Senior User Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior User Researcher

Company: Study.com

Location: Remote LATAM, Remote Mexico

Job Type: Contract

Category: User Research / Product Research / AI Research

Date Posted: March 30, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is pivotal in leading and modernizing user research practices, with a strong emphasis on an AI-first approach to enhance the scale and quality of insights.

• The Senior User Researcher will drive high-impact research initiatives across product development, brand strategy, and marketing to inform strategic decisions and product vision.

• A core responsibility includes embedding AI into research workflows, defining AI-native research practices internally, and staying abreast of AI-based research techniques and tools.

• The position requires extensive experience in both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, coupled with the ability to manage external contractors and lead Voice of the Customer programs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The job title "Senior User Researcher" combined with the emphasis on "AI-first" and leading "AI transformation for Research" indicates a strategic role focused on integrating cutting-edge AI technologies into established user research processes. This implies a need for candidates who not only excel at traditional research but can also innovate and adapt current methodologies using AI tools. The mention of leading research across "product, marketing, brand" suggests a broad scope, requiring versatility in research application.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead and scale high-impact research initiatives across product development, brand strategy, and marketing, conducting complex generative and evaluative studies to uncover unmet needs and de-risk business decisions.

• Implement and champion AI-native practices across research workflows, ensuring speed, quality, and impact, and staying current with AI-based research techniques and tools.

• Connect and synthesize insights from various research streams, ensuring cross-functional sharing and informing strategic opportunities for customer engagement.

• Serve as the in-house expert on core research methods including usability testing, ethnographic research, surveys, segmentation, message testing, brand tracking, and concept validation.

• Coach and enable designers, marketers, product managers, and other employees on conducting reliable, lean research, and adapting AI-first workflows.

• Lead and moderate company-wide Voice of the Customer (VoC) sessions, directly bringing customer perspectives to cross-functional teams.

• Manage external research contractors and vendors, overseeing scoping, quality control, and budget alignment for research projects.

• Build and scale a research enablement model, developing tools, templates, and guidance to broaden research capabilities and impact across the organization.

• Collaborate with cross-functional leadership to build and prioritize a unified, impact-driven research roadmap aligned with business objectives.

• Communicate customer stories effectively to peers and executives, articulating insights to drive change and inform both product and business strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of hands-on research execution and strategic leadership. The emphasis on "AI-native practices," "research enablement," and "coaching designers, marketers, product managers" suggests the role is not just about conducting research but also about scaling research capabilities within the organization through AI and empowering others. This requires strong communication, mentoring, and strategic planning skills beyond traditional research execution.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong foundation in a relevant field such as Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Market Research, or a related discipline is implied by the nature of user research.

Experience: 5+ years of progressive experience in user research roles, with demonstrated experience across product, marketing, and brand research domains.

Required Skills:

• Deep fluency in all major qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, including generative and evaluative approaches.

• Proven hands-on experience moderating user interviews and conducting complex research studies.

• Expert knowledge of AI tools and platforms that support the end-to-end research workflow, from data collection to analysis and insight generation.

• Proficiency with leading user research platforms such as UserTesting and SurveyMonkey for usability testing, survey design, and rapid feedback collection.

• Strong leadership and enablement skills, with a proven ability to equip non-researchers to conduct reliable, lean research.

• Excellent communication and storytelling skills, capable of articulating customer insights effectively to diverse audiences, including senior leadership.

• Experience managing external research contractors, vendors, and agencies across multiple workstreams and projects.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the EdTech industry or with online learning platforms.

• Familiarity with statistical analysis and data interpretation techniques.

• Experience developing and implementing research enablement programs or frameworks.

• A proactive approach to identifying research needs and opportunities.

• Ability to adapt and innovate research practices in a fast-paced, AI-evolving landscape.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "Expert knowledge of AI tools" is a critical differentiator. This isn't just about using AI assistants for tasks but understanding how AI can fundamentally transform research processes, potentially involving AI-powered participant recruitment, automated data analysis, synthetic data generation, or AI-driven insight synthesis. The mention of "lean research" and enabling non-researchers points towards a need for practical, scalable, and efficient research methodologies, likely leveraging AI for speed.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate a strong track record of leading and executing user research projects from conception to actionable insights, showcasing impact on product, marketing, or brand strategy.

• Include case studies that highlight the application of both qualitative and quantitative research methods, detailing the research questions, methodologies employed, key findings, and business impact.

• Showcase examples of how AI tools or AI-native practices were integrated into the research process to enhance efficiency, scale, or depth of insights.

• Present evidence of developing and scaling research capabilities, such as creating research templates, enablement materials, or coaching programs for non-researchers.

Process Documentation:

• Detail the process for designing and executing complex generative and evaluative research studies, including participant recruitment, moderation, and data synthesis.

• Explain the methodology for integrating AI into research workflows, from participant screening and data analysis to insight generation and reporting.

• Outline the approach for leading Voice of the Customer (VoC) initiatives, including session moderation, insight synthesis, and dissemination to cross-functional teams.

• Describe how research insights are translated into actionable recommendations and how their impact is tracked and communicated to stakeholders.

• Document the process for coaching and enabling non-researchers in research best practices, including the development of self-serve research tools and guidance.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a "Senior User Researcher" role, particularly one focused on AI transformation, the portfolio should emphasize not just the what of research but the how and the impact. Candidates should be prepared to articulate their process for leveraging AI to accelerate research cycles, uncover deeper insights, or scale research operations. This could involve showcasing projects where AI tools helped analyze large datasets, identify complex patterns, or automate repetitive tasks, leading to faster, more impactful research outcomes.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Given the "Senior" title, 5+ years of experience, specialized AI research skills, and a remote LATAM/Mexico location, a competitive salary range for a full-time contract position would likely fall between $80,000 - $120,000 USD annually, depending on specific experience, location within LATAM/Mexico, and negotiation.

Benefits: As this is a full-time contract position, benefits may differ from full-time employees.

• Competitive contract rate.

• Opportunity to work with a leading EdTech company at the forefront of AI in education.

• Potential for extended contract based on performance and business needs.

• Experience in developing and implementing AI-first research strategies.

• Flexible remote work environment, allowing work during Study.com's Pacific Time business hours.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week, expected to work during Study.com's Pacific Time (PT) business hours, Monday through Friday. This requires a degree of flexibility to align with the company's primary operational time zone.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a contract role in LATAM/Mexico, the salary is often quoted in USD and paid locally, or directly in USD. The range provided is an estimate based on similar senior-level UX/User Research roles with AI specialization in tech companies, adjusted for remote work in regions with varying cost of living. It's crucial for candidates to research local market rates for contract roles in their specific country within LATAM/Mexico and consider the cost of living and currency exchange rates. The "Pacific Time business hours" requirement means candidates need to be comfortable with a significant time zone difference if they are not in a directly adjacent time zone.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Education Technology (EdTech), focused on online college credit and test preparation solutions. Study.com is recognized as an innovative education company, particularly in AI-first learning.

Company Size: While not explicitly stated in the provided data, Study.com is a well-established company that has been recognized by Fast Company and GSV 150, suggesting a mid-to-large size organization with a significant employee base.

Founded: Study.com was founded in 1999, indicating a company with a long history and established presence in the online education market, now actively pivoting towards AI-driven innovation.

Team Structure:

• The Senior User Researcher will likely be part of a broader Product or Research team, collaborating closely with Product Managers, Designers, Marketers, Brand Specialists, and potentially Data Analysts.

• Given the role's responsibilities, they will report to a Director or VP level within Product, Research, or a dedicated Insights function.

Methodology:

• Study.com emphasizes an "AI-first learning" approach, suggesting a company culture that is data-driven, innovative, and focused on leveraging technology to improve educational outcomes at scale.

• The company's mission to "open the door to the life-changing impact of education" indicates a strong focus on social impact and measurable outcomes for students.

• Research methodology will be heavily influenced by AI integration, aiming for speed, scale, and deeper insights, alongside traditional, rigorous research practices.

Company Website: https://study.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on "AI-first learning" and "measurable outcomes" suggests a culture that values innovation, data-driven decision-making, and quantifiable impact. For a Senior User Researcher, this means demonstrating how their research, especially when augmented by AI, directly contributes to improved student success, product adoption, or business growth. The company's long history combined with its current AI focus presents an interesting dynamic: a blend of established operational processes and a forward-looking, experimental approach.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior-level individual contributor role, focusing on specialized expertise in user research and AI. It carries significant responsibility for strategic direction in research and for scaling research capabilities across departments.

Reporting Structure: The Senior User Researcher will likely report to a Director or VP of Product, Research, or a similar senior leadership position. They will also be responsible for managing external contractors, providing guidance to internal stakeholders (designers, marketers, PMs), and influencing cross-functional teams.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is directly tied to informing product strategy, optimizing marketing efforts, shaping brand perception, and ultimately driving Study.com's mission of improving educational access and outcomes. By leveraging AI-enhanced research, the role aims to accelerate the company's ability to understand and serve its target audience, leading to more effective products and marketing initiatives, and thus, greater student success and business growth.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership in AI Research: Opportunity to become a recognized leader in applying AI to user research within the EdTech space, shaping the future of research at Study.com and potentially presenting at industry conferences.

• Strategic Influence: Direct impact on product roadmaps, marketing strategies, and brand positioning, offering significant influence on the company's direction.

• Mentorship & Enablement: Develop leadership skills by coaching and enabling cross-functional teams, building a scalable research practice that extends beyond the core research function.

• Contract Extension & Transition: Strong performance in this contract role could lead to contract extensions or potentially opportunities for a full-time, permanent position within Study.com, depending on business needs and role availability.

• Professional Development: Exposure to cutting-edge AI technologies and learning science principles within a dynamic EdTech environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" designation coupled with the "AI-first" mandate suggests this role is designed for an experienced researcher who can not only execute but also strategize and lead. Growth opportunities are likely tied to demonstrating leadership in AI adoption, scaling research operations, and influencing strategic business decisions through impactful insights. For a contract role, demonstrating immediate value and the ability to integrate quickly will be key to potential long-term engagement or future opportunities.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is a fully remote, contract position. The "office" environment is the candidate's own home workspace.

Office Location(s): Remote LATAM and Remote Mexico. This means candidates can be based anywhere within these regions, provided they can meet the working hour requirements and have reliable internet access.

Workspace Context:

• Autonomy and Flexibility: Candidates will have the autonomy to structure their workday within the specified PT business hours, fostering a flexible work environment.

• Technology-Centric: Access to Study.com's digital tools and platforms will be essential. The role's focus on AI also implies a need for a robust personal computing setup capable of running or accessing AI research tools.

• Collaborative Digital Space: Interaction will occur primarily through digital collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Zoom, project management software), requiring strong virtual communication and collaboration skills.

Work Schedule: Full-time, 40 hours per week, with the expectation to align work with Study.com's Pacific Time (PT) business hours. This may require early mornings or late afternoons depending on the candidate's specific location within LATAM/Mexico.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote nature of the role, especially with specific time zone requirements, means candidates need to be self-disciplined and have a dedicated, professional home office setup. The "Pacific Time business hours" requirement is crucial; candidates must be realistic about their ability to consistently work during these hours, which could range from early morning to late afternoon depending on their local time zone within LATAM/Mexico. This is a key factor for successful remote work in this role.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of the application, resume, and potentially a portfolio to assess foundational research skills and relevant experience.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the hiring manager to delve deeper into experience, research philosophy, AI expertise, and cultural fit. This stage will likely assess strategic thinking and leadership potential.

• Portfolio Presentation & Practical Exercise: Candidates will likely be asked to present a portfolio showcasing relevant research projects, with a focus on AI integration and impact. A practical exercise or case study might be assigned to evaluate problem-solving skills, research design capabilities, and communication clarity.

• Cross-functional Stakeholder Interviews: Interviews with key collaborators (e.g., Product Managers, Designers, Marketing leads) to assess collaboration style, ability to influence, and how research insights are translated into action.

• Executive/Senior Leadership Interview: A final interview with senior leadership to discuss strategic alignment, leadership capabilities, and overall fit with the company's vision and AI-first approach.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight AI Integration: Clearly demonstrate how AI tools were used to enhance research efficiency, uncover deeper insights, or scale research efforts. Provide specific examples of AI applications in your workflow.

• Showcase Impact: Quantify the impact of your research whenever possible. Use metrics to illustrate how your insights led to product improvements, successful marketing campaigns, or positive business outcomes.

• Structure for Clarity: Organize your portfolio logically, perhaps by project type (product, marketing, brand) or by research methodology. Clearly articulate the problem, your approach, the findings, and the resulting actions and impact.

• Demonstrate Versatility: Include examples that span your expertise in both qualitative and quantitative methods, and across different research contexts.

• Tell a Story: Frame your projects as narratives – the challenge, your innovative solution (including AI), and the successful resolution.

Challenge Preparation:

• AI Research Scenarios: Be prepared for scenarios where you'll need to design a research plan leveraging AI tools to solve a specific business problem for Study.com. Consider how AI can accelerate participant recruitment, data analysis, or insight synthesis.

• Voice of the Customer (VoC) Design: Think about how you would structure and moderate impactful VoC sessions, and how you would synthesize and disseminate those insights effectively.

• Research Enablement Strategy: Be ready to discuss how you would coach non-researchers on conducting lean, reliable research, and develop scalable research enablement resources.

• Stakeholder Management: Prepare examples of how you have collaborated with and influenced product, marketing, and leadership teams based on research findings.

📝 Enhancement Note: For an AI-focused role, candidates should be prepared to discuss specific AI tools they've used, the benefits they've observed, and any challenges encountered. The portfolio should not just list projects but demonstrate a strategic approach to leveraging AI for research innovation. The emphasis on "enabling" non-researchers means candidates should also be ready to discuss their coaching and training methodologies.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• User Research Platforms: UserTesting, SurveyMonkey (explicitly mentioned). Proficiency with other similar platforms for usability testing, surveys, and rapid feedback collection is expected.

• AI Research Tools: Expert knowledge is required. This could encompass AI-powered qualitative analysis tools (e.g., Dovetail, NVivo with AI features), AI survey platforms, AI for participant screening, AI-driven data synthesis tools, or AI assistants for research planning and summarization.

• Collaboration & Communication: Slack, Zoom, Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides), Microsoft Teams, or similar.

• Project Management: Jira, Asana, Trello, or similar tools for managing research projects and tasks.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Tools for data analysis and visualization that can support quantitative research findings and AI-driven insights. This might include Excel, Google Sheets, specialized statistical software, or business intelligence tools if integrated with research data.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a CRM role, understanding how user research integrates with CRM data (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) to inform customer segmentation or personalization would be beneficial.

• Familiarity with automation concepts, especially as they relate to streamlining research workflows using AI.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of UserTesting and SurveyMonkey, combined with the "expert knowledge of AI tools," points to a tech-forward research environment. Candidates should be prepared to discuss specific AI tools they've used or are familiar with that enhance research processes. This could include tools for transcription, sentiment analysis, thematic coding, automated reporting, or even generative AI for creating research stimuli or participant profiles.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Impact-Driven: A strong focus on delivering measurable outcomes and contributing to Study.com's mission of educational impact. Research insights must translate into tangible improvements for learners.

• AI-First Innovation: Embracing and actively leveraging artificial intelligence to push the boundaries of research, improve efficiency, and drive innovation in learning solutions.

• Customer Centricity: Deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the needs, behaviors, and experiences of Study.com's diverse user base.

• Collaboration & Enablement: Fostering a collaborative environment where research expertise is shared, and others are empowered to conduct research effectively.

• Continuous Learning: A proactive approach to staying updated on the latest research methodologies, AI advancements, and learning science principles.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Partnership: Working closely with product, marketing, brand, and engineering teams, acting as a bridge between customer understanding and strategic decision-making.

• Empowerment and Coaching: A willingness to mentor and guide non-researchers, building research literacy across the organization.

• Data-Informed Storytelling: Using data and insights, enhanced by AI, to create compelling narratives that drive consensus and action.

• Agile and Iterative: Adapting research approaches to meet fast-paced development cycles, often leveraging lean methodologies and AI for rapid feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "AI-first" and "impact-driven" suggests a culture that values both technological advancement and tangible results. For a Senior User Researcher, this means not just doing good research but demonstrating how that research, amplified by AI, contributes directly to the company's educational mission and business objectives. The "enablement" aspect also points to a culture that values knowledge sharing and building capacity within teams.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scaling AI-Native Research: Establishing and scaling AI-native research practices within an organization requires overcoming technical hurdles, ensuring data privacy, and managing ethical considerations related to AI.

• Bridging Generative AI and Rigorous Research: Balancing the speed and generative capabilities of AI with the need for rigorous, validated research methods to ensure accuracy and reliability.

• Coaching Diverse Skill Sets: Effectively coaching product managers, marketers, and designers, who may have varying levels of research understanding and technical aptitude, on research best practices and AI integration.

• Time Zone Alignment: Working effectively across different time zones within LATAM/Mexico while adhering to Study.com's Pacific Time business hours can be demanding.

• Managing External Contractors: Ensuring consistent quality and alignment with research goals when managing external research vendors and contractors.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Research Specialization: Deepen expertise in AI-driven research tools and methodologies, becoming a go-to expert in this emerging field.

• Strategic Research Leadership: Gain experience in shaping research roadmaps, influencing senior leadership, and driving strategic initiatives.

• EdTech Industry Insights: Develop a nuanced understanding of the online education market, learner needs, and the impact of AI on educational delivery.

• Mentorship and Program Development: Build skills in developing and implementing research enablement programs, a valuable asset for future leadership roles.

• Exposure to AI in Learning Science: Gain insights into how AI is applied not just in research but also in the core educational products themselves.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge will be navigating the evolving landscape of AI in research. Candidates need to demonstrate adaptability, a willingness to experiment, and a critical approach to evaluating AI tools and their outputs. The growth opportunities are significant for someone looking to be at the forefront of AI adoption in user research within a mission-driven company.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach building an AI-first research strategy for Study.com, considering our mission and target audience?" (Focus on strategic thinking, AI integration, and alignment with company goals.)

• "Describe a complex research initiative you led that significantly impacted product or marketing strategy. How did you leverage AI (or how could you have leveraged AI) to enhance this process?" (Assess leadership, impact, and AI application.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you most about Study.com's mission and its use of AI in education?" (Gauge alignment with company values and vision.)

• "How do you approach coaching non-researchers on research best practices and AI integration? Provide an example." (Assess enablement and leadership skills.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• AI Impact Story: For each project, clearly articulate the "AI difference" – how AI tools or approaches accelerated the research, deepened insights, or enabled new types of analysis.

• Quantify Outcomes: Present metrics demonstrating the impact of your research recommendations. Did it lead to increased user engagement, conversion rates, or improved learning outcomes?

• Process Clarity: Walk through your end-to-end research process, highlighting key decision points and how you integrated AI at various stages.

• Adaptability: Be prepared to discuss how you adapt your research approach based on project needs, available resources, and the evolving capabilities of AI tools.

• Conciseness: Focus on the most impactful projects and present them in a clear, digestible format, respecting the interviewers' time.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare specific, actionable examples of how they've used AI in research, not just theoretical concepts. The ability to articulate the "why" behind AI tool choices and demonstrate concrete business impact will be crucial. Be ready to discuss both the benefits and potential limitations of AI in research.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided Study.com job application link.

• Tailor your resume: Highlight your experience with user research methodologies, AI tools, product/marketing research, and any experience in coaching or enablement. Use keywords such as "User Research," "AI," "Qualitative," "Quantitative," "Generative AI," "Evaluative Research," "UserTesting," "SurveyMonkey," and "Voice of the Customer."

• Curate your portfolio: Select 2-3 key research projects that best demonstrate your expertise, particularly those where you leveraged AI or had a significant impact. Prepare to present these projects clearly, focusing on your process, insights, and measurable outcomes.

• Prepare for AI-focused questions: Research current trends in AI for user research and be ready to discuss specific AI tools and their applications in your workflow.

• Understand Study.com: Research Study.com's mission, products, and their stated commitment to AI-first learning. Be prepared to articulate how your skills and experience align with their goals.

⚠️ 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.