Lead User Researcher - Hardware Research

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead User Researcher - Hardware Research

Company: ResMed

Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Job Type: Full time (Contract)

Category: User Research / Product Development

Date Posted: October 1, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ years

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the strategic direction and execution of user research initiatives for ResMed's hardware product portfolio, ensuring deep user understanding informs product design and development.

• Drive end-to-end research projects, from initial discovery and concept evaluation to delivering actionable, evidence-based recommendations for cross-functional teams.

• Foster a strong user-centric culture by effectively communicating research insights and building empathy for users across engineering, design, and product management.

• Collaborate closely with stakeholders to integrate user needs and behaviors into the product development lifecycle, contributing to the creation of impactful healthcare technologies.

• Influence senior leadership and multidisciplinary teams by presenting compelling research findings and advocating for user-centered decision-making.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a six-month fixed-term contract, a crucial detail for candidates to be aware of. The focus on "Hardware Research" within the "Lead User Researcher" title signifies a specialization in physical products, which is further elaborated by the emphasis on medical devices and healthcare technologies. The "connected experiences" aspect highlights the integration of digital elements with hardware.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and execute comprehensive user research strategies for hardware product programs and connected experiences, aligning with business objectives.

• Design and conduct a diverse range of qualitative and mixed-method research studies, including early-stage discovery, usability testing, and concept validation.

• Translate complex research findings into clear, compelling, and actionable insights that directly inform product roadmaps, design iterations, and business strategies.

• Champion user empathy across the organization by effectively communicating insights through storytelling, presentations, and collaborative workshops.

• Partner with engineering, product management, and design teams to ensure user insights are seamlessly integrated into product development workflows and decision-making processes.

• Contribute to the continuous improvement and expansion of research capabilities and impact within ResMed's broader product portfolio.

• Conduct field-based research, including potential international travel, to gather in-depth understanding of user behaviors and contexts.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize end-to-end ownership of research strategy and execution, from discovery to evaluation. The focus on translating insights into actionable recommendations and influencing stakeholders is key for a lead role. The mention of "connected experiences" indicates a need to understand how physical products integrate with digital interfaces.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Anthropology, Sociology, Design Research, or a related field is typically expected for this level of role.

Experience: 10+ years of progressive experience in user research, with a significant focus on physical products, preferably within regulated industries like medical devices or healthcare technologies. Demonstrated experience in leading research projects from inception to completion within product development environments.

Required Skills:

• Advanced User Research Methodologies: Proficient in designing and conducting qualitative (e.g., interviews, ethnography, contextual inquiry) and mixed-method research.

• Hardware Product Research: Proven experience researching physical products, understanding form factors, materials, and user interaction with hardware.

• Research Strategy Development: Ability to define research objectives, select appropriate methodologies, and create comprehensive research plans aligned with product goals.

• Stakeholder Management & Influence: Skill in effectively communicating research findings to, and influencing, senior leaders, product managers, engineers, and designers.

• Compelling Storytelling & Communication: Exceptional ability to synthesize complex data into clear, persuasive narratives that resonate with diverse audiences.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Demonstrated success in partnering with multidisciplinary teams (UX, Design, Engineering, Product Management) to drive user-centered product decisions.

• Problem-Solving: Ability to identify key user challenges and translate them into actionable product improvements.

• Field Research Expertise: Experience conducting in-person studies, including ethnographic or contextual inquiry, and willingness to travel.

Preferred Skills:

• Healthcare/Medical Device Experience: Prior work in regulated environments, understanding compliance and specific user needs in healthcare.

• Mentorship & Capability Building: Experience guiding junior researchers or contributing to the growth of research practices within an organization.

• Market Trend & Cultural Analysis: Ability to contextualize user insights within broader market dynamics and cultural influences.

• Purchase Intent & Willingness-to-Pay Research: Familiarity with research methods to understand market viability and customer value perception.

• Digital/Connected Experience Research: Experience researching the intersection of physical products and digital interfaces.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "10+ years" requirement points to a senior-level role demanding strategic leadership and deep methodological expertise. The preference for medical devices/healthcare tech, along with regulated environments, suggests the need for an understanding of industry-specific constraints and user needs. "Nice to Have" skills like mentorship and market analysis indicate opportunities for broader impact beyond individual projects.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrated Research Leadership: Showcase examples of leading end-to-end research projects, including defining strategy, methodology selection, execution, and impact.

• Physical Product Case Studies: Present detailed case studies of research conducted on physical products, highlighting the unique challenges and solutions involved.

• Insight Translation & Impact: Clearly articulate how research insights were translated into actionable recommendations and demonstrate the resulting impact on product design, user experience, or business outcomes.

• Cross-functional Collaboration Evidence: Include examples of successful collaboration with engineering, design, and product management teams, illustrating how research influenced their work.

• Methodological Diversity: Showcase proficiency across a range of qualitative and mixed-method research techniques, with a focus on those applicable to hardware and connected experiences.

Process Documentation:

• Research Strategy Design: Provide examples of how you've developed comprehensive research strategies aligned with product development phases and business objectives.

• Insight Synthesis & Communication: Demonstrate your approach to synthesizing raw data into clear, compelling narratives and presenting findings to diverse stakeholders.

• User-Centered Product Development Integration: Illustrate how you've embedded user research processes into product development workflows, from ideation to post-launch evaluation.

• Methodological Rigor & Adaptation: Showcase your ability to apply rigorous research methods while also adapting them to specific project constraints and objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a lead role, the portfolio needs to demonstrate strategic thinking, leadership in research execution, and a clear track record of influencing product decisions with tangible impact. Case studies focusing on physical products and their integration with digital experiences will be highly valued.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Given the "Lead User Researcher" title, 10+ years of experience, and the Sydney location, a competitive salary range for a fixed-term contract is estimated to be between AUD $150,000 - AUD $200,000 per annum, pro-rated for the six-month term.

📝 Enhancement Note: This salary estimate is based on research for senior user researcher roles in Sydney, Australia, considering the specific industry (healthcare technology), the contract nature of the position, and the extensive experience required. Market data from sources like Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, and industry-specific salary surveys for Australia were consulted. The contract duration (6 months) would influence the pro-rata calculation and potentially a slight premium for fixed-term roles.

Benefits:

• Contractual Opportunity: Six-month fixed-term contract offering focused project engagement.

• Impactful Work: Opportunity to contribute to life-changing healthcare products that improve sleep, breathing, and overall health for millions worldwide.

• Collaborative Environment: Work within a user-centered research team alongside dedicated engineering, design, and product management professionals.

• Professional Development: Exposure to advanced hardware research challenges and opportunities to refine research strategies within a leading medical technology company.

• Hybrid Work Model: Flexibility with a blend of in-office collaboration and remote work.

Working Hours: The role is full-time, typically corresponding to approximately 38-40 hours per week, with potential for flexibility depending on project needs and team agreements. The hybrid arrangement allows for a structured work week combining office presence and remote work.

📝 Enhancement Note: As a contract role, benefits might differ from permanent positions. The emphasis is on the project's impact, the collaborative team environment, and the professional experience gained. The hybrid arrangement is a key benefit for work-life balance.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Medical Devices & Healthcare Technology. ResMed is a global leader in developing innovative solutions for sleep apnea, COPD, and other respiratory conditions. This industry context means a strong emphasis on patient outcomes, regulatory compliance, and user safety.

Company Size: ResMed is a large, established global organization with thousands of employees worldwide. This size offers stability, extensive resources, and opportunities for broad impact, while potentially presenting a more structured environment for research integration.

Founded: ResMed was founded in 1989. This history signifies a deep-rooted understanding of the healthcare technology market and a long-standing commitment to improving patient lives through innovation.

Team Structure:

• Experience Insights Team: You'll be part of a dedicated team focused on understanding user needs and behaviors. This team likely comprises various research specialists, designers, and potentially data analysts.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: The role heavily emphasizes partnership with Engineering, Product Management, and Design teams, suggesting a matrixed or project-based reporting structure where research insights are shared and integrated directly into product development cycles.

• Reporting Line: Likely reporting to a Research Lead, Director of UX, or Head of Product Development, with project-specific guidance from product managers and engineering leads.

Methodology:

• User-Centered Design: ResMed's culture is driven by a user-centered approach, with research being a critical input at all stages of product development.

• Data-Driven Decisions: Insights derived from research are expected to be evidence-based, informing strategic and tactical decisions.

• Innovation Focus: As a technology company, there's a drive for continuous innovation, requiring research to explore new concepts and user needs.

• Agile Integration: Research processes are likely integrated into agile development cycles, requiring flexibility and rapid iteration.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on healthcare technology implies a high degree of rigor, ethical considerations, and a deep understanding of patient needs. The "Experience Insights" team structure suggests a dedicated function for research, which is a positive sign for a user researcher.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is at a Lead level within User Research, signifying significant experience and the ability to independently strategize, execute, and influence. It's a senior individual contributor role with potential for leadership in research strategy and mentorship.

Reporting Structure: You will likely report to a senior research leader or a product development executive. Your day-to-day work will involve close collaboration with product managers, hardware engineers, and UX/UI designers, forming project-based teams.

Operations Impact: As a Lead User Researcher, your primary impact will be on the product development lifecycle and product strategy. By deeply understanding user needs, pain points, and behaviors related to hardware, you will directly influence:

• Product Design & Features: Ensuring products are intuitive, effective, and meet user expectations.

• User Experience (UX): Optimizing the overall interaction with ResMed's physical devices and connected ecosystems.

• Market Fit: Validating product concepts and features to enhance market adoption and success.

• Customer Satisfaction & Retention: Developing products that users find valuable and easy to use, leading to higher satisfaction and continued engagement.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in hardware research, medical device UX, or connected health technologies.

• Leadership: Potentially transition into a management role overseeing a team of researchers or taking on broader strategic research initiatives.

• Cross-functional Expertise: Gain deeper insights into product management, hardware engineering, and business strategy through close collaboration.

• Industry Influence: Contribute to best practices in user research within the healthcare technology sector.

• Contract-to-Permanent Potential: Depending on business needs and performance, there might be opportunities for the contract to extend or convert to a permanent role.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Lead" title implies responsibility for more than just executing research; it includes strategic input, influencing outcomes, and potentially guiding others. The growth opportunities focus on deepening expertise within a specialized field and expanding influence within the organization.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is designated as Hybrid, requiring a minimum of two days per week in the Bella Vista office. This setup promotes in-person collaboration, team building, and access to office resources while maintaining flexibility.

Office Location(s): Bella Vista, Sydney, Australia. This is the primary location for in-office work. Occasional international travel may be required for field research.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The Bella Vista office likely serves as a hub for cross-functional teams, facilitating spontaneous discussions, workshops, and team meetings essential for product development.

• Research Resources: Access to necessary tools, labs (potentially), and facilities for conducting user research, though specific resources will depend on the team's setup.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities to connect with fellow researchers, designers, engineers, and product managers, fostering a dynamic and interactive work environment.

• Focused Work: The hybrid model allows for dedicated time for focused individual work and deep thinking, either remotely or in a quieter office setting.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is full-time (approx. 38-40 hours/week). The hybrid arrangement allows for structured in-office days (minimum two) and flexibility for remote work, enabling researchers to balance project demands with personal needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role is a key aspect of the work environment, balancing the need for face-to-face collaboration with the benefits of remote flexibility. The specific office location in Bella Vista, Sydney, is important for candidates in that region.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review applications and conduct an initial call to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit, focusing on your user research background.

• Portfolio Presentation & Deep Dive: Expect a session where you present your portfolio, showcasing key case studies of hardware research. This will involve discussing your research process, methodologies, insights, and the impact of your work. Be prepared to answer in-depth questions about your decision-making and approach.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Interviews with key stakeholders, including Product Managers, Engineering Leads, and Design Leads. These will assess your ability to collaborate, influence, and translate research into actionable product improvements.

• Behavioral & Situational Questions: Questions designed to evaluate your problem-solving skills, leadership style, communication abilities, and how you handle challenging situations in a research context.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader to discuss strategic alignment, long-term vision, and finalize the decision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Impact: Clearly articulate the business and user outcomes of your research. Quantify impact where possible (e.g., "led to a 15% reduction in task completion time," "identified critical usability issues preventing market adoption").

• Highlight Hardware Expertise: Select case studies that specifically demonstrate your experience with physical products, their design considerations, and user interaction.

• Showcase Strategic Thinking: Explain your rationale behind research strategy choices, how you aligned research with product goals, and how you influenced decisions.

• Detail Your Process: Walk through your methodologies, why you chose them, and how you adapted them. Be ready to discuss challenges encountered and how you overcame them.

• Emphasize Collaboration: Show how you partnered with other functions and how your research facilitated their work.

• Tell a Story: Structure your case studies as narratives with a clear problem, your approach, the findings, and the resolution/impact.

Challenge Preparation:

• Mock Presentation: Practice presenting your portfolio case studies, simulating the interview environment. Time yourself to ensure you can cover key points concisely.

• Anticipate Questions: Prepare answers for common questions about your research philosophy, how you handle conflicting stakeholder opinions, how you prioritize research efforts, and your experience with different research tools.

• ResMed Research: Understand ResMed's products, their mission, and the healthcare technology landscape. Consider how your research approach aligns with their user base and product goals.

• Scenario-Based Questions: Be ready to discuss how you would approach a hypothetical research challenge relevant to ResMed's hardware products.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio presentation for a lead role is critical. Candidates must be prepared to deeply discuss their past work, particularly focusing on hardware product research and its demonstrable impact.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• User Research Platforms: While not explicitly listed, familiarity with platforms for remote usability testing, survey distribution, and participant recruitment (e.g., UserTesting.com, Maze, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey) is beneficial.

• Prototyping Tools: Experience working with prototypes created in tools like Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, or InVision to test them with users.

• Collaboration Tools: Proficiency in tools like Microsoft Teams, Slack, Jira, Confluence for team communication, project management, and documentation.

• Data Analysis Tools: While qualitative focus is high, familiarity with tools for analyzing qualitative data (e.g., Dovetail, NVivo) or basic quantitative analysis (e.g., Excel, Google Sheets) is advantageous.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Presentation Software: Mastery of tools like PowerPoint, Google Slides, or Keynote for creating compelling research presentations.

• Data Visualization: Ability to use basic charting features within spreadsheet software or dedicated tools to represent data clearly.

CRM & Automation:

• N/A: This role is within User Research, not directly in CRM or sales/marketing automation. However, understanding how user feedback might feed into customer success or product improvement systems could be a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack for a Lead User Researcher is primarily focused on research execution and communication. The emphasis is on tools that facilitate data collection, analysis, and dissemination of insights, rather than operational or sales-focused systems.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the user in all product decisions. This is the cornerstone of ResMed's approach.

• Curiosity & Empathy: A drive to uncover the "why" behind user behaviors and to approach users with genuine understanding and respect.

• Evidence-Driven Approach: Valuing rigorous research and data to support insights and recommendations, ensuring decisions are informed and defensible.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: A belief in the power of working together across disciplines to achieve shared goals and build better products.

• Innovation & Impact: A desire to push boundaries and create solutions that make a real difference in people's lives.

Collaboration Style:

• Partnership: Working as a close partner with Product Management, Engineering, and Design, integrating research seamlessly into their workflows.

• Facilitation: Actively facilitating discussions and workshops to ensure user perspectives are heard and considered.

• Transparent Communication: Openly sharing research plans, findings, and challenges to build trust and alignment.

• Constructive Feedback: Engaging in respectful dialogue and providing constructive feedback to improve research processes and product outcomes.

• Knowledge Sharing: Proactively sharing learnings and best practices to elevate the research capability across the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values highlight a strong focus on the user, data-driven decision-making, and collaborative spirit, which are essential for effective user research within a product development context.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Research Rigor with Speed: In a fast-paced product development environment, ensuring research is thorough yet delivered in time to influence critical decisions.

• Influencing Senior Stakeholders: Effectively communicating complex insights and advocating for user needs to secure buy-in from leadership and diverse teams.

• Researching Diverse User Groups: Understanding and catering to the unique needs of different patient populations (e.g., elderly, those with chronic conditions) and their caregivers.

• Integrating Physical and Digital Insights: Synthesizing research findings from hardware usage and connected digital experiences to create a cohesive user journey.

• Navigating Regulated Environments: Working within the constraints and requirements of the medical device industry.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deepening Hardware Research Expertise: Gaining advanced skills in researching complex physical products and their interaction with users.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Expanding knowledge in areas like product management, hardware engineering, and regulatory affairs.

• Mentorship: The opportunity to mentor junior researchers and contribute to building ResMed's research capabilities.

• Industry Trends: Staying abreast of evolving trends in healthcare technology, connected devices, and user research methodologies.

• Strategic Impact: Developing skills in shaping product strategy and influencing long-term business direction through impactful research.

📝 Enhancement Note: Identifying potential challenges helps candidates prepare and showcases the complexity and strategic nature of the role. The growth opportunities highlight the potential for professional development and career advancement within ResMed.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to develop a research strategy for a complex hardware product. What were the key considerations, and how did you align it with product goals?" (Focus on your strategic planning process, methodology selection, and alignment with business objectives.)

• "How do you approach translating complex qualitative research findings into actionable recommendations for engineering and product teams?" (Demonstrate your synthesis skills, communication methods, and ability to bridge research and development.)

• "Imagine we are developing a new feature for our CPAP masks. How would you approach researching user needs and validating concepts for this hardware innovation?" (Apply your research framework to a relevant ResMed product scenario, discussing methods and rationale.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in user research specifically within the healthcare technology sector and for ResMed?" (Show genuine interest in the industry and ResMed's mission, connecting it to your passion for user-centered design.)

• "How do you build empathy for users across a cross-functional team, especially those who may not have direct user interaction?" (Discuss your storytelling techniques, workshops, and methods for embedding user voice.)

• "Describe your experience working in a hybrid environment. How do you ensure effective collaboration and maintain strong relationships with team members you don't see daily?" (Highlight your communication, organization, and proactivity in a hybrid setting.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly outline the problem, your role and responsibilities, the research methodology, key findings, actionable recommendations, and the impact.

• Quantify When Possible: Use metrics to support your claims about impact (e.g., "identified X critical usability issues," "recommendations influenced feature prioritization, leading to Y").

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your methodological choices, how you handled challenges, and your decision-making process at each stage.

• Showcase Strategic Thinking: Emphasize how your research contributed to broader product strategy and business objectives, not just isolated usability fixes.

• Highlight Hardware Focus: Ensure your presented examples clearly demonstrate your experience with physical products and their unique research considerations.

📝 Enhancement Note: These questions are designed to probe strategic thinking, practical application of research skills, and cultural fit. Candidates should prepare specific examples from their experience.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the ResMed careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your 10+ years of experience in user research, specifically emphasizing your work with physical products and within healthcare or regulated industries.

• Case Study Selection: Curate 2-3 of your strongest portfolio case studies that best demonstrate your lead-level capabilities in hardware research, strategic thinking, and cross-functional influence. Ensure they showcase your process from strategy to impact.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on clear storytelling, articulating your research rationale, and demonstrating the impact of your work. Be ready to discuss your approach to hybrid collaboration and influencing stakeholders.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research ResMed's products, mission, and recent news. Understand their user base and the challenges within the healthcare technology sector to articulate your interest and how your skills align with their needs.

⚠️ 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.