Sr. UX Researcher GolfNow

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Sr. UX Researcher GolfNow

Company: NBCUniversal

Location: Orlando, Florida, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: User Experience Research / Product Development

Date Posted: August 12, 2025

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive user research initiatives for digital consumer and enterprise Golf products and platforms, including GolfNow, GolfPass, and Golf365, focusing on enhancing user experience and informing product strategy.

• Collaborate with cross-functional partners in product, design, marketing research, and data science to generate actionable insights for feature validation and foundational product definition.

• Lead research projects from inception to completion, employing a variety of qualitative and quantitative methodologies to inform product direction and measure impact.

• Advocate for user needs and champion a data-driven, empathetic approach to product development within a fast-paced, agile environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within NBCUniversal's broader media and entertainment landscape, with a specific focus on their golf-related digital assets. The mention of an upcoming spin-off creating "Versant" indicates a dynamic environment where foundational UX research will be critical for shaping future product strategy and user engagement. The Sr. UX Researcher will play a pivotal role in establishing research best practices and influencing product roadmaps for these growing platforms.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end user research projects, encompassing study design, participant recruitment, data collection, rigorous analysis, and clear presentation of findings for both generative and evaluative research.

• Translate complex research findings into clear, concise, and actionable insights, effectively communicating them independently to stakeholders across all organizational levels.

• Collaborate proactively with Product Managers, Designers, Engineers, and Data Analysts to shape product direction, validate hypotheses, and measure the impact of new features and improvements.

• Serve as a strong advocate for the user throughout the product development lifecycle, fostering a culture of empathy and evidence-based decision-making within product teams.

• Contribute to the strategic vision for User Experience across the company, with a particular emphasis on media consumption patterns, personalization strategies, accessibility standards, and cross-platform engagement.

• Uphold a high standard for research quality and execution, ensuring deliverables are robust and meet the needs of product development and business objectives.

• Proactively manage and drive the user research roadmap, ensuring alignment with stakeholder needs, product priorities, and organizational Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

• Influence both strategic and tactical product roadmaps by providing data-backed insights and user-centric recommendations.

• Foster knowledge sharing and collaboration with fellow UX Researchers across Versant, sharing insights and lessons learned to elevate collective research capabilities.

• Stay abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies, and evolving research methodologies to continuously refine and improve research practices.

• Manage external research vendors and partners effectively to supplement internal research capabilities and ensure project success.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for strong leadership in research design and execution, emphasizing the ability to influence product strategy and communicate effectively with senior stakeholders. The focus on both foundational and evaluative research suggests a role that shapes both long-term vision and iterative product improvements. Managing the research roadmap and external vendors indicates a need for strong project management and vendor relationship skills.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in leading User Experience (UX) research initiatives that have demonstrably influenced product decisions through actionable research insights.

• Experience should span both digital consumer and enterprise products, with a strong preference for experience within sports platforms, particularly golf-related platforms.

• Proven track record of successfully leading UX research within fast-paced, agile product development environments.

• At least 3 years of experience working directly with and influencing executive leadership (Senior Director level and above).

Required Skills:

• Expertise in designing, conducting, and analyzing both foundational and tactical UX research studies.

• Proficiency in a wide array of qualitative research methods, including but not limited to: moderated and unmoderated usability studies, diary studies, digital ethnographies, card sorting, focus groups, and in-depth interviews.

• Strong command of quantitative research methods, including survey design, data collection, and analysis.

• Deep understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of various research methodologies and their appropriate application throughout the product development lifecycle.

• Broad familiarity with behavioral user analytics and the ability to integrate these insights into UX research efforts for a comprehensive understanding of user behavior.

• Exceptional data storytelling and presentation skills, with the ability to convey complex findings clearly and persuasively to diverse audiences.

• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including Product Management, Design, Engineering, and Data Science.

Preferred Skills:

• Master’s degree in HCI, HCDE, Human Factors, Psychology, Cognitive Science, or a related field.

• Strong quantitative data analysis and statistical skills, with experience using statistical software packages.

• Exceptional ability to communicate complex concepts clearly and persuasively across different audiences and varying levels of the organization.

• A genuine interest in or familiarity with golf, either through personal experience or prior professional research, is highly advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize a blend of deep research expertise, strategic thinking, and strong interpersonal skills. The requirement for experience with executive leadership and large, matrixed organizations indicates the seniority and influence expected of this role. The preference for golf industry experience suggests a desire for domain-specific knowledge to accelerate impact.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a minimum of 7 years of UX research work, demonstrating leadership in study design, execution, and the delivery of actionable insights.

• Portfolio pieces should highlight experience with both generative (exploratory) and evaluative (validation) research methodologies applied to digital consumer and enterprise products.

• Evidence of how research findings directly influenced product decisions, strategy, or roadmap development, ideally with measurable outcomes or impact metrics.

• Examples of research conducted within fast-paced, agile environments, demonstrating adaptability and efficiency in delivering insights.

Process Documentation:

• Examples of well-defined research plans, including clear objectives, methodology selection, participant criteria, and timelines.

• Demonstrations of how both qualitative and quantitative data were synthesized and analyzed to derive meaningful insights.

• Documentation of how research findings were communicated to stakeholders, including presentation decks, reports, or interactive sessions.

• Case studies that show the application of research insights across different stages of the product development lifecycle, from ideation to post-launch analysis.

• Evidence of incorporating user analytics or other data sources to enrich qualitative research findings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is crucial for demonstrating the candidate's ability to lead research end-to-end and translate findings into tangible product improvements. Emphasis should be placed on showcasing impact and collaboration, particularly with senior stakeholders, and illustrating familiarity with agile methodologies and data integration.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $105,000 - $130,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• 401(k) retirement savings plan.

• Paid time off (PTO) including vacation, sick leave, and holidays.

• Tuition reimbursement programs for continued education and professional development.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time work hours, typically 40 hours per week. While the role is hybrid, specific in-office days will be determined by team needs and company policy, generally requiring a minimum of three days per week in the Orlando office. Flexibility may be available based on project demands and team coordination.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is competitive for a Sr. UX Researcher role in the Orlando, Florida market, reflecting the experience level and responsibilities. The benefits package is standard for a large corporation like NBCUniversal, offering a solid foundation for employee well-being and professional growth.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Media & Entertainment, Digital Technology, Sports Technology. NBCUniversal is a global leader in media and entertainment, with a significant presence in digital platforms. The upcoming spin-off into "Versant" will create a focused entity concentrating on news, sports, and entertainment content, including prominent digital assets like GolfNow. This transition suggests an environment that is both established within a large corporation and agile as it forms a new, independent company.

Company Size: NBCUniversal is a very large enterprise (tens of thousands of employees globally). As part of the Comcast NBCUniversal conglomerate, the GolfNow division operates within a vast ecosystem, while the new Versant entity will likely maintain a substantial size with a focused portfolio of media assets. This scale offers opportunities for broad impact and exposure to diverse business functions.

Founded: NBCUniversal traces its roots back through various acquisitions and mergers, with NBC dating back to 1926. The company has a long history of media innovation. The specific founding of GolfNow and its integration into the NBCUniversal portfolio are more recent, reflecting the company's expansion into digital sports platforms. The formation of Versant is a current strategic initiative expected in 2025.

Team Structure:

• The Sr. UX Researcher will join the Data, Insights, and Strategic Analytics team, suggesting a data-centric and analytical approach to understanding user behavior.

• This team likely comprises data scientists, marketing researchers, and other analytics professionals, fostering a collaborative environment focused on deriving actionable intelligence.

• The role requires close collaboration with Product Managers, UX Designers, Engineers, and Marketing teams across the GolfNow digital platforms, indicating a highly cross-functional working model.

Methodology:

• Emphasis on data-driven decision-making, integrating qualitative research insights with quantitative behavioral analytics.

• A structured approach to UX research, following best practices for study design, execution, and analysis to ensure rigor and validity.

• Agile methodologies are likely employed, requiring researchers to adapt to changing priorities and deliver insights iteratively within product development sprints.

• Focus on user-centric design principles, ensuring that user needs and pain points are central to product strategy and feature development.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context highlights a dynamic organizational shift with the creation of Versant, meaning the UX Researcher will be instrumental in shaping the foundational user insights for a new entity. The culture likely balances the stability and resources of a large corporation with the agility and innovation needed for digital product growth, particularly in the sports tech sector.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior-level position (Sr. UX Researcher), indicating significant autonomy, responsibility for end-to-end research projects, and the expectation to mentor junior researchers or contribute to research best practices. It signifies a professional who can operate independently and influence strategic decisions.

Reporting Structure: The role reports into the Data, Insights, and Strategic Analytics team. This structure places UX Research within a function that directly supports business intelligence and strategic planning. Daily collaboration will be extensive with product and design teams, and influence will extend to senior leadership and product stakeholders.

Operations Impact: The UX Researcher's insights will directly impact the success of GolfNow's digital platforms by informing product strategy, validating new features, and improving user satisfaction and engagement. This role has a significant opportunity to influence revenue generation through enhanced user experience and conversion rates, as well as impact operational efficiency by reducing usability issues and support requests.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Advancement: Opportunities to deepen expertise in specialized research methodologies, quantitative analysis, and potentially UX strategy or product management. Exposure to a wide range of digital products and user segments within the golf and broader media/entertainment industries.

• Leadership Development: Potential to lead research initiatives for major product launches, mentor junior researchers, and contribute to the development of the UX research practice within Versant. As Versant establishes itself, opportunities for leadership within the UX/Product organization may arise.

• Industry Exposure: Deep dive into the sports technology and media consumption sectors, understanding evolving user behaviors and market trends. The transition to Versant offers a unique chance to be part of building a new company's user-centric foundation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The Sr. UX Researcher role offers a clear path for career advancement, moving from leading individual projects to potentially managing research programs or teams. The strategic nature of the role, coupled with the organizational changes, provides a unique opportunity for high-impact contributions and professional growth within a newly defined business unit.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is designated as Hybrid, meaning employees are expected to work from the office for a portion of the week. This suggests a collaborative office environment designed to foster teamwork and in-person interaction.

Office Location(s): The primary office location is 7580 Golf Channel Drive, Orlando, FL 32819. Being situated in Orlando, a major hub, provides access to a vibrant business community and talent pool.

Workspace Context:

• The work environment is likely to be dynamic and collaborative, with opportunities to engage directly with product teams, designers, and engineers.

• As part of a large media company, the office space will likely be modern and equipped with the necessary technology to support research activities, including collaboration tools and potentially specialized research labs or facilities.

• Expect a culture that values innovation, data-driven insights, and user advocacy, encouraging open communication and feedback exchange among team members.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is full-time, approximately 40 hours per week. As a hybrid role, employees are expected to be in the office a minimum of three days per week. Flexibility may be offered depending on team needs and project deadlines, allowing for focused work or in-person collaboration as required.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work model emphasizes a balance between in-person collaboration and individual focus. The Orlando location is strategic for the golf industry, and the office environment will support the collaborative nature of product development and research within NBCUniversal/Versant.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will likely conduct an initial phone screen to assess basic qualifications, experience alignment, and interest in the role and company.

• Portfolio Review: Candidates will be expected to present their UX research portfolio, showcasing key projects, methodologies, and impact. This is a critical step to evaluate research skills, strategic thinking, and communication abilities. Be prepared to discuss your role, the research process, findings, and how they influenced product outcomes.

• Hiring Manager/Team Interviews: Interviews with the hiring manager and potential cross-functional team members (e.g., Product Managers, UX Designers) will delve deeper into your experience, research approach, problem-solving skills, and how you collaborate within a team. Expect behavioral questions and scenario-based questions related to UX research challenges.

• Stakeholder/Leadership Interview: Interviews with senior stakeholders or leadership may occur to assess strategic thinking, ability to influence, and cultural fit within the broader organization.

• Potential Case Study/Take-Home Exercise: While not explicitly stated, some companies may include a take-home research exercise or a live case study presentation to evaluate practical skills and problem-solving approaches in real-time.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Select Projects: Choose 3-5 of your most impactful and relevant projects that demonstrate a range of skills (generative, evaluative, qualitative, quantitative).

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the research methodology used, key findings, the insights derived, and the resulting product impact or recommendations. Quantify impact where possible (e.g., "increased conversion by X%," "reduced task completion time by Y seconds").

• Highlight Collaboration: Emphasize how you worked with cross-functional teams and presented findings to stakeholders at various levels.

• Showcase Your Process: Detail your research process from planning and recruitment to analysis and reporting. Be ready to discuss trade-offs and challenges faced.

• Tailor to GolfNow: If possible, subtly tailor your presentation to address challenges or opportunities relevant to digital sports platforms or the golf industry.

Challenge Preparation:

• Anticipate UX Research Scenarios: Prepare for questions about how you would approach research for a new feature, diagnose a usability issue, or measure the success of a product change.

• Practice Data Storytelling: Be ready to present data and insights in a compelling and easy-to-understand manner, using visuals effectively.

• Understand the GolfNow Product: Familiarize yourself with the GolfNow platform and its user base to demonstrate domain interest and research relevance. Research common UX challenges in the sports tech or booking platform industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a senior UX role will heavily weigh the portfolio. Candidates should prepare to articulate not just what they did, but why they made specific methodological choices and how their research drove tangible business outcomes and product improvements. Demonstrating strategic thinking and the ability to influence senior stakeholders is paramount.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• UX Research Platforms: Proficiency with tools for usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Maze, Lookback), survey creation (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics, Google Forms), and participant recruitment.

• Analytics & Behavioral Data Tools: Familiarity with web analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics) to understand user behavior patterns and integrate with qualitative findings.

• Data Analysis & Visualization Tools: Experience with tools for qualitative data analysis (e.g., Dovetail, NVivo) and potentially quantitative analysis (e.g., Excel, SPSS, R, Python). Tools for creating compelling data visualizations (e.g., Tableau, Looker) are also valuable.

• Collaboration & Project Management Tools: Proficiency in tools like Jira, Confluence, Asana, or Trello for managing research projects and collaborating with product teams.

• Communication Tools: Standard tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Google Workspace for team communication and collaboration.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Experience leveraging user analytics to inform research questions and validate findings.

• Ability to use reporting tools to track user behavior metrics, conversion rates, and engagement patterns relevant to the GolfNow platforms.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a CRM role, understanding how user data is managed within a CRM or similar customer data platform can be beneficial for context.

• Familiarity with how user feedback and research insights can feed into marketing automation or personalization efforts.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires a strong command of various UX research tools. The ability to integrate qualitative research with quantitative analytics and present findings using data visualization tools will be critical for demonstrating the impact of research. Familiarity with agile development tools is also expected.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the user's needs, ensuring that user feedback is at the forefront of product development decisions.

• Data-Driven Insights: Valuing rigorous research and data analysis to inform strategy and validate hypotheses, moving beyond assumptions to evidence-based decision-making.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Fostering an environment where cross-functional teams work together openly, sharing insights, feedback, and progress to achieve common goals.

• Impact & Efficiency: Focusing on delivering research that has a tangible impact on product success and business objectives, while also striving for efficient and effective research processes.

• Continuous Learning: Encouraging curiosity, staying updated on industry trends, and embracing new methodologies to continuously improve research practices and product outcomes.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Actively partnering with Product Management, UX Design, Engineering, and Data Science to ensure research is integrated seamlessly into the product lifecycle.

• Proactive Communication: Regularly sharing research plans, findings, and recommendations with relevant stakeholders to maintain alignment and foster informed decision-making.

• Feedback Exchange: Encouraging a culture of constructive feedback, both giving and receiving, to refine research approaches and improve collaboration effectiveness.

• Knowledge Sharing: Participating in internal forums or discussions to share learnings, best practices, and insights with other researchers and product development teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The team culture emphasizes a user-first, data-informed approach, with strong collaboration across disciplines. The ability to communicate effectively and share knowledge is key to success in this environment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Generative and Evaluative Research: Effectively managing a research roadmap that includes both exploratory research to uncover new opportunities and evaluative research to validate existing features or designs.

• Navigating a Large Organization: Working within a large company structure and preparing for the transition to a new, independent entity (Versant) can present complexities in communication, process alignment, and resource allocation.

• Influencing Stakeholders: Persuading diverse stakeholders, including those with different priorities or levels of understanding of UX research, to adopt research-backed recommendations.

• Rapid Product Iteration: Keeping pace with agile development cycles and delivering timely, actionable insights without compromising research quality or rigor.

• Domain Specificity: Developing a deep understanding of the golf industry, user behaviors specific to golf enthusiasts, and the competitive landscape of golf technology platforms.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Research Methodologies: Opportunity to explore and implement cutting-edge research techniques, advanced analytics, and novel ways to understand user behavior in the digital sports space.

• Industry Expertise: Gaining deep knowledge of the golf industry, sports technology trends, and the media consumption habits of sports fans.

• Strategic Influence: Developing skills in influencing product strategy at a higher level, contributing to the long-term vision of digital products.

• Leadership Potential: Opportunities to mentor junior researchers, lead research initiatives for significant product areas, and potentially contribute to building out the UX research function within Versant.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Deepening understanding of product management, design thinking, engineering processes, and data science methodologies through close collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents opportunities to tackle complex research challenges within a growing market and a transforming organization. The growth potential lies in deepening specialized skills, gaining industry expertise, and developing leadership capabilities in a high-impact environment.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Research Strategy: "How would you approach defining the research strategy for a new feature on GolfNow aimed at increasing user engagement? What methodologies would you prioritize and why?" (Focus on balancing generative and evaluative approaches, stakeholder alignment, and KPI impact.)

• Stakeholder Influence: "Describe a time you had to convince a product team or senior stakeholder to change their direction based on your research findings. What was your approach, and what was the outcome?" (Highlight your data storytelling, communication, and persuasion skills.)

• Problem Solving: "Imagine users are reporting a significant drop-off in a key conversion funnel on GolfPass. How would you use UX research to diagnose the root cause and propose solutions?" (Demonstrate a structured problem-solving process, including hypothesis generation and appropriate research methods.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• Company Alignment: "What attracts you to NBCUniversal and specifically to the GolfNow/Versant team at this stage of its development?" (Showcase your research into the company, the Versant spin-off, and your enthusiasm for the golf tech space.)

• Team Collaboration: "How do you typically collaborate with Product Managers and UX Designers? Describe your ideal working relationship with these roles." (Provide examples of effective cross-functional teamwork and communication.)

• Impact Measurement: "How do you measure the success and impact of your UX research initiatives? Can you share examples of how your work has driven measurable business results?" (Prepare to discuss KPIs, metrics, and ROI.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Tell a Compelling Story: Structure each portfolio case study with a clear beginning (problem/goal), middle (your process/methods), and end (findings, insights, impact).

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the tangible outcomes of your research (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced errors, increased user satisfaction scores).

• Focus on Your Role: Clearly articulate your specific contributions, especially in team projects. Highlight your leadership in research design and analysis.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your methodology choices, how you handled challenges, and how you synthesized complex data.

• Practice Your Delivery: Rehearse your presentation to ensure it is clear, concise, engaging, and fits within the allotted time.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not just research expertise, but also strategic thinking, strong communication, and the ability to drive product impact. Candidates should be ready to articulate their process, findings, and influence with confidence, using their portfolio as concrete evidence.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Sr. UX Researcher position:

• Submit your application directly through the provided link on the SmartRecruiters platform.

• Tailor Your Resume: Optimize your resume to highlight your 7+ years of UX research experience, specifically mentioning your work with digital consumer/enterprise products, and any experience in sports or golf platforms. Use keywords from the job description such as "generative research," "evaluative research," "usability studies," "data storytelling," and "stakeholder management."

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 3-5 of your strongest UX research projects that best showcase your skills in study design, execution, analysis, and impact. Ensure your portfolio clearly articulates the problem, your process, key findings, insights, and the resulting product or business outcomes, quantifying impact where possible. Prepare a clear narrative for each project.

• Prepare for Portfolio Presentation: Practice presenting your portfolio projects concisely and compellingly. Be ready to discuss your methodologies, decision-making processes, and how your research influenced product direction and user experience. Anticipate questions about your collaboration with product and design teams.

• Research NBCUniversal and Versant: Familiarize yourself with NBCUniversal's broader media and entertainment portfolio, and critically, understand the strategic implications of the Versant spin-off. Research GolfNow's current digital offerings and target audience to demonstrate your genuine interest and domain awareness.

⚠️ 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.