Service Designer

We are looking for a brilliant concept and service designer with a broad design background who can apply design thinking and service design methodologies to place based challenges. You are passionate about making ideas tangible and actionable in real environments in a people and society centric way. Above all, you should be excited about experimenting with new and innovative processes that bring together design and technology.

You are comfortable applying your design mindset to a wide range of projects. Whilst one day you will be asked to come up with creative solutions for a wicked problem, the next day you could be tasked to help design a (remote) ideation workshop. Innovation comes with uncertainty – you may not always get a clear brief, you will be dealing with abstract concepts and are expected to proactively use sensemaking and analytical skills to define how you can best add value to multidisciplinary projects.

You are interested in new technologies, especially emerging ones, and have hands-on experience in applying your service design skills in technology pilots in real life environments. You will work on diverse projects in multi-disciplinary teams of service designers, technologists, data scientists, urban planners, analysts, user researchers, and developers. Your work will inspire and support the full spectrum of Connected Places Catapult (national & international) stakeholders and collaborators, which include Government, large and small businesses, local authorities, and NGOs.

You are excited by the possibility of working in one of the world’s leading urban innovation centres, a place full of a diverse group of talents and perspectives. You have a strong desire to thrive in an environment that sits between public and private, between cities and tech, between art and science, between research and practice.

Key Responsibilities

• Service design – Apply service design tools such as user journeys, blueprints and design probes in multiple projects. You are able to translate (design) research into insights, design opportunities and eventually ideas and concepts.
• Living Labs and Testbeds – Developing innovation testbeds and Living Labs that encourage collaboration across diverse stakeholder groups and provide a space to test and/or co-create products and services (early start-up to more mature businesses).
• Design Research – Independently perform qualitative design research, applying design ethnography using methods such as contextual interviews, observation, card sorting etc.
• Insights and workshops – Planning, design and delivery of different types of workshops that involve citizens, small businesses and researchers within our established program of projects.
• Innovative research methodologies– You’ll be leading the research of the team, you will need to stay abreast of the cutting edge in smart technologies, Internet of Things, local and international initiatives, and SME and citizen-led experiments.
• Concept development – Developing strong project concepts that can then be built out into prototypes.
• Collaborative working – Be a strong communicator, facilitator and generous collaborator working with all teams at the Catapult and our wider collaborators.
• Stakeholder management – Working closely with team members to ensure relationships with all project partners are managed successfully.
• Communicating research – Our projects will develop cutting-edge thinking and practice. Besides making them happen, you’ll be communicating what the projects are about, what they mean, and how they will change thinking and practice in the future cities sector.

Required skills and experience

• Qualification in product design, service design, strategic design or equivalent. Higher degree is desirable.
• Proven experience in mastering Service Design tools and methodologies.
• Experience in solving place-based challenges by leading product or service development projects, and/or projects on urban technologies or places.
• Excellent understanding of the technology and futures landscape, as it might apply to the future of cities and places.
• Understanding and experience of using service design in technology pilots, especially in the Built Environment, Mobility, Wellbeing, Public Realm, Infrastructure, and governance domains.
• Demonstrable experience in business, whether employed or self-employed, in large or small firms. Business development experience is desirable.
• You may be required to undertake other reasonable duties to support the Catapult in achieving its strategic outcomes and ensure effective business operations.

Desirable: ​

• Familiarity with high growth start-ups, particularly in the technology sector.
• Familiarity with city governments and key urban issues in 21st century cities.
• Expertise in one or more of our key domains Decarbonisation, the Built Environment, Mobility, Wellbeing, Public Realm, Infrastructure, and governance domains
• Experience designing and running innovation testbeds or living labs