Description
Rochester Regional Health Co-op Opportunity: Design Thinking
In Partnership with Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).
Location: Rochester, NY
Program Type: Co-op (RIT students only)
Team: Performance Excellence
Schedule: Double-block co-op starting in January 2027; in-person, M-F days (full-time availability needed)
Focus Areas: Human-Centered Design, Innovation, Process Improvement, and Operational Analytics
Key Responsibilities
Collaborate with clinicians, patients, and the Performance Excellence team to identify design opportunities within clinical and operational workflows.
Translate user needs into physical and digital product concepts, experience prototypes, and system-level solutions.
Create sketches, renderings, models, and prototypes (from low to high fidelity) to communicate and test ideas.
Lead or participate in human-centered design research, including contextual inquiry, ethnographic studies, and usability testing.
Iterate designs based on feedback from cross-disciplinary stakeholders such as medical staff and patients.
Support the end-to-end design process from research and ideation through prototyping, evaluation, and implementation.
Ensure all designs comply with healthcare standards, including infection control and accessibility guidelines.
Stay current on emerging trends in healthcare design, medical devices, and human factors engineering.
Qualifications
Required:
Current student enrolled at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).
Academic background aligned with the department’s area of focus.
Preferred:
Pursuing a degree in Industrial Design or a related field.
Prior internship or coursework in design, innovation, or process improvement.
Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma, PDCA, or other improvement methodologies.
Understanding of human factors engineering, systems thinking, or service design principles.
Proficiency with design and prototyping tools (e.g., SolidWorks, Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, or similar) and 3D Printing experience.
Strong problem-solving, communication, and presentation skills.
Ability to manage multiple projects and thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Sedentary - Sedentary roles are primarily office-based and require prolonged sitting (67–100% of the workday) with minimal physical effort and lifting limited to under 10 lbs. Fine motor skills are necessary for computer work, writing, and telephone use, supported by clear visual and auditory ability. Cognitive and emotional demands are high due to extended concentration, frequent interruptions, independent decision-making, and information processing. Although physical exposure is low, administrative areas within healthcare environments may occasionally involve contact with infectious agents. Some roles may require flexible hours, TB screening, or a valid driver’s license.
PAY RANGE: $20.00 - $20.00
The listed base pay range is a good faith representation of current potential base pay for successful applicants. It may be modified in the future. Pay is determined by factors including experience, clinical licensure date, relevant qualifications, specialty, internal equity, location, and contracts.
