Senior UX Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Researcher Company: Wrike Location: Tallinn, Estonia Job Type: Full-Time Category: User Experience Research / Product Operations Date Posted: 2025-09-12 Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5-10 years) Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive user-centered product development by planning and executing comprehensive UX research initiatives across the entire product lifecycle.
• Inform product strategy and problem definition through rigorous generative, formative, and summative research methodologies, ensuring customer needs are at the forefront.
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration and knowledge sharing, empowering product teams to integrate user insights effectively into their design and development processes.
• Champion customer empathy across the organization by creatively communicating research findings and advocating for user needs in product decision-making.
• Mentor and guide product managers and designers in their own research practices, elevating the overall user research maturity within the company.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within a mature product organization, emphasizing the need for a Senior UX Researcher to not only conduct research but also to mentor and influence research practices across Product Management and Design. The "Operations" aspect comes from the emphasis on building and improving research operations and processes to make research more effective for non-research colleagues.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Proactively plan and execute customer research throughout the design and development lifecycle, from early strategic direction through post-release evaluation, ensuring a continuous feedback loop.
• Employ a wide range of research methods, including generative design research, contextual inquiry, participatory design workshops, in-depth interviews, formative and summative usability studies, surveys, and data analytics to gather comprehensive user insights.
• Develop and nurture relationships across product teams, engineering, and marketing to leverage existing research, synthesize findings, and conduct end-to-end research that maps the complete customer journey.
• Lead empathy and design-thinking workshops with cross-functional teams, translating research findings into actionable product goals, user personas, and strategic direction.
• Disseminate customer insights across the broader organization in creative and impactful ways, such as posters, immersion rooms, blog posts, and workshops, to foster a strong culture of customer empathy.
• Support and guide product managers and designers in their research endeavors, helping them to improve their research skills and effectively integrate user feedback into their workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of hands-on research execution and strategic influence, including a mentorship component. This suggests the role requires a candidate skilled in both deep qualitative and quantitative analysis and in fostering a research-centric culture.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience:

• 5-10 years of professional experience in UX research, with a proven track record of impacting product strategy and development through qualitative and quantitative research.
• Demonstrated experience in a fast-paced, agile product development environment.
• Experience working with B2B SaaS tools and in an international workplace is highly valued.

Required Skills:

• Mastery of a diverse toolkit of research methods, with the ability to strategically select the most appropriate methods based on project needs, timelines, and rigor requirements (e.g., lean vs. in-depth).
• Strong proficiency in qualitative research techniques such as user interviews, contextual inquiry, usability testing, and ethnographic studies.
• Experience with quantitative research methods, including survey design, data analysis, and leveraging analytics to inform user behavior insights.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to clearly articulate complex findings and actionable recommendations to diverse stakeholders.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including Product Managers, Designers, Engineers, and Marketing professionals.
• Strategic mindset with the capacity to connect research insights to business objectives and product strategy.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in stakeholder management, including influencing product roadmaps and securing buy-in for research initiatives.
• Experience facilitating design thinking and/or empathy-building workshops.
• Proficiency in visualization techniques for research outputs, such as journey mapping, user flow diagrams, and affinity mapping.
• Familiarity with Wrike or similar work management platforms as a user or researcher.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "preferred skills" suggest a candidate who can not only execute research but also lead strategic initiatives and contribute to the broader design practice within the company. The emphasis on B2B SaaS and international teams indicates a need for understanding complex user workflows and diverse user bases.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A strong portfolio showcasing end-to-end UX research projects, demonstrating your ability to define research questions, select appropriate methodologies, execute research, and deliver impactful insights.
• Case studies that clearly articulate the problem, your research approach, the findings, and the tangible impact on product strategy, design decisions, or business outcomes.
• Examples of how your research has directly influenced product direction, feature development, or user experience improvements.
• Evidence of your ability to synthesize complex data into clear, actionable recommendations that drive product innovation.
• Demonstrations of your skills in communicating research findings to various audiences, including executive leadership.

Process Documentation:

• Examples of research plans and proposals, outlining research objectives, methodologies, participant criteria, and timelines.
• Documentation showcasing how you've translated research findings into user personas, journey maps, or other artifacts that guide product teams.
• Evidence of your process for integrating research insights into agile development cycles and collaborating with PMs and designers on iterative product improvements.
• Examples of how you've contributed to standardizing or improving research processes within a team or organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is critical for this role, as it serves as tangible proof of research expertise and impact. The expectation is to see not just the "what" but the "how" and "why" of your research process, with a clear link to product outcomes.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Based on industry standards for Senior UX Researchers in Tallinn, Estonia, with 5-10 years of experience, the estimated annual salary range is €45,000 - €65,000. This estimate considers the cost of living, market demand for UX talent, and the seniority of the role.

Benefits:

• 28 days of paid vacation, offering ample time for rest and rejuvenation.
• Comprehensive life insurance plan for financial security.
• Sport compensation to encourage a healthy and active lifestyle.
• Generous parental leave policy to support new parents.
• Global education support program to foster continuous learning and professional development.
• 2 volunteer days per year to contribute to community initiatives.
• Employee assistance program providing confidential support for personal and professional well-being.
• Office lunches to foster team connection and convenience.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time work hours, estimated at 40 hours per week, with flexibility inherent in a hybrid work model.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on typical compensation for similar roles in Tallinn, Estonia, considering the specified experience level. Benefits are comprehensive and align with those often offered by international tech companies to support employee well-being and professional growth.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software Development / Work Management Software (B2B SaaS) Company Size: Wrike is part of Citrix, a larger technology organization. Within Wrike, the product design team consists of 20+ full-stack product designers, 4 UX researchers, 2 UX writers, a Design Technologist, a Design System Architect, a UX Architect, 3 Managers, and a Head of Product Design. This indicates a sizable and well-resourced product development function. Founded: Wrike was founded in 2006.

Team Structure:

• The UX Research team is part of a larger Product Design organization, with researchers distributed across Europe.
• Each UX researcher is allocated to a specific cross-functional product team, where they lead UX research efforts and provide guidance to Product Managers and Designers.
• This structure fosters deep product understanding within specific domains while encouraging collaboration across research professionals for shared learning and best practice development.

Methodology:

• Wrike utilizes a hybrid work model, encouraging 2-3 in-office days per week for enhanced collaboration and teamwork, particularly for those located near office hubs.
• The company emphasizes a data-driven approach, leveraging insights from research and analytics to inform product strategy and decision-making.
• There is a stated commitment to continuously improving research practices and building operations to maximize research effectiveness for all stakeholders.
• Collaboration is central, with a focus on working as one to achieve shared goals, leveraging their own work management platform (Wrike) to structure and execute work.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Wrike's culture is built around collaboration, creativity, and a strong commitment to customer success. The hybrid model and distributed team structure suggest a need for strong communication and self-management skills. The company's use of its own product for work management implies a culture that values efficiency and process optimization.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior UX Researcher. This level signifies a high degree of autonomy, expertise, and leadership potential within the UX research domain. The role involves not only conducting research but also influencing product strategy, mentoring junior team members, and contributing to the advancement of research operations. Reporting Structure: While not explicitly stated, a Senior UX Researcher typically reports to a UX Research Manager, Head of UX Research, or potentially the Head of Product Design. They will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads within their assigned product teams. Operations Impact: The Senior UX Researcher plays a crucial role in ensuring that Wrike's product development is deeply rooted in user needs and market understanding. Their insights directly influence product strategy, feature prioritization, and the overall user experience, ultimately contributing to customer satisfaction, retention, and business growth. They are key stakeholders in the product development lifecycle, bridging the gap between user needs and business objectives.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific research methodologies (e.g., advanced qualitative techniques, large-scale quantitative analysis, mixed-methods research) or product domains.
• Leadership: Transition into a Lead UX Researcher role, managing a portfolio of research projects or a team of researchers, or moving into management positions within UX Research or Product Design.
• Cross-functional Influence: Expand influence into product strategy, roadmapping, and cross-departmental initiatives, becoming a key advisor on user-centricity.
• Process Improvement: Lead initiatives to refine and scale research operations, tools, and best practices across the organization.
• Industry Engagement: Represent Wrike at conferences, contribute to industry publications, or lead community initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers significant opportunities for professional growth, both within the UX research discipline and into broader product leadership roles. The emphasis on improving research operations and mentoring suggests a clear path for developing leadership and strategic influence.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Wrike operates on a hybrid work model, with team members expected to be in the office for 2-3 days per week if located near office hubs. This indicates a collaborative office environment designed to foster teamwork and knowledge sharing. Office Location(s): The company has office hubs in San Diego, Prague, Dublin, Nicosia, and Tallinn. This role is specifically based in Tallinn, Estonia.

Workspace Context:

• The office environment is designed to support collaboration, with opportunities for direct interaction with product designers, product managers, and engineers.
• The hybrid model allows for focused work at home and collaborative sessions in the office, providing a balanced approach to productivity and team integration.
• Access to necessary tools and technologies for UX research and product development will be provided.
• Opportunities for informal and formal knowledge sharing sessions with other UX professionals within Wrike and potentially Citrix will be available.

Work Schedule:

• The standard work schedule is full-time, approximately 40 hours per week.
• The hybrid model offers some flexibility in managing workdays, balancing in-office collaboration with remote work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the work environment suggests a need for strong communication skills and the ability to manage one's time effectively across different work settings. The office environment is likely to be modern and geared towards collaborative problem-solving.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screen (Talent Acquisition Manager): A preliminary conversation to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and understanding of the role. Be prepared to articulate your career aspirations and why Wrike appeals to you.
• Case Study Submission: Candidates will likely be asked to submit one or more case studies from their portfolio that best represent their research skills and impact. Focus on clear storytelling and demonstrating the "so what?" of your research.
• Panel Interview: This stage will involve a more in-depth discussion with key stakeholders, likely including other UX Researchers, Product Managers, and Design Leads. Expect questions covering your research methodologies, approach to problem-solving, collaboration style, and how you handle challenging situations.
• Cultural Interview: An assessment focused on how well your values and working style align with Wrike's culture (smart, dedicated, approachable, customer-focused, collaborative, creative, committed).

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Choose 2-3 of your strongest, most relevant projects that showcase a range of skills and impact. Prioritize projects that align with B2B SaaS or complex product environments if possible.
• Focus on Impact: For each project, clearly articulate the business problem, your specific role and contributions, the research methods used, key findings, and the resulting impact on the product or business. Quantify impact where possible (e.g., "led to a 15% increase in task completion rate").
• Tell a Story: Structure your case studies as a narrative. Explain the context, the challenges faced, your thought process, and how you overcame obstacles.
• Highlight Process: Briefly explain your research process, including how you chose your methods and how you synthesized your findings. Demonstrate your ability to be both lean and rigorous.
• Prepare to Discuss: Be ready to elaborate on any aspect of your portfolio projects, including your decision-making process, challenges encountered, and lessons learned.

Challenge Preparation:

• Anticipate Research Scenarios: Be prepared for hypothetical research scenarios or questions about how you would approach a specific product problem using research. Think about how you'd tackle understanding user needs for a new feature or diagnosing a drop in user engagement.
• Demonstrate Collaboration: Prepare examples of how you've successfully collaborated with product and engineering teams, managed stakeholder expectations, and advocated for user needs within a team.
• Showcase Mentorship: If asked about mentoring, highlight instances where you've guided others in research practices, shared knowledge, or helped improve team research maturity.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes both technical research skills and the ability to integrate into cross-functional teams and contribute to the company culture. The inclusion of case studies and a panel interview suggests a rigorous evaluation process.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Work Management: Wrike (as the company's product, familiarity is a plus, and usage within teams is expected).
• Research Platforms: Proficiency with various user research tools for usability testing, surveys, and remote interviews (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics).
• Collaboration Tools: Familiarity with tools like Slack, Jira, Confluence for team communication and project management.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Analysis: Experience with tools for analyzing quantitative data (e.g., Excel, Google Sheets, potentially SQL for data extraction, or analytics platforms like Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude).
• Visualization: Skills in creating compelling data visualizations and reports (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, or advanced features within spreadsheet software).

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a CRM role, understanding how user data flows from CRM or product analytics platforms into research is beneficial. Familiarity with data integration concepts is a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: While specific tool requirements aren't detailed, a strong UX Researcher is expected to be adept with a range of industry-standard research tools and have a solid understanding of data analysis and visualization techniques. Familiarity with Wrike itself is advantageous.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Focused: A deep commitment to understanding and prioritizing customer needs in all product decisions. This means advocating for the user throughout the development process and ensuring the product delivers significant value.
• Collaborative: A strong belief in working together as a unified team, leveraging diverse strengths to achieve better outcomes. This involves open communication, shared ownership, and mutual support across product, design, and engineering.
• Creative: A drive for continuous innovation and finding novel solutions to complex problems. This involves encouraging experimentation, embracing new ideas, and pushing beyond conventional boundaries to deliver exceptional work management solutions.
• Committed: A dedication to ownership at all levels, taking responsibility for workflows from start to finish. This translates to a proactive approach, a focus on delivering results, and a commitment to personal and collective growth.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Researchers are embedded within product teams, working closely with Product Managers and Designers daily. This requires strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build trust and rapport.
• Process Improvement Focus: A culture of actively seeking ways to enhance research practices and operational efficiency, making research more accessible and impactful for non-researchers.
• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of insights, learnings, and best practices through regular team meetings, internal presentations, and documentation.
• Constructive Feedback: An environment where feedback on research processes and findings is welcomed and used for continuous improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core values emphasize a user-centric, collaborative, and innovative environment. The "Committed" value highlights the importance of ownership and seeing initiatives through to completion, which is crucial for driving operational improvements in research.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Rigor and Speed: Effectively navigating Wrike's agile environment while ensuring research methods are robust enough to yield meaningful and reliable insights. This requires strategic prioritization of research efforts.
• Influencing Without Authority: As a Senior Researcher, you'll need to influence product roadmaps and decisions, often by persuading stakeholders through compelling data and insights, rather than direct authority.
• Scaling Research Operations: Contributing to the ongoing effort to make research more efficient and accessible for non-research colleagues, which involves developing scalable processes and training materials.
• Keeping Pace with SaaS Evolution: Staying current with user needs and market trends in the competitive B2B SaaS landscape, ensuring research remains relevant and forward-thinking.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Methodologies: Opportunities to deepen expertise in specialized research areas, such as advanced quantitative analysis, behavioral economics, or specific product domain research.
• Mentorship and Leadership: Developing skills in mentoring junior researchers and potentially leading research initiatives or projects, paving the way for future leadership roles.
• Cross-functional Strategy: Gaining exposure to broader product strategy and business operations, enhancing your ability to connect research insights to company-level objectives.
• Industry Best Practices: Engaging with the wider UX community through conferences, workshops, and professional networks to stay abreast of the latest trends and techniques in UX research and operations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents opportunities to tackle complex research challenges and contribute to significant operational improvements, with ample room for professional development and career advancement within a growing tech company.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Product Strategy: "How would you approach understanding the unmet needs of our target B2B customers for a new project management feature?" or "Describe a time your research significantly shifted a product strategy. What was your process?" - Preparation: Think about your research frameworks – how do you identify opportunities, define problems, and validate solutions? Be ready to walk through a project from inception to impact.
• Collaboration & Stakeholder Management: "How do you ensure your research findings are understood and acted upon by product and engineering teams?" or "Describe a situation where you had to persuade a stakeholder who was resistant to your research findings." - Preparation: Prepare examples of how you build relationships, communicate effectively across disciplines, and handle pushback constructively. Highlight your ability to tailor your communication style.
• Problem-Solving & Research Design: "Imagine our user engagement metrics have dropped for a specific feature. How would you diagnose the problem using UX research?" or "When would you choose a contextual inquiry over a usability study, and why?" - Preparation: Practice breaking down a problem, outlining potential research approaches, and justifying your methodological choices with clear reasoning.

Company & Culture Questions:

• Company Operations: "What do you know about Wrike's approach to product development and user research?" or "How do you see the role of UX research in a SaaS company like Wrike?" - Preparation: Research Wrike's product, target audience, and company values. Understand how UX research contributes to business success in the B2B SaaS space.
• Team Dynamics: "Describe your ideal working relationship with a Product Manager and a Designer." or "How do you contribute to a positive and collaborative team environment?" - Preparation: Reflect on your experiences working in cross-functional teams and how you foster positive working relationships based on Wrike’s values of collaboration and approachability.
• Impact Measurement: "How do you measure the success of your research initiatives?" or "What metrics do you typically track to demonstrate the value of UX research?" - Preparation: Be ready to discuss how you connect your research to business outcomes and product success metrics, showcasing your understanding of ROI.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, follow a clear arc: Introduction (problem/context), Your Role/Process, Research Methods, Findings, Impact/Recommendations, and Lessons Learned.
• Focus on Visuals: Use clear visuals (screenshots, charts, journey maps) to illustrate your points and make your findings easily digestible.
• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use data to demonstrate the impact of your research (e.g., improvements in conversion rates, task completion, user satisfaction).
• Be Concise and Engaging: Practice delivering your presentation concisely, focusing on the most crucial aspects of each project. Be enthusiastic and ready to answer questions spontaneously.
• Tailor to Wrike: If possible, subtly connect your projects to the types of challenges Wrike might face or the user types they serve.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating not only research expertise but also strategic thinking, strong communication skills, and cultural alignment. The interview process is designed to assess your ability to integrate into a fast-paced, collaborative team and drive user-centric outcomes.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Greenhouse.
• Portfolio Customization: Prepare 2-3 of your most impactful UX research case studies that showcase your end-to-end process, methodologies, and the tangible impact of your work on product strategy and user experience. Ensure these highlight your ability to work in a B2B SaaS context if possible.
• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight your significant professional research experience (5-10 years), specific qualitative and quantitative skills, experience with agile environments, and any B2B SaaS or international workplace experience. Use keywords from the job description naturally.
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your research process, decision-making, and impact. Be ready to discuss your approach to collaboration, stakeholder management, and how you mentor others. Prepare thoughtful questions about Wrike's product, users, and research operations.
• Company Research: Thoroughly research Wrike, its product offerings, target market, and company culture. Understand their values (Customer-Focused, Collaborative, Creative, Committed) and how your skills and experience align with their mission.

⚠️ 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.

---