Service Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Service Designer
Company: Stanford Health Care
Location: 7600 Gateway Blvd - NEWARK, New York, United States of America
Job Type: FULL_TIME
Category: Service Design / Customer Experience Operations
Date Posted: January 06, 2026
Experience Level: 2-5 Years
Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is pivotal in enhancing the patient and care partner experience by designing and improving the infrastructure connecting them to providers and contact center agents across all service delivery channels.
• The Service Designer will act as a bridge between clinical, operations, and technology teams, ensuring seamless user journeys and integrated service delivery.
• A core function involves leveraging human-centered design principles and systems thinking to balance exceptional user experiences with operational efficiency and organizational goals.
• This position requires a proactive approach to identifying and advocating for integration needs across the complex healthcare service ecosystem to simplify and standardize user interactions.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is categorized under Service Design / Customer Experience Operations, aligning with GTM (Go-To-Market) and broader operational improvement initiatives within a healthcare context. The emphasis on connecting patients, care partners, and providers signifies a critical GTM alignment, as a positive and seamless experience directly impacts patient acquisition, retention, and overall satisfaction.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional collaborations on projects focused on reducing perceived organizational complexity for patients, care partners, and employees.
• Plan, conduct, and manage comprehensive qualitative and quantitative user research (interviews, intercepts, usability testing, surveys) to deeply understand service user experience challenges and validate hypotheses.
• Co-create, test, and iterate on digital and non-digital design prototypes of varying fidelity with service users to ensure solutions meet their needs.
• Develop and present alignment artifacts such as journey maps, service blueprints, and other visualizations to communicate design decisions, user research findings, operational data, and industry best practices to stakeholders.
• Identify and champion necessary integrations across the service ecosystem to deliver consistent and simplified experiences for all service users.
• Establish and implement robust methods for measuring service user experiences, including baseline assessments, ongoing evaluations, and iterative adjustments for projects and organizational initiatives.
• Promote a human-centered design mindset and methodologies to support the organization's C-I-CARE culture and patient experience objectives.
• Support department leadership in effectively communicating experience-related concepts and design strategies to both internal and external stakeholders.
• Perform other related and incidental duties as needed or assigned to support the broader goals of the department.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong focus on process improvement and user journey optimization, which are core tenets of Revenue Operations and Sales Operations roles, albeit applied within a healthcare service context. The emphasis on "reducing service users’ experience of organizational complexity" and "identifying and advocating for integration needs" directly translates to efficiency gains and streamlined workflows, akin to optimizing sales funnels or customer onboarding processes.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Design, Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Education, Communications, or a closely related field from an accredited university.

Experience:

• Minimum of three (3) years of experience working across human-centered design phases within service design, design strategy, user research, experience management, journey management, customer success, voice of customer/employee, or similar roles.
• Two (2) years of experience managing projects independently within cross-functional environments; consultancy experience is considered a plus.
• Familiarity with U.S. healthcare systems, omnichannel service delivery strategies, or leading patient, customer, and employee experience management practices is preferred.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated ability to understand complex organizational cultures and achieve goals through formal and informal collaboration channels.
• Proven capacity to engender stakeholder enthusiasm and buy-in for service design outcomes, aligning them with broader organizational goals and initiatives.
• A strong aptitude for juggling multiple improvement projects simultaneously while maintaining focus on high-level experience objectives.
• Ability to quickly learn operational processes and tools to effectively assess experience-related challenges and identify root causes.
• Proficiency in creating visual representations of ideas (digital, physical, or other) that can be evaluated, improved, and effectively presented.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to craft compelling narratives that bridge service user aspirations with operational realities.
• Knowledge of data privacy regulations (e.g., HIPAA) and ethical considerations pertinent to user research and service design in a healthcare setting.

Preferred Skills:

• Proficiency in virtual collaboration tools such as Miro or Mural for ideation and co-creation sessions.
• Experience with CRM systems and their role in customer journey management.
• Understanding of data analysis principles and how to translate quantitative data into actionable design insights.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirements of "2-5 years" and the emphasis on "managing projects independently in cross-functional environments" suggest this role is mid-level, requiring a blend of hands-on design skills and project coordination capabilities. The preference for healthcare systems familiarity indicates that candidates with prior experience in regulated industries or complex service environments will have an advantage.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate a strong understanding of the end-to-end service design process, from research and ideation to prototyping and implementation.
• Showcase case studies that clearly articulate user research methodologies employed and how insights directly informed design decisions and led to tangible improvements.
• Include examples of service blueprints, customer journey maps, or other systems-thinking artifacts that illustrate complex service ecosystems and critical touchpoints.
• Present prototypes or mockups that highlight user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) considerations, with a clear explanation of the design rationale and testing outcomes.

Process Documentation:

• Provide evidence of experience in documenting and optimizing complex workflows, particularly those involving multiple internal and external stakeholders.
• Highlight projects where you have designed or improved feedback loops for continuous service enhancement, including methods for gathering and acting on user input.
• Illustrate your ability to analyze operational data and translate it into process improvements that enhance efficiency and user satisfaction.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Service Designer role, a portfolio is crucial. It should not only display design artifacts but also demonstrate a strategic approach to problem-solving, process mapping, and user-centric problem-solving. For operations professionals, this translates to showcasing how design thinking can drive efficiency and improve customer/patient journeys, directly impacting operational outcomes.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Base Pay Scale: Generally starting at $55.85 - $74.00 per hour.
• The final salary for the selected candidate will be determined based on factors including internal equity, experience, education, specialty, and training. This pay scale is not a guarantee of a specific wage.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.
• Retirement savings plan with employer match (e.g., 401k or similar).
• Generous paid time off (PTO), including vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
• Opportunities for professional development, training, and continuing education relevant to design and healthcare.
• Employee assistance programs and wellness initiatives.
• Potential for involvement in innovative projects and contributing to a leading healthcare institution's mission.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time position, typically 40 hours per week.
• Work schedule is Day - 08 Hour shifts, Monday to Friday, with potential for flexibility based on project needs and team collaboration requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range ($55.85 - $74.00 per hour) translates to an approximate annual salary of $116,148 - $153,920 for a full-time, 40-hour work week. This falls within the typical range for experienced Service Designers in the New York metropolitan area, considering the high cost of living and the specialized nature of the role within a prestigious institution like Stanford Health Care. Benefits are standard for a large healthcare organization.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Healthcare Services
Company Size: Stanford Health Care is a large, established healthcare system, implying a complex organizational structure with numerous departments and a significant employee base, likely in the thousands. This size offers opportunities for broad impact and cross-functional collaboration.
Founded: While the exact founding date of the broader Stanford Health Care entity isn't provided in the input, its long-standing reputation suggests a rich history of medical innovation and patient care.

Team Structure:

• The Service Designer will likely be part of a central design, innovation, or patient experience team, reporting to leadership focused on service improvement.
• This role requires close collaboration with diverse departments, including clinical operations, IT, patient relations, and potentially marketing or patient engagement teams.
• The reporting structure is likely matrixed, with project-specific reporting lines to project leads or stakeholders in addition to a direct manager.

Methodology:

• The organization emphasizes a "C-I-CARE" culture, focusing on patient-centered interactions: Know Me, Show Me the Way, and Coordinate for Me. This highlights a commitment to empathetic and proactive service delivery.
• Service design methodologies will be integrated with Lean and Agile principles to drive efficiency and continuous improvement within the healthcare system.
• Data-driven decision-making is expected, utilizing both qualitative user insights and quantitative operational data to inform design strategies.

Company Website: [Stanford Health Care Website URL - assuming it's stanfordhealthcare.org]

📝 Enhancement Note: Stanford Health Care's commitment to innovation, patient care, and its "C-I-CARE" framework suggests a culture that values empathy, collaboration, and continuous improvement. For operations professionals, this means an environment that supports user-centric process design and data-informed decision-making.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This Service Designer role is positioned as a mid-level contributor (2-5 years of experience). It requires independent project management and cross-functional collaboration, indicating a level of autonomy and responsibility beyond entry-level positions. The role is focused on applying design expertise to operational challenges rather than managing a team directly.

Reporting Structure: The Service Designer will likely report to a Manager or Director of Service Design, Patient Experience, or Digital Innovation. They will collaborate extensively with project managers, clinical leaders, IT specialists, and operational managers, creating a matrixed reporting environment where project-specific direction comes from various stakeholders.

Operations Impact: The Service Designer's work directly impacts the efficiency and effectiveness of patient interactions, which is critical for patient satisfaction, retention, and the overall operational success of Stanford Health Care. By simplifying complex healthcare pathways and improving communication channels, this role contributes to increased patient throughput, reduced administrative burden, and enhanced patient loyalty—all key GTM and operational metrics.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas of healthcare service design, such as digital patient engagement, omnichannel support strategies, or clinical workflow optimization.
• Leadership: Progress into senior Service Designer roles, leading larger, more complex projects, or moving into management positions overseeing design teams.
• Cross-Functional Mobility: Transition into related roles within Patient Experience, Digital Transformation, or Operational Improvement departments.
• Skill Development: Opportunities for advanced training in user research techniques, design thinking frameworks, and healthcare technology trends.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth path for a Service Designer in healthcare is strong, moving from individual contribution to strategic influence and potential team leadership. The role provides a unique blend of creative problem-solving and operational impact, making it attractive for those looking to drive tangible improvements in a critical sector.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Stanford Health Care is a large, integrated health system. While this role is listed as "On-site," it may involve working within a dedicated innovation lab, a central office space, or potentially rotating through different departmental settings as needed for research and collaboration. The primary location is specified as 7600 Gateway Blvd - NEWARK.

Office Location(s): The primary work location is 7600 Gateway Blvd, Newark, NY. This suggests a hub for administrative, operational, or potentially specialized project teams within the Stanford Health Care network. Accessibility and local amenities would be relevant for on-site employees.

Workspace Context:

• The environment is expected to be collaborative, fostering interaction with diverse teams, including clinicians, IT professionals, and operational staff.
• Access to standard office technology, including robust internet, communication tools, and potentially specialized design software and hardware, is assumed.
• Opportunities for regular interaction with team members and stakeholders will be crucial for co-creation, feedback sessions, and alignment meetings.

Work Schedule: The standard schedule is an 8-hour day shift, Monday through Friday. While primarily on-site, occasional flexibility might be required to accommodate user research schedules or critical project deadlines, but this is not a remote role.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "On-site" designation at the Newark, NY location is critical. While Stanford Health Care is a renowned California-based institution, this specific role appears to be situated within a New York operational or administrative hub. Candidates should confirm the exact nature of the Newark facility and its connection to the broader SHC network.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review applications and resumes to assess basic qualifications and experience.
• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion focused on your background, experience with human-centered design, project management skills, and understanding of healthcare challenges.
• Portfolio Review & Presentation: You will likely be asked to present a selection of your work, demonstrating your service design process, research methodologies, problem-solving abilities, and impact. Prepare 2-3 case studies that best showcase your skills relevant to this role.
• Cross-functional Interview Panel: Interviews with key stakeholders from clinical, operations, and technology teams to assess collaboration skills, ability to understand diverse perspectives, and fit within the SHC culture.
• Final Interview: May involve senior leadership to discuss strategic alignment and long-term potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best highlight your skills in user research, journey mapping, service blueprinting, prototyping, and measuring impact. Prioritize healthcare or complex service environment examples if possible.
• Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed, the insights gained, the solutions you designed, and the measurable outcomes or impact.
• Highlight Collaboration: Emphasize how you worked with cross-functional teams, managed stakeholder expectations, and translated user needs into actionable operational improvements.
• Showcase Process: Detail the specific research methods, design tools, and collaboration techniques you employed. Be prepared to discuss trade-offs and challenges encountered.
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., improved patient satisfaction scores, reduced wait times, increased engagement rates).

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for a case study or a design exercise that might involve analyzing a healthcare-related service problem and proposing solutions.
• Practice articulating your design process and rationale clearly and concisely, focusing on how your solutions address user needs and operational goals.
• Familiarize yourself with Stanford Health Care's mission, values, and patient experience framework (C-I-CARE) to tailor your responses and demonstrate cultural fit.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a Service Designer will heavily rely on demonstrating practical application of design principles and collaboration. A well-structured portfolio that showcases a clear design process and measurable outcomes is paramount. Operations candidates should frame their experience in terms of process optimization, efficiency gains, and stakeholder alignment, drawing parallels to their own operational expertise.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Prototyping & Design Software: Proficiency with tools like Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, or similar for creating wireframes, mockups, and interactive prototypes.
• Collaboration Platforms: Experience with virtual whiteboarding tools such as Miro or Mural is preferred for co-creation, journey mapping, and ideation sessions.
• Presentation Software: Advanced skills in PowerPoint, Google Slides, or Keynote for developing compelling presentations and alignment artifacts.

Analytics & Reporting:

• User Research Tools: Familiarity with survey platforms (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics) and usability testing tools.
• Data Analysis Tools: Basic understanding of how to interpret data from analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Amplitude) or internal reporting systems to inform design decisions. Experience with tools like Excel or Google Sheets for data manipulation and analysis.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: While not a primary CRM role, understanding how CRM data (e.g., Salesforce, Epic) informs customer journeys and service delivery is beneficial.
• Project Management Software: Familiarity with tools like Asana, Jira, or Trello for managing project timelines, tasks, and team workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Miro/Mural and general prototyping tools suggests a collaborative, digital-first approach to design and ideation. For operations candidates, this highlights the importance of digital collaboration and the ability to translate data into visual and actionable insights, aligning with the need for data-driven process improvements.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Patient-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and prioritizing the needs and experiences of patients and their families, as embodied by the C-I-CARE framework ("Know Me," "Show Me the Way," "Coordinate for Me").
• Collaboration: A strong emphasis on working effectively across diverse teams and disciplines to achieve shared goals, breaking down silos to create seamless service experiences.
• Innovation: A culture that encourages new ideas, experimentation, and the adoption of human-centered design principles to drive continuous improvement in healthcare delivery.
• Integrity & Excellence: Upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct, quality of care, and operational efficiency in all aspects of work.
• Data-Informed Decision-Making: Utilizing both qualitative user insights and quantitative operational data to guide strategies and measure impact.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Proactive engagement with clinical staff, IT, operations managers, and other departments to gather insights, co-create solutions, and ensure buy-in.
• Process Review & Feedback: An open environment for reviewing existing processes, soliciting feedback on designs, and iterating based on input from various stakeholders and end-users.
• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of best practices, research findings, and design learnings across teams to foster collective growth and improve overall service delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core values of Stanford Health Care, particularly C-I-CARE, directly translate into operational principles emphasizing empathy, proactive service, and holistic care coordination. This suggests an operations environment that is highly attuned to the end-user experience and values collaborative problem-solving.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Complex Healthcare Systems: Understanding and designing for the intricate web of clinical workflows, regulatory requirements, and diverse patient needs within a large healthcare institution.
• Balancing User Needs with Operational Constraints: Effectively advocating for user-centered solutions while respecting budget, technology limitations, and operational realities.
• Driving Change in a Large Organization: Overcoming resistance to change and fostering adoption of new service designs and processes across multiple departments and stakeholder groups.
• Measuring Impact: Developing robust metrics and feedback mechanisms to demonstrate the tangible value and ROI of service design initiatives in a healthcare context.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Training: Access to workshops and courses on advanced user research techniques, service design frameworks, journey mapping, and healthcare innovation.
• Industry Conferences: Opportunities to attend and present at leading design, patient experience, and healthcare technology conferences.
• Mentorship: Potential to be mentored by senior design leaders or experienced professionals in healthcare operations and patient experience.
• Cross-Departmental Exposure: Gaining broad understanding of different operational functions within Stanford Health Care through project collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented in this role are typical for design and operations professionals in large, complex industries like healthcare. They require strong analytical, communication, and change management skills, offering significant opportunities for professional development and growth.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you used user research to identify a key pain point in a service or product. How did you translate those insights into a design solution, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your process, research methods, and measurable impact).
• "How do you approach collaborating with diverse stakeholders (e.g., clinicians, IT, operations) who may have conflicting priorities? Provide an example." (Highlight your communication, negotiation, and alignment skills).
• "Walk us through a complex service you've designed or improved. What were the key touchpoints, what systems were involved, and how did you ensure a seamless experience?" (Be prepared to use your portfolio and discuss systems thinking).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Stanford Health Care's commitment to patient experience, particularly the C-I-CARE framework? How would your role contribute to these principles?" (Research SHC's mission, values, and patient experience initiatives).
• "How do you see service design contributing to operational efficiency and GTM strategies within a healthcare organization?" (Connect your design thinking to business outcomes).
• "Describe your experience working in cross-functional teams. How do you build rapport and ensure effective collaboration?" (Emphasize your teamwork and interpersonal skills).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, the methodology used, the key insights, the design solution, and the resulting impact (quantified if possible).
• Focus on Process & Rationale: Explain why you made certain design choices and how they were informed by research and organizational goals.
• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about specific research methods, design decisions, challenges faced, and how you measured success.
• Showcase Systems Thinking: Be ready to discuss how your designs integrate with existing systems and workflows, demonstrating an understanding of the broader service ecosystem.
• Tailor to Healthcare: If possible, highlight projects with relevance to healthcare, patient journeys, or complex service environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong understanding of the service design process, user empathy, and the ability to translate insights into actionable operational improvements. For candidates from operations backgrounds, framing their experience in terms of process optimization, stakeholder alignment, and ROI will be key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Service Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Stanford Health Care careers portal link.
• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight experience in human-centered design, user research, project management, cross-functional collaboration, and any relevant healthcare or complex service industry experience. Use keywords from the job description.
• Portfolio Preparation: Curate 2-3 compelling case studies that best showcase your service design process, research methodologies, problem-solving skills, and measurable impact. Ensure your portfolio is easily accessible (e.g., via a personal website or shared document).
• Interview Practice: Prepare to discuss your portfolio projects in detail, articulate your design process, and answer behavioral and situational questions related to collaboration, stakeholder management, and problem-solving in a healthcare context.
• Company Research: Thoroughly research Stanford Health Care, its mission, values, patient experience initiatives (especially C-I-CARE), and any recent news or projects related to innovation or digital transformation.

⚠️ 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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