Principal, Experience Researcher

Position Summary... At Sam’s Club, we’re committed to being the membership you love the most. The Sam's Club Experience Strategy and Innovation team crafts compelling experiences wherever we meet our members and associates—from our clubs to their businesses, and to their homes. We deliver impact for the business through the web, apps, in-club experiences and associate-facing tools. In this role, we need your strategic Design Research expertise and leadership to shape, inform, and support key initiatives throughout the Sam’s Club organization while growing organizational empathy and research capability. From day one, you will rely on your interpersonal strengths and your ability to lead with creativity, strategic and systems thinking. You are the right fit have experience mentoring and coaching a team of cross-functional stakeholders and junior researchers in developing the art and science of research design and high-quality insight creation. You are a compelling storyteller and communicator, with the skillset of turning data and insights into a captivating narrative to guide decision makers and influence direction. Principal level researchers balance hands-on research with stakeholder engagement and are accountable for ensuring their research drives meaningful value and measurable impact. In This Role As a Principal Design Researcher, you will deliver high-impact, actionable insights that shape a holistic experience strategy for our members and associates. You are a master storyteller—transforming complex data into clear, compelling narratives. You will facilitate workshops to help teams define the right problem to solve, frame opportunity areas, and collaborate with stakeholders to define research goals. You are an expert at selecting the right research methodologies, making sense of the data, and translating findings into actionable-frameworks, narratives, and engaging research presentations (bonus if you have video editing skills). You will partner closely with interdisciplinary teams, including business stakeholders to influence decisions, build aligned visions, and drive measurable business outcomes. Your work will connect strategic opportunities—anticipating needs and aspirations of our associates and members—to the creation and deployment of future-state experiences at scale. You are a great fit if you have a passion for applied research—blending qualitative and quantitative approaches to inform strategy across every phase of design, from discovery to implementation and optimization. What you'll do... Research Strategy & Problem Framing: Identify opportunity spaces, define research priorities, and shape initiatives by connecting business needs, user insights, and future trends. End-to-End Research Leadership: Lead complex research efforts from design through execution—applying the right mix of qualitative and quantitative methods across discovery, evaluation, and optimization. Synthesis & Insight Development: Translate data into clear frameworks, narratives, and actionable insights that inform product, service, and experience strategy. Storytelling & Influence: Communicate research in compelling, business-relevant ways that drive alignment, guide decision-making, and connect insights to outcomes and KPIs. Stakeholder Partnership & Alignment: Collaborate with cross-functional teams and senior leaders to define direction, influence strategy, and ensure research is embedded throughout the design process. Human-Centered Design Leadership: Champion human-centered design, systems thinking, and service design—facilitating workshops and co-creation sessions that bring teams closer to member and associate needs. Research Craft & Standards: Elevate research quality by defining best practices, ensuring methodological rigor, and mentoring others in the art and science of research. What you’ll bring… Deep Research Expertise: 8+ years of experience in UX, CX, or Service Design Research, with a strong command of mixed methods across the full product and experience lifecycle. Strategic & Systems Thinking: Ability to connect research insights to broader business strategy, identifying patterns, opportunities, and long-term implications. Influence & Storytelling: Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to translate complex findings into clear, persuasive narratives for diverse audiences—including senior leadership. Facilitation & Leadership: Experience leading workshops, co-creation sessions, and cross-functional collaboration to align teams and shape direction. Stakeholder Management: Proven ability to build relationships and influence across product, design, business, and technology partners. Craft Excellence: Strong foundation in research methods, synthesis, and insight development, with a commitment to quality and rigor. Qualifications Required Qualifications 8+ years of experience in UX, CX, or Service Design Research Bachelor’s degree in a related field OR advanced degree (Master’s/PhD) with equivalent experience OR equivalent practical experience Deep experience conducting qualitative research (e.g., interviews, ethnography) and applying a range of methods across both foundational and evaluative phases Experience leading research across end-to-end, omnichannel experiences (digital and/or physical) Strong stakeholder management skills, including influencing senior leadership Experience designing and facilitating workshops (co-creation, ideation, design thinking) Exceptional communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to translate insights into actionable direction Preferred Qualifications Experience influencing both long-term experience strategy and detailed design execution Experience in enterprise or large-scale, technology-driven environments Familiarity with AI/ML or emerging interaction paradigms Experience conducting global research or managing large-scale insight programs Experience building frameworks and narratives that inform North Star visions and multi-year strategies At Sam's Club, we offer competitive pay as well as performance-based bonus awards and other great benefits for a happier mind, body, and wallet! -Health benefits include medical, vision and dental coverage -Financial benefits include 401(k), stock purchase and company-paid life insurance -Paid time off benefits include PTO, parental leave, family care leave, bereavement, jury duty, and voting. You will also receive PTO and/or PPTO that can be used for vacation, sick leave, holidays, or other purposes. The amount you receive depends on your job classification and length of employment. It will meet or exceed the requirements of paid sick leave laws, where applicable. For information about PTO, see - Other benefits include short-term and long-term disability, company discounts, Military Leave Pay, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, and more. Live Better U is a company paid education benefit program for full-time and part-time associates in Walmart and Sam's Club facilities. Programs range from high school completion to bachelor's degrees, including English Language Learning and short-form certificates. Tuition, books, and fees are completely paid for by Walmart. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to a specific plan or program terms. For information about benefits and eligibility, see One.Walmart. The annual salary range for this position is $110,000.00 - $220,000.00 Additional compensation includes annual or quarterly performance bonuses. Additional compensation for certain positions may also include Regional Pay Zone (RPZ) (based on location). At Sam's Club, we offer competitive pay as well as performance-based bonus awards and other great benefits for a happier mind, body, and wallet! -Health benefits include medical, vision and dental coverage -Financial benefits include 401(k), stock purchase and company-paid life insurance -Paid time off benefits include PTO, parental leave, family care leave, bereavement, jury duty, and voting. You will also receive PTO and/or PPTO that can be used for vacation, sick leave, holidays, or other purposes. The amount you receive depends on your job classification and length of employment. It will meet or exceed the requirements of paid sick leave laws, where applicable. For information about PTO, see - Other benefits include short-term and long-term disability, company discounts, Military Leave Pay, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, and more. Live Better U is a company paid education benefit program for full-time and part-time associates in Walmart and Sam's Club facilities. Programs range from high school completion to bachelor's degrees, including English Language Learning and short-form certificates. Tuition, books, and fees are completely paid for by Walmart. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to a specific plan or program terms. For information about benefits and eligibility, see One.Walmart. The annual salary range for this position is $110,000.00 - $220,000.00 Additional compensation includes annual or quarterly performance bonuses. Additional compensation for certain positions may also include Regional Pay Zone (RPZ) (based on location). ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ‎ Minimum Qualifications... Outlined below are the required minimum qualifications for this position. If none are listed, there are no minimum qualifications. Option 1: Bachelor's degree in UI/UX design, graphic design, visual communication, product design, computer science, information technology, or related area and 5 years’ experience in market research, business analysis, UX design research, or related area. Option 2: 7 years' experience in market research, business analysis, UX design research, or related area. As permitted by applicable law, provide evidence of full vaccination as defined by CDC guidelines OR secure approval of medical or religious accommodation for the vaccination mandate. Preferred Qualifications... Outlined below are the optional preferred qualifications for this position. If none are listed, there are no preferred qualifications. Driving product development in a design research area, Market Research, Business Analysis, UX Design Research, or related area, Master's degree in UI/UX Design, Interactive and Visual Design, Product Design, or related area, Related industry experience (for example, retail, supply chain, eCommerce, healthcare), Research or design certification (for example, IDEOU - Foundations in Design Thinking Certificate), We value candidates with a background in creating inclusive digital experiences, demonstrating knowledge in implementing Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standards, assistive technologies, and integrating digital accessibility seamlessly. The ideal candidate would have knowledge of accessibility best practices and join us as we continue to create accessible products and services following Walmart’s accessibility standards and guidelines for supporting an inclusive culture. Primary Location... 2101 Se Simple Savings Dr, Bentonville, AR 72712-4304, United States of America Walmart and its subsidiaries are committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and has a no tolerance policy regarding the use of illegal drugs and alcohol on the job. This policy applies to all employees and aims to create a safe and productive work environment. About Walmart: Fifty years ago, Sam Walton started a single mom-and-pop shop and transformed it into the world's biggest retailer. Since those founding days, one thing has remained consistent: our commitment to helping our customers save money so they can live better. Today, we're reinventing the shopping experience and our associates are at the heart of it. You'll play a crucial role in shaping the future of retail, improving millions of lives around the world. This is that place where your passions meet purpose. Join our family and create a career you're proud of.