Sr. Product Insights Researcher

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.

Target is an iconic brand, a Fortune 50 company and one of America’s leading retailers.

We thrive on the magic of discovering that just-right thing, and we infuse everything we do with our passion for delighting our guests. We concept, develop, make and deliver the great brands and products that Target guests expect and deserve. We are uber-savvy trend and quality experts who stay ahead of the curve, proactively identifying our market’s needs and exceeding them, every time. Join one of our dynamic and inventive teams to influence the quality and value that decisively position Target above the competition. Your input will have a direct and positive effect on multiple business units. Here, you will be close to the action of dreaming up and bringing to life the Target Owned Brand products that surprise and gratify guests, wherever and whenever they love to shop.

Team & Job Overview:

The Product Insights team leads consumer research for Target’s Owned Brand products portfolio in support of key business needs and priorities. Can you work cross-functionally to develop and implement the right research methodology that supports product & packaging? Are you a self-starter who can independently run consumer research including scoping/consulting, methodology design, execution, analysis, synthesis and deliverables? Do you understand how to design research that provides direction on product assortments, key product attributes, packaging updates, and claims? A role with Target’s Product Insights team is an opportunity to bring owned brands to life by anchoring in insights to develop products/packages that our guests will love. You will leverage internal and external partnerships to support product and package development projects across multiple business units. As a Product Insights Researcher, you will lead qualitative and quantitative consumer research across Target’s frequency business areas including Food & Beverage and Essentials & Beauty, and other assigned categories. The research you lead will inform product and packaging opportunities, guide development, optimization, and ongoing improvement. You will partner closely with cross-functional teams to translate consumer learning into clear, actionable recommendations.

This role requires a researcher who can move fluidly between qualitative exploration and quantitative validation, understanding not only what consumers think and do, but why, and translating those insights into practical direction for product and packaging teams across business units.

As a Sr. Product Insights Researcher, you will focus on the key responsibilities with the company:

Lead End-to-End Consumer Research

·Independently scope, design, execute, analyze, synthesize, and communicate qualitative and quantitative consumer research.

·Translate business and technical questions into clear learning objectives, hypotheses, research plans, and success criteria.

· Select fit-for-purpose methodologies based on the decision being made rather than defaulting to a particular research approach.

· Develop research materials including discussion guides, questionnaires, screeners, stimuli, and testing protocols.

·Ensure appropriate methodological rigor, sample design, data quality, documentation, and research integrity.

Integrate Consumer Understanding Throughout Development

·Bring consumer learning into the product and packaging development lifecycle—from early opportunity identification and ideation through optimization, launch readiness, and post-launch learning.

·Identify consumer needs, behaviors, barriers, motivations, Jobs-to-Be-Done, and unmet opportunities that can inform product and packaging strategy.

·Translate consumer needs into actionable product and packaging experience requirements, design criteria, and development guardrails.

·Support concept development, product innovation, assortment decisions, packaging development, claims, pricing/value questions, and product optimization.

·Connect learning across research phases and existing knowledge rather than treating individual studies as standalone projects.

Translate Insights into Decisions

·Synthesize complex consumer learning into clear actionable insights, informing product decisions and recommendations.

·Translate findings into decision-ready guidance that identifies opportunities, risks, tradeoffs, and recommended next steps.

·Communicate insights through compelling reports, presentations, workshops, and storytelling.

·Influence stakeholders by connecting consumer evidence directly to the business or product decision at hand.

Strategic Cross-Functional Partnership

·Build strong partnerships across Merchandising, Product Development/Design, Packaging, Sourcing, Quality/Regulatory, Enterprise Insights, and other business functions.

·Consult with partners early to clarify the decision to be made and determine whether new research is needed.

·Proactively identify consumer learning opportunities rather than relying solely on incoming research requests.

·Facilitate alignment among cross-functional partners when consumer learning reveals competing priorities, risks, or tradeoffs.

·Serve as a trusted consumer and product insights thought partner for assigned categories or business areas.

External Research Partner Management

·Identify and manage external research suppliers when appropriate.

·Develop scopes, review proposals, manage timelines and budgets, and establish methodological and quality expectations.

·Oversee fieldwork and evaluate research quality.

·Ensure external partners deliver rigorous research and actionable recommendations aligned to business needs.

Management of Projects

· Independently lead multiple research initiatives simultaneously.

·Maintain strong operating discipline, documentation, stakeholder communication, and on-time delivery.

·Navigate ambiguity and changing business needs with flexibility and sound judgment.

Minimum Qualifications

·Bachelor’s degree in Market Research, Sensory and Consumer Science, Statistics, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.

·Relevant experience conducting consumer, market, product, or experience research.

·Demonstrated experience designing and executing both qualitative and quantitative research.

·Strong understanding of research design, sampling, questionnaire/discussion guide development, data quality, and research ethics.

·Working knowledge of statistics and ability to analyze and interpret quantitative consumer data.

·Demonstrated ability to translate research findings into clear business, product, or packaging recommendations.

·Ability to independently scope research from initial business question through final recommendation.

·Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

·Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.

·Strong written, verbal, presentation, and storytelling skills.

·Demonstrated ability to collaborate and influence within cross-functional teams.

·Comfortable working in ambiguity and adapting research approaches as business needs evolve.

Preferred Qualifications

·Master’s degree in Consumer Research, Psychology, Market Research, Sensory and Consumer Science, Statistics, or related discipline.

·Experience conducting research that directly informs product and/or packaging development.

·Experience within retail, consumer product goods, agency for multiple industries (Food & Beverage, Beauty/personal care, Apparel, Household Goods, or other product-focused industries).

·Experience integrating qualitative and quantitative learning into a cohesive research story.

·Experience with product testing, sensory consumer research, or consumer experience research.

·Strong statistical foundation with experience using Excel, XLSTAT, SPSS, R, or similar analytical tools.

·Experience with research platforms for survey programming, qualitative research, product testing, or sensory research.

·Exposure to advanced methodologies such as MaxDiff, TURF, conjoint/choice modeling, driver analysis, or segmentation.

· Experience managing external research agencies and vendors.

·Experience facilitating workshops, co-creation sessions, or cross-functional research discussions.

· Familiarity with AI-enabled research, synthesis, or analytics capabilities and an understanding of appropriate human oversight.

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.

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.