Staff UX Research Lead
HIGHLIGHTS
Location: San Francisco, CA
Position Type: Contract / Full time
Hourly / Salary: BOE
Overview
A leading digital marketplace organization is seeking a Staff UX Research Lead to drive user research strategy, customer insights, and human-centered design initiatives across a multi-product ecosystem. This role is responsible for leading the UX research function, partnering with product, design, engineering, and business stakeholders to shape user experiences through qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
This position will influence product strategy, roadmap development, and customer experience vision, while building scalable research practices and fostering a data-driven, user-centric culture.
Core ResponsibilitiesUX Research Strategy & Execution- Design and conduct generative, evaluative, and usability research across multiple product verticals
- Lead end-to-end research initiatives, including study design, execution, analysis, and insight delivery
- Apply qualitative research methods (user interviews, field studies, diary studies, usability testing)
- Conduct quantitative research (survey design, data analysis, segmentation, behavioral insights)
- Translate research findings into actionable product and business recommendations
Product & Business Impact- Influence product roadmap, customer experience strategy, and long-term vision through research insights
- Synthesize insights across studies to inform cross-product and enterprise-level initiatives
- Partner with stakeholders across product management, design, engineering, marketing, and operations
- Ensure research contributes to data-driven decision making and product innovation
Insights, Storytelling & Communication- Deliver research findings through presentations, reports, dashboards, and workshops
- Use data storytelling and visualization techniques to communicate insights effectively
- Advocate for the voice of the user in strategic discussions and decision-making forums
- Build alignment and drive consensus through clear, compelling narratives
Research Operations & Program Management- Develop and maintain a UX research roadmap aligned to product and business goals
- Manage participant recruitment, research logistics, and panel operations
- Support development of research tools, frameworks, and scalable processes
- Ensure consistent execution of research best practices and methodologies
Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration- Establish and promote user research standards, frameworks, and best practices
- Mentor and guide team members on UX research methods and execution
- Collaborate cross-functionally to integrate research into product development lifecycles
- Foster a customer-centric culture across teams and business units
Qualifications & ExperienceExperience- 7–10+ years of experience in UX research, design research, or customer insights
- Experience leading research initiatives across multiple product areas or business functions
- Proven ability to influence product strategy and business decision-making through research
Technical Competencies- Expertise in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies
- Experience with usability testing, user interviews, surveys, and behavioral research
- Strong understanding of human-centered design and product development lifecycle
- Experience with data analysis, segmentation, and research synthesis techniques
- Familiarity with research tools, analytics platforms, and collaboration tools
Professional Skills- Strong communication, presentation, and storytelling skills
- Ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable insights
- Excellent stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration
- Advanced analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities
- Ability to manage multiple research projects in a fast-paced environment
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to data integrity and research quality
Education- Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, Human-Computer Interaction, Cognitive Science, or related field
- Equivalent practical experience in UX research or human-centered design considered
Additional Information- Hybrid work environment with in-office collaboration
- Full-time schedule aligned to standard business hours
- Contract engagement supporting a high-growth digital product organization
- Background check required
"We are GTN –The Go To Network"