Lead Design Researcher

at Cisco in Boise, Idaho, United States

The application window is expected to close on: 06/05/2026

Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received .

Note: Preference will be given to candidates local to SF Bay Area.

Meet the Team

Our design practice is a vibrant mosaic, made up of the curious and the brave product designers, researchers, content designers, operations specialists, and design engineers who thrive on collaboration, creativity, and innovation. Together, were building a culture of design excellence and operational efficiency.

We focus on human needs, working closely with cross-functional partners to deliver impactful design solutions that address complex challenges. The products we design and build have real results for our customers because our users are at the heart of everything that we do. We work directly with users to build a deep understanding of their goals and context, and we explore and iterate on solutions together.

Solving our customers security challenges through our focus on simplicity and effectiveness is why we show up daily and its why you should join us.

Your Impact

As a Lead Design Researcher, youll be part of the Security Design Research Team, while primarily supporting the AI Software & Platform team. In this role, youll drive a deep understanding of users to shape the future of Ciscos security products and experiences across AI-powered solutions. You will:

+ Lead end-to-end qualitative and quantitative UX research-from problem framing and scoping through to analysis and delivery of actionable insights.

+ Inform product and design strategy through rigorous generative and evaluative research executed to the highest standards.

+ Balance research rigor with scrappiness and innovation as you work alongside a fast-moving AI product and design team.

+ Partner with PMs to define UX metrics and telemetry plans, then synthesize data into narratives that guide product decisions or future research.

+ Explore how AI can enhance security and networking experiences, identifying opportunities to integrate AI responsibly into our users workflows.

Minimum Qualifications

+ Bachelors + 8 years of related experience, or Masters + 6 years of related experience, or PhD + 3 years of related experience

+ Experience leading qualitative and quantitative research projects in the enterprise environment from discovery through to presentation (discovery, planning, recruitment, exec