Lead Design Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Design Researcher

Company: Alliant Credit Union

Location: Chicago, IL, USA

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Design Research / User Experience Operations

Date Posted: March 31, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid (2 days in office per week)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the strategic planning, design, and execution of mixed-methods design research initiatives to drive informed product, service, and experience decisions.

• Leverage advanced quantitative research methodologies, including conjoint analysis, MaxDiff, and TURF analysis, alongside qualitative human-centered design practices to uncover deep member insights.

• Translate complex research findings into compelling narratives and actionable recommendations, presented through effective storytelling and visualizations for diverse stakeholder groups.

• Foster strong, collaborative partnerships with cross-functional teams including Product, Digital, UX, Marketing, and Operations to ensure research insights are integrated into strategic planning and execution.

• Contribute to the continuous development and maturation of the design research practice by elevating research rigor, strengthening evidence-based decision-making, and refining standards, tools, and governance.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Lead Design Researcher, indicating a need for strategic thinking, mentorship capabilities, and the ability to influence research direction. The emphasis on mixed-methods, advanced quantitative techniques (conjoint, MaxDiff, TURF), and insight activation suggests a focus on driving tangible business outcomes and improving member experiences through data-informed strategies, aligning with a GTM (Go-To-Market) operations function that bridges user understanding with strategic execution.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead comprehensive research projects utilizing a blend of quantitative (e.g., conjoint analysis, MaxDiff, TURF analysis, survey-based experimentation) and qualitative (e.g., in-depth interviews, diary studies) methodologies to address critical business questions.

• Design statistically sound research studies, encompassing robust sampling strategies, precise questionnaire design, and adherence to high data quality standards to ensure reliable and valid insights.

• Develop and deliver impactful research findings through persuasive storytelling, clear data visualizations, and tailored presentations to a wide range of stakeholders, from frontline teams to executive leadership.

• Champion human-centered design principles throughout the research lifecycle, ensuring all research planning, synthesis, and insight activation efforts are firmly rooted in member needs and aligned with business objectives.

• Collaborate closely with service designers and design strategists to inform the orchestration of member experiences, the development of innovative service concepts, and the refinement of overall strategic direction.

• Act as a primary advocate for the member, consumer, and internal customer perspectives across all relevant initiatives, ensuring their needs and pain points are central to decision-making.

• Plan and facilitate impactful research-driven workshops, synthesis sessions, and stakeholder working groups to drive alignment, foster shared understanding, and accelerate the activation of research insights.

• Cultivate and maintain strong, trusted partnerships with key internal stakeholders across Product, Digital, UX, Marketing, Operations, Partnerships, and leadership teams to embed research into their workflows.

• Drive the evolution of Alliant's design research practice by enhancing research rigor, promoting evidence-based decision-making, and improving the quality of research standards, tools, templates, and governance frameworks.

• Proactively evaluate and refine research approaches, methodologies, and tools to ensure the practice remains at the forefront of industry best practices and effectively meets evolving business needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a leadership role in research, emphasizing not just execution but also strategic planning, stakeholder management, and practice development, which are crucial for a Lead position. The detailed mention of specific quantitative methods like conjoint analysis, MaxDiff, and TURF analysis points to a sophisticated research function focused on optimizing product features and member value propositions, a key aspect of GTM strategy.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Minimum: Bachelor's Degree in Sociology, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Cognitive Science, Statistics, or a closely related field.

Experience:

• Minimum: 3 years of experience in design research, user research, or human-centered research, with a proven track record in quantitative and mixed-methods research.

• Preferred: 5 years of experience in design research, user research, or human-centered research, with demonstrated expertise in quantitative and mixed-methods research.

Required Skills:

• Expertise in designing and executing mixed-methods research studies (quantitative and qualitative).

• Proficient in advanced quantitative analysis techniques such as conjoint analysis, MaxDiff, TURF analysis, and survey-based experimentation.

• Strong capabilities in statistical analysis, sampling methods, and questionnaire design.

• Excellent communication, storytelling, and data visualization skills to present complex findings to diverse audiences.

• Deep understanding and application of human-centered design principles and user research methodologies.

• Proven ability to translate research insights into actionable recommendations that drive product, service, and experience improvements.

• Strong collaboration and partnership-building skills with cross-functional teams.

• Experience facilitating workshops and synthesis sessions to drive consensus and insight activation.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience within the financial services or credit union industry.

• Familiarity with A/B testing and experimental design in a product context.

• Experience with advanced statistical software (e.g., R, SPSS, SAS).

• Experience mentoring or leading junior researchers.

• Portfolio demonstrating successful research projects with measurable impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: The educational requirements are broad, allowing for candidates from diverse analytical and social science backgrounds. The emphasis on experience, particularly with quantitative methods and their application to product/service decisions, strongly aligns with the analytical rigor expected in operations roles that support product development and market strategy. The "In Lieu of Education" clause is a common and valuable addition for experienced candidates.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 diverse projects that clearly demonstrate your expertise in mixed-methods design research, spanning descriptive, generative, evaluative, and analytical research domains.

• For each project, clearly articulate the business challenge, your specific research approach (including methodologies chosen and rationale), your role and contributions, the key insights generated, and the measurable impact of your findings on product, service, or experience decisions.

• Highlight projects where you utilized advanced quantitative techniques (e.g., conjoint, MaxDiff, TURF, survey experiments) and demonstrate how these insights informed strategic recommendations.

• Include examples of how you translated complex data into compelling narratives and visualizations, effectively communicating findings to various stakeholder groups.

Process Documentation:

• Provide evidence of your ability to design and document statistically sound research studies, including sampling plans, questionnaire logic, and data quality protocols.

• Showcase examples of how you have contributed to or led the development of research best practices, standards, tools, or governance frameworks within a research team or organization.

• Be prepared to discuss your process for synthesizing qualitative and quantitative data to generate holistic insights and actionable recommendations.

📝 Enhancement Note: A portfolio is critical for design research roles. This section emphasizes demonstrating impact and process, specifically calling out the need to showcase quantitative skills and cross-functional collaboration, which are vital for operations roles that bridge user understanding with business strategy. The request for documentation of research processes and practice development is also key for a lead role.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $92,600.00 to $144,100.00 Annually.

The actual compensation will be determined based on a comprehensive evaluation of the candidate's experience, skills, knowledge, and alignment with the role's requirements.

Benefits:

• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive health care, vision, and dental insurance plans.

• Financial Security: 401k plan with employer match, annual performance bonus.

• Work-Life Balance: Hybrid work model with up to 3 days per week work from home, paid personal and sick days, 11 paid holidays.

• Family Support: Paid parental leave.

• Professional Development: Education reimbursement program.

• Employee Perks: Employee discount programs.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours are expected, with the flexibility to work remotely up to 3 days per week. The specific schedule can be discussed and arranged to best suit business needs and individual productivity.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is typical for a Lead Design Researcher in a major metropolitan area like Chicago, especially within a financial institution. The hybrid work arrangement and comprehensive benefits package, including professional development and performance bonuses, are attractive components for operations professionals seeking a balanced and growth-oriented work environment.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services (Credit Union)

Alliant Credit Union operates within the financial services sector, specifically as a credit union. This means it is member-owned and focused on serving its members' financial needs rather than maximizing shareholder profit. This member-centric approach often translates into a culture that values trust, community, and long-term member relationships. For operations professionals, this means a focus on member experience, regulatory compliance, and efficient service delivery.

Company Size: Large (Implied by extensive benefits and structured hiring process)

Alliant Credit Union is a significant financial institution, indicated by its comprehensive benefits package, structured interview process, and a dedicated HR/recruiting function. This suggests a stable, well-resourced organization with established processes and opportunities for specialization within operational functions. For a Lead Design Researcher, this means access to resources, data, and collaboration with established teams.

Founded: 1935

Founded in 1935, Alliant Credit Union has a long history, suggesting stability, deep-rooted expertise, and a proven ability to adapt to changing economic and technological landscapes. This history likely informs a culture that respects tradition while embracing innovation, a balance often seen in established financial institutions.

Team Structure:

• Operations Focus: The Design Research team likely sits within or closely collaborates with Product, Digital, UX, or Marketing departments, acting as a critical bridge between member needs and strategic execution.

• Reporting: As a Lead, this role will likely report to a Director or VP of UX, Product, or Member Experience, with potential for direct reports or mentorship of junior researchers.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: The role explicitly requires close partnership with Product, Digital, UX, Marketing, and Operations teams, indicating a highly collaborative environment where research insights are integrated into various business functions.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: The emphasis on quantitative and mixed-methods research signifies a strong commitment to evidence-based decision-making across the organization.

• Member-Centricity: Research efforts are geared towards understanding and improving member experiences, a core tenet of the credit union model.

• Agile & Iterative Processes: While not explicitly stated, the nature of design research and collaboration with digital/product teams suggests an agile or iterative approach to product and service development, where research findings inform ongoing improvements.

Company Website: https://www.alliantcreditunion.org/

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding Alliant's credit union model is key. It implies a member-focused culture, which directly influences the purpose and impact of design research. The long history suggests stability, and the implied size indicates potential for significant impact and resource availability for research initiatives.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Lead / Senior Individual Contributor

This "Lead" designation signifies a senior-level individual contributor role with significant responsibility for driving research strategy and execution. It implies a need for deep expertise, mentorship capabilities, and the ability to influence decision-making across departments. This role is crucial for operationalizing insights that improve member acquisition, retention, and overall satisfaction.

Reporting Structure:

The Lead Design Researcher will likely report into a senior leadership role within Product Management, UX Design, or a dedicated Member Experience division. This position will collaborate extensively with peers in Product, UX Engineering, Service Design, Marketing, and potentially other operational departments to ensure research directly informs their strategies and roadmaps.

Operations Impact:

The primary impact of this role lies in ensuring that Alliant's products, services, and digital experiences are deeply aligned with member needs and preferences. By providing robust, data-driven insights, this role directly influences:

• Product Development: Guiding feature prioritization and design based on validated user needs.

• Member Acquisition & Retention: Improving the onboarding and ongoing experience to drive loyalty and reduce churn.

• Service Optimization: Enhancing service delivery to increase efficiency and member satisfaction.

• Digital Transformation: Ensuring digital platforms are intuitive, effective, and meet evolving member expectations.

This role is integral to the GTM strategy by ensuring the "product" (service/experience) resonates with the target market.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Potential to grow into a management role, leading a team of design researchers and shaping the research function's strategic direction.

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific quantitative methodologies or research domains (e.g., financial behavior, digital product optimization).

• Cross-functional Expertise: Gain broader understanding of credit union operations, product strategy, and digital product management through close collaboration.

• Industry Influence: Contribute to best practices within the financial services research community.

• Mentorship: Guide and develop junior researchers, enhancing leadership and coaching skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Lead" title suggests a significant step up from a standard researcher role, focusing on strategic impact and practice development. For operations professionals, this translates to opportunities to influence go-to-market strategies by ensuring product-market fit through deep user understanding.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid

Alliant Credit Union offers a hybrid work environment, allowing employees to work from home up to 3 days per week. This model aims to balance the benefits of remote flexibility with the collaborative advantages of in-person interaction.

Office Location(s): Chicago, IL

The primary office location is in Chicago, Illinois. This provides access to a major metropolitan hub with a strong talent pool and professional network. Specific details about the office facilities, such as collaborative spaces, quiet zones, and amenities, would be available upon inquiry or during the interview process.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The Chicago office likely features modern collaborative spaces designed to facilitate teamwork, brainstorming sessions, and cross-functional meetings, crucial for a role that emphasizes partnership.

• Tools & Technology: As a lead researcher in a digital-focused organization, expect access to industry-standard research tools, collaboration software, and potentially dedicated research labs or equipment.

• Team Interaction: The hybrid model encourages intentional in-office days for focused collaboration, team building, and key stakeholder meetings, ensuring researchers remain connected and visible within the organization.

Work Schedule:

Standard full-time hours are expected, with the flexibility to work remotely up to 3 days per week. This allows for effective management of research projects, data analysis, and synthesis while accommodating personal needs and optimizing productivity.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is a significant perk for many professionals, offering flexibility that can enhance productivity and work-life balance, which is increasingly important for operational roles that require deep focus.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

The interview process for a Lead Design Researcher at Alliant Credit Union will likely involve multiple stages designed to assess research expertise, strategic thinking, collaboration skills, and cultural fit. Expect the following:

1. Initial Screening: A brief call with an HR representative or recruiter to discuss your background, interest in the role, and alignment with basic qualifications.

2. Hiring Manager Interview: An in-depth discussion with the hiring manager (likely a Director/VP) focusing on your experience, research philosophy, quantitative skills, and leadership approach.

3. Portfolio Presentation: A dedicated session where you will present 1-2 key projects from your portfolio. This is a critical stage to demonstrate your research process, insights, impact, and communication skills. Be prepared to detail your methodology, stakeholder management, and the business outcomes of your work.

4. Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders from Product, UX, Marketing, and Operations. These interviews will assess your ability to collaborate, understand business needs, and integrate research into their workflows. Expect scenario-based questions and discussions on how you would approach specific challenges at Alliant.

5. Skills-Based Exercise (Potential): You may be asked to complete a small research-related exercise or case study, either take-home or during an interview, to evaluate your analytical and problem-solving skills.

6. Final Interview/Debrief: A concluding conversation, potentially with senior leadership, to finalize the assessment and discuss role expectations.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best showcase your mixed-methods expertise, quantitative rigor, and ability to drive tangible business impact.

Prioritize projects that align with financial services or complex digital products.

• Structure for Clarity: For each project, clearly outline:
  • The

Business Problem/Opportunity

• Your

Role & Responsibilities

• The

Research Questions

• Your Methodology (detailing both quantitative and qualitative approaches)

• Key Insights & Findings (emphasize the "so what?")

• Recommendations & Actions Taken

• Measurable Impact/Outcomes (quantify where possible)

• Highlight Quantitative Skills: Explicitly detail your experience with conjoint analysis, MaxDiff, TURF, survey design, and statistical analysis. Explain how these methods provided unique value.

• Tell a Story: Frame your projects as narratives. Explain the journey from problem to solution, highlighting your critical thinking and decision-making process.

• Prepare for Questions: Anticipate questions about your methodology choices, how you handled challenges, how you collaborated with stakeholders, and how you measured success.

• Focus on Impact: Emphasize how your research directly influenced decisions, improved member experiences, or contributed to business goals.

Challenge Preparation:

• Methodology Deep Dive: Be ready to discuss the pros and cons of various research methodologies, especially in the context of financial services.

• Quantitative Application: Prepare to explain how you would use quantitative methods to solve specific business problems (e.g., feature prioritization, pricing strategy, user segmentation).

• Stakeholder Management: Practice articulating how you would engage with different teams, manage expectations, and ensure research insights are adopted.

• Problem-Solving Scenarios: Think about how you would approach ambiguity, limited resources, or conflicting stakeholder opinions in a research context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio presentation and cross-functional interviews is standard for senior research roles. The specific mention of quantitative methods in the portfolio review and challenge preparation is crucial for candidates to highlight their strengths in this area.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Quantitative Research Platforms: Experience with tools for survey design, conjoint analysis, MaxDiff, TURF analysis, and statistical analysis is essential. Examples include:

  • SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics, Typeform (for survey design and distribution)

• Sawtooth Software, MarketResearch.com (for advanced quantitative modeling like conjoint, MaxDiff)

• R, SPSS, SAS, Python (for statistical analysis and data manipulation)

• Qualitative Research Tools: Proficiency in tools for conducting and analyzing qualitative research, such as:

  • UserTesting.com, Lookback, UserZoom (for remote usability testing and interviews)
  • Miro, Mural (for collaborative synthesis and workshop facilitation)
  • NVivo, Dovetail (for qualitative data analysis)

• Collaboration & Communication: Standard office productivity suites and collaboration tools are expected.

  • Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) or Google Workspace
  • Slack, Microsoft Teams (for team communication)

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Visualization Tools: Experience creating compelling dashboards and reports.

  • Tableau, Power BI, Looker (for creating interactive dashboards and reports)
  • Excel (for data analysis and charting)

• Web Analytics: Familiarity with web analytics platforms is beneficial for understanding user behavior on digital platforms.

CRM & Automation:

• While not the primary focus, understanding how research insights can feed into CRM strategies or automation workflows is a plus. Familiarity with CRM concepts (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms could be advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section is crucial for operations roles. The detailed breakdown of expected tools, especially for quantitative analysis and data visualization, provides clear guidance on the technical proficiencies required. Highlighting specific software categories and examples allows candidates to self-assess their fit.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Member-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of credit union members above all else. This translates to research that prioritizes member impact and satisfaction.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: A strong emphasis on using evidence and rigorous data analysis to inform all strategic and tactical decisions, minimizing guesswork and maximizing effectiveness.

• Integrity & Trust: Upholding the highest ethical standards in all research activities and communications, reflecting the core values of a credit union and financial institution.

• Collaboration & Partnership: A belief in the power of working together across departments to achieve shared goals, fostering an environment where insights are openly shared and acted upon.

• Continuous Improvement: A drive to constantly learn, adapt, and refine processes and methodologies to enhance efficiency and effectiveness, both in research practices and overall operations.

Collaboration Style:

• Proactive Engagement: Actively seeking out opportunities to partner with Product, UX, Marketing, and Operations teams to understand their challenges and integrate research insights early and often.

• Transparent Communication: Maintaining open and honest communication channels, clearly articulating research plans, findings, and limitations to build trust and manage expectations.

• Insight Activation Focus: Working collaboratively to ensure research findings lead to concrete actions and measurable improvements, rather than remaining as theoretical knowledge.

• Feedback-Oriented: Encouraging and valuing feedback from stakeholders to refine research approaches and ensure relevance and impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: Aligning with the company's values is critical. For a Lead Design Researcher, demonstrating how their work embodies member-centricity, data-driven approaches, and collaborative spirit will be key to cultural fit.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Quantitative Rigor with Qualitative Depth: Effectively integrating advanced quantitative methods with rich qualitative insights to provide a holistic understanding of member behavior and needs.

• Driving Insight Activation: Ensuring that research findings are not just delivered but are actively understood, adopted, and acted upon by diverse stakeholder groups, overcoming potential organizational inertia.

• Navigating Complex Financial Products: Researching and understanding the nuances of financial products and services, which can be complex and require specialized knowledge.

• Measuring Research Impact: Quantifying the ROI and business impact of design research initiatives to continually demonstrate value and secure resources.

• Adapting to Evolving Member Needs: Staying ahead of changing member expectations, technological advancements, and competitive pressures within the financial services landscape.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Methodologies: Opportunities to deepen expertise in cutting-edge quantitative research techniques and experimental design.

• Financial Services Domain Expertise: Gaining in-depth knowledge of the credit union industry, member financial behaviors, and regulatory environments.

• Leadership and Mentorship: Developing leadership skills through guiding junior researchers and influencing strategic research direction.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Broadening understanding of product management, digital strategy, and operational efficiency within a large financial institution.

• Professional Development: Access to conferences, workshops, and potentially certifications relevant to design research and user experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: Identifying potential challenges upfront allows candidates to prepare thoughtful responses and demonstrate problem-solving capabilities. The growth opportunities highlight the potential for career advancement and skill enhancement, which are crucial for attracting top talent.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led a mixed-methods research project that significantly influenced a product or strategic decision. What was your process, what were the key challenges, and what was the ultimate impact?" (Focus on quantitative methods, leadership, and impact).

• "How would you approach designing a research study to understand member adoption barriers for a new digital financial tool? What quantitative and qualitative methods would you prioritize and why?" (Test your methodological thinking and application).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on what you know about Alliant Credit Union and the credit union model, how do you see design research contributing to our mission and member value proposition?" (Demonstrate your understanding of the industry and company).

• "How do you foster collaboration with non-research teams like Product, Marketing, and Operations? Can you provide an example of a successful cross-functional partnership?" (Assess your teamwork and communication style).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Quantify Everything Possible: For your chosen portfolio pieces, be ready to discuss sample sizes, statistical significance, confidence intervals, and any direct business metrics influenced (e.g., conversion rates, NPS scores, engagement metrics).

• Articulate Trade-offs: Be prepared to discuss why you chose specific methodologies over others and the trade-offs involved.

• Focus on Actionability: Clearly explain the "so what?" of your findings and how they translated into concrete actions or recommendations.

• Engage Your Audience: Make your presentation interactive. Ask clarifying questions, invite discussion, and tailor your language to the audience's understanding.

• Showcase Leadership: For a Lead role, emphasize your strategic thinking, how you guided the research process, and how you influenced stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: These questions are designed to probe for leadership, strategic thinking, quantitative expertise, and practical application of research skills within a business context, directly relevant to a Lead Design Researcher role supporting GTM operations.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead Design Researcher position at Alliant Credit Union:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Alliant Credit Union careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your experience with mixed-methods research, advanced quantitative techniques (conjoint, MaxDiff, TURF), and your ability to drive actionable insights that improve member experiences.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly details your years of experience, specific research methodologies employed, tools proficiency, and quantifiable achievements from previous roles, using keywords found in the job description.

• Portfolio Preparation: Select 2-3 of your strongest research projects that best demonstrate your quantitative skills, leadership, and impact. Prepare a clear, concise presentation that articulates the business problem, your research process, key findings, actionable recommendations, and measurable outcomes.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Alliant Credit Union, its mission, its position in the financial services industry, and its commitment to member experience. Understand the credit union model and how design research can support its strategic goals.

⚠️ 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.