IA Collaborative
IA Collaborative is hiring: Summer Design Researcher - 2025 Maste...
IA Collaborative - Chicago, IL, United States, 60701
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Content Summary: Summer Design Researcher - 2025 Master's Internship at Chicago, for IA Collaborative
Summer Design Researcher
All applicants must provide either a PDF attachment or URL with portfolio or work samples.
IA Collaborative is seeking a Summer Design Researcher to join our team for a 10-week immersive experience in the world of innovation where you'll work on real client projects as a part of our multidisciplinary teams. The internship program is slated for Summer 2025.
As a Summer Design Researcher you will:
Required qualifications include:
Preferred qualifications include:
In the application and/or as part of the hiring process, candidates are asked to submit work samples. These should be anonymized as needed to protect current employer and/or client confidentiality agreements.
We expect that the 2025 summer internship program will take place between ~6/9/25 - 8/15/25. Availability will be confirmed with candidates prior to finalizing program details and schedule.
About the Research & Design Strategy Team
The research and design strategy team at IA Collaborative is a naturally curious group who draw inspiration from the world around them and enjoy being "students of human behavior." We are highly structured thinkers with diverse backgrounds, skilled at breaking down complex concepts and data into compelling, visual frameworks and actionable strategies for our clients.
Our team conducts human-centered, immersive, qualitative, and in-context research observations, ensuring that "user insight" is not just a phase, but continually infused throughout the design process. We believe that research is a creative process, and we constantly create and employ new methods and strategies to get as close to our users as possible. As experts in both design thinking theory and practice, we collaborate closely with our clients to design our research processes, derive key insights, develop impactful strategies, and craft compelling stories that inspire breakthrough design.
Why IA Collaborative
At IA, you'll practice your craft in a whole new context. You'll be a part of designing the future of human experience as you transform your client's business, empower communities and create a positive and lasting impact on the world.
Our internationally recognized workspace provides the inspiration and flexibility to collaborate with teams or to focus as an individual.
IA Collaborative Work Model:
IA Collaborative leverages a hybrid work model with Chicagoland-area team members working from our downtown headquarters three days per week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) with additional, occasional required on-site days as needed.
Occasional onsite and in-field work is required for all team members. We are typically in the field once or twice a month, for two to three consecutive days, conducting research or meeting with clients. We are committed to following CDC guidelines to ensure safety and well-being for our team members.
IA Collaborative will provide a stipend for relocation to Chicago during the Summer Internship program dates.
About IA Collaborative
IA Collaborative is a global design and innovation consultancy. We help leading organizations and category disruptors find new growth, create new offerings, and empower a culture of innovation. We fully integrate human-centered design and business strategy into the ongoing operations of our clients, to launch new corporate ventures and drive continuous innovation. From Insight to Action, we define new business models and create new products, technology platforms, experiences, brands, services and environments.
IA is on the national and global stage speaking about the business value of design. Featured by Fast Company as one of the country's preeminent design thinkers and nominated by the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum as a "Design Visionary," IA's leadership and work has been profiled by prominent business publications and has received multiple design accolades, including Best Design North America and Best UX Design in Fast Company's Innovation by Design Awards; the SXSW Business Design Award; and multiple honors in the Red Dot International, International Design Excellence Awards (IDSA), the GOOD DESIGN Awards, and the iF World Design Awards. IA Collaborative works with the world's most successful brands, including FedEx, Allstate, Airbnb, Fidelity, Apple, Johnson & Johnson, Nike, Lilly, and Audi.
At IA Collaborative, we are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We believe that welcoming a diverse variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills to our organization contributes to a thriving culture, a vibrant community, and breakthrough work. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristics protected by federal, state, or local law.
For more information about IA Collaborative visit iacollaborative.com, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Glassdoor.
EEO
All applicants must provide either a PDF attachment or URL with portfolio or work samples.
IA Collaborative is seeking a Summer Design Researcher to join our team for a 10-week immersive experience in the world of innovation where you'll work on real client projects as a part of our multidisciplinary teams. The internship program is slated for Summer 2025.
As a Summer Design Researcher you will:
- Research: Through immersive, contextual research you will live design problems and uncover insights to solve them. This may include assisting with protocols, recruiting, conducting virtual and in-field observations and synthesizing data into deep and actionable insights.
- Strategic thinking: We want you to help us push the boundaries of innovation. Creating frameworks, organizing information, and positioning new offerings are just the beginning.
- Design: You will collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams to translate research insights into principles and directives for design. This may include sketching and brainstorming ideas and crafting stories to communicate insights, strategic recommendations, and design directions.
- Perform additional job duties as assigned (may require travel for consecutive days, if necessary)
- Know the Business of the Business: Act as a steward of IA Collaborative's overall business by exploring future possibilities for the organization including new offerings and capabilities, talent acquisition, thought leadership, and other business growth-oriented activities.
Required qualifications include:
- Minimum level education: currently within the first or second year in a Master's program with a concentration in Design Research, Design Strategy, Service Design, or equivalent field.
- Minimum one year of professional work experience with a proven track record of communication skills, interpersonal effectiveness, and personal management skills.
- Must have familiarity with a wide range of Design Thinking methodologies including: In-context observations, stakeholder interviews, journey mapping, and framework design.
- Ability to work with teams to identify user-needs and patterns, key insights, and opportunities and then translate and prioritize opportunities into business and design implications.
- A drive to deliver impactful and actionable insights and provide clear strategic direction.
- Possess the ability to think conceptually about products and services, constantly exploring new and differentiated ways to design for users.
- Possess superior presentation and storytelling abilities.
- Ability to work from our downtown headquarters 3 days per week for the duration of the internship.
Preferred qualifications include:
- Previous experience in a research or design-related position.
- Experience with key research-related activities and deliverables: writing research plans, writing research protocols, developing screeners, working with recruiting agencies, facilitating research observations, note taking and video recording, and debriefing observations.
- Familiar and comfortable using the Macintosh Operating System, Keynote, Figma, and Microsoft Office.
- Ability to travel consecutive days, if necessary
In the application and/or as part of the hiring process, candidates are asked to submit work samples. These should be anonymized as needed to protect current employer and/or client confidentiality agreements.
We expect that the 2025 summer internship program will take place between ~6/9/25 - 8/15/25. Availability will be confirmed with candidates prior to finalizing program details and schedule.
About the Research & Design Strategy Team
The research and design strategy team at IA Collaborative is a naturally curious group who draw inspiration from the world around them and enjoy being "students of human behavior." We are highly structured thinkers with diverse backgrounds, skilled at breaking down complex concepts and data into compelling, visual frameworks and actionable strategies for our clients.
Our team conducts human-centered, immersive, qualitative, and in-context research observations, ensuring that "user insight" is not just a phase, but continually infused throughout the design process. We believe that research is a creative process, and we constantly create and employ new methods and strategies to get as close to our users as possible. As experts in both design thinking theory and practice, we collaborate closely with our clients to design our research processes, derive key insights, develop impactful strategies, and craft compelling stories that inspire breakthrough design.
Why IA Collaborative
At IA, you'll practice your craft in a whole new context. You'll be a part of designing the future of human experience as you transform your client's business, empower communities and create a positive and lasting impact on the world.
Our internationally recognized workspace provides the inspiration and flexibility to collaborate with teams or to focus as an individual.
IA Collaborative Work Model:
IA Collaborative leverages a hybrid work model with Chicagoland-area team members working from our downtown headquarters three days per week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) with additional, occasional required on-site days as needed.
Occasional onsite and in-field work is required for all team members. We are typically in the field once or twice a month, for two to three consecutive days, conducting research or meeting with clients. We are committed to following CDC guidelines to ensure safety and well-being for our team members.
IA Collaborative will provide a stipend for relocation to Chicago during the Summer Internship program dates.
About IA Collaborative
IA Collaborative is a global design and innovation consultancy. We help leading organizations and category disruptors find new growth, create new offerings, and empower a culture of innovation. We fully integrate human-centered design and business strategy into the ongoing operations of our clients, to launch new corporate ventures and drive continuous innovation. From Insight to Action, we define new business models and create new products, technology platforms, experiences, brands, services and environments.
IA is on the national and global stage speaking about the business value of design. Featured by Fast Company as one of the country's preeminent design thinkers and nominated by the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum as a "Design Visionary," IA's leadership and work has been profiled by prominent business publications and has received multiple design accolades, including Best Design North America and Best UX Design in Fast Company's Innovation by Design Awards; the SXSW Business Design Award; and multiple honors in the Red Dot International, International Design Excellence Awards (IDSA), the GOOD DESIGN Awards, and the iF World Design Awards. IA Collaborative works with the world's most successful brands, including FedEx, Allstate, Airbnb, Fidelity, Apple, Johnson & Johnson, Nike, Lilly, and Audi.
At IA Collaborative, we are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We believe that welcoming a diverse variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills to our organization contributes to a thriving culture, a vibrant community, and breakthrough work. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristics protected by federal, state, or local law.
For more information about IA Collaborative visit iacollaborative.com, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Glassdoor.
EEO