Lead UX Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead UX Researcher

Company: Descript

Location: San Francisco, CA / Remote, US

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: User Experience Research / Product Strategy

Date Posted: April 02, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Senior (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Fully Remote (US-based)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end user experience research initiatives within a product-led, customer-centric organization focused on an AI-powered video platform.

• Drive product decisions and shape the overall practice of user research across Descript by owning ambiguous problem spaces and defining research methodologies.

• Deeply understand diverse customer segments, their creative goals, and evolving workflows to directly inform the product roadmap and strategic direction.

• Scale the impact and practice of UX research by coaching Product Managers and Designers, and by managing robust research operations systems for participant recruitment and insight sharing.

• Synthesize complex findings into clear, actionable outputs such as frameworks, highlight reels, and journey maps that foster product intuition and drive better product development.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior individual contributor (IC) with significant influence, tasked not only with conducting research but also with establishing and scaling the research practice within Descript. The emphasis on "ambiguous problem spaces" and "shaping product decisions" highlights a strategic, high-impact research function critical to Descript's growth and customer understanding in the AI video landscape.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead end-to-end UX research studies, particularly within large and ambiguous problem spaces, to identify key unknowns and define the most effective research questions and methods for informing product decisions.

• Conduct a comprehensive range of research methodologies, including exploratory ethnography, evaluative usability testing, concept testing, and longitudinal studies, to gather deep user insights.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including Product Management, Design, Product Marketing, Data Science, Customer Support, Sales, and Engineering to ensure research is integrated into product development and user feedback loops.

• Develop and maintain a profound understanding of Descript's diverse customer base, their creative aspirations, and the dynamic AI video landscape, translating these insights into actionable guidance for the product roadmap.

• Map and maintain a comprehensive library of user workflows, mental models, and friction points across various user segments and use cases, focusing on how people create content both inside and outside of Descript.

• Synthesize research findings into compelling, actionable outputs such as strategic frameworks, highlight reels, and detailed journey maps that effectively drive product and strategic decisions.

• Coach Product Managers and Designers to enhance their ability to plan, execute, and synthesize high-quality user research independently, thereby democratizing research insights.

• Manage and optimize research operations systems, including participant recruitment, feedback management, and insight dissemination, leveraging automation where feasible to improve efficiency.

• Introduce and champion new research methods, tools, and rituals to elevate the practice of UX research at Descript, ensuring continuous improvement and innovation.

• Devise creative and pragmatic strategies to immerse all employees, regardless of role, closer to the voice of the customer, fostering a company-wide user-centric mindset.

• Host and manage "Insight Safari," a regular company-wide forum dedicated to watching and discussing unedited user research footage, promoting shared learning and empathy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a blend of hands-on senior research execution and strategic enablement. The role is expected to not only deliver research insights but also to build research capacity within the product organization, acting as a key facilitator and thought leader in understanding the customer. The focus on "scaling research" and "research operations" indicates a need for structured, process-oriented thinking alongside research expertise.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of dedicated experience in User Experience (UX) research, with a proven track record of impactful contributions.

• Substantial experience working collaboratively within product and design teams, demonstrating an understanding of the product development lifecycle, rather than solely in an agency or academic capacity.

• Demonstrated experience in building out and nurturing a collaborative research practice within a product organization, including a history of mentoring or training others in high-quality user research methodologies.

• Proven experience in establishing and maintaining research operations systems for efficient management of study participation, feedback collection, research recordings, and the cataloging of gleaned insights.

• A strong track record of concretely influencing product direction, strategic decisions, and business outcomes through research insights.

Required Skills:

• Mastery across a broad spectrum of both quantitative and qualitative UX research methods, possessing a versatile toolbox for extracting actionable insights (e.g., facilitating 1:1 customer interviews, conducting unmoderated research studies, designing and deploying short and long-form surveys, analyzing sales and support data, engaging with online communities).

• Exceptional skills in synthesizing complex information and data into compelling narratives and clear, actionable insights.

• Strong product sense with the ability to translate nuanced user feedback and noisy data into clear, decisive product actions.

• Excellent organizational skills coupled with a proactive drive to ensure research data is meticulously cataloged, easily accessible, and readily leveraged for future reference.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with video editing software or understanding of creative content production workflows.

• Familiarity with AI-powered creative tools and their impact on user behavior.

• Experience in rapidly growing tech companies with a focus on scaling product and research functions.

• Knowledge of A/B testing principles and their integration with qualitative research findings.

• Experience with large-scale ethnographic studies or diary studies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirements emphasize hands-on product team collaboration and the ability to build and scale research practices, not just execute studies. The skill set highlights a need for versatility in methods, strong analytical and communication abilities, and a pragmatic approach to research execution within a fast-paced environment. The mention of "AI tools" suggests an expectation to integrate emerging technologies into research workflows.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase case studies demonstrating end-to-end ownership of complex UX research projects, from defining ambiguous problem spaces to influencing product strategy and measuring impact.

• Highlight examples of how research insights have directly led to significant product improvements, strategic shifts, or new feature development, quantified with measurable outcomes (e.g., increased user engagement, reduced friction, improved conversion).

• Present evidence of your ability to select and apply appropriate research methodologies (qualitative and quantitative) for different types of research questions and project goals.

• Include examples of how you have synthesized complex research data into clear, actionable outputs (e.g., personas, journey maps, frameworks, highlight reels) that effectively communicated findings to diverse stakeholders.

Process Documentation:

• Provide examples of research plans, study designs, and debrief documents that illustrate a systematic approach to research execution.

• Showcase how you have documented and cataloged research findings for easy retrieval and ongoing use by product teams.

• Include examples of how you have developed user journey maps, workflow diagrams, or mental models to represent user understanding and guide product development.

• Demonstrate experience in creating and disseminating research insights through various formats, such as presentations, reports, or internal wikis, tailored to different audience needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Lead UX Researcher role, the portfolio should emphasize strategic impact and the ability to scale research. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate not just research execution, but also their thought process in problem definition, methodology selection, synthesis, and how they've influenced product direction. Experience in research operations and mentoring is a key differentiator for this "Lead" position.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $166,000 - $225,000 per year

Benefits:

• Generous healthcare package

• 401k matching program

• Catered lunches (likely for in-office days, if applicable, or as stipends)

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours (approximately 40 hours per week) are expected, with flexibility often provided. The role requires significant autonomy, suggesting that work hours can be managed to accommodate personal needs, provided objectives and deadlines are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range ($166,000-$225,000 USD) is competitive for a Lead UX Researcher role in a high-cost-of-living area like San Francisco, and also reflects the senior nature of the position and the company's investment in product strategy. Remote roles may have slightly adjusted ranges based on specific location within the US, though the company has provided a broad range. The benefits package is standard for a growing tech company.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology / Software / AI / Video & Audio Editing

Company Size: Approximately 150 employees. This indicates a stage where processes are solidifying but there's still significant opportunity for individual impact and influence. It's large enough to have established teams and resources but small enough to avoid excessive bureaucracy.

Founded: Descript was founded with a mission to simplify video and audio editing for the AI era, backed by prominent investors like OpenAI Startup Fund, Andreessen Horowitz, Redpoint Ventures, and Spark Capital. This suggests a fast-paced, innovation-driven environment with a strong focus on product development and user adoption.

Team Structure:

• The UX Research function likely sits within the Product or Design organization, reporting to a Director or VP level.

• This Lead role will operate as a senior individual contributor, collaborating closely with product managers, designers, and product marketing managers who are also likely organized into product teams or pods.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Product Development: Descript emphasizes being "customer-centric" and "product-led," indicating that decisions are heavily influenced by user data and research insights.

• Agile & Iterative: The mention of "speed" and "craft" suggests an agile development environment where rapid iteration and continuous improvement are valued.

• Collaborative Problem-Solving: The company encourages cross-functional partnership, implying a culture where diverse perspectives are sought to tackle complex challenges.

• User Empathy: The "Insight Safari" program and emphasis on understanding users' "creative goals" and "workflows" point to a strong commitment to building empathy for the customer across the entire organization.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Descript's positioning as a product-led, AI-focused company with significant venture backing suggests a dynamic, growth-oriented culture. The emphasis on user research is not just about feedback but about building deep product intuition and enabling informed strategic decisions. The company size implies opportunities for significant individual contribution and for shaping the research practice.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is classified as "Lead," signifying a senior individual contributor (IC) position. It requires not only deep expertise in UX research methodologies but also the ability to guide and influence others, shape research strategy, and manage research operations. It's a step beyond a standard Senior UX Researcher, focusing on leadership within the research discipline and practice scaling.

Reporting Structure:

• The Lead UX Researcher will likely report to a Director of Product Design, Head of Product, or a similar senior leadership role within the product organization.

Operations Impact:

• The primary impact of this role is on shaping Descript's product strategy and roadmap by providing deep, actionable insights into user needs, behaviors, and pain points.

• By scaling research practices, the Lead UX Researcher empowers more teams to make data-informed decisions, leading to more user-centric products and improved customer satisfaction.

Growth Opportunities:

• Deepening Research Expertise: Opportunity to tackle highly complex, ambiguous problem spaces and refine advanced research methodologies.

• Research Practice Leadership: Potential to grow into a formal management role, leading a team of researchers as the company scales, or to become a principal/staff researcher focusing on strategic research initiatives and thought leadership.

• Product Strategy Influence: Significant opportunity to directly influence the product roadmap and long-term vision of a rapidly growing, innovative company.

• Skill Expansion: Opportunities to develop expertise in research operations, AI-driven research tools, and cross-functional team enablement.

• Industry Recognition: Contributing to a leading AI video platform can provide visibility and opportunities within the broader tech and creative industries.

📝 Enhancement Note: As a "Lead" role, the emphasis is on strategic impact and influence rather than just execution. Growth opportunities extend beyond individual research contributions to potentially shaping the entire research function and its strategic alignment with business goals. The company's rapid growth and investment in AI suggest a fertile ground for developing cutting-edge research skills and career advancement.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Descript offers a hybrid work model and is fully remote for US-based employees. For those in San Francisco, the headquarters is in the Mission District. The company values both in-person collaboration and remote flexibility, suggesting a culture that trusts employees to manage their work effectively.

Office Location(s):

• Headquarters: Mission District, San Francisco, CA.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The company fosters collaboration through initiatives like "Insight Safari" and by emphasizing cross-functional partnerships. Even for remote employees, there are opportunities for in-person collaboration throughout the year.

• Tools and Technology: As a tech-forward company, expect access to modern collaboration tools, research platforms, and potentially specialized software for video/audio editing and AI.

• Team Interaction: The role involves close daily interaction with Product Managers, Designers, and potentially engineers, customer support, and sales teams, fostering a dynamic and communicative work environment.

Work Schedule:

• While standard full-time hours are expected, Descript promotes flexibility. Employees are treated as adults, with the understanding that they can manage their schedules to meet work requirements. This autonomy is crucial for roles that involve deep thinking, research design, and analysis.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid and remote-friendly approach, balanced with occasional in-person gatherings, suggests a modern work environment adaptable to individual needs while still valuing serendipitous collaboration. The "adult" approach to work schedules implies a focus on results and autonomy, which is often attractive to senior operations and research professionals.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review your application and potentially conduct a brief phone screen to assess basic qualifications and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Review & Discussion: Expect a dedicated session where you will walk through your portfolio. This is a critical stage to demonstrate your research process, impact, and strategic thinking. Be prepared to discuss specific case studies in detail, focusing on problem definition, methodology, synthesis, and outcomes.

• Research Exercise/Case Study: You may be asked to complete a take-home assignment or a live case study focused on a problem relevant to Descript's product. This assesses your research approach, analytical skills, and ability to generate actionable insights.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers, Designers, and potentially engineers or other stakeholders to evaluate your collaboration skills, communication style, and how you integrate research into product development.

• Leadership/Hiring Manager Interview: A final interview, likely with the hiring manager or a senior product leader, to discuss your vision for UX research at Descript, leadership potential, and overall strategic alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Impact: Prioritize case studies that clearly demonstrate how your research influenced product decisions and led to measurable business outcomes. Quantify your impact whenever possible.

• Showcase Process Rigor: Detail your research process, including how you defined problems, selected methodologies, conducted research, synthesized findings, and communicated insights. Explain why you made certain methodological choices.

• Highlight Ambiguity & Strategy: For this Lead role, emphasize projects where you tackled ambiguous problems, defined research questions proactively, and contributed to strategic product direction.

• Demonstrate Collaboration: Include examples of how you partnered effectively with product, design, engineering, and other teams, and how you facilitated research for others.

• Tell a Story: Structure your portfolio presentations as compelling narratives that highlight challenges, your approach, and the impactful results.

Challenge Preparation:

• Anticipate Research Scenarios: Think about potential research challenges Descript might face (e.g., understanding new user segments, evaluating AI features, identifying pain points in complex workflows) and how you would approach them.

• Methodology Prototyping: Be ready to discuss how you would design a research plan for a given scenario, including participant recruitment, study design, and data analysis.

• Synthesis & Storytelling: Practice synthesizing hypothetical data into clear, actionable recommendations and presenting them concisely.

• Research Operations & Scaling: Prepare to discuss your experience in managing research operations and scaling research practices, as this is a key part of the role.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on portfolio review and potential case studies highlights the practical, hands-on nature of this role. Candidates should prepare to articulate their strategic thinking, methodological choices, and demonstrable impact on product development. The "Lead" aspect means interviewers will be looking for evidence of mentorship and scaling research capabilities.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• UX Research Platforms: Tools for unmoderated studies, usability testing, and participant recruitment (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, Dovetail).

• Qualitative Data Analysis Software: Tools for coding, thematic analysis, and synthesizing qualitative data (e.g., Dovetail, NVivo, ATLAS.ti).

• Survey Tools: For quantitative data collection and feedback surveys (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Typeform, Google Forms).

• Collaboration & Documentation: Tools like Notion, Confluence, or internal wikis for documenting research plans, findings, and insights.

• Video/Audio Tools: Familiarity with Descript itself or similar editing software would be beneficial, along with tools for recording and analyzing user sessions.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics Platforms: Experience with tools like Amplitude, Mixpanel, or Google Analytics to understand user behavior quantitatively and complement qualitative findings.

• Data Visualization Tools: Proficiency in tools that can help present research data effectively (e.g., Tableau, Looker, even advanced Excel/Google Sheets).

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: While not a primary research tool, an understanding of how CRM data (e.g., Salesforce) can inform user segmentation and research questions is valuable.

• Customer Support Platforms: Familiarity with tools like Zendesk or Intercom to mine customer feedback and support tickets for research insights.

📝 Enhancement Note: The specific tools will vary, but the emphasis is on a robust toolkit for qualitative and quantitative research, data synthesis, documentation, and collaboration. Experience with platforms that facilitate research operations and participant management is particularly important for this Lead role. Familiarity with Descript's own product would be a significant advantage.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Obsession: A deep commitment to understanding and serving users, making their creative processes easier and more powerful.

• Craftsmanship & Speed: Valuing high-quality work delivered efficiently, balancing thoroughness with the need for timely insights in a fast-paced product environment.

• Clear Thinking: Approaching problems with logic, clarity, and a data-informed perspective to drive effective decision-making.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Encouraging open communication, knowledge sharing, and cross-functional teamwork to build better products together.

• Innovation: Embracing new technologies like AI and continuously seeking better ways to create and edit content.

Collaboration Style:

• Partnership-Oriented: Working closely with Product, Design, and Engineering to integrate research seamlessly into the product development lifecycle.

• Enabling Others: Proactively sharing knowledge and empowering PMs and Designers to conduct their own high-quality research, democratizing user understanding.

• Insight-Driven: Fostering a culture where research insights are actively sought, discussed, and used to guide strategic and tactical decisions.

• Proactive Communication: Regularly sharing findings, updates, and research opportunities across teams to ensure alignment and engagement.

📝 Enhancement Note: Descript's stated values of "craft, speed, and clear thinking" combined with a "customer-centric" approach paint a picture of a high-performing, user-focused team. The emphasis on scaling research implies a collaborative and enabling approach to working with other disciplines.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scaling Research Practice: Establishing and growing robust research processes and operations in a rapidly scaling company requires strategic planning and execution.

• Diverse User Base: Understanding and catering to a wide range of users, from individual creators to large enterprises, each with unique workflows and needs.

• Rapid AI Evolution: Keeping pace with the fast-changing landscape of AI in creative tools and translating those advancements into user-centric product features.

• Balancing Rigor and Speed: Delivering high-quality, impactful research insights quickly enough to keep pace with product development cycles.

• Driving Strategic Influence: Ensuring research findings consistently translate into meaningful product and business decisions across multiple teams.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Methodologies: Opportunity to explore and implement cutting-edge research techniques, especially those related to AI and complex creative workflows.

• Research Operations Expertise: Developing skills in managing research systems, participant pools, and programmatic research at scale.

• Product Strategy Contribution: Deep involvement in shaping the product roadmap and company strategy, gaining significant business acumen.

• Mentorship & Leadership: Growing into a recognized leader within the UX research community, both internally and potentially externally.

• Industry Engagement: Contributing to a leading AI-powered platform offers opportunities for professional growth and visibility within the tech and creative industries.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for a Lead role in a growing tech company, focusing on scaling, strategy, and impact. The growth opportunities are substantial, offering a clear path for career advancement and skill development in areas highly relevant to modern product development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach researching the needs of enterprise users for our video platform, considering their different workflows and security requirements compared to individual creators?"

• "Describe a time you had to tackle a highly ambiguous problem space with limited prior information. What was your research process, and what was the outcome?"

• "How would you design a framework to help Descript teams continuously gather and act upon user feedback related to our AI features?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Descript's mission and its position in the AI video editing market?"

• "How do you see UX research contributing to Descript's product-led and customer-centric culture?"

• "Describe your ideal collaboration style with Product Managers and Designers. How do you build strong partnerships?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Case Studies: For each project, clearly define the problem/opportunity, your role and objectives, the methodologies used and why, your key findings, the recommendations you made, and the impact on the product or business.

• Quantify Impact: Use metrics (e.g., conversion rates, task success rates, engagement levels, revenue impact) to demonstrate the value of your research.

• Showcase Synthesis: Clearly articulate how you distilled complex data into actionable insights. Use visual aids like journey maps, personas, or frameworks.

• Highlight Leadership & Enabling: For this Lead role, explicitly point out instances where you mentored others, scaled research processes, or influenced strategic decisions beyond a single project.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your methodology choices, data interpretation, and how you handled challenges or unexpected findings.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, methodological expertise, and the ability to influence product direction. Candidates must be ready to articulate their process, impact, and leadership potential, aligning their experience with Descript's values and goals.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead UX Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the provided Greenhouse link.

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to prominently feature case studies demonstrating end-to-end research ownership, strategic impact, and experience in scaling research practices. Prioritize examples that highlight your ability to work with ambiguous problems and influence product roadmaps.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight keywords such as "UX Research," "Product Strategy," "Ethnography," "Usability Testing," "Research Operations," "Mentorship," and specific methodologies you've mastered. Quantify achievements and responsibilities where possible.

• Cover Letter Compliance: Ensure you include the word "analog" as the first word in your cover letter, as specifically requested in the job posting. This demonstrates attention to detail and adherence to instructions.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself deeply with Descript's product, target audience, AI integration, and company values. Understand their competitive landscape and recent developments.

• Interview Practice: Prepare to articulate your research philosophy, methodology choices, and how you've driven tangible impact. Practice presenting your portfolio using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) and be ready to discuss your approach to research operations and scaling.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.