User Study Researcher II

Position:
User Study Researcher II

Location:

Culver City, California Duration:
Contract Job  Job Overview:
As a User Study Researcher II, you will design, execute, and analyze user research studies to inform product strategy, interaction design, and overall user experience. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional partners to translate research insights into actionable recommendations that improve usability, engagement, and customer satisfaction. This role is ideal for a researcher who is comfortable working independently on complex projects, while also contributing to a collaborative, fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities:
Plan, design, and conduct user research studies, including usability tests, interviews, surveys, diary studies, and concept evaluations. Collaborate with product managers, designers, engineers, and other stakeholders to identify research questions and define study objectives and success criteria. Develop research plans, screeners, discussion guides, and test protocols tailored to specific product and user needs. Recruit and schedule participants that represent target user segments, ensuring diversity and relevance to the research goals.

Moderate user sessions (remote and in-person), ensuring participants are comfortable and that sessions yield high-quality insights. Analyze qualitative and quantitative data, synthesize findings, and translate them into clear, compelling insights and recommendations. Create and deliver presentations, reports, and visualizations that effectively communicate research outcomes to technical and non-technical audiences. Partner with design and product teams to iterate on concepts, prototypes, and features based on research findings.

Advocate for user-centered design principles and help shape product roadmaps with evidence-based insights. Maintain research documentation, repositories, and knowledge bases to ensure insights are discoverable and reusable across teams. Contribute to the development and refinement of research processes, best practices, and toolkits for the broader organization. Ensure all research activities comply with ethical standards, privacy requirements, and applicable regulations.

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Cognitive Science, Anthropology, Sociology, Design, or a related field; advanced degree preferred or equivalent practical experience. 2–5 years of hands-on experience conducting user research in an industry, academic, or agency setting. Demonstrated experience with a range of research methods (e.g., usability testing, in-depth interviews, contextual inquiry, surveys, card sorting, A/B testing). Strong skills in planning, scoping, and prioritizing research projects in alignment with product timelines and business goals.

Ability to analyze and synthesize complex data into clear, actionable insights and strategic recommendations. Proficiency with common research and collaboration tools (e.g., remote testing platforms, survey tools, video conferencing, and documentation tools). Excellent communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to present findings to stakeholders at various levels of the organization. Experience working closely with product, design, and engineering teams in an agile or iterative development environment.

Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously. Comfort with both independent work and collaborative teamwork, including the ability to give and receive constructive feedback. Familiarity with basic statistics and quantitative analysis techniques is a plus. Experience conducting research with diverse user populations and accessibility…