About H-E-B H-E-B is one of the largest, independently owned food retailers in the nation operating over 400 stores throughout Texas and Mexico, with annual sales generating over $25 billion. Described by industry experts as a daring innovator and smart competitor, H-E-B has led the way with creative new concepts, outstanding service and a commitment to diversity in our workforce, workplace and marketplace. H-E-B offers a wealth of career opportunities to our 109,000+ Partners (employees), competitive compensation and benefits program and comprehensive training that lead to successful careers.  

H-E-B Digital is looking for new Partners! We are reinventing how customers interact with the legendary Texas brand. We plan on investing heavily in our customers’ digital experience, reinventing how they make food and wellness decisions, and how they ultimately get food and other products into their homes. 

H-E-B Digital is co-located in San Antonio and Austin, which will share space with Favor, recently acquired by H-E-B, and now ranked no. 138 on the Inc. 5000 list (in addition, ranked 5th in Texas and 1st in Austin!). We're hiring for every other role on this new team: product management, product marketing, product & experience design, design research, design technologists, and engineering.  

The Product & Design Team is on a mission to design and build the absolute best software and experience in the food / retail space while driving exceptional business results. We mix user centric design with business savvy, focusing on two key user segments:

• Consumers: a compelling digital experience that captures everything inspiring about food, while delivering incredible convenience and simplifying the grocery experience to be nothing short of delightful.
• H-E-B Partners: we arm H-E-B partners across the company with world class business applications and tools to thrive in their jobs so together we can ensure that the customer experience is top notch online, in-store, or anywhere else.

What is the opportunity? 

You’re someone who can work closely with Designers, Product Managers, Development Teams, and other stakeholders within the company to uncover the right research objectives to impact business goals and create great experience design. As a Design Researcher you will facilitate user-centered design by uncovering user needs and building empathy and understanding amongst our cross-functional teams.

• Lead and conduct qualitative and quantitative research with our key users — consumers and H-E-B Partners.
• Surface questions and hypotheses to structure and identify research objectives and methods.
• Synthesize and communicate findings, connecting insights to design in order to drive strategy and rapid iteration.
• Collaborate with teammates through the design process to create experiences and identify opportunities.

Why is it awesome? You will... 

• Help build and apply design and research standards/processes across the Product & Design team
• Have the freedom to define how design and research operates at H-E-B Digital
• Be part of a small, lean team (to start), which translates to you having a big personal impact
• Have huge opportunity for growth. H-E-B Digital is on the way up, creating exceptional career paths for exceptional product & design talent
• Be surrounded by top talent; we constantly raise the bar, and all get better along the way

What is your background?

• Proven track record (5 - 10 years’ experience) in leading user research projects with demonstrated impact
• Experience with a variety of generative and evaluative research methods needed throughout the design and development process (e.g. ethnography, surveys design, concept testing, RITE testing, usability testing)
• Experience recruiting or working with recruiters to bring in the right participants 
• Portfolio and work-samples demonstrating design research
• Experience working in the grocery, retail, health sector and/or a background in service design is a plus

Do you have what it takes to succeed? 

• Enthusiasm for H-E-B values and the H-E-B Digital mission
• Ability to collect and analyze data and translate user insights into design recommendations
• Can facilitate an appropriate balance of rigor and speed, adapting research methods to goals of the project
• Understands how the goals of design, business, and technology impact research.
• Ability to collaborate with other researchers, designers, product managers, and engineers
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills
• Comfortable articulating complex concepts and influence audiences — including presenting to executive and management teams
• Can advocate for and educate on the power of design thinking and user-centered design
• Embraces and thrives in a high-paced, changing, lean startup culture

What are the perks? 

• A robust Benefits plan with coverage starting Day One
• An 80/20 PPO medical plan with a $30 copay for in-network primary care
• Dental plans, Vision plan, voluntary insurance plans, and flexible spending accounts (FSA) available
• The Partner Care Team, for any time you have healthcare or coverage questions
• Partner Guidance allows free counselor visits, up to 5 times per year for each issue
• Telehealth offers 24/7 access to board-certified doctors over the phone
• Funeral leave, Jury Duty, and Military pay (subject to applicable law)
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability coverage after 90 days 
• Maternal / Paternal Leave for new parents, adoptions included
• Eligibility for 401(k) participation after 6 months
• Eligibility for quarterly bonuses based on company performance

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