Technology Researcher - Innovation

This role is based in our Tesco Labs team which is the research and development team within Tesco Technology.  The team was conceived to shine light on future opportunities and challenges for Tesco. We are a trusted source on emerging technology and are focused on prototyping and testing new ideas in technology areas that could significantly impact customers and the business in the future.

We want our customers to be inspired and whatever they are looking for, we’re finding bigger and better ways to provide it.  Everything is underpinned by our continuous drive for the best tools and technology to deliver our vision. We’re driving innovation and we need people who share our ambition to deliver for our customers; Passionate and confident people willing to take the initiative and drive us forwards. In return we offer excitement, a great team, an excellent benefit package, and significant career development opportunities.

Joining us means playing a part in defining; building and launching an ambitious roadmap of digital products that could affect the lives of millions of people over the years to come.

This role will be based from our Welwyn Garden City campus and is available on a hybrid schedule.

If that sounds exciting then we'd love to hear from you.

We’re looking for a 'go to’ research professional with a passion for understanding future consumer needs and technology trends and advances. Here are a few of the activities you'll be involved in:

• Identifying future technology trends and their intersection with business challenges in order to highlight and prioritise future areas of work for the labs team
• Researching specific opportunities; producing papers, summaries, newsletters and / or masterclasses to share learning and stimulate debate
• Helping the product teams stretch their thinking by continuously providing them with stimuli about what is happening in the space they are working in
• Regularly holding trend / new tech debrief sessions and leading discussion and ideation about what this might mean for Tesco
• Exciting everyone about innovation and leading by example. Fostering collaboration across teams and departments, and bringing people and ideas together
• Engaging with and influencing stakeholders at all levels and generating enthusiasm and excitement around innovation to gain buy in and support for the work we do. 
• Maintaining a great set of internal contacts and keep a pulse on the business strategy

This role will best suit an individual who enjoys working as part of a team, is well organised, pragmatic and a lateral thinker with an inquisitive mind who is motivated to make change for the better and, most importantly, puts our customers first.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strategic thinking
• A passion for innovation and a desire to impact the future of retail
• A relevant qualification and demonstrable experience in a research role
• Flexibility, ability to plan and organise: a self-starter 
• To be deeply curious, tenacious, creative and open mindset
• To be able to build solid working relationships with peers and senior leadership
• To be confident and engaging storyteller when presenting to all levels of seniority within the organisation

We offer excellent benefits that help make Tesco a great place to work!  These include but are not limited to:

• Annual bonus scheme
• Holiday starting at 20 days, rising to 22 days after 12 months, plus a personal day (and bank holidays)
• Great colleague discounts and deals, saving you money on everyday purchases, utility bills for the home and more
• Retirement savings plan – save between 4% and 7.5% and Tesco will match your contribution
• Buy As You Earn and Save As You Earn share schemes
• Opportunities to get on – take advantage of our ongoing learning opportunities and award-winning training to help you achieve the career you want

Our vision at Tesco is to become every customer’s favourite way to shop, whether they are at home or out on the move.  Our core purpose is “Serving our customers, communities and planet a little better every day”.  Serving means more than a transactional relationship with our customers.  It means acting as a responsible and sustainable business for all stakeholders, for the communities we are part of, and for the planet.

We are proud to have an inclusive culture at Tesco where everyone truly feels able to be themselves.  At Tesco, we not only celebrate diversity, but recognise the value and opportunity it brings.  We’re committed to creating a workplace where differences are valued, and make sure that all colleagues are given the same opportunities.  We’re a big business with diverse working patterns and many business areas which means that we can find something that works for you.  Everyone is welcome at Tesco.

We have recently announced that we are moving to a more blended working week – combining office and remote working.  Our offices continue to be where we connect, collaborate and innovate.  Talk to us about how this can work for you.

Note: Should you be successful in your application, your employment will be subject to and conditional upon you providing your bank account details on your agreed start date.