Lead UX Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead UX Researcher

Company: Thomson Reuters

Location: United States of America, Eagan, Minnesota (Hybrid)

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: User Experience Research / Product Development Operations

Date Posted: 2026-05-04T00:00:00

Experience Level: 8+ Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end UX research practice for a complex, high-impact product portfolio, driving both strategic generative and evaluative studies.

• Partner closely with product, engineering, and design leadership to surface impactful research opportunities and advocate for user-centered decisions in product roadmaps.

• Provide strategic and thought leadership on UX research practices and methods, mentoring less experienced researchers through coaching and peer review.

• Utilize a wide array of qualitative and quantitative research methods to uncover deep user insights and connect them directly to business and product decisions.

• Leverage an understanding of AI tools and their application to accelerate UX research efficiency and impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Lead UX Researcher, indicating a need for strong strategic thinking, mentorship capabilities, and the ability to influence product direction. The emphasis on "Product Development Operations" within the category acknowledges the operational aspect of research within the product lifecycle. The hybrid model suggests a structured approach to in-office collaboration and remote flexibility.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Drive the end-to-end UX research lifecycle, from intake and scoping to execution, analysis, and demonstrating measurable business impact.

• Develop and execute UX research approaches, schedules, and detailed test plans, partnering with Research Operations on recruitment and data collection strategies.

• Conduct strategic generative research to identify unmet user needs and long-horizon product opportunities.

• Identify and articulate user needs and potential usability issues, both verbally and through comprehensive documentation.

• Transform research data into prioritized, actionable recommendations with a focus on rapid turnaround times.

• Influence product and design decisions by driving next steps, not just reporting findings.

• Create persuasive presentations for diverse stakeholders, including product owners, developers, designers, and C-level executives.

• Facilitate internal meetings to triage and manage research findings, ensuring alignment and actionability.

• Demonstrate the business impact of research through clear before/after framing, behavioral outcomes, or measurable product changes.

• Proactively identify opportunities and act without waiting for direction, embodying a self-directed approach.

• Partner with other customer insight functions (e.g., Product Marketing, Customer Experience) to create a holistic research roadmap and triangulate data.

• Shape research strategy rather than solely executing studies, demonstrating proactive ownership.

• Navigate trade-offs thoughtfully and help teams make informed, user-grounded decisions under constraints.

• Continuously raise the bar for research quality, influence, and outcomes expected at a Lead level.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong emphasis on strategic leadership, proactive engagement, and driving measurable business impact, which are critical for a Lead role in operations. The inclusion of "partner with Research Ops" points to a structured operations framework for research execution.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in a Social Science, Interaction Design, Human Factors, Cognitive Psychology, Cognitive Science, or a related field.

Experience:

• 8+ years of experience applying research to high-volume, interactive B2B and B2C applications, rich web-based applications, or websites.

• Proven experience leading end-to-end UX research projects and demonstrating business impact.

Required Skills:

• Deep knowledge and experience with a wide variety of qualitative and quantitative research methods, including:

  • Qualitative analysis and reporting
  • Interviewing and group facilitation techniques
  • Contextual Inquiries
  • Remote Usability Testing
  • Parallel Prototyping
  • Persona Development
  • Un-moderated feedback tools (e.g., UserZoom)
  • Ability to triangulate data from multiple sources
  • Other User-Centered Design (UCD) methods

• Deep knowledge and practical experience structuring user needs through fundamental UX frameworks such as Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) and Customer Experience Outcomes (CXOs).

• Ability to write clear, compelling, and self-contained research findings that require no voice-over.

• Ability to sketch collaboratively to illustrate flows or make points.

• Experience keeping pace with agile testing while maintaining a strategic perspective.

• Strong analytical problem-solving, decision-making, and leadership skills.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience building, using, or experimenting with AI tools (e.g., Claude and other AI platforms) to accelerate research.

• Practical experience applying AI to research workflows and building prototypes with AI tools that pull from insights.

• A mindset focused on responsible, thoughtful adoption of AI.

• Familiarity with SharePoint and project management tools such as Jira.

• Familiarity performing studies in a virtual lab environment.

• Familiarity with data-logging tools and systems such as Tableau, Qualtrics, Adobe Analytics, or other BI analytic programs.

• Previous experience with design or research projects involving complex workflows, visualization of large datasets, operating system-level tools, and both web and software environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirement of "8+ years" combined with "Lead Expectations" suggests this role is for a senior individual contributor or a potential team lead, emphasizing strategic influence and mentorship. The specific mention of AI tools indicates a forward-thinking approach to research operations.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase end-to-end UX research projects, clearly articulating the problem, methodology, research process, and key findings.

• Demonstrate the ability to connect research insights directly to business and product decisions, highlighting the impact of your work.

• Include examples of strategic generative research that uncovered unmet user needs or identified long-horizon product opportunities.

• Present case studies that illustrate how you influenced product roadmaps and advocated for user-centered outcomes.

Process Documentation:

• Provide examples of detailed test plans, including research scope, methodology, recruitment strategies, and data analysis approaches.

• Showcase how you transform raw data into prioritized, actionable recommendations with clear communication.

• Include examples of persuasive presentations delivered to diverse stakeholders, demonstrating your ability to influence decision-making.

• Document how you've measured and demonstrated the business impact of your research findings.

• Illustrate your understanding and application of UX frameworks like Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) and Customer Experience Outcomes (CXOs) in your process.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio demonstrating strategic impact, process rigor, and a data-driven approach to connecting research to business outcomes is crucial for a Lead UX Researcher role. The emphasis on AI integration and structured documentation reflects modern operations requirements.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• United States (General): $127,400 USD - $236,600 USD per year.

• United States (Specific High-Cost Locations - NYC, SF, LA, Irvine, McLean, DC): $146,800 USD - $272,600 USD per year.

• Ontario, Canada: $132,800 CAD - $182,800 CAD per year.

• Note: Base pay is determined by factors such as individual knowledge, skills, experience, and internal equity. This role may also be eligible for an Annual Bonus based on enterprise and individual performance.

Benefits:

• Health & Wellness:

  • Market competitive health, dental, and vision insurance programs.
  • Disability and life insurance programs.
  • Access to the Headspace app for mental wellbeing.
  • Fitness reimbursement.
  • Access to Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
  • Two company-wide Mental Health Days off.
  • Paid sick and safe time off.

• Financial Security:

  • Competitive 401k plan with company match.
  • Retirement savings plans.
  • Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
  • Optional hospital, accident, and sickness insurance (employee-paid).
  • Optional life and AD&D insurance (employee-paid).
  • Flexible Spending and Health Savings Accounts.
  • 529 Plan access.

• Work-Life Integration:

  • Flexible vacation policy.
  • Parental leave.
  • Sabbatical leave.
  • Work from anywhere for up to 8 weeks per year.
  • Commuter benefits.
  • Adoption & Surrogacy Assistance.

• Development & Growth:

  • Tuition reimbursement.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours, typically 40 hours per week, with flexibility offered through the "Flex My Way" policy and "work from anywhere" options.

📝 Enhancement Note: Thomson Reuters offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package, reflecting a commitment to employee wellbeing, financial security, and work-life balance. The tiered salary ranges acknowledge regional cost of living differences within the US and Canada, which is a standard practice for global organizations.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Information Services, Technology, Legal, Tax, and News. Thomson Reuters provides trusted content and technology solutions for professionals in legal, tax, accounting, compliance, government, and media sectors.

Company Size: 26,000+ employees globally. This large, established organization offers stability and extensive resources, while also having dedicated teams focused on transformation and innovation.

Founded: Thomson Reuters has a long history, formed through mergers and acquisitions of various established entities, with roots going back centuries. This legacy provides a foundation of deep industry expertise.

Team Structure:

• The UX Team operates within a broader digital transformation initiative, focusing on re-imagining customer engagement and business processes.

• The UX Research team is part of this larger UX function, working collaboratively with Product, Design, and Engineering.

• There's a "Lead Expectations in an Embedded Model" approach, suggesting researchers are integrated directly into product development teams.

Methodology:

• The team operates in an agile, collaborative, and supportive environment, welcoming diverse thinking and experimentation.

• Emphasis on user-centric design and transforming complex problems into elegant solutions.

• Focus on delivering on "transformational efforts" to make it easy to do business with Thomson Reuters.

• Strategic use of AI to accelerate research and enhance impact.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Thomson Reuters' culture is a blend of its established legacy and a forward-looking digital transformation. The UX team is at the forefront of this change, emphasizing user-centricity, agile methodologies, and the strategic adoption of new technologies like AI. The embedded model for UX researchers is key to ensuring research insights are integrated early and often in the product development lifecycle.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is designated as a "Lead UX Researcher." It signifies a senior individual contributor position with significant autonomy, strategic responsibility, and mentorship duties. The emphasis is on driving research strategy, influencing product roadmaps, and raising the overall quality and impact of research within the organization. This level requires not just execution expertise but also the ability to lead by example and coach others.

Reporting Structure:

• The Lead UX Researcher will likely report to a Senior Manager or Director of UX Research or Product Development.

• They will work closely with Product Managers, Engineering Leads, and Design Leads within their assigned product portfolio.

Operations Impact:

• The UX Research team's core function is to ensure products meet user needs, which directly impacts customer adoption, satisfaction, and retention.

• By advocating for user-centered decisions in product roadmaps, this role directly influences the strategic direction of products, aiming to solve the "right problems at scale."

• Demonstrating the business impact of research (e.g., through improved conversion rates, reduced support costs, increased user engagement) is a key expectation, showing the operational value of research insights.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in advanced qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, AI integration in research, and strategic framework application (JTBD, CXOs).

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to formally or informally mentor junior researchers, lead research initiatives, and contribute to the evolution of UX research practices at Thomson Reuters.

• Strategic Influence: Grow influence within product development teams, shaping product strategy and roadmap prioritization by consistently demonstrating research value.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Expand network and understanding by partnering with other insight functions, product marketing, and customer experience teams.

• Career Progression: Potential pathways to Senior Lead UX Researcher, Manager of UX Research, or specialized roles within the broader product or data analytics functions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Lead" designation implies a significant step up from a standard researcher role, requiring strategic vision and the ability to mentor. The focus on demonstrating business impact is a critical aspect of operations roles, showing how research contributes to organizational objectives.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model with 2-3 days per week in the office, depending on the role. This model aims to balance in-person collaboration with remote flexibility.

Office Location(s): The primary listed location is Eagan, Minnesota. However, the job description also lists Eagan, Frisco (TX), New York (NY), Ann Arbor (MI), and Toronto (ON) as potential locations, indicating a distributed team structure where hybrid work is supported across multiple sites.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model facilitates in-person collaboration for key meetings, brainstorming sessions, and team building, while remote work allows for focused, deep work.

• Tools & Technology: Access to standard UX research tools, project management software (Jira), collaboration platforms (SharePoint), and potentially advanced AI tools for research acceleration.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for natural interaction with product, design, and engineering partners during in-office days, fostering strong cross-functional relationships. Regular virtual interactions will also be a part of the work.

• Agile & Experimental: The team culture encourages experimentation, diverse thinking, and agile approaches, suggesting an adaptable and dynamic workspace.

Work Schedule:

• Standard full-time hours (approximately 40 hours/week) are expected.

• The "Flex My Way" policy and "work from anywhere for up to 8 weeks per year" offer significant flexibility, supporting a healthy work-life balance while ensuring operational needs are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is a key feature, requiring individuals to be comfortable with a mix of in-office and remote work. The "Flex My Way" policy and extended "work from anywhere" options suggest a culture that values employee autonomy and work-life integration, which is increasingly important for attracting and retaining talent in operations roles.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review applications and resumes, focusing on experience, skills, and alignment with the role requirements.

2. Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the hiring manager to assess your fit for the Lead role, strategic thinking, mentorship capabilities, and understanding of UX research operations. Expect questions about your leadership style and how you approach complex projects.

3. Portfolio Review & Presentation: You will likely be asked to present a selection of your best work. This is a critical step where you'll showcase your research process, methodologies, insights, and, most importantly, the impact of your work. Be prepared to discuss your contributions in detail and defend your strategic choices.

4. Team/Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with other UX researchers, product managers, designers, and/or engineers to evaluate your collaboration style, technical skills, and how you integrate research into the product development lifecycle.

5. Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader to discuss overall strategic fit and long-term potential within the organization.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 projects that best demonstrate your ability to lead research, apply diverse methodologies, handle complex problems, and drive measurable business impact. Prioritize projects that align with Thomson

Reuters' B2B/B2C focus and potentially their industry.

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly articulate:

  • The business problem or user need.
  • Your role and responsibilities (especially highlighting leadership and strategic contributions).
  • The research questions you aimed to answer.
  • The methodologies chosen and why they were appropriate.
  • Your process (including any AI tools used for acceleration).
  • Key findings and insights.
  • Actionable recommendations and their impact on product decisions and business outcomes (quantify where possible).

• Highlight Leadership & Mentorship: For this Lead role, explicitly call out instances where you mentored junior researchers, influenced roadmaps, or led strategic research initiatives.

• Showcase AI Integration: If possible, include a project where you leveraged AI to enhance research efficiency or effectiveness, demonstrating forward-thinking capabilities.

• Deliver with Clarity: Practice your presentation to ensure it's concise, compelling, and within the allotted time. Be prepared to answer in-depth questions about your process and rationale.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be ready for scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving skills, strategic thinking, and how you'd handle common UX research challenges (e.g., tight deadlines, conflicting stakeholder feedback, limited research budgets).

• Prepare examples of how you've navigated trade-offs and made user-centered decisions under constraints.

• Anticipate questions about your approach to integrating AI into research operations responsibly and effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process strongly emphasizes a portfolio review, which is standard for UX roles. For a Lead position, the focus will be on strategic thinking, leadership, and demonstrated impact, rather than just execution. The inclusion of AI and structured operations (Research Ops) suggests a need for candidates who can adapt to evolving research practices.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• UX Research Platforms: UserZoom (mentioned for un-moderated feedback), and potentially others for remote usability testing and survey distribution.

• Collaboration & Project Management: Jira (for tracking research tasks and integrating with development sprints), SharePoint (for documentation and knowledge sharing).

• AI Tools: Experience with or willingness to experiment with AI platforms like Claude and other AI tools for research acceleration (e.g., summarizing findings, generating interview scripts, analyzing qualitative data).

Analytics & Reporting:

• BI & Data Analysis Tools: Familiarity with Tableau, Qualtrics, Adobe Analytics, or other BI analytic programs is preferred for data triangulation and demonstrating impact.

• Dashboarding: While not explicitly mentioned, experience creating or interpreting dashboards to communicate research impact would be valuable.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a CRM role, an understanding of how user insights feed into CRM strategies and product development pipelines is beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of UserZoom, Jira, and SharePoint, along with preferred familiarity with BI tools and AI platforms, indicates the expected technical proficiency. Candidates should be comfortable adapting to and leveraging new technologies to enhance research operations.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Obsession: A core value at Thomson Reuters, meaning a deep focus on understanding and meeting user needs, which is the fundamental driver for UX research.

• Challenge (Y)our Thinking: Encourages critical assessment of current practices and a willingness to explore new methods, including AI integration, to improve research operations and outcomes.

• Act Fast / Learn Fast: Aligns with agile methodologies, requiring researchers to deliver timely insights and adapt quickly to feedback and changing project needs.

• Stronger Together: Emphasizes collaboration, both within the UX team and across cross-functional departments (Product, Engineering, Marketing, CX), to achieve shared goals and create holistic user experiences.

• Data-Driven Approach: A commitment to using data—both qualitative and quantitative—to inform decisions, measure impact, and guide strategic direction in product development.

Collaboration Style:

• Embedded & Cross-Functional: Researchers are embedded within product teams, fostering close, daily collaboration with Product Managers, Designers, and Engineers.

• Partnership-Oriented: Proactive engagement with other customer insight functions (Product Marketing, CX) to ensure a unified understanding of the user and a cohesive research roadmap.

• Mentorship & Peer Review: A supportive environment where senior members coach and provide constructive feedback to junior researchers, fostering continuous improvement.

• Open Communication: Encouraging clear, persuasive communication of findings and recommendations to diverse stakeholders, from individual contributors to C-level executives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company values are deeply integrated into the operations of the UX team, particularly the emphasis on customer obsession and data-driven decision-making. The collaborative and agile approach is essential for effective UX research operations within a large organization.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Strategic vs. Tactical Research: As a Lead, you'll need to balance the demands of immediate tactical research needs within agile sprints with the longer-term strategic generative research required to identify new opportunities.

• Demonstrating Measurable Business Impact: Consistently proving the ROI of UX research to stakeholders can be challenging, requiring strong analytical skills and clear communication of outcomes.

• Integrating AI Responsibly: Navigating the ethical considerations and practical implementation of AI tools in research to enhance efficiency without compromising quality or user trust.

• Influencing Roadmaps in Complex Organizations: Advocating for user needs and research-backed decisions within a large company structure, which may involve navigating competing priorities and trade-offs.

• Mentoring and Developing Junior Researchers: Effectively coaching and supporting less experienced team members while managing your own strategic responsibilities.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Methodologies: Deepen expertise in cutting-edge qualitative and quantitative research techniques, including generative research and complex data triangulation.

• AI in Research: Gain hands-on experience and thought leadership in applying AI tools to research workflows, potentially shaping how Thomson Reuters adopts these technologies.

• Strategic Product Influence: Develop skills in shaping product strategy, roadmap prioritization, and cross-functional stakeholder management.

• Leadership and Mentorship: Hone coaching, peer review, and leadership skills through direct engagement with junior researchers and strategic project leadership.

• Industry Exposure: Opportunities to stay abreast of industry trends, potentially through conferences, workshops, or internal knowledge-sharing sessions, contributing to the evolution of UX research practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for senior operations roles, requiring a blend of technical expertise, strategic thinking, and interpersonal skills. The growth opportunities are geared towards developing leaders who can drive innovation and impact within the organization.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led a complex, end-to-end UX research project. What was your approach, what challenges did you face, and what was the measurable business impact of your work?" (Focus on strategic planning, execution rigor, and outcome demonstration.)

• "How do you balance the need for strategic, long-horizon research with the demands of agile development sprints? Provide an example." (Assess your ability to manage competing priorities and operational demands.)

• "How have you used or experimented with AI tools to accelerate UX research processes? What were the benefits and any potential drawbacks or ethical considerations?" (Demonstrate your forward-thinking approach and awareness of AI's role in research operations.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "How do Thomson Reuters' company values (e.g., Obsess over our Customers, Challenge Your Thinking) translate into your approach to UX research?" (Showcase your understanding of the company culture and how it aligns with your work.)

• "How would you collaborate with Product Managers, Engineers, and Designers in an embedded model to ensure research insights are effectively integrated into product development?" (Assess your cross-functional collaboration and integration skills.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select Impactful Projects: Choose 2-3 projects that best illustrate your leadership, strategic thinking, and ability to drive measurable outcomes. Prioritize projects where you can clearly articulate the "Why," "What," and "So What."

• Tell a Compelling Story: Frame each project as a narrative: the problem, your strategic approach (including methodology choices and rationale), your process (highlighting leadership and any AI use), the key insights, and the ultimate impact on the product and business.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics and data to demonstrate the success of your research. This could include improvements in user satisfaction, task completion rates, conversion rates, or reduction in support tickets.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your methodology, decision-making process, and how you handled challenges or stakeholder feedback.

• Articulate Your Leadership: Clearly distinguish your contributions from those of others, especially if it was a team effort. Emphasize your strategic direction, mentorship, and influence.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation focuses on demonstrating leadership, strategic thinking, and the ability to integrate research into business operations, particularly with the emerging use of AI. A well-prepared portfolio is paramount for this role.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead UX Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Thomson Reuters careers portal.

• Tailor your Resume: Highlight your 8+ years of UX research experience, focusing on your leadership roles, strategic contributions, and experience with B2B/B2C applications. Use keywords from the job description such as "generative research," "evaluative studies," "Jobs to Be Done," and "AI acceleration."

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 key projects that best showcase your end-to-end research process, strategic impact, leadership skills, and ability to influence product decisions. Be ready to present these in detail.

• Prepare for Case Studies: Anticipate scenario-based questions and be ready to discuss how you would approach specific research challenges, including those involving AI integration and stakeholder management.

• Research Thomson Reuters: Understand their business, products, and commitment to user-centricity and digital transformation. Familiarize yourself with their company values and how they might apply to your role.

⚠️ 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.