Russell, Tobin & Associates
Ethnographer / Design Researcher in San Francisco, CA
Russell, Tobin & Associates, San Francisco, California, United States, 94199
Ethnographer / Design Researcher – Industrial Design (Hardware)
Location: San Francisco, CA (Onsite – SFO Area) Duration: 12 Months (Full-Time, 40 hrs/week) Client: Fortune 50 Company Submittal: Resume Portfolio (2-3 case studies required) Pay Range: $70 to $80/hr W2 Job Summary
A Fortune 5 company is seeking a talented Ethnographer / Design Researcher to support its Industrial Design team. This role focuses on deep in-home customer research, translating real-world behavior into hardware design insights, and shaping future zero-to-one device concepts. You will be part of a team that creates new product categories working on technologies and ideas that do not currently exist in the market. This is NOT a UX Designer role. Ideal candidates come from companies like IDEO, Frog, NewDealDesign, Ammunition, Huge, or similar innovation/design consultancies. Key Responsibilities
Plan, execute, and analyze ethnographic and contextual research, primarily in-home field studies. Conduct interviews, observations, diary studies, and behavioral analysis to capture deep user insights. Transform raw research into clear product recommendations, insights, and actionable design requirements. Translate behaviors and unmet needs into concepts, hardware specs, and design direction. Collaborate with Industrial Designers, Product Managers, Hardware Engineers, and Research teams. Facilitate concept workshops and contribute to early-stage explorations (V0 product development). Present findings through strong storytelling, written narratives, and executive-ready reports. Participate in global/remote research planning, when needed. Support rapid prototyping by validating early design hypotheses with real user behaviors. Required Skills & Experience
Proven experience as an Ethnographer, Design Researcher, Design Strategist, or Insights Researcher. Deep expertise in in-home customer research, contextual inquiry, and observational methods. Experience supporting hardware, industrial design, or physical product development. Strong writing, storytelling, and synthesis skills; ability to create persuasive research reports. Experience translating qualitative data into tangible product/design requirements. Proficiency with Keynote, PowerPoint, and concept-based tools (Figma / Adobe Creative Cloud). Ability to work onsite and collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams. Portfolio with 2-3 detailed ethnographic case studies demonstrating research rigor. Preferred Qualifications
Background in innovation/design firms such as IDEO, Frog, NewDealDesign, Ammunition, Huge, Smart Design, Lunar, Continuum, Artefact. Experience working on V0/zero-to-one product explorations. Human Factors, Anthropology, Psychology, or Design Research academic background. Hardware usability, ergonomics, or physical prototyping exposure. Disqualifiers
Primarily UX/UI Designers. Only usability testing experience. No ethnographic fieldwork or customer-in-home research. No portfolio or weak storytelling in case studies. Benefits
Russell Tobin offers eligible employee s comprehensive healthcare coverage (medical, dental, and vision plans), supplemental coverage (accident insurance, critical illness insurance and hospital indemnity), 401(k)-retirement savings, life & disability insurance, an employee assistance program, legal support, auto, home insurance, pet insurance and employee discounts with preferred vendors.
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Location: San Francisco, CA (Onsite – SFO Area) Duration: 12 Months (Full-Time, 40 hrs/week) Client: Fortune 50 Company Submittal: Resume Portfolio (2-3 case studies required) Pay Range: $70 to $80/hr W2 Job Summary
A Fortune 5 company is seeking a talented Ethnographer / Design Researcher to support its Industrial Design team. This role focuses on deep in-home customer research, translating real-world behavior into hardware design insights, and shaping future zero-to-one device concepts. You will be part of a team that creates new product categories working on technologies and ideas that do not currently exist in the market. This is NOT a UX Designer role. Ideal candidates come from companies like IDEO, Frog, NewDealDesign, Ammunition, Huge, or similar innovation/design consultancies. Key Responsibilities
Plan, execute, and analyze ethnographic and contextual research, primarily in-home field studies. Conduct interviews, observations, diary studies, and behavioral analysis to capture deep user insights. Transform raw research into clear product recommendations, insights, and actionable design requirements. Translate behaviors and unmet needs into concepts, hardware specs, and design direction. Collaborate with Industrial Designers, Product Managers, Hardware Engineers, and Research teams. Facilitate concept workshops and contribute to early-stage explorations (V0 product development). Present findings through strong storytelling, written narratives, and executive-ready reports. Participate in global/remote research planning, when needed. Support rapid prototyping by validating early design hypotheses with real user behaviors. Required Skills & Experience
Proven experience as an Ethnographer, Design Researcher, Design Strategist, or Insights Researcher. Deep expertise in in-home customer research, contextual inquiry, and observational methods. Experience supporting hardware, industrial design, or physical product development. Strong writing, storytelling, and synthesis skills; ability to create persuasive research reports. Experience translating qualitative data into tangible product/design requirements. Proficiency with Keynote, PowerPoint, and concept-based tools (Figma / Adobe Creative Cloud). Ability to work onsite and collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams. Portfolio with 2-3 detailed ethnographic case studies demonstrating research rigor. Preferred Qualifications
Background in innovation/design firms such as IDEO, Frog, NewDealDesign, Ammunition, Huge, Smart Design, Lunar, Continuum, Artefact. Experience working on V0/zero-to-one product explorations. Human Factors, Anthropology, Psychology, or Design Research academic background. Hardware usability, ergonomics, or physical prototyping exposure. Disqualifiers
Primarily UX/UI Designers. Only usability testing experience. No ethnographic fieldwork or customer-in-home research. No portfolio or weak storytelling in case studies. Benefits
Russell Tobin offers eligible employee s comprehensive healthcare coverage (medical, dental, and vision plans), supplemental coverage (accident insurance, critical illness insurance and hospital indemnity), 401(k)-retirement savings, life & disability insurance, an employee assistance program, legal support, auto, home insurance, pet insurance and employee discounts with preferred vendors.
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