Senior Design Operations Specialist

Application Deadline: 13 October 2025

Department: Product

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Europe, Remote

Description

About us
We are Digital Science and we are advancing the research ecosystem. We are a pioneering technology company, and our vision is of a future where a trusted and collaborative research ecosystem drives progress for all. We believe in better, open, collaborative and inclusive research. In creating the next generation of tools and working in partnership with the community we tackle some of the biggest challenges to research. In order to achieve our vision, we need innovative, inspiring and dynamic people to join our team. Want to join us?

Your new role - 
As our Senior Design Operations Specialist, you will be an integral part of the Digital Science Product Design team, which is embedded within our broader Product department. In this pivotal role, you will be responsible for strategically enhancing and scaling our user research and design operations. Your core objective will be to add significant value to the product team by streamlining workflows, improving the accessibility of high-quality insights and documentation, and cultivating robust cross-functional collaboration. This will ultimately ensure a consistent, efficient, and deeply user-centered approach to product development across all stages of the lifecycle.

What you’ll be doing

• Develop and continuously improve scalable product discovery processes, rituals, and tools to enhance participant recruitment, scheduling, incentive management, data collection, synthesis, and archival — all within a GDPR-compliant framework.
• Drive the communication of high-quality, engaging user insights across product teams and the broader organization, with a focus on specific segments and improved self-service access to research data.
• Create, maintain, and automate standardized design documentation and templates to improve consistency, efficiency, and scalability of design practices.
• Manage design team-specific tools, including usage tracking, cost reporting, and experimentation with responsible AI tools to enhance discovery and design workflows.
• Support the definition, tracking, and reporting of key design metrics — both quantitative and qualitative — to measure the impact of user-facing design and internal DesignOps initiatives.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to maintain centralized accessibility documentation, tooling, and compliance efforts across products.
• Assist design leadership in implementing quality assurance processes to ensure high design standards, reduce revisions, and deliver a consistent user experience.
• Strengthen collaboration between design, product, and engineering teams by fostering clear communication channels, regular feedback cycles, and a culture of transparency and teamwork.
  
  

What you’ll bring to the role

• Proven experience in a DesignOps, ResearchOps, or similar operational role within a modern product organization.
• Deep understanding of design processes, systems, and tools, with a demonstrated track record of implementing and scaling successful design operations strategies.
• Experience analyzing, optimizing, and scaling product discovery and design workflows, with a strong grasp of lean and agile methodologies.
• Proficiency with modern design and research tools such as Figma, Dovetail, UserInterviews, and Coda; familiarity with accessibility tools (e.g., Stark), design-related AI tools (e.g., Lovable), and basic front-end development is a plus.
• Strong problem-solving mindset with the ability to proactively identify inefficiencies, navigate ambiguity, and drive effective solutions.
• Excellent written, verbal, and visual communication skills — capable of articulating complex operational ideas and presenting them with clarity and impact.
• Experience mentoring and supporting both designers and non-designers in adopting and understanding DesignOps practices.
• Collaborative, humble, and consultative approach — thrives in team environments that value low-ego, high-impact contributions.

Nice to Have: 

• Familiarity with WCAG guidelines, assistive technologies, and inclusive design principles, advocating for accessibility within cross-functional teams, from initial concept and research through to testing and launch.

Don't worry if you don't meet every qualification—let us be the judge! Studies show that many qualified candidates from under-represented groups hesitate to apply unless they meet every single requirement. We are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive team and strongly encourage you to submit your application.

Living our Values

We invest in, nurture and support innovative businesses and technologies that make all parts of the research process more open, efficient and effective. 
The talent we secure is fundamental to us achieving our vision and our growth plans. The values we live by are:
We are brave in the pursuit of better We are collaborative and inclusive We are always open-minded We are from and for the community

At Digital Science, our vision is to see research flow seamlessly – trusted, collaborative, and accessible – fueling breakthroughs that push humanity forward. This ambitious mission is one we achieve together, by enabling open, collaborative, inclusive research.
We firmly believe that to truly innovate and solve the complex challenges faced by our customers, from researchers and universities to funders and publishers, we need diverse perspectives, experiences, and ideas. A rich mix of voices drives quality insights, fosters enhanced collaboration, and ultimately pushes knowledge forward more effectively.
As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to building and nurturing a workplace where every individual feels valued and belongs. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status. Beyond recruitment, we strive to cultivate an environment where inclusivity is woven into the fabric of our culture, enabling everyone to be their best self and do their best work.