Lead UX Researcher - Supply Chain

Pay is based on several factors which vary based on position. These include labor markets and in some instances may include education, work experience and certifications. In addition to your pay, Target cares about and invests in you as a team member, so that you can take care of yourself and your family. Target offers eligible team members and their dependents comprehensive health benefits and programs, which may include medical, vision, dental, life insurance and more, to help you and your family take care of your whole selves. Other benefits for eligible team members include 401(k), employee discount, short term disability, long term disability, paid sick leave, paid national holidays, and paid vacation. Find competitive benefits from financial and education to well-being and beyond at https://corporate.target.com/careers/benefits.

About Us:

Working at Target means helping all families discover the joy of everyday life. We bring that vision to life through our values and culture. Learn more about Target here. 

Target UX is a group of design, content, research, and accessibility practitioners and experts, with a passion for improving and innovating our digital experiences for Target’s guests, team members, and partners. Here, we pride ourselves on designing tangible, inspiring, and impactful solutions that serve all aspects of our business– and being a part of the team means you will play a critical role for Target’s digital experience by increasing ease, simplicity, value, and delight for every touchpoint.   

About The Role:

As a Lead UX Researcher – Middle Mile, you will set the research direction for how Target understands and improves the tools, workflows, and experiences that support warehouse operations within our Global Supply Chain & Logistics organization. Middle Mile encompasses the warehousing of products before they are ready to be distributed to Target stores or directly to consumers. This role focuses on understanding the needs of warehouse team members responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing Middle Mile operations, while recognizing how upstream and downstream processes, systems, and decisions influence their day-to-day experiences.

You will lead foundational and applied research across warehouse products, platforms, and operational workflows. With a holistic, systems-oriented mindset, you will connect the dots across people, processes, technology, and business outcomes to uncover opportunities that balance team member needs with Target's operational goals. 

You will partner closely with UX, Product, Technology, Data Science, Process, and Supply Chain Operations teams to connect research insights with business strategy and operational realities. You will bring diverse perspectives together, navigate complexity, and build alignment around opportunities that improve warehouse team member experiences while supporting the broader supply chain. You will influence product strategy and future-state experiences, mentor other researchers, and strengthen human-centered decision-making across Middle Mile.

You’ll use tried and true design methodologies such as human centered design and design thinking to understand guest needs, balance business ideas, deliver best-in-class design from concept to execution, while championing cross-functional experimentation.  

As a member of the team, you will contribute to advancing the broader practice of UX at Target through influence, impact, and craft, while also educating cross-functional teams when needed. We are an engaged, supportive, and increasingly diverse team focused on elevating the impact of our discipline. 

Responsibilities:

• Establish and lead the research strategy for Middle Mile warehouse experiences, influencing product priorities, roadmaps, and business decisions. 

• Lead foundational and applied mixed-method research to understand warehouse team member needs, workflows, behaviors, and operational challenges. 

• Apply holistic, systems-level thinking to connect people, processes, technology, and business outcomes, recognizing upstream and downstream impacts on warehouse operations. 

• Partner with UX, Product, Technology, Data Science, Process, and Operations teams to identify opportunities, shape future-state experiences, and align solutions with team member and business needs. 

• Combine qualitative insights with analytics and operational data to identify opportunities, inform decisions, and measure impact. 

• Translate research into actionable recommendations that improve usability, workflow efficiency, operational effectiveness, and the overall team member experience. 

• Optimize on AI-powered tools and emerging technologies to enhance research efficiency, accelerate synthesis and analysis, uncover deeper insights, and explore innovative approaches to understanding team member needs and improving warehouse experiences. 

• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration, navigate ambiguity and competing priorities, and build alignment to move initiatives forward. 

• Communicate insights through compelling storytelling, influence stakeholders, mentor researchers, and champion high-quality research practices. 

• Acts as a strategic thought partner and provide expert guidance in leading, conducting, and synthesizing qualitative research projects – including, but not limited to: in person moderated testing, remote moderated & unmoderated testing, surveys, heuristic reviews, benchmark studies, concept testing, online & in-warehouse interviews, ethnographies, and co-creations. 

About You:

• 7+ years of experience completing research in UX research, product research, human-computer interaction, design thinking, service design, behavioral science, or related field. 

• Strong qualitative and quantitative research expertise, with experience leading complex research initiatives and influencing product strategy. 

• A holistic, systems-oriented mindset with the ability to connect team member needs, operational processes, technology, and business objectives. 

• Ability to synthesize research, analytics, and operational data into actionable insights and measurable outcomes. 

• Strong relationship-building, facilitation, and storytelling skills, with the ability to navigate ambiguity, align diverse stakeholders, and influence without direct authority. 

• Strong project management skills – experience managing multiple projects at various stages in the project life cycle. 

• Experience mentoring researchers and advancing inclusive, accessible, and high-quality research practices. 

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, coordinate across teams, and drive initiatives forward.

This position will operate as a Hybrid/Flex for Your Day work arrangement based on Target’s needs. A Hybrid/Flex for Your Day work arrangement means the team member’s core role will need to be performed both onsite at the Target HQ MN location the role is assigned to and virtually, depending upon what your role, team and tasks require for that day. Work duties cannot be performed outside of the country of the primary work location, unless otherwise prescribed by Target. Click here if you are curious to learn more about Minnesota. 

Benefits Eligibility

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

In compliance with state and federal laws, Target will make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please reach out to candidate.accommodations@HRHelp.Target.com. Non-accommodation-related requests, such as application follow-ups or technical issues, will not be addressed through this channel.