Junior Designer; UAE National

Dubai Design Lab is an action lab under the Dubai Future Foundation, harnessing the power of design and creativity to position Dubai among the world’s most livable cities. The lab (re) designs, prototypes, and tests policies, strategies, and systems aligned with Dubai’s vision; creating a platform where individuals and organizations come together to imagine and shape a better future. By combining experimentation, collaboration, and human‑centered design, the lab drives innovation and contributes to Dubai’s growth as a leading global hub.

The Junior Human‑Centered Designer contributes to multidisciplinary design projects that span across service design, policy, strategy and business. The role blends rigorous research with hands‑on design, helping to uncover human insights and translate them into tangible solutions—from digital experiences and service journeys to policy prototypes and systemic interventions. Working within cross‑functional teams, the designer supports the full design process: research, synthesis, ideation, prototyping, and testing.

This is a practice‑based position embedded within live design projects.

• Research and Insight Development (40%)
  • Support qualitative and mixed‑method research
  • Conduct secondary research and benchmarking across multidisciplinary projects
  • Carry out interviews, contextual inquiries, field observations, and stakeholder engagements
  • Map user journeys, service ecosystems, and system dynamics
  • Contribute to synthesis outputs including insight frameworks, personas, opportunity areas, and design principles
• Design Collaboration and Prototyping (30%)
  • Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams across design, strategy, and policy
  • Participate in iterative prototyping and user feedback loops to test and refine ideas
  • Support the development of tools, frameworks, and narratives that bridge research and design outcomes
  • Contribute to documentation, presentations, and storytelling that communicate insights and impact
• Workshop, Co‑Creation and Stakeholder Engagement (20%)
  • Contribute to workshops, design sprints, and exhibitions that foster dialogue and creativity
  • Engage with academic, government, and industry partners to expand design research impact
  • Support the lab’s role as a thought leader by curating and sharing insights within the wider design community
  • Translate complex research into clear, compelling narratives
  • Prepare presentations, visual summaries, and case documentation
  • Support internal knowledge systems and research repositories

• Bachelor’s degree in service design, UX/UI design, interaction design, industrial design, architecture, strategic design, anthropology, sociology, journalism, communication or related fields; a master’s degree is a plus
• 1–3 years of experience in design, research, or innovation projects
• Familiarity with qualitative research methods (interviews, ethnography, contextual inquiry)
• Understanding of human‑centered design and double‑diamond processes
• Experience creating journey maps, service blueprints, stakeholder maps, or interaction flows is a nice to have
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

• Future‑oriented and passionate: demonstrates curiosity and optimism about the future
• Rigorous and accountable: strives for excellence and precision in research and design
• Empathetic and collaborative: builds trust, fosters inclusion, and mentors others
• Experimental and curious: embraces iteration and uncertainty as tools for innovation
• Adaptable and decisive: balances flexibility with clarity in complex environments
• Story‑driven and connective: communicates insights through compelling narratives and connections