Design Researcher - Hawthorn East

We’ve been trusted to serve Aussie communities since 1914 and grown to become a top 30-listed on the ASX with over 115,000 team members and a portfolio of iconic brands. At Coles Group, you’ll not only get to make a difference to millions of Aussie lives—you’ll also get to see your impact.

About the team

As the way we shop continues to evolve, our Digital team keeps us at the cutting edge. Driven by our innovative, inclusive, and forward-thinking culture, we’re constantly looking at ways to create differentiated, omni-channel experiences for our customers and build the next generation of digital retailing. This role sits in a team of experts within the broader Design Team at Coles where you’ll work alongside Product, Service, Digital Accessibility and Content Designers.

About the role

Reporting to the Service Design & Design Research Manager, as a Design Researcher, you’ll lead research that builds a deep understanding of the people who play a role in the services Coles delivers, from customers to team members to suppliers, so we can design experiences that meet people’s needs and create meaningful impact for our customers and for Coles.

As a Design Researcher, your contribution to Coles will help shape experiences that impact millions of Australians in an essential service they rely on every day. For some - such as customers with accessibility needs, these experiences are critical. And it’s not just about the weekly food shop; it’s also about how people shop for liquor, pet products, beauty, health, and so much more.

In this role you will lead research across digital experiences, collaborating with cross-functional partners in eCommerce, Operations, Marketing, Fulfilment, Customer Care, Merchandising, and external suppliers to shape how Coles’ products and services come to life.

What you’ll do

• Own the end-to-end Design Research process - from planning, to running research, through to synthesis, reporting, and sharing actionable insights that influence product decisions.
• Build shared understanding of customer needs, behaviours, and pain points across the business - helping teams empathise with customers and ensure we’re solving the right problems in the right way.
• Partner with stakeholders to ensure research insights inform decisions and experiences across Coles.
• Influence decisions through compelling storytelling - combining qualitative research, analytics, and voice-of-customer to clearly articulate what customers feel, need, and do, and the impact of acting (or not) on those insights.
• Support and coach other designers to plan and run unbiased, high-quality research (such as usability testing), ensuring research is rigorous and drives clear, actionable outcomes.]

About you

• You take pride in your craft but stay pragmatic - balancing multiple projects and flexing your involvement where you can have the most impact.
• You’re comfortable conducting research across both ends of the Double Diamond, from exploring and defining the right problems to solve, to ensuring the solutions we design are solving them in the right way.
• You know when to draw from existing insights and when new research is needed to uncover what’s missing.
• You’re a collaborative team player with a growth mindset who contributes to the wider design team, sharing your craft, learning from others, and working together toward shared goals.
• You lead with empathy, using insight and understanding to build trust, influence decisions, challenge the status quo and create experiences that truly matter to people.
• You understand the commercial value of design - solving meaningful problems that create real value.
• You’re confident applying a range of research methods, from generative to evaluative,  choosing the right approach for each question and context.

A typical day might include

• You’ll partner with our Senior Design Researcher to shape and strengthen the design research practice, refining our tools, ways of working, and ensuring our research delivers quality and impact
• Balancing multiple research projects -  from quick, focused studies to deeper, exploratory work that shapes how Australians shop with Coles.
• Conducting research that uncovers actionable insights - whether through new primary studies or by leveraging existing knowledge to close knowledge gaps.
• Simplifying complexity by connecting insights to opportunities, helping teams focus on solving the right problems in the right way.
• Building trusted relationships across the organisation and spotting opportunities for research.
• Influencing product roadmap decisions through clear storytelling, insight sharing, and evidence-based recommendations.
• Building research capability and confidence in the broader design team, supporting them to plan and run validation research such as usability testing, spot new research opportunities, and use insights effectively in their work.

Applications close Midnight, Wednesday 10th December 2025.

Applications will be reviewed and assessed upon submission. 

*Interviews will commence early January 2026.

What’s in it for you?

• Flexible working options: We know that work is only one part of your life, so we actively encourage a positive work-life balance and provide hybrid working options to help you achieve it.
• Office perks: Take advantage of our gym facility and fitness classes, free parking, BBQ area, mini-Coles supermarket, fooderie hub where you can sample new products before they hit the shelves, school holiday program and so much more when you come in.
• Discounts: Eligible team members receive 5% discount all year round on your Supermarket and Liquor online and in-store purchases. We also offer additional periods of double discount (10%) at various times throughout the year. As well as hotdeals exclusive to team members that translate into additional savings.
• Reward through recognition: Give and receive recognition, linked to our Coles values, through our digital recognition platform ‘mythanks’. You can accumulate points to redeem in the online shop for exciting gifts and electronic gift cards from an extensive range of retailers.
• Opportunities for learning and development: No matter where you start within our diverse business, you’ll have experiences, exposure, and education to satisfy you. Discover and explore a variety of career development programs and job-specific training.
• Paid parental leave: We understand how important your life outside work is and offer permanent team members paid parental leave to support you in balancing work and family.
• Investment in your future: Our annual team member share plan offer allows eligible team members to make regular pre-tax salary sacrifice deductions to purchase Coles Group shares.

About the recruitment process

We’re continuing to build a gender equitable team, and a culture that is just as diverse, inclusive and welcoming as the communities we serve. We are committed to creating a workplace that is safe and respectful for our team. We encourage applications from people of all ages, cultures (including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples), abilities, sexual orientation and gender identities.

We’re happy to adjust our recruitment process to support candidates with disability. For further information and additional contact details visit the ‘Our Recruitment Process’ section of our careers site or email inclusionrecruitment@coles.com.au

Job ID: 168938

Employment Type: Full time