Sr. UX Researcher

Job Summary

We are seeking a senior, hands‑on UX Researcher who can independently own research initiatives end‑to‑end and directly influence product strategy and direction. This role leads research tied to real product decisions across acquisition, conversion, and engagement, ensuring member experiences are informed by high‑quality evidence. You will translate ambiguous business problems into focused research plans, execute qualitative and quantitative studies, and synthesize findings into actionable recommendations that reduce risk and accelerate decision‑making.

This role partners closely with Product, Design, Engineering, and Marketing and reports to the Director of Research within the Product Design team.

• Lead UX research end‑to‑end, from problem framing through synthesis and recommendation
• Translate ambiguous business questions into structured research plans aligned to product goals
• Design and execute qualitative and quantitative research across discovery, evaluation, and optimization
• Synthesize research, analytics, and market signals into actionable product insights
• Deliver evidence‑based recommendations that inform product direction, risks, and tradeoffs
• Present findings clearly and confidently to senior and cross‑functional stakeholders
• Build strong partnerships with Product, Design, Engineering, and Marketing
• Influence prioritization and roadmap decisions through research‑backed storytelling
• Contribute to research standards and improve research literacy across teams

• 5+ years of UX research experience in consumer‑focused technology companies
• Expertise in qualitative and quantitative methods across discovery, evaluation, and optimization
• Ability to operate effectively in ambiguous, fast‑paced environments
• Proven ability to influence cross‑functional stakeholders without direct authority
• Strong synthesis skills and ability to translate findings into actionable insights
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills
• Sound judgment balancing rigor with speed
• Ability to independently scope and execute research initiatives

• Ecommerce or consumer product experience
• Experience conducting market research or competitive analysis
• Familiarity with analytics and data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau)

• 5–7 years required
• Bachelor's degree required

At the time of posting, Rakuten expects the base compensation for this role to be within the range shown below. Individual compensation will vary based on job‑related factors, including the skills, qualifications, and experience of the successful candidate as well as business need and geographic location. The successful applicant for this role will be eligible for discretionary bonus, health, vision, dental insurance, 401k matching, PTO, Volunteer Time Off (VTO), and other employee benefits as the company implements.

USD $99,306.00 - $ annually

Rakuten provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type. Rakuten considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, provincial or local laws.