Lead Product Researcher and Designer

$150,405 - $225,607/Yr

AstraZeneca - Gaithersburg, MD

Full-time - Mid Level

Gaithersburg, MD

Chemical Manufacturing

About the position

Join AstraZeneca's R&D IT team as a Lead Product Researcher / User Experience Designer, where you will lead user experience design and research efforts to ensure our products are intuitive and user-friendly. This role involves managing the end-to-end design process, from initial research to developing functional prototypes, while collaborating with multi-functional teams to drive user-centered design practices. You will also identify business transformation opportunities through research, optimizing processes and creating new value.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the development and execution of a comprehensive user research framework aligned with product and business goals.
• Identify key research questions, methodologies, and timelines for research initiatives.
• Conduct qualitative and quantitative user research studies to understand user needs, behaviors, and preferences.
• Translate research findings into actionable insights to influence product strategy and design decisions.
• Build user personas, scenarios, and journey maps to guide the design process.
• Design wireframes, prototypes, and user interfaces that align with user and business goals.
• Conduct iterative usability testing and incorporate user feedback to refine designs.
• Advocate for user needs and ensure that the user experience is prioritized throughout the product development lifecycle.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Human-Computer Interaction, User Experience Design, or a related field.
• Minimum 7+ years in user experience design and research, preferably in an R&D or pharma setting.
• Deep understanding of user-centered design principles and standard processes.
• Finely honed visual/graphic design skills (color, typography, layout, illustration).
• Proficiency in conducting user research studies, such as interviews, surveys, and usability tests.
• Experience of UX tools and methods across the full user-centered design process.
• Good understanding of agile methodologies.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and a creative approach.
• Specialist technical skills in at least 1-2 of the following areas: crafting information architectures, flows and wireframes, interactive prototypes, moderating usability lab testing and other research methodologies.
• An excellent listener and presenter.
• A passion for continuous learning.

Nice-to-haves

• Master's Degree in Human-Computer Interaction, User Experience Design, or a related field.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in design and prototyping tools such as Figma.
• Experience with data analysis tools and techniques.
• Proficiency in using no-code tools for rapid prototyping.

Benefits

• 401(k) plan
• Paid vacation and holidays
• Paid leaves
• Health benefits including medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage
• Short-term incentive bonus opportunity
• Eligibility to participate in equity-based long-term incentive program