Senior UX Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Researcher

Company: Remitly

Location: Raleigh, NC, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: User Experience Research

Date Posted: 2026-02-26

Experience Level: 6-8 years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Leads the UX Research strategy for a specific business or product line, ensuring a deep understanding of user behaviors, needs, and motivations.

• Acts as an expert user of various research and testing methodologies to inform product development and strategy.

• Drives the user-centered research process, mentoring junior researchers and ensuring user feedback is integrated into the design lifecycle.

• Collaborates closely with UX Designers and other cross-functional teams to translate research findings into actionable product improvements and new opportunities.

• Analyzes data from analytics packages, customer insights, and other sources to contextualize research work and inform future strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Senior UX Researcher," the description emphasizes leadership in research strategy and mentoring, aligning with senior-level responsibilities. The role is deeply embedded within product development, requiring strong collaboration with design and tech teams. The company, Remitly, is in the FinTech/Financial Services industry, which implies a focus on secure, reliable, and user-friendly financial transactions, particularly for international remittances. This context is crucial for understanding the user pain points and needs this role will address.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Customer Focus & Insights:

  • Gather, evaluate, and maintain a solid understanding of customer use cases and pain points.
  • Maintain close collaboration with UX Designers, ensuring user feedback and testing results are continuously fed into the design process.
  • Coach and align the team to ensure customer needs are consistently met throughout product development.
  • Proactively share research findings and insights across the organization to foster a user-centric culture.
  • Deeply understand the competitive landscape and regulatory environment relevant to Remitly's services.
  • Segment markets and gain granular understanding of the needs within these sub-segments.

• Creative Problem Solving & Strategy:

  • Critically analyze project briefs to ensure the right problems are being addressed.
  • Present research learnings and strategic recommendations to stakeholders to guide future project direction and investment.
  • Collaboratively analyze research results to recommend innovative and effective solutions.
  • Independently identify and propose diverse research solutions tailored to project needs.
  • Work closely with designers to iterate on solutions based on user testing and feedback.
  • Approach problems from multiple perspectives, facilitating reflection as an integral part of the research process.

• User-Centered Research Leadership:

  • Lead the user-centered research process for assigned product areas, providing guidance and mentorship to junior researchers.
  • Apply a wide range of UX Research techniques, selecting the most appropriate methods for each project.
  • Create comprehensive research documentation, analysis outputs, and strategic reports.
  • Collaborate with UX Designers to define product structure, layout, and information architecture.
  • Work with Visual Designers to ensure the visual identity of products aligns with user expectations and brand guidelines.

• Data-Driven Analysis & Testing:

  • Regularly test design work with users in partnership with the UX Design team to validate concepts and usability.
  • Proactively use quantitative and qualitative data to establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics for research projects.
  • Iterate on research methods based on testing outcomes and data analysis to continuously improve effectiveness.
  • Summarize data from analytics packages, customer insight platforms, and other sources to provide context for research initiatives.
  • Leverage data to inform and shape testing strategies for future product iterations and new feature development.
  • Identify data gaps and collaborate with business stakeholders to define and implement strategies for filling those needs.

• Technical Proficiency & Mentorship:

  • Utilize relevant tools for research analysis and synthesis.

  • Understand the nuances and best practices for conducting research in various contexts (remote, in-person, moderated, unmoderated).

  • Demonstrate an excellent understanding of the organization's technology stack and its implications for user experience.

  • Mentor junior researchers in advanced technical skills and research methodologies.

  • Use research software such as Qualtrics, Lookback, and UserTesting.com to an expert level.

  • Build strong, collaborative working relationships with engineering and product development teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities are detailed and cover the full spectrum of UX research, from strategic planning and execution to data analysis and cross-functional collaboration. The emphasis on mentoring and leadership positions this as a senior individual contributor role with potential for team influence. The inclusion of specific tools like Qualtrics, Lookback, and UserTesting.com indicates a need for hands-on experience with industry-standard platforms.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Suggested Minimum Years of Experience: 6-8 years of dedicated UX research experience.

Required Skills:

• User Research Strategy Development: Ability to define and lead the research strategy for a product line or business area.

• Multi-Methodological Expertise: Proficient in a variety of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies (e.g., interviews, surveys, usability testing, diary studies, card sorting, ethnographic research).

• User-Centered Design Principles: Deep understanding and application of user-centered design principles and best practices.

• Data Analysis & Synthesis: Ability to analyze, synthesize, and translate complex qualitative and quantitative data into actionable insights and strategic recommendations.

• Stakeholder Communication & Influence: Excellent verbal and written communication skills to effectively present research findings, influence product decisions, and build consensus among stakeholders.

• Collaboration & Partnership: Proven ability to work effectively with UX Designers, Product Managers, Engineers, and other cross-functional teams.

• Mentorship & Leadership: Experience informally mentoring junior researchers and guiding research processes.

• Problem-Solving & Critical Thinking: Ability to dissect complex problems, identify root causes, and propose innovative solutions.

Preferred Skills:

• FinTech/Financial Services Domain Knowledge: Familiarity with the financial technology sector, particularly international remittance, and its unique user needs and regulatory landscape.

• Advanced Statistical Analysis: Experience with statistical software or techniques for deeper quantitative analysis.

• Survey Design & Analytics: Expertise in designing effective surveys and analyzing survey data using tools beyond basic survey platforms.

• Behavioral Economics: Understanding of behavioral economics principles to inform research design and interpretation.

• Cross-Cultural Research: Experience conducting research with diverse global user populations.

• Agile Methodologies: Experience integrating UX research within agile development frameworks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience level is clearly defined as 6-8 years. The educational requirements are flexible, emphasizing practical experience. The "Required Skills" are core competencies for a Senior UX Researcher, while "Preferred Skills" offer areas where candidates can further differentiate themselves, particularly given Remitly's industry.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Research Strategy Case Studies: Showcase examples of how you've developed and executed end-to-end research strategies for products or features, demonstrating alignment with business objectives.

• Methodological Diversity: Include projects that highlight your proficiency across a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods, explaining why specific methods were chosen for each context.

• Insight Generation & Impact: Present clear examples of how your research insights directly influenced product design, strategic decisions, and ultimately led to measurable improvements in user experience or business outcomes.

• Collaboration & Synthesis: Demonstrate your ability to collaborate effectively with design, product, and engineering teams, and how you synthesized findings from multiple sources (e.g., user interviews, analytics, market research).

• Documentation & Deliverables: Provide examples of research plans, participant recruitment strategies, discussion guides, data analysis summaries, and compelling research reports or presentations.

Process Documentation:

• Research Planning Framework: Document your approach to defining research objectives, scope, target audiences, and methodologies in alignment with project goals.

• User Journey Mapping & Analysis: Showcase how you map and analyze user journeys to identify pain points and opportunities for improvement.

• Usability Testing Protocols: Detail your process for designing, conducting, and analyzing usability tests, including methods for identifying and prioritizing usability issues.

• Data Synthesis and Reporting: Outline your systematic approach to synthesizing qualitative and quantitative data, and how you structure findings for clear and impactful communication to various stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior UX Researcher role, a strong portfolio is critical. It should not just list projects but tell a story about the researcher's strategic thinking, methodological rigor, and the impact of their work. The emphasis here is on demonstrating how research drives tangible business and user experience improvements.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $95,300 - $158,800 USD per year.

Note: Geographic differentials may apply in some locations to better reflect local market rates.

Benefits:

• Annual Incentive Bonus: The role is eligible for an annual incentive bonus, reflecting performance-based rewards.

• Comprehensive Country-Specific Benefits: Remitly offers country-specific benefits packages designed for employee well-being and happiness. Candidates are encouraged to review these benefits via the provided link.

• Health & Wellness: Likely includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, potentially with wellness programs.

• Retirement Savings: May include a 401(k) plan with company match or equivalent retirement savings options.

• Paid Time Off: Generous PTO, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for training, conferences, and further education to support career growth.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time work week, likely around 40 hours per week.

• While on-site, there may be some flexibility in daily schedules, but adherence to core business hours and team collaboration needs is expected.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is a significant indicator of the seniority and scope of this role. The mention of geographic differentials is important for candidates outside the primary Raleigh location. The benefits section highlights a commitment to employee well-being and professional growth, which are key attractors for senior talent.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: FinTech / Financial Services (specifically, international money transfer and remittances).

Company Size: Remitly is a publicly traded company and a significant player in the FinTech space. While the exact current employee count isn't provided, it's a mid-to-large size organization with a global presence.

Founded: Remitly was founded in 2011, indicating a mature but still innovative company that has scaled significantly.

Team Structure:

• UX Research Team: The Senior UX Researcher will likely be part of a dedicated UX Research team, or a broader Product Design team that includes UX Researchers.

• Reporting: The role reports into a lead UX Researcher, Head of UX, or a Director of Product Design, depending on the specific organizational structure at Remitly.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: This role is inherently cross-functional, working daily with UX Designers, Product Managers, Data Analysts, Engineers, and Marketing teams to ensure a cohesive and user-centric product experience.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Remitly emphasizes using data to inform decisions, and this role is central to providing the qualitative "why" behind user behaviors.

• Agile Development: The company likely operates within an agile framework, requiring researchers to be adaptable and integrate seamlessly into iterative development cycles.

• Customer Obsession: As a FinTech company focused on remittances, understanding and serving customer needs, especially those of immigrant communities, is paramount. This translates to a strong focus on user empathy and direct user engagement.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding Remitly's mission—to transform the lives of immigrants and their families by providing the most trusted way to make international payments—is crucial. This mission drives the company's culture and the user research focus. The role is embedded within a growth-oriented FinTech company that values data and customer understanding.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Individual Contributor (IC). This role is for an experienced researcher who can lead complex projects, mentor others, and shape research strategy independently. It sits above junior and mid-level roles and can be a stepping stone to Principal UX Researcher or a management track if leadership opportunities in research management arise.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Researcher will report to a manager or lead within the Product Design or Research function. They will collaborate closely with Product Managers, UX Designers, and Engineering leads on specific product initiatives.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is significant, as it directly influences product strategy, design decisions, and the overall user experience of Remitly's services. By uncovering deep user needs and validating solutions, this role helps ensure Remitly builds products that are not only functional but also trustworthy, easy to use, and genuinely valuable to its target customer base, thereby driving customer acquisition, retention, and satisfaction, which are key revenue drivers.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific research methodologies, areas of user behavior, or product domains within Remitly (e.g., sender experience, recipient experience, new market expansion).

• Leadership Development: Potential to take on more informal leadership roles, lead research initiatives for major product launches, and formally mentor junior team members.

• Principal/Lead Researcher Path: Advancement to Principal UX Researcher, focusing on highly complex, strategic research challenges, or to a Lead UX Researcher role if management opportunities within research emerge.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Potential to move into related product roles (e.g., Product Management, UX Design Strategy) if desired, leveraging deep user understanding.

• Industry Influence: Contributing to the broader UX research community through presentations or publications.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a clear path for growth within UX research, emphasizing strategic contribution and mentorship. The impact is tied directly to product success and user trust, critical for a FinTech company.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is an on-site role in Raleigh, NC. The specific office environment likely includes modern, collaborative workspaces designed to foster teamwork and innovation.

Office Location(s): Raleigh, NC (RDU area). This location offers a vibrant tech ecosystem and a good quality of life.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: Expect open-plan areas, meeting rooms, and potentially dedicated research labs or spaces for user testing sessions.

• Tools & Technology: Access to standard office productivity software, collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Teams), and specialized UX research software and hardware.

• Team Interaction: Frequent opportunities for informal and formal interaction with design, product, and engineering teams, essential for a collaborative research process.

• On-site Focus: The on-site nature facilitates direct interaction, spontaneous brainstorming, and team cohesion, which is often preferred for in-depth research and design collaboration.

Work Schedule:

• Standard business hours, Monday to Friday.

• The role requires presence in the office to facilitate team collaboration and access to on-site resources. Flexibility may be available for daily start/end times, but core hours for meetings and team interaction are expected.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in Raleigh suggests a company that values in-person collaboration and team synergy, which can be beneficial for complex problem-solving and rapid iteration in product development.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review your application and resume to assess basic qualifications and experience.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A conversation with the hiring manager to discuss your background, experience, approach to UX research, and alignment with the team's needs.

• Portfolio Review & Presentation: A dedicated session where you will present a selection of your work. This is a critical stage to demonstrate your research process, strategic thinking, and impact. Be prepared to walk through 2-3 key projects.

• Team Interviews / Stakeholder Interviews: Interviews with potential peers (UX Designers, other Researchers), Product Managers, and possibly Engineering leads to assess collaboration style, technical understanding, and problem-solving skills.

• Final Interview: Potentially a final interview with a more senior leader (e.g., Director of Product) to discuss strategic fit and long-term vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 projects that best showcase your senior-level experience, strategic thinking, and impact.

Aim for diversity in methodologies and project types if possible.

• Focus on Impact & Process: For each project, clearly articulate:

  • The business problem or user need.
  • Your role and responsibilities.
  • The research questions you aimed to answer.
  • The methodologies you employed and why.
  • Your key findings and insights.
  • The recommendations you made.
  • The impact of your work (quantifiable results if possible – e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced errors, increased satisfaction scores).

• Tell a Story: Frame each project as a narrative, highlighting challenges, your problem-solving approach, and the ultimate outcome.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Expect questions about your decision-making process, how you handled challenges or conflicting data, and how you collaborated with others.

• Showcase Technical Skills: Be ready to discuss specific tools and techniques you used.

Challenge Preparation:

• Hypothetical Scenario: You might be given a hypothetical product or problem and asked to outline a research plan. Focus on defining clear objectives, identifying target users, selecting appropriate methods, and outlining a timeline.

• Process Walkthrough: Be prepared to discuss your end-to-end research process in detail.

• Data Interpretation: You might be presented with sample data (qualitative or quantitative) and asked to interpret it and suggest next steps.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is paramount for senior research roles. Candidates should prepare to demonstrate not just research execution but strategic thinking, problem-solving, and measurable impact.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Research Platforms: Qualtrics (expert level), Lookback (expert level), UserTesting.com (expert level). These are essential for survey design, participant recruitment, moderated/unmoderated testing, and data collection.

• Prototyping & Design Tools (for collaboration): Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD (familiarity is beneficial for understanding designer workflows).

• Collaboration & Communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Confluence.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Analytics Platforms: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or similar web/app analytics tools for understanding user behavior patterns and identifying areas for research.

• Data Visualization Tools: Tableau, Power BI, or similar tools for presenting quantitative findings and integrating research data with other business metrics.

• Spreadsheet Software: Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets for data manipulation and analysis.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot): While not a primary tool for researchers, understanding CRM data can provide valuable context on customer segmentation and journey.

• Survey Tools: Beyond Qualtrics, familiarity with tools like SurveyMonkey or Typeform might be beneficial.

• Note-Taking & Synthesis Tools: Dovetail, Notion, or similar tools for organizing research data, synthesizing findings, and collaborating on reports.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency with industry-standard research platforms like Qualtrics, Lookback, and UserTesting.com is explicitly called out as an expert-level requirement. Familiarity with analytics and data visualization tools is also important for a data-driven approach.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Obsession: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the customer, ensuring their needs and pain points are at the forefront of product development.

• Data-Driven Innovation: Using both quantitative and qualitative data to identify opportunities, validate hypotheses, and drive innovative solutions that meet user needs and business goals.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Working effectively across teams, sharing insights openly, and fostering a transparent environment where all voices are heard and valued.

• Impact & Ownership: Taking responsibility for research outcomes, ensuring that insights lead to tangible improvements and positively impact the user experience and business metrics.

• Continuous Learning & Growth: Embracing a mindset of continuous improvement, seeking new knowledge, skills, and methodologies to enhance research practice and personal development.

Collaboration Style:

• Partnership-Oriented: Researchers work as strategic partners with Product Managers and UX Designers, contributing to discovery, definition, and iteration phases.

• Cross-Functional Engagement: Actively engaging with engineering, marketing, customer support, and data analytics teams to gather diverse perspectives and ensure research findings are well-understood and actionable across the organization.

• Feedback-Rich Environment: Encouraging constructive feedback on research plans, methodologies, and findings to refine approaches and improve outcomes.

• Knowledge Sharing: Proactively sharing learnings through presentations, documentation, and informal discussions to build collective understanding of the user.

📝 Enhancement Note: Remitly's mission heavily influences its culture. The values likely center around empathy for immigrant communities, trust, reliability, and driving positive impact through technology.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Strategic vs. Tactical Research: Managing the demand for both in-depth strategic research (long-term impact) and faster-paced tactical research (immediate feature validation) within product development cycles.

• Global User Diversity: Conducting research that effectively addresses the diverse needs, cultural contexts, and technological landscapes of Remitly's global customer base.

• Translating Insights into Action: Ensuring that research findings are not just delivered but are deeply understood and acted upon by cross-functional teams to drive meaningful product changes.

• Measuring Research Impact: Quantifying the direct impact of UX research on business metrics, which can sometimes be challenging in a complex product ecosystem.

• Staying Ahead of Methodological Trends: Continuously learning and adapting research methods to keep pace with evolving user behaviors, technologies, and research tools.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Methodologies: Opportunities to explore and implement cutting-edge research techniques, such as generative AI in research, advanced behavioral economics, or complex longitudinal studies.

• Industry Conferences & Training: Support for attending leading UX research conferences (e.g., CHI, UXR Conference) and specialized training programs.

• Mentorship: Formal or informal mentorship from senior researchers or design leaders within the company, as well as opportunities to mentor junior team members.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Engaging with data science, product management, and engineering teams to broaden understanding of the product development lifecycle and technical constraints.

• Leadership Skills: Developing skills in strategic planning, stakeholder management, and influencing organizational strategy through research.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the complexities of senior-level research in a global FinTech environment, while the growth opportunities emphasize continuous learning and leadership development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led the development of a research strategy for a complex product or feature. What was your process, and what were the key outcomes?" (Focus on strategic planning, alignment with business goals, and measurable impact).

• "How do you decide which research methodologies to use for a given project? Walk us through a situation where you had to make a difficult trade-off between methodological rigor and project timelines." (Demonstrates critical thinking, understanding of trade-offs, and methodological expertise).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Remitly's mission is to transform the lives of immigrants and their families. How would you approach researching the needs of this specific user group, considering cultural nuances and potential sensitivities?" (Tests understanding of ethical research practices and user empathy).

• "How do you see UX research contributing to trust and reliability in a FinTech product like Remitly?" (Connects research to core brand values).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, follow a clear story arc: Problem -> Your Role -> Research Questions -> Methodology -> Findings -> Recommendations -> Impact.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data (e.g., percentage improvement, cost savings, user satisfaction scores) to demonstrate the effectiveness of your research.

• Highlight Your Strategic Thinking: Emphasize why you made certain decisions, not just what you did. Explain the rationale behind your methodological choices and strategic recommendations.

• Showcase Collaboration: Discuss how you partnered with other teams and integrated their feedback or data into your research process.

• Be Ready for Q&A: Anticipate questions about challenges encountered, alternative approaches, and how you would apply learnings to new scenarios at Remitly.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic leadership, methodological depth, and the ability to translate research into tangible business impact, especially within the context of Remitly's mission and industry.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Researcher position:

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

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your 6-8 years of experience in UX research, emphasizing strategic leadership, a broad range of methodologies, and demonstrable impact. Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date and ready for presentation, featuring 2-3 strong case studies that showcase your senior-level capabilities.

• Resume Optimization: Clearly articulate your experience with key research tools (Qualtrics, Lookback, UserTesting.com) and your ability to lead research strategy. Use action verbs and quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your research process, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills, particularly in the context of FinTech and global user needs. Prepare to discuss your portfolio in detail and be ready for scenario-based questions.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Remitly's mission, products, customer base, and recent news. Understand their competitive landscape and how UX research contributes to their success in the FinTech sector.

⚠️ 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.