Design Researcher I Hugo

At Corgan we are passionate about great design but the best thing we build is each other. Here, you’ll find camaraderie and collaboration as abundantly as curiosity and creativity. Corgan is a welcoming and supportive environment that provides significant career advantages. You’ll find room to grow, freedom to explore — and the safety to fail. Thank you for your interest in joining our curious, passionate, hardworking team.

Corgan is actively recruiting a dynamic Design Researcher to join the firm as part of our Hugo team. Tackle these responsibilities alongside a team of creative, highly motivated individuals who are passionate about their work and ready to collaborate to achieve outstanding results. Our ideal team member is passionate and progressively seeking more responsibilities to expand their expertise. Hugo is Corgan’s Research and Innovation team, who investigates both emerging technologies and human behaviour to gain insight on how these shifts may impact or change the future of architecture design.

As a Design Researcher, you will work under the direction of the Hugo Director to create data-driven solutions, conduct visioning workshops, and foster innovative research that adds value to our projects and clients.

• Work closely with multidisciplinary teams, including designers, engineers, stakeholders, and other experts in certain fields of study to conduct research, refine concepts, and ensure feasibility.
• Support and facilitate research by conducting user studies and interviews, creating surveys, compiling secondary research, analysing and organising user data, and archiving research efforts.
• Conduct or assist in user testing sessions and on-site user observation, analyse feedback, and iterate solutions based on findings.
• Conduct or assist in visioning workshops and/or critique sessions to help with overall visioning support.
• Explore new subjects, draw conclusions, and use critical thinking to create new ideas both for our clients and our internal design teams.
• Help establish the evolving design research practice at Corgan and the integration of innovation practices across sectors.
• Address design challenges with creative solutions and a user-centered approach.
• Manage your time across multiple projects and deadlines.
• Stay up to date with industry trends, emerging technologies and general thought leadership.
• Author and edit thought leadership articles for publication.
• Provide support to director by assisting in ongoing research, website development, and studio projects as needed by recommending creative approaches and research methodologies.
• Decipher efficient ways to gather information and present findings to clients.
• Use data-driven insights to develop innovative design solutions, prototypes, and proofs of concept, that address user needs and integrate architectural and interior design principles and skills.
• Identify opportunities that can help establish partnerships with external experts.

• 5-10 years of experience in design research required; architecture or design background required.
• Professional degree with a focus on Design Research, Design and Environmental Analysis, or Human-Centered Design.
• Professional degree in architecture or design is desirable.
• Experience working in the Architecture or Interior Design industry, or related field.
• Experience (familiarity) with User Experience Research, Design Strategy and/or Evidence Based Design.
• Experience with qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research.
• Understands how to use appropriate methodologies depending on the research context.
• Can recommend creative research approaches to uncover unmet needs and opportunity zones.
• Can effectively communicate design ideas and research findings effectively to clients, team members, and stakeholders.
• Receptive to feedback and constructive when providing it to others.
• Enjoys working through ambiguous environments and working on cross-disciplinary teams.
• Passionate about creating successful user experiences within the built environment and possesses a “curiosity-first" mindset.
• Experience with academic research and publication efforts.
• Graphic design capability for Data Visualization is a plus.
• Experience with design and implementation, Adobe Creative Suite, SketchUp, Revit or other 3-D modeling programs is a plus.
• Experience with UserTesting, dscout, Qualtrics, Survey Monkey, Microsoft Forms, Power BI, Tableau, and other usability platforms is a plus.

Corgan creates opportunities for personal and professional growth that bring out the best in ourselves and those around us by sharpening skills, leveraging technology, and encouraging communication. Our commitment to the highest standards of professional ethics is unwavering. Our passion, drive for excellence, and abiding curiosity guide us each day in our interaction with our clients, partners, associates, and with each other. Corgan promotes a healthy work-life balance by removing obstacles and allowing you to focus on what you love doing, both inside and outside the office. Join Corgan and help make amazing places at a place that makes you amazing!

*Only applications received through our website will be considered. For design positions, please also be sure to upload your portfolio or review of your application will be delayed.