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Design Researcher Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Design Researcher Description - HP's vision and promise is to engineer experiences that amaze our customers. With the heart, creativity, and energy of a startup, and the brain, muscles, and ...

User Insight Specialist Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc. (HATCI) is looking for an experienced UX design researcher to join the UX Studio Team of Vehicle Software The Position: The User Insight ...

User Insight Specialist

Irvine, CA · On-site

$90K - $155K/yr

User Insight Specialist Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc. (HATCI) is looking for an experienced UX design researcher to join the UX Studio Team of Vehicle Software The Position: The User Insight ...

The Opportunity On the Design Research & Strategy team, our mission is to lay a user-centered foundation for Adobe product design and development. We are seeking a Staff UX Researcher to lead ...

The Opportunity On the Design Research & Strategy team, our mission is to lay a user-centered foundation for Adobe product design and development. We are seeking a Staff UX Researcher to lead ...

The Opportunity On the Design Research & Strategy team, our mission is to lay a user-centered foundation for Adobe product design and development. We are seeking a Staff UX Researcher to lead ...

THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU • Design & conduct research to guide the development of novel AI glasses user experiences, with a focus on speech communication and human-AI interaction, leveraging ...

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Showing results 1-20

Design Researcher information

See California salary details

$29.6K

$111.6K

$162.3K

How much do design researcher jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 7, 2026, the average yearly pay for design researcher in California is $111,621.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $66,100.00 and $152,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a design researcher, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Design Researcher, you need strong skills in qualitative and quantitative research methods, user-centered design, and a relevant degree in fields such as design, psychology, or human-computer interaction. Experience with tools like usability testing platforms, survey software, and data analysis programs is highly valuable, and certifications such as UX Certification can enhance your profile. Exceptional communication, active listening, and problem-solving abilities set standout design researchers apart. These combined skills ensure that research findings effectively inform product decisions and result in solutions that truly meet user needs.

What are some common challenges faced by design researchers, and how do they overcome them?

Design Researchers often face challenges such as recruiting the right participants, balancing tight project timelines, and ensuring that research insights are integrated into the design process. Overcoming these hurdles typically involves collaborating closely with designers, product managers, and engineers, as well as advocating for the importance of user research within cross-functional teams. Being adaptable and maintaining strong organizational and communication skills can help navigate shifting priorities and ensure that research findings have a meaningful impact. Many organizations support ongoing learning and encourage Design Researchers to experiment with new research methods and tools, helping them grow in their roles.

What does a design researcher do?

A Design Researcher studies user needs, behaviors, and pain points to inform design decisions. They use qualitative and quantitative research methods—such as interviews, surveys, and usability testing—to gather insights. Their findings help teams create user-centered products and services that are both functional and enjoyable. Design Researchers collaborate closely with designers, product managers, and developers to refine and improve user experiences.

How much does a design researcher earn?

The average salary for a design researcher varies by experience and location but typically ranges from $60,000 to $100,000 annually. Entry-level roles may start around $50,000, while experienced professionals with specialized skills can earn over $120,000. Salaries often depend on industry, company size, and the research tools used.

How much do design researchers make?

Design researchers typically earn a median annual salary of around $70,000 to $100,000, depending on experience, location, and industry. Entry-level roles may start lower, while experienced professionals or those in senior positions can earn over $120,000. Skills in user research, data analysis, and familiarity with tools like UserTesting or Optimal Workshop can influence compensation.
What are the most commonly searched types of Design Researcher jobs in California? The most popular types of Design Researcher jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Design Researcher jobs? Cities in California with the most Design Researcher job openings:
Infographic showing various Design Researcher job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 76% Full Time, 17% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $111,621 per year, or $53.7 per hour.

Design Researcher

Hp

Palo Alto, CA

$105K - $161K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, PTO

Posted 16 days ago


HP rating

7.8

Company rating: 7.8 out of 10

Based on 45 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

68th of 156 rated electronics manufacturers


Job description

Design Researcher

Description -

HP's vision and promise is to engineer experiences that amaze our customers. With the heart, creativity, and energy of a startup, and the brain, muscles, and determination of a Fortune 100 corporation, we continue to deliver ground-breaking new technologies to build on our 87-year legacy of innovation.

The User Research Team in Design, within Personal Systems (PS), was created with a maniacal focus on the design and delivery of seamless, meaningful experiences for our customers. We are seeking a passionate and experienced Design Researcher with a strategic mindset to lead generative and evaluative user research efforts for the range of internal stakeholders and teams that we support. Working in a collaborative and agile environment, you will play a critical role in rapidly understanding user needs, behaviors, and motivations within the project domain, developing and driving continuous learning loops using design thinking, and effectively communicating research insights to stakeholders to inform strategic product decisions. You are a hands-on researcher who thinks beyond the study in front of you. You're not afraid to roll up your sleeves and do the work, but you're also able to help teams connect individual studies into broader learning goals, research roadmaps, and product decisions.

The ideal candidate thinks from a multi-stakeholder perspective when designing and delivering research, expertly balancing desirability, viability, and feasibility considerations to move projects forward. They communicate proactively, providing clear visibility into priorities, progress, and key decisions. They bring both adaptability and curiosity-embracing established team practices while contributing thoughtful new perspectives, methods, and their unique expertise. Above all, they value partnership, shared accountability, and continuous improvement, helping strengthen and evolve the research practice while maintaining consistency across the team.

If you are passionate about understanding user needs and translating them into seamless, meaningful, user-centric solutions, we want to talk with you.

Responsibilities

  • Quickly ramp up on the existing knowledge base and user landscape surrounding a specific project area.

  • Create strategic research plans to address questions and assumptions from a diverse group of stakeholders.

  • Design and execute research plans in learning loops, refining research questions and methodologies based on emerging findings.

  • Support, effectively navigate, and facilitate relationships between internal stakeholder teams, to arrive at aligned and traceable opportunities.

  • Lead rapid design thinking workshops and research activities to uncover user needs, pain points, and opportunities for innovation.

  • Conduct user research using various qualitative and quantitative methodologies, being creative where required.

  • Analyze research data and synthesize findings into actionable insights that inform product strategy, roadmap, and design decisions for future products.

  • Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including designers, product managers, and engineers, to translate research findings into tangible solutions.

  • Communicate research findings and insights effectively in a timely manner through various formats, including presentations, reports, and documentation, tailored to diverse audiences.

  • Build trust, empower others, and help teams succeed through a servant-leadership mindset.

  • Demonstrate empathy and growth mindset in the workplace to uphold our team values and culture.

  • Stay up-to-date on the latest UX research trends and methodologies.

Qualifications

  • 5+ years of experience in user research, with a strong focus on generative and foundational research, and the ability to work across the research continuum (generative to evaluative) as needed.

  • Design nous. Research nous. UX nous. You think on multiple levels, from different stakeholder POVs, and both backwards and forwards in time - at the same time.

  • Proactive mindset, with ability to work independently and manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment, while keeping quality of research and business considerations intact.

  • Proven experience conducting and analyzing user research, using both traditional and AI-augmented methods.

  • Proven ability to translate user research insights into business-relevant guiding principles and opportunities, empowering teams with context and direction.

  • Strong understanding of design thinking principles and methodologies and the ability to lead effective workshops.

  • Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to clearly and concisely present research findings to diverse audiences, including technical and non-technical stakeholders.

  • Strong desire to educate, empower, facilitate, and lead.

  • Excellent time management skills

The pay range for this role is$105,050to$161,800USD annually with additional opportunities for pay in the form of bonus and/or equity (applies to United States of America candidates only). Pay varies by work location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.
Benefits:
HP offers a comprehensive benefits package for this position, including:

  • Health insurance
  • Dental insurance
  • Vision insurance
  • Long term/short term disability insurance
  • Employee assistance program
  • Flexible spending account
  • Life insurance
  • Generous time off policies, including;
  • 4-12 weeks fully paid parental leave based on tenure
  • 11 paid holidays
  • Additional flexible paid vacation and sick leave (US benefits overview)


The compensation and benefits information is accurate as of the date of this posting. The Company reserves the right to modify this information at any time, with or without notice, subject to applicable law.

Job -

Software

Schedule -

Full time

Shift -

No shift premium (United States of America)

Travel -

Relocation -

Equal Opportunity Employer (EEO) -

HP, Inc. provides equal employment opportunity to all employees and prospective employees, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, sexual orientation, age, disability, or status as a protected veteran, marital status, familial status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic predisposition or carrier status, uniformed service status, political affiliation or any other characteristic protected by applicable national, federal, state, and local law(s).

Please be assured that you will not be subject to any adverse treatment if you choose to disclose the information requested. This information is provided voluntarily. The information obtained will be kept in strict confidence.

For more information, review HP'sEEO Policy or read about your rights as an applicant under the law here: "Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal"


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About HP

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

HP is a technology company that operates in more than 170 countries around the world united in creating technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere. From the boardroom to factory floor, we create a culture where everyone is respected and where people can be themselves, while being a part of something bigger than themselves. We celebrate the notion that you can belong at HP and bring your authentic self to work each and every day. When you do that, you're more innovative and that helps grow our bottom line. Our history: HP's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion - it's just who we are. From the boardroom to factory floor, we create a culture where everyone is respected and where people can be themselves, while being a part of something bigger than themselves. We celebrate the notion that you can belong at HP and bring your authentic self to work each and every day. When you do that, you're more innovative and that helps grow our bottom line.

Industry

It services

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Palo Alto, CA, US

Year founded

1939