(USA) Staff, Design Researcher

Position Summary...

The Emerging Tech team is passionate about solving customer and associate problems with the newest technologies. The team is responsible for creating breakthrough capabilities, delivering frictionless experiences and making these technologies easily available to thousands of Walmart developers and 2.2 million associates. The applications and services built on these capabilities are used by hundreds of millions of customers daily.

Emerging Tech at Walmart, you will be instrumental in shaping the future of retail by driving the adoption of innovative technologies such as conversational AI, AR/VR, and spatial computing. You will be part of the Walmart Emerging Tech team, which is dedicated to transforming the retail experience through breakthrough technologies. The team focuses on providing new experiences and capabilities, enabling teams across the company to create and deliver new product experiences, including virtual experiences for fashion and home, virtual assistants for customers, and turn-by-turn navigation for shoppers in stores

What you'll do...

• User Discovery & Research
  • Conduct qualitative and quantitative user research (interviews, surveys, contextual inquiries) to uncover user behaviors, needs, and pain points.
  • Develop user journeys, storyboards, and mapping techniques to visualize research findings.
  • Analyze existing data sources (e.g., web analytics, user surveys, customer support interactions) to identify gaps between business expectations and user experience.
• Design Research & Data Analysis
  • Propose and refine research hypotheses to guide project planning and execution.
  • Implement rigorous data validation processes to ensure accuracy and reliability.
  • Translate research insights into actionable recommendations that inform design decisions and business strategies.
• Stakeholder Management & Functional Partnership
  • Identify, map, and analyze key stakeholders, understanding their technical needs and business contexts.
  • Builds, maintains, and enhances effective internal and external partnerships; consults regularly with business unit leaders and advises on business strategy decisions.
  • Prepare clear, concise, and fact-based reports to build consensus and drive cross-functional collaboration.
• Usability Testing & Iteration
  • Design and execute user acceptance tests (alpha, beta) to validate design assumptions.
  • Develop comprehensive testing scenarios, documentation, and guidelines to support iterative design improvements.
  • Leverage testing outcomes to optimize user experience and process efficiency.
• Influence & Leadership
  • Drives the execution of multiple business plans and projects, provides supervision and development opportunities for associates, and establishes performance expectations.
  • Leads discussions with varying viewpoints confidently, influences diverse audiences, and becomes a trusted advisor to stakeholders.
  • Build and maintain productive relationships with team members and business partners.
  • Act as a servant leader by guiding peers, mentoring colleagues, and supporting organizational best practices.
• Customer Focus & Strategic Impact
  • Leads the overall research strategy, including defining key problems, driving research strategy, and reviewing the relevance and usefulness of findings.
  • Anticipate product enhancements by identifying risks and opportunities in the user experience.
  • Deliver value-driven insights that align with the company’s mission of customer-centric innovation and operational excellence.

Expected Qualifications

• Education & Experience
  • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Design, Psychology, Sociology, or a related field.
  • Proven track record (typically 5+ years) in user research, design research, or a similar role in a dynamic, multi-stakeholder environment.
• Technical & Research Skills
  • Expertise in qualitative and quantitative research methods, including user interviews, surveys, and usability testing.
  • Proficiency in data analysis techniques with experience in analyzing web analytics, user data, and customer feedback.
  • Familiarity with modern design research tools and frameworks for mapping user journeys and creating storyboards.
• Stakeholder & Communication Skills
  • Strong ability to identify and engage key stakeholders across diverse functional areas.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex insights in a clear, concise manner.
  • Experience in building consensus and influencing cross-functional teams to adopt data-driven insights.

Promotes and supports company policies procedures mission values and standards of ethics and integrity by training and providing direction to others in their use and application ensuring compliance with them and utilizing and supporting the Open Door Policy

Ensures business needs are being met by evaluating the ongoing effectiveness of current plans programs and initiatives consulting with business partners managers coworkers or other key stakeholders soliciting evaluating and applying suggestions for improving efficiency and cost-effectiveness and participating in and supporting community outreach events

Respect the Individual: Demonstrates and encourages respect for all builds a high performing team seeks and embraces differences in people cultures ideas and experiences creates a workplace where all associates feel seen supported and connected through culture of belonging, so associates thrive and perform drives a positive associate and customer member experience for all identifies attracts and retains the best team members

Respect the Individual: Creates a discipline and focus around developing talent through feedback coaching mentoring and developmental opportunities promotes an environment allowing everyone to bring their best selves to work empowers associates and partners to act in the best interest of the customer member and company and regularly recognizes other contributions and accomplishments

Respect the Individual: Builds strong and trusting relationships with team members and business partners works collaboratively and cross functionally to achieve objectives and communicates and listens attentively with energy and positivity to motivate influence and inspire commitment and action

Act with Integrity: Maintains and promotes the highest standards of integrity ethics and compliance models the Walmart values and leads by example to foster our culture supports Walmart's goal of becoming a regenerative company by making a positive impact for associates customers and the world around us and creating a sense of belonging eliminating waste participating in local giving

Act with Integrity: Follows the law our code of conduct and company policies and sets expectations for others to do the same promotes an environment where associates feel comfortable sharing concerns and reinforces our culture of nonretaliation listens to concerns raised by associates takes action and encourages others to do the same holds self and others accountable for achieving results in a way that is consistent with our values

Act with Integrity: Acts as an altruistic servant leader and is consistently humble self-aware honest and transparent

Serve our Customers and Members Delivers expected business results while putting the customer member first and consistently applying an omni merchant mindset and acts with an Every Day Low-cost mindset to drive value and Every Day Low Prices for customers members

Serve our Customers and Members Adopts a holistic perspective that considers data analytics customer member insights and different parts of the business when making plans and shaping the team's strategy

Strive for Excellence Consistently raises the bar and seeks to improve demonstrates curiosity and a growth mindset seeks feedback asks thoughtful questions fosters an environment that supports learning innovation and learning from mistakes and intelligent risk-taking and exhibits resilience in the face of setbacks

Strive for Excellence Seeks and implements continuous improvements and encourages the team to leverage new digital tools and ways of working

At Walmart, we offer competitive pay as well as performance-based bonus awards and other great benefits for a happier mind, body, and wallet. Health benefits include medical, vision and dental coverage. Financial benefits include 401(k), stock purchase and company-paid life insurance. Paid time off benefits include PTO (including sick leave), parental leave, family care leave, bereavement, jury duty, and voting. Other benefits include short-term and long-term disability, company discounts, Military Leave Pay, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, and more.

‎ 

‎ 

‎ 

You will also receive PTO and/or PPTO that can be used for vacation, sick leave, holidays, or other purposes. The amount you receive depends on your job classification and length of employment. It will meet or exceed the requirements of paid sick leave laws, where applicable.

‎ 

For information about PTO, see https://one.walmart.com/notices.

‎ 

‎ 

Live Better U is a Walmart-paid education benefit program for full-time and part-time associates in Walmart and Sam's Club facilities. Programs range from high school completion to bachelor's degrees, including English Language Learning and short-form certificates. Tuition, books, and fees are completely paid for by Walmart.

‎ 

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to a specific plan or program terms.

‎ 

For information about benefits and eligibility, see One.Walmart.

‎ 

Sunnyvale, California US-04397:The annual salary range for this position is $143,000.00-$286,000.00

‎ 

Bentonville, Arkansas US-09401:The annual salary range for this position is $110,000.00-$220,000.00

‎ 

‎ 

‎ 

‎ 

‎ 

‎ 

‎ 

‎ 

‎ 

‎ 

Additional compensation includes annual or quarterly performance bonuses.

‎ 

Additional compensation for certain positions may also include:

‎ 

‎ 

- Stock

‎ 

‎ 

Minimum Qualifications...

Outlined below are the required minimum qualifications for this position. If none are listed, there are no minimum qualifications.

Option 1: Bachelor's degree in UI/UX design, graphic design, visual communication, product design, computer science, information technology, or related area and 4 years’ experience in market research, business analysis, UX design research, or related area.
Option 2: 6 years' experience in market research, business analysis, UX design research, or related area.
As permitted by applicable law, provide evidence of full vaccination as defined by CDC guidelines OR secure approval of medical or religious accommodation for the vaccination mandate

Preferred Qualifications...

Outlined below are the optional preferred qualifications for this position. If none are listed, there are no preferred qualifications.

Driving product development in a design research area, Market Research, Business Analysis, UX Design Research, or related area, Master's degree in UI/UX Design, Interactive and Visual Design, Product Design, or related area, Related industry experience (for example, retail, supply chain, eCommerce, healthcare), Research or design certification (for example, IDEOU - Foundations in Design Thinking Certificate), We value candidates with a background in creating inclusive digital experiences, demonstrating knowledge in implementing Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standards, assistive technologies, and integrating digital accessibility seamlessly. The ideal candidate would have knowledge of accessibility best practices and join us as we continue to create accessible products and services following Walmart’s accessibility standards and guidelines for supporting an inclusive culture.

Primary Location...

702 Sw 8Th St, Bentonville, AR 72716, United States of America