Lead UX Researcher, Strategic Discovery & Human-Centered Design

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead UX Researcher, Strategic Discovery & Human-Centered Design

Company: Target

Location: 1000 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55403-2542, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: User Experience (UX) Research / Design Strategy

Date Posted: June 22, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (implied by 7+ years requirement)

Remote Status: Hybrid/Flex for Your Day

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead strategic discovery initiatives by applying human-centered design principles to uncover future opportunities and address complex problems.

• Drive the definition of new product, business, and experience strategies through rigorous and insightful user research.

• Facilitate cross-functional workshops and working sessions to foster alignment and translate research findings into actionable recommendations.

• Integrate emerging technologies, including AI-enabled research methods, while maintaining ethical standards and research quality.

• Mentor other researchers and contribute to the advancement of Target's human-centered design and discovery practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is distinct from traditional usability testing or feature validation. It focuses on the "fuzzy front end" of product development, requiring a strategic mindset to identify what problems are worth solving and where Target should invest its resources, rather than how to best design a defined solution.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead strategic discovery efforts, guiding teams to understand multifaceted challenges, identify nascent opportunities, and make data-informed strategic decisions.

• Design, execute, and synthesize research studies that systematically reduce uncertainty and provide critical input for product, business, and overall experience strategy development.

• Orchestrate and lead high-impact workshops and collaborative sessions, bringing together diverse stakeholders to build consensus and facilitate the transition from insights to concrete actions.

• Transform complex research findings into compelling narratives, clearly defined opportunity areas, and strategic recommendations that actively shape future business and experience direction.

• Collaborate closely with quantitative researchers, data scientists, and other insight-generating teams to synthesize qualitative human understanding with quantitative behavioral, operational, and business metrics.

• Employ rapid learning methodologies, including experimentation and prototyping, to enable teams to rigorously test assumptions and explore potential future product and experience concepts.

• Thoughtfully integrate AI-enabled research tools and emerging technologies into discovery processes, ensuring research integrity, ethical considerations, and high-quality output are maintained.

• Actively contribute to the evolution and elevation of Target's research practice through direct mentorship, cross-functional influence, and the development of reusable research methods, frameworks, and best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "strategic discovery" and "uncovering opportunities before solutions are defined" indicates a need for a researcher who can operate with a high degree of ambiguity, influence senior leadership, and connect user needs directly to business objectives and potential market shifts.

🎓 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:

• A minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in UX research, design research, human-centered design, service design, experience strategy, or a closely related discipline.

• Demonstrated success in leading end-to-end discovery initiatives that have demonstrably informed strategic direction and identified significant new opportunities for organizations. Required Skills:

• Strategic Discovery Leadership: Proven ability to lead research initiatives in the early stages of product and strategy development, identifying and framing complex problems and opportunities.

• Human-Centered Design Expertise: Deep understanding and practical application of human-centered design principles across various research methodologies.

• Advanced Research Methodologies: Proficiency in a wide range of qualitative and quantitative research methods, with a strong emphasis on generative and exploratory research techniques (e.g., ethnography, in-depth interviews, diary studies, contextual inquiry).

• Exceptional Facilitation Skills: Demonstrated ability to design and lead effective workshops, working sessions, and strategic planning meetings for diverse stakeholder groups.

• Compelling Communication & Storytelling: Outstanding verbal, written, and visual communication skills, with a talent for translating complex research findings into clear, concise, and persuasive narratives that drive decision-making.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Proven ability to build strong partnerships and influence stakeholders across UX, Product Management, Engineering, Marketing, and Business Strategy teams.

• Analytical & Synthesis Skills: Strong capability to connect disparate pieces of information, synthesize findings from multiple sources (qualitative, quantitative, business data), and derive actionable insights.

• Experimentation Design: Experience in designing and executing experiments to test hypotheses and validate concepts in ambiguous environments.

Preferred Skills:

• Service Design & Experience Strategy: Experience designing holistic customer journeys and service ecosystems.

• AI/Emerging Technology Research: Familiarity with applying research methods to explore and evaluate AI-enabled experiences and emerging technologies.

• Mentorship & Practice Development: Experience in mentoring junior researchers and contributing to the advancement of research methodologies and best practices within an organization.

• Retail Industry Experience: Understanding of the retail landscape, consumer behavior, and the unique challenges and opportunities within the sector.

• Business Acumen: Ability to understand and connect user needs with business objectives, market trends, and financial implications.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 7+ years of experience, coupled with the focus on "strategic discovery" and "uncovering opportunities," suggests this role is for a seasoned researcher capable of operating with significant autonomy and influencing senior leadership. The emphasis on "facilitation" and "storytelling" highlights the need for strong interpersonal and presentation skills beyond just data collection.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase at least 2-3 comprehensive case studies demonstrating leadership in strategic discovery initiatives, distinct from standard usability testing projects.

• Clearly articulate the problem space, the research objectives, the methodologies employed (especially generative and exploratory), and the strategic outcomes or decisions influenced by your work.

• Highlight your role in facilitating cross-functional alignment and translating ambiguous findings into clear opportunity areas or strategic recommendations.

• Include examples of how you connected human insights with business context and other data sources to build a holistic view of opportunities.

• Demonstrate experience in using research to navigate ambiguity and move teams from assumptions to evidence. Process Documentation:

• For each case study, provide a brief overview of the discovery process followed, emphasizing how research was integrated early and iteratively.

• Detail the facilitation methods used to engage stakeholders and achieve consensus during discovery phases.

• Illustrate how research findings were documented and communicated to influence strategic planning and decision-making.

• Showcase examples of frameworks or models developed to articulate opportunity spaces or experience principles derived from research.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the focus on strategic discovery and human-centered design, the portfolio should emphasize the impact of research on strategic decision-making and the process of navigating ambiguity, rather than solely showcasing polished UI designs or final product outcomes. Case studies should clearly demonstrate the researcher's ability to influence direction before solutions are fully formed.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $132,000 - $238,000 annually.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health benefits package including medical, vision, and dental insurance.

• Life insurance coverage.

• 401(k) retirement savings plan.

• Employee discount on Target purchases.

• Short-term and long-term disability coverage.

• Paid sick leave.

• Paid national holidays.

• Paid vacation time.

• Additional benefits are available through Target's comprehensive program, covering