SERVICE DESIGN RESEARCHER

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Service Design Researcher

Company: City of Toronto

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Job Type: Full-Time, Temporary (12-month)

Category: Policy, Planning & Research / Customer Experience / Service Design

Date Posted: September 22, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Level (Estimated 5-10 years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the modernization of City of Toronto's digital customer experience strategy through advanced service design and human-centred design methodologies.

• Conduct comprehensive discovery research, user engagement, and user experience research to identify root causes of civic challenges and explore stakeholder perspectives.

• Facilitate workshops and synthesis sessions to guide teams through the iterative design of rapid prototypes and pilot solutions.

• Develop and analyze data to inform recommendations for service and operational improvements, ensuring seamless end-to-end customer experiences.

• Advocate research findings to diverse audiences through compelling narratives and visual frameworks, promoting understanding and adoption of new service designs.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role focuses on service design research within a large public sector organization, emphasizing human-centred design principles to improve citizen and business interactions with City services. It requires a blend of research, facilitation, and strategic thinking to drive tangible improvements in service delivery and customer experience.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead and execute generative and evaluative experience design research activities using a variety of mixed-methods research techniques.

• Conduct in-depth qualitative contextual research, including field visits, ethnography, surveys, and benchmark studies, to understand user behaviors and needs.

• Design, develop, and administer questionnaires, surveys, data collection sheets, and interview questions to gather comprehensive information.

• Synthesize and evaluate data gathered through design research to uncover root cause insights and define corresponding design pillars.

• Collaborate with product, business, and technology teams to translate research insights into proofs-of-concept, prototypes, and service blueprints that solve business problems and create new opportunities (e.g., customer acquisition, improved customer experience, revenue generation).

• Provide design research support throughout all product development iterations, ensuring customer needs are integrated into the design process.

• Make recommendations on processes, policies, and data improvements based on research findings, tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure impact.

• Produce compelling and concise narratives and visual frameworks (e.g., prototypes, personas, journey maps, reports) to communicate complex topics and persuade stakeholders.

• Lead workshops, facilitation sessions, and user engagement activities with diverse participants and stakeholders.

• Share knowledge and teach others about design methodologies through formal and informal sessions.

• Support administrative research duties, including notetaking, documentation, recruiting, screening, and scheduling research participants.

• Prepare background studies and briefing notes for projects and assignments, ensuring thorough understanding of civic challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong emphasis on research methodologies, stakeholder collaboration, and the translation of insights into actionable design solutions. The role requires a proactive approach to identifying challenges and opportunities for service improvement within the City's complex operational environment.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Post-secondary degree or diploma in a related discipline such as Business Administration, Public Policy, Human-Centred Design, Service Design, Design Thinking, User Experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Experience: Considerable experience leading service design research and evaluation initiatives, applying mixed-methods research techniques (e.g., interviews, ethnographic research, usability testing, surveys, and analytics) to generate evidence-based insights that inform service design, policy, and continuous improvement. Considerable experience conducting problem definition and research, inclusive design research, co-designing with stakeholders, prototyping solutions, and working with data to generate analytics and insights. Considerable facilitation experience, including leading workshops, sessions, and focus groups with a variety of participants and stakeholders (internal and external). Experience in creating artefacts to clearly communicate research findings and proposed solutions (i.e. prototypes, personas, journey maps, reports, etc.).

Required Skills:

• Service Design & Human-Centred Design: Deep understanding and practical application of HCD principles and service design methodologies.

• Research Methodologies: Proficiency in a wide range of qualitative and quantitative research techniques (ethnography, interviews, usability testing, surveys, data analysis).

• Facilitation & Workshop Leadership: Proven ability to lead workshops, co-design sessions, and focus groups with diverse stakeholders.

• Data Analysis & Synthesis: Ability to gather, analyze, interpret, and synthesize complex information from various sources to derive actionable insights.

• Prototyping & Artefact Creation: Skill in developing prototypes, personas, journey maps, service blueprints, and other design artefacts.

• Communication & Presentation: Excellent ability to articulate research findings and complex concepts clearly and persuasively to diverse audiences through written reports and presentations.

• Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement: Strong interpersonal skills to build and maintain relationships with colleagues, clients, and diverse community stakeholders.

• Problem-Solving & Critical Thinking: Ability to identify issues, think critically, and develop effective solutions.

• Agile Development Principles: Understanding and application of Agile techniques in product development.

Preferred Skills:

• Knowledge of specific design and research tools such as Figma, Miro, Mural, Dovetail, Optimal, Qualtrics, Adobe Creative Suite.

• Experience within a public sector or government environment.

• Understanding of change management practices.

• Familiarity with accessibility standards and inclusive design principles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize a strong research background coupled with practical application in service design and facilitation. The "considerable experience" requirement suggests a mid-level to senior individual contributor role. The inclusion of specific design and research tools as "knowledge" rather than strict requirements indicates flexibility but also highlights preferred proficiencies.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Service Design Case Studies: Showcase at least 2-3 detailed case studies demonstrating your end-to-end involvement in service design research projects.

• Research Methodology Showcase: Clearly articulate the research methodologies employed in your case studies, including problem definition, data collection techniques, analysis, and synthesis.

• Insight-to-Action Examples: Provide examples of how your research insights directly informed design decisions, led to prototypes, or resulted in measurable service improvements.

• Facilitation & Stakeholder Engagement: Include evidence of your facilitation skills, such as workshop outputs, co-design artifacts, or examples of engaging diverse stakeholder groups.

• Artefact Examples: Present a range of artefacts created, such as personas, journey maps, service blueprints, wireframes, or low-fidelity prototypes.

• Impact & Results: Quantify the impact of your work where possible, focusing on improvements in customer experience, efficiency, or problem resolution.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Demonstrate experience in mapping existing service workflows and identifying opportunities for optimization through design thinking.

• User Journey Mapping: Showcase your ability to create detailed user journey maps that capture pain points and opportunities for service enhancement.

• Service Blueprinting: Provide examples of service blueprints that illustrate the front-stage and back-stage elements of a service and their interdependencies.

• Prototyping & Iteration: Detail your process for rapid prototyping and iterative testing of service concepts.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Service Design Researcher role, a strong portfolio is critical. It should not just list projects but tell a story about the problem, the process, the insights, and the impact. The emphasis is on demonstrating the application of research and design thinking to solve real-world problems and improve services, particularly within a public sector context.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $49.66 - $54.43 per hour.

• Estimated Annual Salary: Based on a 35-hour work week, this translates to approximately $968,350 - $1,061,100 CAD annually (before taxes).

• Methodology: Calculated by multiplying the hourly rate by 35 hours per week and 52 weeks per year. This range is competitive for mid-level research and design roles in the public sector in Toronto.

Benefits:

• Temporary Contract Benefits: While not explicitly detailed, temporary positions with the City of Toronto often include access to benefits such as health, dental, and vision coverage, as well as paid time off, though specifics can vary.

• Pension Plan: As a City of Toronto employee, there is likely eligibility for participation in the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) pension plan, a valuable long-term benefit.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for training and development related to service design, human-centred design, and related tools and methodologies.

• Work-Life Balance: A standard 35-hour work week (Monday to Friday) offers predictable hours and supports work-life balance.

• Public Sector Experience: The opportunity to gain valuable experience within a large, established public service organization, contributing to impactful civic initiatives.

Working Hours: Monday to Friday, 35 hours per week. This schedule provides a structured and consistent work environment typical of public sector roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary is provided as an hourly rate, which is common for municipal government positions. The estimated annual salary provides a clearer picture for candidates. While specific benefits are not listed, participation in OMERS is a significant advantage for municipal roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Government & Public Sector. The City of Toronto is one of the largest municipal governments in North America, responsible for a vast array of public services and infrastructure for millions of residents and businesses.

Company Size: Large Enterprise (City of Toronto employs tens of thousands of individuals). This scale means diverse opportunities, established processes, and a significant impact.

Founded: The modern City of Toronto was formed in 1998 through the amalgamation of the former municipalities of the old City of Toronto, North York, Scarborough, York, East York, and the Etobicoke. Its roots in public service are much older.

Team Structure:

• Division: Customer Experience, Channel Experience & Innovation. This division is dedicated to enhancing how residents and businesses interact with the City.

• Reporting: The Service Design Researcher reports to the Manager, Service Design and Delivery, indicating a structured reporting line within a specialized team.

• Collaboration: The role emphasizes strong collaboration with various program areas, internal and external stakeholders, community groups, and product/business/technology teams. This suggests a matrixed or project-based collaborative environment.

Methodology:

• Human-Centred Design (HCD): The core methodology for redesigning services, focusing on understanding and addressing user needs.

• Product-Driven Approach: Utilizes an Agile development mindset, implying iterative development and continuous improvement cycles.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasizes the use of research, data analysis, and KPIs to inform recommendations and measure outcomes.

• Continuous Improvement: A key focus of the Customer Experience Division, driving ongoing enhancement of services.

Company Website: https://www.toronto.ca/

📝 Enhancement Note: The City of Toronto's public sector environment implies a focus on public good, equity, and inclusivity. The Customer Experience Division's structure suggests a strategic initiative to modernize service delivery through design and innovation, making this a role with potential for significant civic impact.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a specialist individual contributor at a mid-to-senior level within the "Policy, Planning & Research" job category. It requires significant expertise in service design research and HCD.

Reporting Structure: Reports to a Manager, Service Design and Delivery. This indicates a clear path for mentorship and guidance within the service design discipline.

Operations Impact: The Service Design Researcher directly influences how citizens interact with City services, impacting public satisfaction, accessibility, and operational efficiency. Their work can lead to improved service delivery, cost savings through optimized processes, and enhanced public trust.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization Advancement: Deepen expertise in specific research methods, design thinking frameworks, or particular service domains within the City.

• Project Leadership: Transition to leading larger or more complex service design initiatives, potentially managing junior researchers or project teams.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Develop a broader understanding of municipal operations and potentially move into related roles in policy development, program management, or innovation strategy within the City.

• Skill Development: Continuous learning opportunities in emerging design tools, methodologies, and research techniques relevant to public service delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: This temporary role offers a strong opportunity to gain experience in public sector service design, which can be a valuable stepping stone. Growth within the City would likely depend on performance, the creation of a permanent position, or successful application to other internal opportunities.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid/On-site. The role is listed as "On-site" with a primary work location at Metro Hall, 55 John St, Toronto.

Office Location(s): Metro Hall, 55 John St, Toronto, ON M5V 3C6. This is a central downtown Toronto location, accessible by public transit.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: Expected to work within a team environment at Metro Hall, fostering collaboration with colleagues in the Customer Experience Division.

• Tools & Technology: Access to standard office equipment and digital tools, including specialized design and research software (Figma, Miro, etc.) as mentioned in the requirements.

• Stakeholder Interaction: Regular engagement with internal City departments, external stakeholders, and potentially community groups, requiring effective communication and adaptability in various settings.

Work Schedule: A consistent Monday to Friday, 35-hour work week. While primarily on-site, the nature of research may sometimes involve field visits or off-site stakeholder engagements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement at Metro Hall suggests a need for physical presence for team collaboration, client meetings, and potentially facilitating in-person workshops. Candidates should consider the commute and the value of in-person interaction for this role.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process: Likely includes multiple stages:

• Initial Screening: Review of application and resume for essential qualifications.

• Skills/Portfolio Assessment: A dedicated session to review the candidate's portfolio, focusing on case studies, research methodologies, and design artefacts. This may involve a presentation.

• Behavioral/Situational Interviews: Questions designed to assess problem-solving skills, collaboration style, experience with facilitation, and understanding of HCD principles in a public service context.

• Panel Interview: Potentially involving the hiring manager, team members, and stakeholders to assess cultural fit and broader applicability.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your portfolio to clearly showcase 2-3 of your strongest service design research projects. For each project, detail: the problem statement, your role, the research methods used, key insights derived, the design solutions/prototypes developed, and the outcome or impact.

• Highlight Methodology: Clearly explain why you chose specific research methods and how they helped uncover critical insights.

• Visual Storytelling: Use visual aids (diagrams, photos, mockups) effectively to illustrate your process and findings. Ensure journey maps, service blueprints, and prototypes are legible and convey key information.

• Public Sector Relevance: If possible, tailor examples to demonstrate experience or understanding of public service challenges, citizen engagement, or government operations.

• Conciseness: Be prepared to walk through your portfolio efficiently, highlighting the most relevant aspects for the role.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Thinking Scenario: Be prepared for a hypothetical scenario where you might be asked to outline your approach to a civic challenge using HCD principles.

• Research Approach: Expect questions about how you would approach researching a specific City service or citizen need.

• Facilitation Skills: You may be asked to describe how you would facilitate a workshop with diverse stakeholders, or even participate in a simulated facilitation exercise.

• Tool Proficiency: Be ready to discuss your experience with the mentioned design and research tools (Figma, Miro, Qualtrics, etc.).

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is a critical component for this role. Candidates should proactively prepare a digital portfolio that is well-organized, visually appealing, and clearly articulates their experience in service design research and its impact.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Collaboration: Figma, Miro, Mural (for collaborative ideation, wireframing, prototyping, and workshop facilitation).

• Research & Analysis: Dovetail, Optimal, Qualtrics (for qualitative data analysis, survey design, and management of research findings).

• Creative Suite: Adobe Creative Suite (likely for visual design, presentation creation, and asset development).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Survey Platforms: Qualtrics (for designing and deploying surveys, collecting quantitative data).

• Data Visualization: While not explicitly mentioned, experience with tools for visualizing research data and creating compelling reports is implied.

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly mentioned, but understanding how service design integrates with customer relationship management systems and automated service delivery processes would be beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in a range of design, research, and collaboration tools is expected. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience with these specific tools and how they leverage them to support the research and design process.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: A fundamental value of the City of Toronto, emphasizing a commitment to creating inclusive workplaces and services that reflect the diverse residents served.

• Customer-Centred Approach: The Customer Experience Division is built around understanding and improving the experience of residents and businesses interacting with the City.

• Collaboration & Partnership: A strong emphasis on working effectively across different departments, with community groups, and with external stakeholders.

• Innovation & Continuous Improvement: Encouraging new ideas and approaches to service delivery, with a focus on ongoing enhancement and efficiency.

• Respectful Workplace: Upholding values that promote a positive and respectful working environment for all employees.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Expected to work closely with product managers, business analysts, developers, and other City staff to integrate research insights into service development.

• Participatory Design: Actively involves stakeholders and residents in the design process through workshops and co-design activities.

• Knowledge Sharing: The role includes a component of teaching and sharing design methodologies, suggesting a culture that values learning and dissemination of best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should demonstrate an understanding of and alignment with the City's core values, particularly equity, diversity, and inclusion, as these are integral to public service. The collaborative style is key to success in this role.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Public Sector Bureaucracy: Working within a large municipal organization may involve complex approval processes and stakeholder management.

• Diverse Citizen Needs: Addressing the varied and sometimes conflicting needs of a large, diverse urban population requires careful research and inclusive design.

• Data Integration: Synthesizing data from various sources and City systems to gain a holistic view of citizen experiences can be complex.

• Measuring Impact: Quantifying the success of service design interventions in a public sector context, where ROI may not always be purely financial, can be challenging.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Public Service Design Expertise: Deepen knowledge in designing services for government and public sector contexts.

• Advanced Research Techniques: Opportunity to refine and expand skills in specialized qualitative and quantitative research methods.

• Cross-Departmental Exposure: Gain insights into the operations of various City departments and their service delivery models.

• Mentorship: Learn from experienced managers and colleagues within the Customer Experience Division.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges of this role are typical of large public sector organizations, emphasizing the need for strong interpersonal skills, adaptability, and a commitment to public service. The growth opportunities are substantial for someone looking to build a career in public sector innovation and service design.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you used human-centred design principles to solve a complex problem. What was your process, and what was the outcome?"

• "How would you approach researching the needs of a diverse group of citizens who may have limited access to digital services?"

• "Imagine you're tasked with redesigning a critical City service (e.g., permits, social services). Outline your first steps in conducting research."

• "How do you ensure that research insights are effectively communicated to and acted upon by technical and non-technical stakeholders?" Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working for the City of Toronto, specifically in customer experience and service design?"

• "How do you approach building relationships and collaborating with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and perspectives?"

• "Describe your understanding of equity, diversity, and inclusion, and how it applies to service design research."

• "How do you handle conflicting stakeholder feedback or resistance to design recommendations?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Arc: Structure your presentation around a clear story: the problem, your approach, the key findings, the solution/prototype, and the impact.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals extensively. Walk through your journey maps, personas, and prototypes, explaining the rationale behind each element.

• Focus on Insights: Emphasize the "aha!" moments from your research and how they directly informed design decisions.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, provide metrics or qualitative evidence of how your work improved a service or experience.

• Concise Delivery: Be mindful of time, focusing on the most impactful aspects of your work. Be prepared to answer detailed questions about your process.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong understanding of HCD, research methodologies, facilitation skills, and the ability to translate insights into tangible improvements, especially within a public sector context. The portfolio is a key tool for showcasing these capabilities.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Service Design Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the City of Toronto's job portal by the posting deadline (October 6, 2026).

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your experience with service design, human-centred design, mixed-methods research, facilitation, and relevant tools. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate a digital portfolio showcasing 2-3 strong case studies that demonstrate your research process, insights, design artefacts, and impact. Ensure it's well-organized and easy to navigate.

• Practice Your Presentation: Rehearse presenting your portfolio, focusing on clearly articulating your process, findings, and the value you brought to projects.

• Research the City: Familiarize yourself with the City of Toronto's services, customer experience initiatives, and its commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

⚠️ 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.