is based in Boston, MA, specifically at 245 Summer St. This is a major city hub, offering access to talent and industry connections.

Workspace Context:

• The role is Hybrid, requiring a mix of remote work and in-office presence (approximately every other week). This fosters a balance between focused individual work and collaborative team engagement.

• The FCAT environment is likely dynamic and experimental, encouraging creativity and cross-pollination of ideas.

Work Schedule:

• The standard work schedule will align with full-time expectations (approximately 40 hours per week).

• The hybrid nature allows for some flexibility in managing work location, but in-office days will be structured for collaborative activities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The work environment description is tailored to a hybrid role in a corporate setting, emphasizing collaboration, innovation, and the balance between independent and team-based work.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a review of your resume and application, potentially followed by a brief phone screen to assess basic qualifications and interest.

• Portfolio Review: Candidates will be asked to present their portfolio, showcasing relevant design research, ideation, and prototyping projects. This is a critical step to evaluate practical skills and thought processes.

• Behavioral & Situational Interviews: Interviews will assess your problem-solving abilities, collaboration style, comfort with ambiguity, and passion for the role and emerging technologies. Expect questions about how you approach challenges and work in teams.

• Team/Manager Interview: A final interview with the hiring manager or key team members to assess cultural fit and suitability for the co-op program.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Select Projects: Choose 3-4 projects that best demonstrate your skills in research, ideation, prototyping, and communication relevant to this role.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed (research methods, design thinking), your contributions, the outcomes, and key learnings.

• Highlight Process: Emphasize your thought process, how you tackled challenges, and how you incorporated feedback. Show, don't just tell.

• Showcase Research: Detail your research methodologies, the insights you uncovered, and how these insights informed your design decisions.

• Demonstrate Prototyping: If applicable, show examples of prototypes you created and how they were used for testing and iteration.

• Quantify Impact (if possible): Even for academic projects, try to articulate the potential impact or learnings.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared to discuss your interest in speculative design and emerging technologies.

• Practice articulating your thoughts on "the future of financial services."

• Think about how you would approach a research problem with ambiguous requirements.

• Prepare examples of times you collaborated effectively in a team and navigated challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides specific advice tailored to a design research co-op role, emphasizing portfolio content, presentation strategy, and interview preparation, which are crucial for operations-focused roles that require demonstrating tangible skills.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping Software: Familiarity with tools like Figma (preferred), Adobe Creative Suite (e.g., Photoshop, Illustrator, XD), or similar design platforms is expected.

• Research Tools: Experience with survey platforms (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics) and remote user testing tools is beneficial.

• Collaboration Tools: Proficiency with standard office suites (Microsoft Office, Google Workspace) and collaboration platforms (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams) is assumed.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to this research role, but an awareness of how design research integrates with product development and go-to-market strategies is a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: The tools and technology stack have been inferred based on the "Preferred" qualifications and the nature of design research and prototyping work within an innovation context.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation & Exploration: A core value is pushing boundaries and exploring novel ideas, especially concerning emerging technologies and future customer needs.

• Human-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving customers, ensuring that technology and design decisions are grounded in user needs and experiences.

• Bias for Action & Experimentation: Encouraging a proactive approach to problem-solving through rapid prototyping and learning from both successes and failures ("embrace failure").

• Collaboration & Curiosity: Fostering an environment where diverse perspectives are valued, and continuous learning and intellectual curiosity are encouraged.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly collaborative, with a strong emphasis on teamwork across disciplines (design, research, technology, strategy).

• Open communication and feedback loops are encouraged to facilitate iterative design and problem-solving.

• Cross-functional engagement is essential for translating innovative concepts into tangible possibilities for Fidelity.

📝 Enhancement Note: The team culture and values have been inferred from the company description and the specific details about FCAT's approach to innovation and design.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Ambiguity: Working on speculative projects means dealing with undefined problems and future scenarios, requiring adaptability and creative problem-solving.

• Bridging Research and Design: Effectively translating research insights into actionable design concepts and prototypes.

• Communicating Future Vision: Articulating complex, forward-looking ideas clearly and compellingly to diverse stakeholders.

• Rapid Iteration: Adapting quickly to feedback and iterating on designs in a fast-paced innovation environment.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Speculative Design Mastery: Gain hands-on experience with advanced design methodologies for future-state innovation.

• Emerging Technologies Insight: Develop a deeper understanding of how AI, blockchain, quantum computing, and other technologies can impact financial services.

• User Research Acumen: Hone skills in qualitative and quantitative research, prototype testing, and insight synthesis.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Learn to work effectively with teams across different departments and expertise areas within a large financial institution.

📝 Enhancement Note: Challenges and growth opportunities are framed around the specific nature of innovation research and speculative design, highlighting how the co-op role provides a unique learning environment.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to work with incomplete information or a vague problem statement. How did you approach it?" (Assesses comfort with ambiguity and problem-solving).

• "How would you use speculative design to envision the future of mobile banking for Gen Alpha?" (Tests understanding of speculative design and application).

• "Walk us through a project where you conducted user research. What methods did you use, what did you learn, and how did it influence your design?" (Evaluates research process and impact).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in Fidelity Investments and specifically the FCAT team?" (Assesses motivation and company fit).

• "What does 'human-centric design' mean to you, and how do you apply it?" (Evaluates alignment with company values).

• "Describe your ideal team environment for innovation and design work." (Assesses collaboration style and cultural fit).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: For each project, use a clear narrative: Problem/Opportunity -> Your Role -> Process -> Solution/Outcome -> Learnings.

• Highlight Research: Dedicate time to explaining your research methods, key insights, and how they directly informed your design decisions.

• Showcase Iteration: Emphasize how you used feedback to refine your designs, demonstrating a flexible and iterative approach.

• Visuals: Use high-quality visuals (sketches, wireframes, prototypes, personas) to support your narrative.

• Conciseness: Be mindful of time; practice presenting to convey information effectively without rushing.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation advice is tailored to a design research role, focusing on questions related to research methodology, speculative design, problem-solving, and the ability to articulate a design process and its outcomes.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations-focused co-op position:

• Submit Your Application: Complete the online application form through the provided link.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight any relevant coursework, projects, or previous co-op/internship experiences related to design, research, technology, or innovation. Use keywords from the job description like "user research," "speculative design," "prototyping," "emerging technologies," and "communication skills."

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Compile your strongest work samples that demonstrate your research, ideation, and prototyping skills. Ensure it's well-organized, easy to navigate, and clearly articulates your process and contributions for each project. Be ready to present it.

• Research Fidelity & FCAT: Understand Fidelity Investments' mission and its position in the financial services industry. Familiarize yourself with the FCAT team's work and its focus on innovation and emerging technologies. This will help you articulate your interest and align your responses with the company's goals.

• Practice Interview Responses: Prepare to answer behavioral questions about collaboration, problem-solving, and your approach to ambiguous challenges. Practice articulating your design process and the insights gained from your research projects.

⚠️ 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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