Who We Are

Experience Design & Research is a multidisciplinary design and research team dedicated to delivering innovative, differentiated, and exceptional experiences for clients, prospects, and partners by demonstrating a deep understanding of their needs. Experience Design & Research is committed to growing and supporting a diverse team, with a collaborative environment that provides educational and career growth opportunities.

This role will be in our Corporate and Institutional Services (C&IS) business unit where clients range from asset owners like pensions and endowments to asset managers like hedge funds and third party consultants. The users of Northern Trusts experiences work full time for their respective organizations enabling a high degree of trust, communication, and understanding between Northern Trust and the client.

In the Design Researcher role, you will direct and execute key client and partner experience research. Working with cross-disciplinary teams, you will help to inform and inspire the expression of the brand and truly set Northern Trust apart from the competition. A systems thinker, you can see tough challenges from multiple perspectives and uncover the sweet spot among Northern Trust's capabilities and business objectives as well as client and partner needs and behaviors.

What You Will Do

The Design Researcher is a curious, collaborative individual who leads with empathy, takes ownership of projects and:

• Help to establish an open culture of optimism, curiosity, experimentation, and rapid prototyping.
• Conduct practical and impactful research across the product cycle, from formative to evaluative and everywhere in between
• Bring insights about users by a variety of methods whether it be surveys, interviews, log analysis, usability studies, diary studies, ethnographic observation or new methods
• Share findings with designers, engineers, product managers, and others, creating a smarter, more informed, and more empathetic product team
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams by getting members to work together with a shared purpose to deliver great design on-time, on-budget, and on-scope.

Your Knowledge and Skills

As a Design Researcher, you should have working knowledge, or experience with at least some, but not all, of the following:

• Phases of user experience research, including planning, recruiting, fieldwork, analysis, synthesis, and reporting
• Qualitative research methods, including, but not limited to: survey design, semi-structured interviews, ethnography, observation, concept evaluation, card sorts, usability testing, participatory design, etc.
• Proven ability to influence product or business strategy through research
• Working collaboratively on cross-functional teams; strong team player willing to support the team in whatever way is needed
• Strong design sensibility with ability to translate research findings into tangible solutions or design opportunities
• Excellent oral communication, written communication, presentation, and facilitation skills
• Highly flexible, adaptable to change and comfortable with ambiguity
• Familiarity with agile software development and ux design practices preferred