About the Job
Doing the right thing for investors is what we’re all about at Vanguard. For over 40 years, we’ve pursued our highest purpose of giving our clients the best chance for investment success. That includes enabling financial advisors (who in turn serve end-investors) to manage highly successful practices. Indeed, the mission of Vanguard’s Financial Advisor Services (FAS) business is to “be the advisor to the advisor.”
The Advisor Experience Research team (AXR) within FAS Marketing is a center of excellence that supports not only Marketing, but also teams across the FAS division. We do any type of research that is required to help key stakeholders make decisions with our audiences’ needs in mind, from sizing product/market fit to UX/UI testing.
We’re seeking a Senior Advisor Experience Researcher to provide research coverage across our new Artificial Intelligence (AI) portfolio. Day-to-day, you will partner with cross-functional product teams including AI/ML engineers, IT architects and solution consultants, product managers, and business subject matter experts. You will design and lead the research strategy, conduct complex mixed-methods studies, and drive strategic user-centric decisions for multiple AI-enabled products.
The role is structured with your success in mind: you will be embedded with cross-functional product teams, and your immediate teammates will be researchers aligned to other areas of FAS. As a team, we exist to inspire client obsession. Our goal is simple: to do great research and to be great to work with.
We’re looking for someone who’s excited about:
Making the complex beautiful - distilling ideas to their essence to enable evidence-based decision making
Striking a balance between user needs and business value - based on a deep understanding and appreciation of each
Deploying the latest research methods - with experience to know when to be lean and when to be rigorous
Mitigating “research bias” – synthesizing, connecting dots, and doubling down on actionability
Facilitating – asking, as well as answering, meaningful and impactful questions
Collaborating – bringing your teams along with you
Learning - especially with regard to emerging technology and the integration of humanistic frameworks into machine learning models
We’re excited to find someone who has:
A graduate degree (MA/MS/PhD) in HCI, HCD, Psychology, Cognitive Science, Anthropology, Sociology, Communication, Statistics, or related field, or the equivalent combination of training and experience
5+ years of multi-method research experience
Specialization in 1+ research methods and working knowledge of methods outside your specialization area such that you are able to recommend and execute whatever method will best address the problem at hand
Product research experience, with demonstrated success in translating research insights into viable product features and/or inputs to critical product decisions
Capability to work in a "0-to-1" space, innovating and iterating quickly to create new solutions from the ground up
Ability to tailor information to different audiences and levels of leadership
Excellent project management skills that allow you to effectively support multiple products and projects at once
Sophisticated stakeholder management, including working with product teams who may be unfamiliar with research as well as teams who can’t get enough research
A portfolio that demonstrates your command of the end-to-end research process, and the tangible impact of your work
Value-Adds/Nice-to-Haves
Familiarity with AI concepts and experience building or contributing to products utilizing AI tools and/or decision engines
Experience with business-to-business (B2B) research or highly technical/specialized user groups
Human-centered design or design thinking training/certification
Experience using the Jobs-To-Be-Done/Outcome-Driven Innovation framework
This role is part of our hybrid work model with Tuesdays – Thursdays required in our offices to foster collaboration and relationships. On Mondays and Fridays, our crew will have the option to work remotely, or continue working from one of our offices in Malvern PA or Charlotte NC. Relocation assistance is available for this role.
Special Factors
Sponsorship
Vanguard is not offering visa sponsorship for this position.About Vanguard
At Vanguard, we don't just have a mission—we're on a mission.
To work for the long-term financial wellbeing of our clients. To lead through product and services that transform our clients' lives. To learn and develop our skills as individuals and as a team. From Malvern to Melbourne, our mission drives us forward and inspires us to be our best.
Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
Vanguard’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is central to our ability to deliver on our mission. We aspire to create a work environment that is inclusive, equitable, and diverse—one that enables our employees, whom we call crew, to thrive and bring their best selves to work every day on behalf of our clients.
Cultivating DEI lifts our entire organization, and everyone shares accountability for our progress—from our senior leaders who lay the foundation and set the example for inclusive behaviors to crew who are growing in their personal DEI learning experiences.
Together, we’re on a mission. We are fueled by the value of diverse voices and connected through friendships and a culture of care—for our clients, our communities, and each other.
Vanguard’s DEI journey has no finish line. Our commitment is enduring, and we remain focused on the path ahead. To learn more about Vanguard goals and progress toward DEI, download our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Report.
How We Work
Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.