Senior UX Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Researcher

Company: TEKsystems

Location: New York City, New York

Job Type: Contract (18 months)

Category: UX Research

Date Posted: 2025-06-16T00:00:00

Experience Level: Expert Level (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days on-site, 2 days remote)

🎨 Role Summary

• Lead comprehensive UX research initiatives, focusing on understanding colleague needs, behaviors, and pain points to inform strategic product decisions.
• Translate complex qualitative and quantitative data into compelling narratives and actionable insights for product teams and executive stakeholders.
• Own the strategic direction of research projects, particularly within the context of enterprise-level products, with a focus on AI and Generative AI applications.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including product managers, designers, and developers, to ensure research findings are integrated into the product development lifecycle.

🖼️ Primary Responsibilities

• Design and execute end-to-end UX research studies, including planning, participant recruitment, data collection (interviews, surveys, usability testing, etc.), analysis, and reporting.
• Synthesize research findings from various sources into clear, concise, and impactful presentations and reports tailored for diverse audiences, including executive leadership.
• Develop and maintain a deep understanding of user needs and behaviors within the enterprise environment, specifically for products incorporating Artificial Intelligence and Generative AI.
• Provide strategic guidance to product teams based on research insights, helping to prioritize features, validate design decisions, and identify new opportunities.
• Mentor and guide junior researchers or team members, fostering a culture of research excellence and continuous learning.
• Champion user-centered design principles and research best practices across the organization, advocating for the voice of the user in product development.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in User Experience, Human Factors, Applied or Cognitive Psychology, Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction, Intuitive Design, or a related field is required. A Master's degree or Ph.D. in a related field is often preferred for senior research roles.

Experience: 5-10 years of proven experience in UX research, with a strong portfolio demonstrating expertise in various research methodologies and their impact on product development. Experience leading research initiatives and providing strategic direction is essential.

Required Skills:

• Expertise in leading end-to-end UX research processes, including qualitative methods (interviews, ethnography, usability testing) and quantitative methods (surveys, A/B testing, analytics).
• Demonstrated ability to synthesize complex research data into clear, actionable insights and compelling narratives.
• Strong communication, presentation, and storytelling skills, with experience presenting research findings to diverse stakeholders, including executive levels.
• Experience conducting research within an enterprise-level product environment.
• Proficiency in evaluating and reporting research findings, with a solid understanding of descriptive and basic inferential statistics.
• Familiarity with Design Thinking practices and facilitating remote research sessions.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience conducting UX research specifically for products involving Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Generative AI (GenAI).
• Experience creating presentations and engaging with C-suite level leaders (CTO/CIO).
• Ability to provide strategic direction for UX research initiatives aligned with business goals.
• Familiarity with related UX disciplines such as documenting user journeys, creating low-fidelity wireframes, and sketching ideas.
• Proficiency with UX research tools such as Qualtrics and similar platforms.

🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Include case studies that clearly outline your end-to-end research process, from defining research questions and methodology to analyzing data and presenting insights.
• Showcase projects where your research directly influenced product decisions and led to measurable improvements in the user experience.
• Demonstrate your ability to work on complex, enterprise-level products, ideally with examples involving AI or GenAI features.
• Highlight your skills in synthesizing data from multiple sources (qualitative and quantitative) into a cohesive narrative.

Process Documentation:

• For each case study, detail your research plan, including objectives, methodology, participant recruitment strategy, and data collection methods.
• Explain your approach to data analysis, including how you identified key themes, patterns, and insights.
• Show examples of how you translated findings into actionable recommendations for design and product teams.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $60.00 - $70.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Comprehensive medical, dental & vision insurance plans.
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital coverage for additional protection.
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with both pre-tax and Roth post-tax contribution options.
• Voluntary Life & AD&D insurance coverage for the employee and dependents.
• Short and long-term disability benefits for income protection.
• Health Spending Account (HSA) for tax-advantaged healthcare savings.
• Transportation benefits to assist with commuting costs.
• Employee Assistance Program for confidential support and resources.
• Time Off/Leave benefits, including PTO, Vacation, or Sick Leave.

Working Hours: This is an 18-month W2 contract position. While specific daily hours aren't detailed, contract roles typically involve a standard 40-hour work week, with potential for flexibility depending on project needs and remote work days.

🎯Team & Company Context

🏢 Company & Design Culture

Industry: IT Services and IT Consulting. TEKsystems is a leading provider in this space, focusing on accelerating business transformation for clients across various sectors. This implies working within a fast-paced, client-focused environment where technology solutions are paramount.

Company Size: 10,001+ employees. As a large organization, TEKsystems likely has established processes and structures, potentially offering opportunities to work on large-scale, impactful projects and collaborate with a diverse range of professionals.

Founded: 1983. With over 40 years in the industry, TEKsystems has a long history and established reputation in IT services, suggesting stability and deep industry knowledge. Their focus has evolved to include modern technology trends and transformation.

Team Structure:

• The UX research team likely operates within a broader design or product organization, collaborating closely with UI/UX designers, product managers, and engineering teams.
• Given the contract nature and focus on enterprise clients, the team structure may be project-based, requiring adaptability and strong cross-functional collaboration.
• As a senior role, you may lead specific research initiatives or potentially guide junior researchers within project teams.

Methodology:

• Likely utilizes Agile or similar iterative development methodologies, requiring researchers to work closely with fast-moving product cycles.
• Emphasizes a user-centered approach, integrating research findings throughout the design and development process.
• Given the focus on enterprise solutions, methodologies may involve complex stakeholder mapping, workflow analysis, and research within large organizational structures.

Company Website: https://www.teksystems.com

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Design Career Level: Senior UX Researcher. This role is positioned as an expert level, indicating significant experience and the ability to lead complex research projects independently. It's a strategic role focused on driving insights and influencing product direction.

Reporting Structure: Likely reports to a Research Manager, Design Lead, or a Product Leader, depending on the specific client engagement or internal team structure. Strong communication with leadership is essential for this role.

Design Impact: As a Senior UX Researcher, your impact will be significant in shaping the user experience of enterprise products, particularly those involving AI/GenAI. Your research will directly inform design decisions, product strategy, and ultimately, the success of the products for colleagues.

Growth Opportunities:

• Opportunity to deepen expertise in cutting-edge areas like AI and Generative AI research within an enterprise context.
• Potential to take on leadership responsibilities within specific research projects or mentor other researchers.
• Exposure to diverse clients and projects within the IT services sector, broadening your industry knowledge and research challenges.
• Developing stronger relationships with executive stakeholders and influencing strategic decisions through research.

🌐 Work Environment

Studio Type: Hybrid. This role requires a balance between on-site collaboration and remote work, offering flexibility while ensuring face-to-face interaction for team synergy and client engagement.

Office Location(s): New York City, NY. The on-site requirement is in a major metropolitan area, suggesting a dynamic work environment and potential access to various resources and networks.

Design Workspace Context:

• On-site days likely involve dedicated workspace for collaboration, meetings, and focused work with product and design teams.
• Access to necessary research tools and technology, both in the office and for remote work.
• Opportunity for informal interactions and knowledge sharing with colleagues during on-site days.

Work Schedule: Hybrid, with 3 days on-site (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) and 2 days remote. This structured hybrid model provides predictability for planning research activities and collaboration. The contract duration is 18 months.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Design Interview Process:

• Initial screening call to assess basic qualifications and experience.
• Technical interview focusing on your UX research methodologies, process, and experience, potentially including a discussion of past projects.
• Portfolio review where you will present case studies showcasing your research process, insights, and impact on product development, particularly for complex or enterprise-level projects.
• Potential interview with product managers, designers, or engineering leads to assess collaboration skills and ability to integrate research findings into cross-functional workflows.
• Interview with a hiring manager or senior leader to discuss strategic thinking, leadership experience, and cultural fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure your case studies to clearly articulate the research question, methodology used, key findings, and the actionable insights derived.
• Emphasize the impact of your research on product decisions, user outcomes, or business goals. Quantify impact where possible.
• For projects involving AI/GenAI, highlight your approach to researching complex user interactions and potential ethical considerations.
• Be prepared to discuss challenges encountered during research and how you overcame them.
• Tailor your portfolio presentation to the specific requirements of a Senior UX Researcher role, focusing on leadership, strategic thinking, and the ability to influence.

Challenge Preparation:

• While not explicitly mentioned, be prepared for a potential research exercise or case study discussion during the interview process.
• Practice articulating your research process and rationale under time constraints.
• Familiarize yourself with common UX challenges in enterprise software and AI/GenAI applications.

ATS Keywords: UX Research, User Research, Qualitative Research, Quantitative Research, Usability Testing, Interviews, Surveys, Data Analysis, Insights, Storytelling, Enterprise Software, AI, Generative AI, Design Thinking, Agile, Usability, Human Factors, Product Research, Stakeholder Management, Presentation Skills, Qualtrics.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Design Tools:

• Qualtrics: Specifically mentioned as a required tool for surveys and quantitative data collection.
• Other UX Research Tools: Proficiency with a range of other tools for qualitative data analysis (e.g., Dovetail, EnjoyHQ), usability testing platforms (e.g., UserTesting.com, Maze), and potentially analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Amplitude) is likely expected.

Collaboration & Handoff:

• Collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams) for communication with cross-functional teams.
• Project management tools (e.g., Jira, Asana) for tracking research activities and integrating with product development workflows.
• Documentation platforms (e.g., Confluence, Notion) for sharing research plans, findings, and documentation.

Research & Testing:

• Tools for conducting remote user interviews and usability testing (e.g., Zoom, Lookback).
• Software for creating and analyzing surveys (e.g., Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey).
• Platforms for A/B testing and quantitative data analysis may be used in collaboration with analytics or product teams.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Design Values:

• Deep curiosity and a genuine interest in understanding user needs and behaviors are explicitly valued.
• Focus on making a positive impact on colleagues' digital experiences within the enterprise.
• Emphasis on translating complex findings into actionable insights that drive strategic decisions.
• Likely values collaboration, communication, and a proactive approach to identifying research opportunities.

Collaboration Style:

• Works closely with product managers, developers, and other UX professionals in a collaborative, cross-functional environment.
• Requires strong communication skills to effectively interact with users, customers, and internal stakeholders.
• Likely involves participating in design critiques, planning meetings, and other collaborative sessions.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Design Challenges:

• Researching complex enterprise workflows and user needs, particularly within the rapidly evolving domain of AI/GenAI.
• Translating highly technical concepts related to AI into understandable research insights for diverse audiences.
• Balancing the need for rigorous research with the speed and demands of an Agile development environment.
• Navigating potential data privacy and ethical considerations when conducting research on AI-powered tools.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Opportunity to become a subject matter expert in UX research for AI and Generative AI applications.
• Enhance skills in communicating complex technical and research concepts to executive stakeholders.
• Develop leadership skills by owning research strategy and potentially mentoring others.

💡 Interview Preparation

Design Process Questions:

• "Describe your end-to-end UX research process for a complex enterprise product. How do you adapt your methodology for different project phases?" Prepare to walk through a case study, highlighting your approach to problem definition, methodology selection, data collection, analysis, and synthesis.
• "How do you prioritize research questions and projects when working in a fast-paced, Agile environment?" Discuss your strategies for balancing competing demands and ensuring research is timely and impactful.
• "Tell me about a time your research findings led to a significant change in product direction. How did you communicate these findings and influence stakeholders?" Prepare a compelling story that demonstrates your ability to translate insights into action and influence decisions.

Company Culture Questions:

• "What interests you specifically about conducting UX research for enterprise-level AI/GenAI products?" Show genuine interest in the domain and the challenges involved.
• "How do you collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, particularly product managers, designers, and engineers?" Provide examples of successful collaborations and how you ensured research insights were integrated into the workflow.
• "How do you handle situations where research findings conflict with stakeholders' assumptions or desires?" Discuss your approach to presenting potentially challenging findings objectively and constructively.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Choose 2-3 case studies that best demonstrate your experience with enterprise products, complex research methodologies, and the ability to drive impact, ideally including a project involving AI/GenAI if possible.
• For each case study, focus on the "so what" – what were the key insights and how did they shape the product or user experience?
• Practice your presentation to ensure it flows logically, is engaging, and stays within the allotted time. Be prepared to answer detailed questions about your process and decisions.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this design position:

• Submit your application through this link.
• Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your experience with enterprise UX research, particularly in the areas of AI/GenAI, and your ability to lead research initiatives and influence product strategy.
• Prepare your portfolio, selecting case studies that showcase your expertise in various research methodologies, data synthesis, and the impact of your work on complex products. Focus on demonstrating your strategic thinking and leadership skills.
• Research TEKsystems and the types of clients they serve to understand the broader context of their work and how your skills align with their service offerings.