Assistant Design Researcher, Better By

Post Title: AssistantDesign Researcher - Better By Design

Grade: IUA Research Assistant Point 1

School/Unit: School of Design

Subject Area: Better By Design: A HSE Spark X DesignLabs Health Collaboration

Post Duration: 6 months, commencing December 2025

Contract Type: Specified purpose appointment dedicated to the “Better by Design” research collaboration between HSE Spark and NCAD DesignLabs Health

Reports to: Head of Department of Product Design

Salary: IUA Research Assistant Point 1 - €33,291 - €43,372 per annum (Funded)*

*This salary is due to increase by 1% effective February 2026 and will be subject to any future public sector pay increases due.

Location: NCAD, 100 Thomas Street, Dublin 8.

Annual Leave:

Hours of work: FTE 1 - Working hours will be 35 hours per week (net of rest breaks)

Background

“Better by Design: A HSE Spark X NCAD DesignLabs Health Collaboration” is a two-year research initiative established to advance the role of design within healthcare. The collaboration will focus on embedding and advancing design-led research within healthcare through a programme of applied projects, capacity-building, and knowledge generation.

Better by Design aims to :

• Embed design in healthcare practice through applied projects.
• Advance methodologies and tools for design-led research, co-design, and prototyping in healthcare.
• Measure and evaluate the impact of design in healthcare, with particular attention to outcomes related to patients, costs, providers, population equity and the planet.
• Build design capability in the health service by offering student bursaries, academic sponsorships, professional training, and opportunities for healthcare staff to collaborate directly with designers and researchers.
• Generate new knowledge and evidence of how design contributes to health and wellbeing, working at the intersection of research, design, and clinical expertise.

Role Description

The Assistant Design Researcher will contribute to the Better by Design research initiative through hands-on engagement in design-led projects within healthcare settings. Working closely with the experienced Design Researcher, the Principal Investigator, and HSE Spark, the Assistant Design Researcher will support the research, design, and delivery of applied projects that use human-centred and co-design methods to address complex health challenges. The role will involve assisting in research and fieldwork activities, helping to plan and facilitate co-design workshops, contributing to the development of design concepts and prototypes, and supporting the evaluation and documentation of project outcomes and impact. The Assistant Design Researcher will also assist in disseminating findings through presentations, publications, and public engagement activities. This position offers an opportunity to develop expertise in design research for health within an interdisciplinary environment. The role is based in the Product Design Department at NCAD and operates under the supervision of the Principal Investigator.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Execute a specified programme of design-led research and scholarship under the direction of the Principal Investigator.
• Contribute to applied design projects within healthcare settings, supporting research, co-design, prototyping, and evaluation activities.
• Assist in developing and documenting design methodologies and tools for adoption in healthcare settings
• Assist in measuring and evaluating the impact of design in healthcare.
• Engage in appropriate training, professional development, and skill-building opportunities as required by the Principal Investigator or NCAD DesignLabs.
• Contribute to the wider research and scholarly activities of NCAD DesignLabs and the institution.
• Participate in knowledge-sharing and dissemination activities, including presentations, workshops, and publications.
• Undertake any other reasonable duties as required by the Principal Investigator.

Selection Criteria

Selection criteria outline the qualifications, skills, knowledge, and experience required to successfully fulfil the responsibilities of the post. Applications will be assessed on how well candidates meet these criteria.

Essential:

• A Master’s degree (or equivalent professional experience) in design, design research, or a related discipline such as health sciences or social sciences.
• Experience supporting or conducting design research activities such as user research, co-design, prototyping, or evaluation.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with experience sharing research or design outcomes through reports, exhibitions, or public engagement.
• Strong interpersonal skills and experience engaging with diverse stakeholders, demonstrating an awareness and commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion practices.
• Ability to work collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams, including designers, researchers, and healthcare professionals.
• Good organisational and time management skills, with the ability to manage tasks and meet project deadlines.
• Demonstrated enthusiasm for developing expertise in design for health and contributing to research-led practice.

Desirable:

• Experience working on applied design projects within healthcare, public services, or community settings.
• Familiarity with qualitative or participatory research methods such as interviews, observations, or co-design workshops.
• Experience in documenting and communicating design processes and outcomes (e.g. through visualisations, reports, toolkits, or exhibitions).
• Interest in or understanding of design’s role in improving healthcare systems, services, or experiences.
• Experience contributing to collaborative, interdisciplinary, or multi-stakeholder projects.
• Awareness of evaluation practices or approaches to assessing the impact of design in applied contexts.
• Evidence of initiative, curiosity, and a commitment to developing expertise in design for health.
• Proficiency in relevant design or research tools (e.g. Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, Miro).

Closing Date: 19th of November 2025