Junior Design Researcher Junior Design Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Junior Design Researcher

Company: ANZ Banking Group Limited

Location: Wellington or Auckland, New Zealand

Job Type: 12 Month Fixed Term

Category: Human-Centered Design / User Experience Research

Date Posted: May 15, 2026

Experience Level: Junior (1-3 years)

Remote Status: On-site (Wellington or Auckland)

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is focused on leveraging Human-Centred Design (HCD) principles to understand customer behaviours, needs, and motivations within the Personal Banking domain.

• You will be instrumental in shaping exceptional customer experiences through user testing, research, and identifying emerging trends in digital projects.

• The position requires advocating for design thinking and inclusive design practices within a collaborative, multi-disciplinary Agile team environment.

• You will translate customer insights and data into actionable design artefacts that drive both customer and business value.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is specifically for a Junior Design Researcher within the Segments Team of ANZ's Personal Banking domain. The focus is on applying HCD principles to improve digital customer experiences, necessitating strong qualitative research skills and an understanding of Agile methodologies. The fixed-term nature of the role suggests a project-based need or a trial period for a specific initiative.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct user testing and qualitative research with customers to uncover needs, behaviours, and motivations impacting digital experiences.

• Plan, guide, and deliver design research activities to identify key actions that deliver demonstrable customer and business value.

• Champion design thinking principles by integrating customer insights and data into decision-making processes for product and service development.

• Identify significant themes, emerging trends, and best practices in customer behaviour and market dynamics.

• Create compelling design artefacts (e.g., personas, journey maps, reports) that effectively communicate research findings and insights.

• Participate actively in the design research practice to ensure alignment, provide guidance, and uphold best practices for self, peers, and stakeholders.

• Advocate for and implement inclusive design principles across all research projects and initiatives to ensure accessibility and equity.

• Foster strong collaborative relationships with cross-functional partners and stakeholders, guiding them through the discovery journey.

• Collaborate effectively within a multi-disciplinary Agile team, including product stakeholders, experience designers, developers, and testers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a hands-on approach to research, from planning and execution to insight synthesis and communication. The role requires not only research skills but also the ability to influence stakeholders and champion design-centric approaches within an Agile framework, which is a common requirement for UX researchers in financial services.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a background in Psychology, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Design, Anthropology, Sociology, or a related field is beneficial for understanding user behaviour and research methodologies.

Experience:

• 1-3 years of hands-on experience in conducting both generative and evaluative user research.

Required Skills:

• Strong understanding of design research methodologies (e.g., interviews, surveys, usability testing, ethnographic studies).

• Proficiency in design thinking principles and their application to product and service design.

• Experience with generative research techniques to explore user needs and identify opportunities.

• Experience with evaluative research techniques to test and refine designs.

• Ability to effectively communicate complex insights and data in a compelling and easily understandable manner to diverse audiences.

• Demonstrated ability to build, manage, and influence strong collaborative relationships with partners at all levels.

Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with digital projects and customer experience within the financial services or banking sector.

• Experience with user testing platforms and tools.

• Knowledge of emerging trends in customer behaviour and digital product development.

• Ability to create impactful design artefacts such as personas, journey maps, and user flows.

• Understanding of data analysis techniques to complement qualitative findings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "most of these things" clause indicates that ANZ values a growth mindset and potential over strict adherence to every single listed skill. Candidates with a strong foundation in core research skills and a demonstrable passion for user advocacy are encouraged to apply.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a range of user research projects, demonstrating experience with both generative and evaluative methods.

• Provide case studies that clearly outline the research problem, methodology used, key findings, and the impact of the research on product or service improvements.

• Highlight your ability to translate raw data and insights into actionable recommendations for design and business stakeholders.

• Include examples of how you have advocated for the customer and championed Human-Centred Design principles.

Process Documentation:

• Evidence of structured research planning, including defining research objectives, selecting appropriate methodologies, and outlining participant recruitment strategies.

• Examples of how research findings were synthesized and documented to tell a compelling story that influences decision-making.

• Documentation illustrating your approach to advocating for inclusive design and ethical research practices.

• Showcasing how you have presented research insights to cross-functional teams and stakeholders to drive alignment and action.

📝 Enhancement Note: While not explicitly stated as a "portfolio requirement," the job description heavily implies the need to demonstrate practical application of research skills. Candidates should prepare to discuss their past projects and how they contributed to tangible outcomes, showcasing their ability to influence and collaborate within a team.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: As a Junior Design Researcher with 1-3 years of experience in Wellington or Auckland, New Zealand, the estimated salary range would typically fall between NZD $60,000 - $85,000 per annum. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for similar roles in the New Zealand market, considering the financial sector and the junior to mid-level experience required.

Benefits:

• Flexible Working Arrangements: Options to "make work, work for them" to support work-life balance.

• Wellbeing Services: Access to resources aimed at supporting employee mental and physical health.

• Employee Discounts: Benefits including discounts on selected ANZ products and services.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for growth and learning within the organization, contributing to career advancement.

• Inclusive Work Environment: Participation in affinity networks and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Working Hours: 37.5 hours per week.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is an estimate based on typical market rates for a Junior Design Researcher in New Zealand. Specific compensation will depend on the candidate's qualifications, experience, and ANZ's internal compensation structure. The benefits listed are directly extracted from the job description and highlight ANZ's commitment to employee well-being and flexibility.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Banking & Financial Services. ANZ is a major player in the financial sector, aiming to improve the financial wellbeing and sustainability of its customers. This context means a strong emphasis on trust, security, customer-centricity, and regulatory compliance.

Company Size: Large enterprise (ANZ is one of the largest banks in Australia and New Zealand, with tens of thousands of employees globally). This provides opportunities for structured career paths, extensive resources, and cross-divisional collaboration.

Founded: 1835 (as Bank of Australasia). ANZ has a long history, suggesting a blend of established practices and a forward-looking approach to innovation, particularly in digital transformation.

Team Structure:

• The role is within the Segments Team under the Personal Banking domain.

• You will be part of a multi-disciplinary Agile team, working closely with product stakeholders, experience designers, developers, and testers.

Methodology:

• Human-Centred Design (HCD) principles are embedded in product and service creation.

• Agile methodologies are utilized for project execution and team collaboration.

• A strong emphasis is placed on design thinking and user research to inform decisions.

• The company is actively working on a multi-year Te Ao Māori Strategy called Tāiki-ā-Rangi, aiming to increase representation of Māori and Pasifika people.

Company Website: https://www.anz.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture emphasizes a blend of traditional banking stability with a modern, agile, and human-centred approach to innovation. The commitment to Te Ao Māori strategy indicates a strong focus on diversity, inclusion, and cultural relevance within New Zealand.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Junior Design Researcher. This role is an entry-level to early-career position, offering foundational experience in user research and design thinking within a large corporate structure. It's an opportunity to learn, grow, and develop core UX research competencies.

Reporting Structure: You will work within a Segments Team in the Personal Banking domain, reporting to a Design Research Lead or Manager. You will collaborate closely with Product Owners, Experience Designers, Developers, and Testers within an Agile squad.

Operations Impact: Your work will directly influence the design and development of digital products and services for millions of personal banking customers. By understanding their needs and behaviours, you will help shape experiences that improve financial wellbeing and customer satisfaction, contributing to ANZ's overall business goals.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Develop deep expertise in various qualitative research methods (generative and evaluative), data synthesis, and insight communication.

• Career Progression: Potential to advance to roles like Design Researcher, Senior Design Researcher, or UX Lead, potentially specializing in specific customer segments or product areas.

• Industry Exposure: Gain valuable experience in the financial services sector, a complex and dynamic industry with significant digital transformation efforts.

• Agile & HCD Mastery: Become highly proficient in applying Agile methodologies and Human-Centred Design principles in a large organizational setting.

• Leadership Potential: Opportunity to mentor future junior researchers or lead specific research initiatives as experience grows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is positioned as a stepping stone for a career in UX research, particularly within the financial services industry. ANZ's emphasis on growth mindset suggests a supportive environment for learning and development, with clear pathways for advancement for high-performing individuals.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based in either Wellington or Auckland, New Zealand, indicating a physical office presence. The mention of flexible working arrangements suggests a hybrid model where employees may split time between the office and remote work.

Office Location(s): Wellington and Auckland, New Zealand. Specific office addresses would be provided upon inquiry or during the hiring process.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: You'll be working within a multi-disciplinary Agile team, necessitating close interaction and teamwork.

• Technology & Tools: Access to standard office technology and likely specialized UX research tools and software provided by ANZ for conducting research and analysis.

• Operations Team Interaction: Regular engagement with designers, developers, product owners, and other stakeholders to share insights and co-create solutions.

Work Schedule: A standard 37.5-hour work week is expected, with the flexibility to manage your schedule within that framework, as indicated by the "flexible working arrangements" benefit.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is not fully remote, the mention of flexible working arrangements indicates a modern approach to work-life balance, typical of large organizations aiming to attract and retain talent. The physical office locations in key New Zealand cities provide access to a vibrant professional community.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a review of your CV and portfolio to assess alignment with the role's requirements.

• Hiring Manager/Team Introduction: An introductory call or meeting to discuss your background, interest in the role, and initial fit.

• Portfolio Presentation & Technical Interview: A key stage where you'll present a selection of your research projects, demonstrating your methodology, insights, and impact. Expect questions about your research process, decision-making, and how you handle challenges.

• Team/Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with potential colleagues and stakeholders (e.g., Product Owners, Experience Designers) to assess your collaborative skills, communication style, and cultural fit within the Agile team.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader to discuss overall fit and career aspirations.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 strong case studies that best showcase your range of skills (generative and evaluative research), your process, and the impact of your work.

• Tell a Story: Structure each case study with a clear narrative: the problem, your role, the research methods, key findings, your recommendations, and the outcome/impact. Quantify impact where possible.

• Highlight Process: Clearly articulate why you chose specific research methods and how you adapted your approach based on project constraints or objectives.

• Demonstrate Collaboration: Show instances where you worked effectively with others and how your research influenced team decisions.

• Showcase Insights: Focus on the quality of your insights and how you translated them into actionable recommendations that led to improved customer experiences.

• Address Ethical/Inclusive Design: Be prepared to discuss how you incorporated these principles into your research.

Challenge Preparation:

• Research Method Application: Be ready to discuss how you would approach a hypothetical research problem relevant to personal banking, including method selection and rationale.

• Insight Synthesis: Practice articulating insights clearly and concisely, and how you would present them to a non-research audience.

• Stakeholder Management: Prepare examples of how you have influenced stakeholders or navigated differing opinions regarding research findings or design directions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on portfolio presentation and demonstrating impact suggests that ANZ values candidates who can clearly articulate their value and the tangible results of their research efforts. Preparing specific examples and practicing the narrative for case studies will be crucial.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• UX Research Tools: While specific tools aren't listed, expect proficiency with common user testing platforms (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback), survey tools (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics), and potentially remote collaboration tools (e.g., Miro, Mural) for synthesizing findings.

• Design Artefact Creation: Familiarity with tools for creating personas, journey maps, and wireframes (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, or specialized tools like Smaply).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Analysis Tools: Basic proficiency in analyzing qualitative data. Experience with tools that can help segment findings or identify patterns in user feedback.

• Reporting Software: Ability to create clear, concise reports and presentations using standard office software (e.g., Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides).

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: While not a direct CRM role, understanding how customer data is managed within a CRM (like Salesforce) can be beneficial for context.

• Agile Project Management Tools: Familiarity with tools like Jira or Confluence is likely, given the Agile team structure.

📝 Enhancement Note: The specific tools are not detailed, but the context of digital projects and Agile teams implies a need for familiarity with standard UX research and collaboration software. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience with any relevant tools they have used.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A core value, reflected in the emphasis on understanding customer needs and behaviours to improve their financial wellbeing.

• Collaboration: Strong emphasis on working within multi-disciplinary Agile teams and with stakeholders at all levels.

• Innovation & Growth: Encouraging new ideas, learning, and personal/professional development ("growth mindset").

• Inclusivity & Diversity: Championing inclusive design principles and fostering a workplace that reflects the diversity of Aotearoa New Zealand.

• Integrity & Trust: As a bank, these are foundational values, influencing all aspects of customer interaction and internal operations.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Working seamlessly within an Agile squad, contributing research insights to influence design, development, and product strategy.

• Partnership: Building strong, collaborative relationships with stakeholders to ensure buy-in and alignment throughout the research and design process.

• Advocacy: Championing the voice of the customer and design thinking principles within decision-making forums.

• Knowledge Sharing: Participating in the broader design research practice to share learnings and best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: ANZ's culture appears to be a blend of traditional banking values (integrity, trust) with modern, agile, and people-focused principles (collaboration, growth, inclusivity). This creates an environment where individual contributions are valued, and teamwork is paramount.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Translating Research into Action: Effectively communicating complex insights in a way that drives tangible changes in product design and business strategy.

• Balancing Stakeholder Needs: Navigating diverse stakeholder priorities and ensuring the customer's voice remains central.

• Pace of Agile Development: Keeping pace with rapid development cycles while ensuring rigorous research practices are maintained.

• Measuring Impact: Demonstrating the direct ROI or impact of research initiatives within a large organization.

• Working within a Fixed-Term Contract: Adapting quickly to a new team and projects, and delivering value within a defined timeframe.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Mentorship: Opportunity to learn from experienced designers and researchers within ANZ.

• Skill Deepening: Gaining extensive practical experience in a variety of research methods and HCD applications.

• Industry Insight: Understanding the complexities and opportunities within the financial services sector.

• Agile & HCD Mastery: Becoming highly proficient in these methodologies within a large corporate setting.

• Networking: Building a professional network within ANZ and the wider design community.

📝 Enhancement Note: The junior nature of the role and the fixed-term contract present both challenges and opportunities. Candidates should view this as a chance to gain significant experience and demonstrate their potential, with the expectation of continuous learning and adaptation.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you used generative research to uncover a user need that led to a significant product or service improvement." (Focus on your process, insights, and impact.)

• "How do you ensure your research findings are understood and acted upon by diverse stakeholders, such as developers and business leaders?" (Highlight your communication and influence strategies.)

• "Walk us through a challenging research project. What were the obstacles, how did you overcome them, and what did you learn?" (Showcase problem-solving skills and resilience.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working at ANZ and specifically within the Personal Banking domain?" (Research ANZ's mission, values, and recent initiatives.)

• "How do you see your role contributing to our goal of improving financial wellbeing for our customers?" (Connect your skills to ANZ's purpose.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select Impactful Projects: Choose 2-3 projects that best demonstrate your ability to conduct research, derive insights, and influence outcomes.

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly outline: the problem, your role, the research questions, your chosen methodology (and why), key findings, your recommendations, and the eventual impact or learnings.

• Be Ready for Detail: Prepare to answer specific questions about your methodology, participant selection, data analysis, and how you handled any challenges.

• Showcase Collaboration: Highlight how you worked with other team members and stakeholders.

• Practice Your Delivery: Ensure you can present clearly, concisely, and within a reasonable timeframe.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interviewers will be looking for evidence of practical research skills, a strong understanding of design thinking and HCD, effective communication, and the ability to collaborate within an Agile environment. Preparing specific examples and practicing your presentation will be key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the ANZ Careers portal, referencing the appropriate job ID (if available, otherwise search by title and location).

• Portfolio Preparation: Curate 2-3 key projects that showcase your best work in generative and evaluative research. Ensure these projects clearly demonstrate your process, the insights you uncovered, and the impact of your work on user experience or business outcomes.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight your 1-3 years of relevant experience, focusing on keywords such as "Design Research," "Human-Centred Design," "Agile," "User Testing," "Customer Insights," and "Inclusive Design." Quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Practice: Prepare to discuss your portfolio in detail and practice answering common UX research interview questions, focusing on your methodology, problem-solving skills, and collaborative approach.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research ANZ, its mission, values, and recent initiatives in personal banking. Understand their commitment to Human-Centred Design and their Te Ao Māori strategy to demonstrate your alignment with their culture.

⚠️ 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.