Manager UX Researcher

Job Description

What you will do

We are seeking an exceptional UX Research Manager to establish and elevate our user research practice as a cornerstone of product development. This is a foundational leadership role that combines deep research expertise with team management skills, can assist with building research operations from the ground up, and demonstrate the strategic value of user insights while integrating cutting-edge AI tools into research workflows. You'll have the unique opportunity to shape research culture and establish best practices in a rapidly growing design organization.

You will develop and execute comprehensive user research strategy aligned with business objectives, recruit and manage a high-performing team of UX-ers, and design scalable research operations infrastructure including participant recruitment and data management systems. Your role involves leading both qualitative and quantitative research studies using advanced methodologies, integrating AI tools and machine learning techniques for enhanced efficiency and deeper insights, and partnering with product managers, designers, and engineers to translate research findings into actionable product decisions. You'll present research insights to senior leadership, establish foundational research processes and evangelize research impact across the organization, manage research budgets and vendor relationships, and champion user-centered design principles while building organizational awareness of research value and staying current with emerging AI research tools and methodologies.

What you'll do

- Lead UX Research initiatives across the platform alongside the current Research Lead, utilizing diverse modalities and methods while collaborating with the Head of UX to develop the ResOps division.
- Execute comprehensive research strategies by implementing appropriate qualitative methods, developing user insights around discovery and usability, and synthesizing findings into actionable readouts for future-state innovation concepts.
- Drive user-centered design by proactively researching different user cohorts through both quantitative and qualitative approaches, ensuring designs are simple, intuitive, and visually appealing.
- Demonstrate research expertise through proven competency in data analytics, qualitative UX research methods, and experience planning and executing customer, competitor, and product research.
- Create compelling presentations and collateral with masterful storytelling skills to effectively communicate research insights and influence stakeholder decisions.
- Provide leadership and mentorship by managing people to improve outcomes and build culture while upskilling UX team members across all skill areas to understand research's role in their work, enabling them to self-provision testing initiatives and effectively interpret readouts.

What you should bring

Bachelor's degree in Psychology, Design, HCI, Anthropology, or related field (Master's preferred) with 7+ years of UX research experience including 3+ years managing research teams of 4+ people in fast-paced technology environments. You must have expert-level knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, proficiency with research tools, experience with data analysis tools, and knowledge of AI-powered research tools and machine learning applications in UX research workflows. Strong leadership and communication skills are essential, with proven ability to influence product strategy through compelling research insights, coach and develop research talent, manage cross-functional collaboration, and build research operations including participant panels, recruitment processes, and insight repositories. Experience with research ethics, privacy regulations, budget management, and understanding of prompt engineering and AI output evaluation are required.

Preferred Qualifications

- Master's degree in relevant field with applied research experience
- Experience with AI/ML products or emerging technologies
- International research experience and accessibility research
- Published research or thought leadership in UX community
- Experience with product analytics and behavioral data analysis

What you should bring

- 7+ years of UX research experience including 3+ years managing research teams of 4+ people in fast-paced technology environments
- Collaborate with internal team to gather information about their requirements and to find out what needs researching, designing, or usability testing.
- You can create beautiful presentations and understand the art of story-telling
- Ensuring developed designs meet Best UX standards.