Staff Design Researcher

Remote · San Francisco$140k–$190kPosted Jul 20, 2026

About the Staff Design Researcher at Headspace:

Research is how Headspace's mission becomes real for the people we serve. Our Design team sits at the intersection of evidence, empathy, and product execution, driving the insights that shape how millions of members experience mental health support every day. We combine evidence-based content, clinical care, and innovative technology, and our researchers are the connective tissue that ensures every product decision is grounded in a deep understanding of human need.

We are seeking a Staff Design Researcher to lead product-transforming and service-defining qualitative research. This person operates with autonomy across qualitative and quantitative methods, brings clinical and behavioral health context into every research engagement, and actively raises the quality and rigor of research practice across the team. You will work closely with Product, Design, Clinical, and Engineering partners to ensure member insights are not just gathered, but acted on. The insights you discover and communicate will help the business create supportive, transformative experiences that shape what the future of mental healthcare can look like. This role shapes the roadmap and influences product strategy. Your findings will reach executive and clinical leadership directly. In addition you will build and scale research infrastructure to assist the entire organization.

What you will do:

Lead end-to-end mixed-methods research programs across generative, evaluative, and continuous discovery phases, including in-depth interviews, contextual inquiry, diary studies, concept testing, and large-scale quantitative studies.
Design and execute quantitative research initiatives including NPS surveys, attitudinal studies, segmentation, and benchmarking, using platforms such as Qualtrics and DScout to surface member sentiment at scale.
Translate research findings into clear, actionable insights and product-shaping recommendations; develop exec-ready deliverables including frameworks, journey maps, personas, and strategic briefs.
Partner with Product, Design, and Clinical teams to define research agendas, scope studies, and embed member insights early in the product development lifecycle.
Serve as the research authority on member populations navigating mental health challenges, applying healthcare and behavioral science context to study design, recruitment, and ethical considerations.
Drive research operations best practices including participant recruitment, incentive compliance, consent processes, and repository management to support a scalable, high-quality research function.
Mentor and consult with designers and cross-functional partners on research methods, helping build research fluency across the broader Design Studios team.
Advocate for member needs across diverse populations including clinical, coaching, and wellness users in roadmap discussions and strategic planning.
Use AI-assisted synthesis tools to accelerate insight generation and scale research ops.
Help establish governance and best practices for AI use in research workflows.

What you will bring:

Required Skills:

5+years of experience in design research, UX research, or a related field, with demonstrated ability to independently lead complex, multi-method research programs.
Strong mixed-methods fluency with expertise in both qualitative approaches (interviews, diary studies, contextual inquiry, usability testing) and quantitative methods (surveys, NPS, attitudinal measurement, statistical analysis).
Hands-on experience with research and survey platforms including Qualtrics, DScout, UserTesting, User Interviews, or comparable tools.
Demonstrated experience designing and analyzing NPS programs and member satisfaction studies, including experience translating survey data into product strategy.
Exceptional ability to synthesize complex findings into compelling narratives and present to cross-functional and senior stakeholders with clarity and confidence.
Strong cross-functional collaboration skills with experience partnering across Product, Design, Engineering, and Clinical functions.
Rigorous approach to research ethics, participant privacy, and inclusive recruitment practices.

Preferred Skills:

Healthcare or digital health background strongly preferred, with meaningful experience conducting research with clinical, behavioral health, or wellness-oriented user populations; understanding of the sensitivity, ethics, and nuance required when researching members in vulnerable states.
Experience with ResearchOps infrastructure, including participant panels, tagging systems, insight repositories, and research tooling evaluation.
Familiarity with behavioral design principles and experience applying them to research design in health, wellness, or behavior change contexts.
Experience with AI tools in research workflows, including AI-assisted synthesis and analysis platforms.
Experience conducting IRB-adjacent or ethically sensitive research involving vulnerable populations, including mental health, chronic illness, or underserved communities.
Proficiency with data visualization and storytelling tools (Dovetail, Aurelius, Miro, or similar) to socialize insights broadly.
Background in human-computer interaction, cognitive psychology, public health, anthropology, or a related discipline.

Location:

We are currently hiring this role remotely in the US and Hybrid for San Francisco (SF). Candidates must permanently reside in the US full-time.
For candidates with a primary residence in the greater SF area, this role will follow our hybrid model. You’ll work 3 days per week from our office, allowing for impactful in-office collaboration and connection, while enjoying the flexibility of remote work for the rest of the week. Your recruiter will share more details about our hybrid model.

Pay & Benefits:

The anticipated new hire base salary range for this full-time position is $140,400-$190,000 + equity + benefits.

Our salary ranges are based on the job, level, and location, and reflect the lowest to highest geographic markets where we are hiring for this role within the United States. Within this range, individual compensation is determined by a candidate’s location as well as a range of factors including but not limited to: unique relevant experience, job-related skills, and education or training.
Your recruiter will provide more details on the specific salary range for your location during the hiring process.

At Headspace, base salary is but one component of our Total Rewards package. We’re proud of our robust package inclusive of: base salary, stock awards, comprehensive healthcare coverage, monthly wellness stipend, retirement savings match, lifetime Headspace membership, generous parental leave, and more. Additional details about our Total Rewards package will be provided during the recruitment process.

About Headspace

Headspace exists to provide every person access to lifelong mental health support. We combine evidence-based content, clinical care, and innovative technology to help millions of members around the world get support that’s effective, personalized, and truly accessible whenever and wherever they need it.

At Headspace, our values aren’t just what we believe, they’re how we work, grow, and make an impact together. We live them daily: Make the Mission Matter, Iterate to Great, Own the Outcome, and Connect with Courage. These values shape our decisions, guide our collaborations, and define our culture. They’re our shared commitment to building a more connected, human-centered team—one that’s redefining how mental health care supports people today and for generations to come.

Why You’ll Love Working Here:

A mission that matters—with impact you can see and feel
A culture that’s collaborative, inclusive, and grounded in our values
The chance to shape what mental health care looks like next
Competitive pay and benefits that support your whole self

How we feel about Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging:

Headspace is committed to bringing together humans from different backgrounds and perspectives, providing employees with a safe and welcoming work environment free of discrimination and harassment. We strive to create a diverse & inclusive environment where everyone can thrive, feel a sense of belonging, and do impactful work together.

As an equal opportunity employer, we prohibit any unlawful discrimination against a job applicant on the basis of their race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, family or parental status, disability*, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. We respect the laws enforced by the EEOC and are dedicated to going above and beyond in fostering diversity across our workplace.

*Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain state or local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on Headspace. Please inform our Talent team by filling out this form if you need any assistance completing any forms or to otherwise participate in the application or interview process.

Headspace participates in the E-Verify Program.

Privacy Statement

All member records are protected according to our Privacy Policy. Further, while employees of Headspace (formerly Ginger) cannot access Headspace products/services, they will be offered benefits according to the company's benefit plan. To ensure we are adhering to best practice and ethical guidelines in the field of mental health, we take care to avoid dual relationships. A dual relationship occurs when a mental health care provider has a second, significantly different relationship with their client in addition to the traditional client-therapist relationship—including, for example, a managerial relationship.

As such, Headspace requests that individuals who have received coaching or clinical services at Headspace wait until their care with Headspace is complete before applying for a position. If someone with a Headspace account is hired for a position, please note their account will be deactivated and they will not be able to use Headspace services for the duration of their employment.

Further, if Headspace cannot find a role that fails to resolve an ethical issue associated with a dual relationship, Headspace may need to take steps to ensure ethical obligations are being adhered to, including a delayed start date or a potential leave of absence. Such steps would be taken to protect both the former member, as well as any relevant individuals from their care team, from impairment, risk of exploitation, or harm.

For how how we will use the personal information you provide as part of the application process, please see: https://www.headspace.com/applicant-notice