Staff User Experience Researcher

About the role

We are looking for a talented Staff User Experience Researcher to lead research programs across 4-6 product areas, shaping research strategy and driving high-impact product decisions through mixed-methods research. This is a senior IC role for a highly autonomous researcher who leads from problem framing through decision and follow-through. You will own research culture rituals, establish empathetic feedback loops, and serve as the recognized expert on people and problems across your product areas at one of LA's fastest-growing startups disrupting the Home Services industry.

Responsibilities

• Conduct high-value generative and evaluative research on high-profile product initiatives
• Build and steward deep expertise on the people, problems, and competitive landscape across product theme areas, serving as the recognized knowledge resource for the team and design org
• Own a multi-quarter research backlog—collating, prioritizing, and sequencing problems across product areas in alignment with XD strategy and the broader product vision
• Review and elevate work from more junior researchers, setting quality standards across the product theme area and raising the quality bar for the entire team
• Lead research critique sessions and own Research team rituals, establishing empathetic feedback loops that strengthen the quality and consistency of research across the team
• Prioritize research questions aligned with product area goals, partnering closely with senior PMs and XD leads to sequence work, de-risk decisions, and focus effort on the highest-impact research
• Triangulate insights from multiple sources to shape the overall vision and roadmap for a product area, connecting findings across squads and product themes
• Develop and lead the research program strategy for the product area, mentoring researchers in its execution and building research capability across researchers and non-researchers through workshops and apprenticeships
• Contribute to hiring and talent evaluation by developing judgment on research craft and providing feedback on the shape of the team
• Collaborate with Data Science, Analytics, and Marketing Insights to develop a mixed-methods strategy for tracking product and feature performance, defining human-centered metrics and leading indicators tied to product and business goals
• Set and uphold research quality standards for mentored researchers within product theme areas, actively monitoring how well product areas meet user needs and using those insights to prioritize the research backlog
• Deliver compelling research narratives to stakeholders, shaping the story for multiple product areas and turning complex research into clear choices and next steps; coach other researchers on narrative structure and audience targeting

Requirements

• 7+ years of UX Research experience, with a demonstrated track record of leading strategic research programs across multiple product areas
• Experience developing and leading mixed-methods research strategies, including partnering with data and analytics teams to define human-centered metrics and experiment plans
• Expert understanding of research methodologies and the ability to select the best method for a given task
• A strong portfolio of research deliverables that align with business objectives and deliver actionable insights that directly impact decision making
• Demonstrated ability to deliver compelling research narratives to senior stakeholders, translating complex findings into clear strategic choices and actions
• Degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Design, Sociology, Psychology, Anthropology or related field, or equivalent practical experience

Benefits

• Flexible time off with ample learning and development opportunities to continue growing your career, including a comprehensive onboarding program, leadership training, and other programs and events
• Recognition and support for autonomous work through Bonusly, peer-nominated awards, and more
• Company-paid medical, dental, and vision (with 100% employer-paid options and 90% coverage for dependents), FSA and HSA, 401k match, and telehealth options including memberships to One Medical
• Parental leave and support, up to $20k in fertility services (e.g., IUI and IVF), surrogacy and adoption reimbursement, on-demand maternity support through Maven Maternity, free breast milk shipping through Maven Milk
• Pet insurance, legal advisory services, financial planning tools, and more