Design Researcher / Psycho-Aesthetics® Specialist

Job Description
Design Researcher / Psycho-Aesthetics® Specialist

RKS Design - Thousand Oaks, CA

Full-TimeIn-Office

Job Summary

We are seeking a mid-level Design Researcher / Psycho-Aesthetics® Specialist to join our multidisciplinary team. You will uncover what people need, want, and aspire to-including motivations they may struggle to articulate-and translate those findings into clear direction for our Industrial Design, Engineering, UX, and Strategy teams.

Central to this role is Psycho-Aesthetics® (P/A), RKS's proprietary methodology connecting human psychology, emotional needs, and aspirations with design and business strategy. Created by RKS founder Ravi Sawhney and refined through decades of application, its principles are documented in Predictable Magic: Unleash the Power of Design Strategy to Transform Your Business, co-authored by Sawhney and Deepa Prahalad and published by Wharton School Publishing, and further developed in Psycho-Aesthetics 2.0. Publisher excerpt, Psycho-Aesthetics publications

P/A's application has also been explored through the Harvard Business School case study on RKS Guitars and the classroom exercise "An Exercise in Designing a Travel Coffee Mug," which guides students through applying the methodology to research, competitive analysis, persona development, and concept creation. Harvard Business School exercise

P/A examines how products, brands, and experiences influence people's sense of identity, confidence, belonging, and possibility. By mapping people's needs and aspirations alongside competing offerings, it reveals unmet emotional demand and opportunities for meaningful differentiation.

You will apply Psycho-Aesthetics® (P/A), RKS's proprietary human-centered design strategy methodology, alongside Eydora, our AI-powered strategy and decision-support platform, to turn research into clear design direction. This requires looking beyond usability to understand how an experience builds confidence, expresses identity, earns trust, and helps people achieve their goals.(eydora.ai)

In this role, you will combine rigorous design research with the application of P/A to inform what we create, whom it serves, and why it will matter. This role is ideal for a curious, empathetic researcher who enjoys working across industries and product categories in a fast-paced consulting environment. Prior P/A experience is valuable; equally important is a strong research foundation and the ability to learn and apply the methodology with depth.

What You'll Do

• Plan and lead research studies: Conduct qualitative and quantitative research appropriate to each project, including in-depth interviews, contextual inquiry, ethnography, in-home and in-clinic observation, surveys, and usability testing.
• Uncover needs and motivations: Explore how people's behaviors, cultural context, emotional needs, and aspirations shape their relationships with products, brands, and experiences.
• Manage research execution: Recruit and screen participants and coordinate research logistics with clients and vendors.
• Analyze the market and competitive landscape: Research competing products, services, brands, and trends to understand existing offerings, consumer perceptions, and unmet needs.
• Develop Psycho-Aesthetics® maps: Translate research into P/A maps of user groups, competitors, and brands to identify opportunity zones, unmet emotional demand, and directions for meaningful differentiation.
• Synthesize findings into strategic direction: Create evidence-based personas, journey maps, opportunity areas, and strategic briefs that connect functional needs and emotional aspirations to actionable design recommendations.
• Test concepts, prototypes, and products: Evaluate usability, emotional response, perceived value, and alignment with user aspirations, then translate findings into recommendations for design and engineering teams.
• Collaborate throughout development: Work closely with Industrial Design, Engineering, UX, and Strategy teams to ensure research and P/A insights inform concept development, design decisions, and the intended customer experience.
• Present clear recommendations: Prepare research plans, reports, P/A maps, and presentations for client workshops, executive reviews, and internal teams, clearly distinguishing evidence from assumptions.
• Strengthen how RKS works: Contribute to the ongoing development of RKS research methods, P/A tools, templates, and best practices.

Requirements

What We're Looking For

• Mid-level experience in design research, consumer insights, qualitative research, design strategy, or a related discipline.
• A background in design research, psychology, anthropology, behavioral science, or an equivalent research-driven field.
• Strong interviewing, observation, and synthesis skills, with the ability to explore motivations beyond what participants explicitly state.
• Experience selecting and applying qualitative and quantitative research methods appropriate to the question, project scope, and stage of development.
• The ability to connect research findings to emotional needs, user aspirations, business objectives, and practical design decisions.
• Experience translating complex findings into clear visual frameworks, compelling narratives, and actionable recommendations.
• Strong analytical judgment and the ability to distinguish research evidence from interpretation and assumptions.
• Confidence collaborating with multidisciplinary teams and presenting to clients and stakeholders.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage research activities across multiple projects and deadlines.
• Prior experience with Psycho-Aesthetics® is a plus; a willingness to learn and apply the methodology is essential.

Benefits

• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Paid holidays
• 401 K as defined in the employee handbook
• Sick leave
• Vacation