Senior Design Researcher - Evinova

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Design Researcher - Evinova

Company: AstraZeneca

Location: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

Job Type: Full time

Category: Design Research / Product Strategy Operations

Date Posted: 2026-08-27

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (estimated 5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days in office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and execute end-to-end research initiatives, encompassing generative, foundational, and usability studies to inform product strategy and design roadmaps within the health-tech sector.

• Drive thought leadership by producing published articles, white papers, and conference presentations based on long-shelf-life strategic research insights.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams (Product, Design, Engineering, Data Science) to embed research findings into product development processes and tools like ProductBoard.

• Train and mentor junior researchers and peers, upskilling them in research methodologies and fostering a culture of continuous discovery and improvement.

• Leverage AI as a creative collaborator in the research process, exploring applications for accelerating discovery, rapid prototyping, and intelligent decision-making.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role bridges Design Research with strategic operations, focusing on how research directly influences product strategy and roadmapping in a regulated health-tech environment. The emphasis on publishing research and mentoring indicates a senior-level position with leadership responsibilities. The integration of AI as a "creative collaborator" suggests a forward-thinking approach to research operations.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Independently design and conduct a wide spectrum of research methodologies (generative, foundational, usability, concept feedback) across various stages of the product lifecycle.

• Guide and enable cross-functional teams to conduct high-quality discovery research, including facilitating research training workshops and providing ongoing support.

• Translate complex, technical clinical trial workflows into actionable, user-friendly artifacts such as journey maps and user profiles.

• Identify and implement opportunities to leverage AI for expediting research processes, including utilizing techniques like vibe coding for rapid prototype creation in research sessions.

• Act as a catalyst for conceptual thinking and creativity, challenging the status quo to drive continuous improvement in research practices and product development.

• Ensure cohesive user experience across different user domains and products by collaborating closely with other researchers and design leads.

• Facilitate active immersion of cross-functional product teams in research insights, moving beyond traditional passive presentation formats.

• Capture and document research insights within product tools (e.g., ProductBoard) and contribute to the Evinova Design System.

• Partner with cross-functional teams to ensure research insights are appropriately reflected and prioritized in the product roadmap, holding teams accountable for integration.

• Mentor and develop junior researchers, fostering a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and best practice sharing within the research team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a dual focus: hands-on strategic research and enabling others. The explicit mention of translating technical workflows, using ProductBoard, and influencing the roadmap indicates a strong connection to product operations and GTM strategy enablement. AI utilization for prototyping and research acceleration is a key differentiator.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Design, or a related field is typically expected for senior research roles. A background in life sciences or a related technical field would be a strong asset.

Experience:

• Proven experience (estimated 5-10 years) in independently leading research end-to-end, covering foundational, generative, and usability-focused methods.

• Experience in operating as an independent researcher on highly complex B2B or B2B2C software products.

• Demonstrated experience in the healthcare or digital health sectors is highly valued.

• Familiarity with clinical trials and the drug development lifecycle is a significant advantage.

• Knowledge of human factors for medical device requirements and processes is preferred. Required Skills:

• Deeply collaborative, T-shaped research practitioners capable of conducting and supporting diverse research methodologies.

• Expertise in tightly aligning research objectives with appropriate methods.

• Exemplary command of both written and spoken English, with the ability to communicate with sophistication and clarity.

• Proficiency with online research tools and familiarity with rapid prototyping tools.

• Strong commitment to inclusive design, accessibility, and usability principles.

• Excellent collaboration and storytelling skills, with the ability to influence cross-functional teams.

• Ability to operate at pace and navigate changes in scope and approach based on shifting market signals and customer demand.

• AI fluency: curiosity and excitement about working with generative and agentic AI as part of the research process.

• Ability to thrive in complexity, balancing near-term delivery with long-term vision. Preferred Skills:

• Experience in healthcare and/or digital health sectors.

• Familiarity with clinical trials and the drug development lifecycle.

• Knowledge of human factors for medical device requirements and processes.

• A non-linear career path and diverse life experiences that enrich perspective.

• Proficiency in a second language.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "T-shaped" requirement emphasizes both deep research expertise and broad collaboration skills. AI fluency is a critical and forward-looking requirement. The experience with complex B2B/B2B2C software and specific industry knowledge (healthcare, clinical trials) are key differentiators for operations alignment.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase end-to-end research projects demonstrating your ability to define problems, select appropriate methodologies, execute research, and synthesize findings into actionable insights.

• Include examples of how your research directly influenced product strategy, design decisions, or roadmap prioritization.

• Present case studies of complex B2B or B2B2C software research, highlighting challenges and your problem-solving approach.

• Demonstrate experience in translating technical workflows into user-centric artifacts like journey maps and user profiles.

• Highlight instances where you have trained or mentored others in research methodologies. Process Documentation:

• Evidence of designing and executing research plans that clearly align objectives with methods.

• Examples of how research insights were captured and utilized within product development tools (e.g., ProductBoard).

• Documentation of processes for involving cross-functional teams in research, ensuring active immersion and understanding of findings.

• Showcase how research has informed and shaped product roadmaps and design systems.

• Illustrate your approach to leveraging AI in research workflows, including any prototyping or analysis acceleration techniques.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio should not just present research findings but demonstrate the process of research and its tangible impact on product strategy and operational execution. The emphasis on AI integration and tools like ProductBoard is crucial for demonstrating operational relevance.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

CAD $147,292.80 - $193,321.80 annually.

📝 Enhancement Note: This salary range is provided by AstraZeneca and is competitive for a Senior Design Researcher role in the Mississauga, Ontario area, considering the specialized nature of health-tech and the required experience level. Factors influencing the final offer will include candidate's skills, experience, knowledge, and business needs.

Benefits:

• Annual Variable Pay Bonus/Short Term Incentive opportunity.

• Eligibility to participate in an equity-based long-term incentive program (role-dependent).

• Competitive Flex Benefits & Retirement Savings Program.

• 4 weeks of paid vacation.

• Annual Personal Days.

• Contract Benefits Program for fixed-term contract/temporary positions (excluding students). Working Hours:

• Full-time position, with an estimated 40 hours per week.

• Hybrid work model requiring employees to work from the office three days per week for collaboration and connection.

📝 Enhancement Note: The benefits package is comprehensive, aligning with senior-level roles at large pharmaceutical and health-tech companies. The hybrid work model with specific in-office days is a key aspect of the work arrangement.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Health-tech and Life Sciences, specifically focused on digital transformation within the pharmaceutical sector. Evinova operates at the intersection of healthcare, technology, data, and analytics, aiming to improve clinical research, care delivery, and patient experiences.

Company Size: AstraZeneca is a large, global pharmaceutical company. Evinova, as a health-tech business within AstraZeneca, likely operates with a more agile, startup-like culture while benefiting from the resources of a large corporation.

Founded: AstraZeneca was founded in 1999 through the merger of Astra AB and Zeneca Group PLC. Evinova is a newer venture focused on digital innovation.

Team Structure:

• The role is part of Evinova, a dedicated health-tech business unit.

• The Senior Design Researcher will work within a cross-functional team structure, collaborating closely with Product Managers, Designers, Engineers, and Data Scientists.

• There is a dedicated research function, with opportunities to mentor junior researchers and collaborate with other researchers and design leads.

• The role involves reporting to a lead or manager within the Evinova product development or research organization. Methodology:

• Emphasis on a data-driven approach, combining science-based expertise with deep human insight to design digital solutions.

• Continuous discovery and strategic research are core to informing product strategy and roadmaps.

• Integration of AI as a creative collaborator in research and product development.

• A hybrid working model that balances individual flexibility with in-person collaboration.

Company Website: www.evinova.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evinova/

📝 Enhancement Note: Evinova's positioning as a health-tech innovator within AstraZeneca suggests a culture that values both scientific rigor and digital agility. The emphasis on collaboration, continuous learning, and AI integration points to a modern, forward-thinking operational environment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior-level Design Researcher position, indicating significant autonomy and responsibility. It's a blend of individual contributor expertise and leadership through mentorship and enablement. The role is critical in shaping product strategy and operationalizing research insights.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Design Researcher will likely report to a Director or Head of Product Design, Research, or a similar senior leadership role within Evinova. They will collaborate closely with Product, Design, and Engineering leads, influencing their workstreams.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on Evinova's ability to deliver effective digital solutions by ensuring user needs and complex workflow realities are deeply understood and integrated into product strategy and roadmaps. By leading strategic research and enabling others, the role amplifies the impact of user insights across the organization, ultimately driving better health outcomes and business success.

Growth Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in AI-driven research, advanced qualitative and quantitative methods, and strategic product planning. Develop skills in training and mentoring.

• Leadership Development: Potential to lead research initiatives, manage research projects, and grow into a research lead or manager role within Evinova or AstraZeneca.

• Industry Influence: Contribute to thought leadership through publications and presentations, establishing expertise in digital health research and design.

• Cross-functional Expertise: Gain deep understanding of clinical trial design, drug development, and B2B health-tech product operations.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a clear path for growth from senior individual contributor to leadership, with opportunities to specialize in cutting-edge areas like AI in research and to influence strategic operations within the life sciences sector.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work environment. Employees are expected to work from the office three days per week. This suggests a collaborative office space designed to foster teamwork, innovation, and in-person connection.

Office Location(s): Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Specific office details regarding amenities and accessibility would be available upon inquiry or during the interview process.

Workspace Context:

• A dynamic and collaborative environment where cross-functional teams work closely together.

• Access to modern tools and technologies, including those for research, prototyping, and potentially AI-assisted workflows.

• Opportunities for direct interaction and knowledge sharing with peers across Product, Design, Engineering, and Data Science disciplines.

• A focus on creating an inclusive and accessible workspace that supports diverse needs. Work Schedule:

• Full-time, approximately 40 hours per week.

• The hybrid model allows for flexibility on remote days, supporting work-life balance while ensuring in-office collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model with mandated in-office days is a key aspect of the work environment, emphasizing collaboration within a regulated industry that values structured approaches while embracing digital innovation.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Application Submission: Complete the full application on the AstraZeneca careers website.

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio by recruiters and hiring managers for alignment with requirements.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion focused on experience, approach to research, understanding of complex B2B/B2B2C environments, and AI fluency.

• Skills Assessment/Case Study: Potential for a research exercise or case study presentation demonstrating your ability to tackle a complex problem, design research, and articulate insights. This might involve presenting a portfolio piece.

• Cross-functional Team Interviews: Meetings with Product, Design, and Engineering leads to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and ability to influence.

• Final Interview: Discussion with senior leadership to assess strategic thinking, leadership potential, and cultural fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 projects that best showcase your experience with complex B2B/B2B2C software, generative and usability research, and influencing product strategy.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the methodologies used, key insights, the impact on the product/roadmap, and any lessons learned. Quantify impact where possible.

• Highlight AI Integration: If applicable, include a project that demonstrates your use of AI in the research process, explaining the tools and benefits.

• Showcase Collaboration: Demonstrate how you worked with cross-functional teams and influenced decision-making.

• Address Health-Tech Context: If you have healthcare or clinical trial experience, ensure this is prominently featured.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Research clinical trial design, the drug development lifecycle, and the challenges faced by users in this space.

• AI in Research: Be prepared to discuss your thoughts on AI as a research tool and collaborator, including potential ethical considerations.

• Process Optimization: Think about how you would improve research processes within a hybrid, cross-functional team, and how you would enable others.

• Strategic Thinking: Prepare to discuss how research translates into product strategy and impacts roadmaps.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes practical application of research skills, strategic thinking, and collaborative ability. The portfolio is a critical component, requiring clear demonstration of impact and process. AI fluency will likely be a key differentiator.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• ProductBoard: Explicitly mentioned for capturing research insights; proficiency is expected.

• Online Research Platforms: Tools for conducting surveys, interviews, and usability testing remotely (e.g., UserTesting, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, Lookback).

• Rapid Prototyping Tools: Familiarity with tools that can be used for creating prototypes for research sessions (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, potentially AI-assisted tools).

• AI Tools: Experience or familiarity with generative AI tools for research assistance (e.g., AI-powered coding, summarization, ideation tools).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Tools for analyzing qualitative data (e.g., Dovetail, NVivo, or manual coding methods).

• Familiarity with data visualization tools for reporting research findings. CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a CRM role, understanding how research insights feed into product management and potentially CRM strategies is beneficial.

• Familiarity with project management and collaboration tools (e.g., Jira, Confluence, Asana).

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency with ProductBoard is a specific requirement. The role also demands adaptability to emerging AI tools and a strong understanding of the digital product development lifecycle and its associated technologies.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Human Insight & Data-Driven: A commitment to understanding users deeply through research, combined with rigorous data analysis to inform decisions.

• Digital Innovation: Embracing new technologies, including AI, to transform healthcare and accelerate better outcomes.

• Collaboration & Cross-Functionality: Working seamlessly across disciplines to achieve shared goals.

• Agility & Adaptability: Thriving in a fast-paced, evolving environment, navigating ambiguity, and embracing change.

• Continuous Improvement: A dedication to refining processes, upskilling team members, and pushing the boundaries of what's possible.

Collaboration Style:

• Empowering & Enabling: Mentoring and training peers to build research capabilities across the organization.

• Partnership-Oriented: Working closely with Product, Design, and Engineering as a strategic partner, not just a service provider.

• Insight-Driven Communication: Ensuring research findings are not just presented but actively integrated into strategic discussions and roadmaps.

• Challenging the Status Quo: Fostering an environment where constructive critique and innovative ideas are encouraged to drive progress.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture emphasizes a blend of scientific rigor, technological innovation, and collaborative execution, crucial for a health-tech business unit aiming to disrupt traditional processes.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Ambiguity: The evolving world of clinical trial design and digital health presents inherent complexity and constant change. The role requires comfort with ill-defined problems and shifting scopes.

• Balancing Discovery and Delivery: Effectively managing both continuous, in-depth strategic research and the need for timely, actionable insights to inform near-term product roadmaps.

• AI Integration: Responsibly and effectively integrating AI as a collaborator in research, ensuring it enhances rather than compromises quality and ethical considerations.

• Cross-functional Enablement: Successfully upskilling and influencing diverse teams (engineering, data science) who may have varying levels of research understanding.

• Regulatory & Ethical Landscape: Operating within a highly regulated industry requires a deep awareness of compliance, privacy, and ethical considerations in research and product design.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI in Research Specialization: Become an expert in leveraging cutting-edge AI tools and methodologies for research acceleration and enhanced insights.

• Thought Leadership: Develop content (papers, presentations) that positions Evinova and yourself as leaders in digital health research.

• Mentorship and Leadership: Grow into a formal leadership role, managing research teams and strategic initiatives.

• Industry Expertise: Deepen knowledge of the clinical trial lifecycle, drug development, and medical device regulations.

• Advanced Methodologies: Explore and implement novel research techniques suited for complex, long-term user journeys in healthcare.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are significant but directly tied to growth opportunities, particularly in emerging areas like AI and specialized health-tech operations.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to conduct research in a highly ambiguous or complex domain. How did you define the problem and approach?" (Focus on process, problem framing, and adaptability).

• "How do you ensure research insights are not just delivered, but actively integrated into product roadmaps and design systems by cross-functional teams?" (Highlight collaboration, influencing skills, and tools like ProductBoard).

• "Discuss your experience with AI in research. How have you used it, or how would you propose using it, to accelerate research processes or enhance insights?" (Demonstrate AI fluency and strategic thinking). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Evinova and AstraZeneca's mission to transform health through digital innovation?" (Showcase research into the company's mission and your alignment).

• "How do you approach mentoring junior researchers or upskilling non-researchers in research methodologies?" (Highlight your enablement and leadership style).

• "How do you balance the need for deep, strategic research with the demands of rapid product development cycles?" (Address your operational efficiency and prioritization skills). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: For each case study, clearly define the "Situation," "Task," "Action," and "Result" (STAR method).

• Visual Storytelling: Use visuals (screenshots, journey maps, photos of artifacts) to illustrate your process and findings.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, present metrics or outcomes that demonstrate the value of your research (e.g., improved usability scores, increased conversion rates, influenced roadmap decisions).

• Focus on Process, Not Just Findings: Explain how you arrived at your insights and how they were translated into action.

• Demonstrate AI Use: If applicable, walk through how AI was integrated into a project, explaining the tools and benefits.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, practical application of research skills, operational integration capabilities, and a forward-looking perspective on AI in research.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Design Researcher position:

• Submit your completed application through the AstraZeneca careers website at your earliest convenience.

• Tailor your resume: Highlight experience in complex B2B/B2B2C software, health-tech/clinical trials, generative/usability research, AI fluency, and cross-functional collaboration. Use keywords from the job description.

• Curate your portfolio: Select 3-5 impactful projects that showcase your end-to-end research process, strategic influence, and any AI integration. Ensure clear articulation of impact and lessons learned.

• Prepare for case studies: Anticipate questions about your research process, problem-solving in complex environments, and how you drive adoption of insights. Practice presenting your portfolio with a focus on operational impact.

• Research Evinova: Understand their mission, products, and approach to digital health transformation. Be ready to articulate why you are a strong cultural and strategic fit.

⚠️ 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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