Staff UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Staff UX Designer Company: Replit Location: Foster City, California, United States Job Type: FULL_TIME Category: User Experience (UX) Design / Research Operations Date Posted: 2025-08-06T00:00:00 Experience Level: Senior / Staff (8+ years) Remote Status: Hybrid (On-site requirement: Monday, Wednesday, Friday)

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead user research initiatives to inform product strategy and drive meaningful user insights for Replit's platform.
• Act as a thought partner and provide leadership within the UX function, collaborating closely with Design, Product, and Engineering leaders.
• Manage multiple research projects, either directly conducting research or enabling product teams to conduct their own, focusing on end-to-end user journey mapping and pain point identification.
• Foster a deep understanding of Replit's diverse customer segments (Consumer, SaaS, B2B, B2C) through rigorous research methodologies and data analysis.
• Contribute to the development and refinement of Replit's user experience by translating complex user needs into actionable product improvements.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is titled "UX Designer," the description heavily emphasizes user research and insights generation, aligning it with a Research Operations or Senior UX Researcher function. The "Staff" title indicates a senior individual contributor role with significant autonomy and strategic influence.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead and execute comprehensive user research studies, including diary studies, user interviews, usability testing, and surveys, to uncover user needs, behaviors, and pain points across Replit's platform.
• Partner with Product Management, Engineering, and other UX Designers to define research objectives, methodologies, and timelines for critical product initiatives.
• Develop and maintain a holistic understanding of Replit's customer base by synthesizing qualitative and quantitative data from various sources, including direct research, product analytics, and customer support feedback.
• Train and mentor cross-functional team members on best practices in user research, empowering them to conduct effective, unbiased research and gain deeper customer empathy.
• Collaborate with Product Marketing, Support, and Data Analytics teams to build cohesive narratives around customer problems and advocate for user-centered solutions.
• Define and champion user personas, journey maps, and other research artifacts to communicate key insights and user needs effectively to stakeholders across the organization.
• Contribute to the strategic direction of the UX function by identifying emerging user trends and providing data-driven recommendations for product innovation.
• Manage project prioritization and stakeholder relationships effectively, ensuring research efforts align with business objectives and product roadmaps.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "training team members" and "embedding with product pods" suggests a role that not only conducts research but also builds research capabilities within other teams, a key aspect of mature Research Operations.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

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

Experience:

• 8+ years of hands-on user research experience within fast-paced environments, preferably at technology companies, startups, or firms with diverse B2B/B2C customer segments.
• Proven track record of managing multiple research initiatives independently, from planning and execution to synthesis and communication of findings.

Required Skills:

• Deep expertise in a wide range of qualitative and quantitative research methods (e.g., usability testing, in-depth interviews, surveys, diary studies, contextual inquiry, card sorting, A/B testing).
• Strong analytical and synthesis skills, with the ability to derive actionable insights from complex datasets and translate them into clear, compelling narratives.
• Excellent project management and organizational skills, with a demonstrated ability to prioritize tasks, manage timelines, and handle multiple stakeholder relationships simultaneously.
• Proficient in collaborating with cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, Marketing, Data Analytics) to drive user-centered product development.
• Experience in conducting research for both consumer-facing (B2C) and business-oriented (B2B/SaaS) products.
• Ability to effectively communicate research findings and recommendations to diverse audiences, including executive leadership, through presentations, reports, and workshops.

Preferred Skills:

• Active user of the Replit platform, demonstrating a passion for developer tools and making software building more accessible.
• Experience implementing AI tools into research workflows to enhance efficiency and uncover deeper insights.
• Familiarity with data analytics tools and methodologies to complement qualitative research findings.
• Experience in mentoring or training junior researchers or cross-functional team members on research best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "8+ years" and the "Staff" title indicate a need for seasoned professionals capable of independent leadership, strategic thinking, and influencing without direct authority, common expectations for senior operations and research roles.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrable experience showcasing the end-to-end research process, from defining research questions to delivering actionable insights and their impact on product decisions.
• Case studies that highlight your ability to select appropriate research methods for different project goals and user segments.
• Examples of how you have synthesized complex data from multiple sources (qualitative and quantitative) to form cohesive customer narratives.
• Evidence of successful collaboration with product, design, and engineering teams to integrate user insights into the product development lifecycle.
• Documentation of how you have managed research projects, including prioritization, stakeholder communication, and timeline management.

Process Documentation:

• Showcase your approach to developing and documenting research plans, participant recruitment strategies, and data analysis frameworks.
• Provide examples of how you have created and presented research findings (e.g., reports, presentations, workshops) to drive product strategy and decision-making.
• Illustrate your methods for measuring the impact of research insights on product outcomes and business metrics.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Staff-level role focused on research operations, the portfolio should not only showcase research output but also the processes and systems used to ensure effective and efficient research delivery, including enabling others.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $180,000 - $250,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

• 💰 Competitive Salary & Equity: Reflecting the senior nature of the role and the impact expected.
• 💹 401(k) Program: Standard retirement savings plan.
• ⚕️ Health, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance: Comprehensive medical coverage.
• 🩼 Short Term and Long Term Disability: Income protection.
• 🚼 Paid Parental, Medical, Caregiver Leave: Support for personal and family needs.
• 🚗 Commuter Benefits: Assistance for commuting to the office.
• 📱 Monthly Wellness Stipend: Encouraging employee well-being.
• 🧑‍💻 Autonomous Work Environment: Fostering independence and ownership.
• 🖥 In Office Set-Up Reimbursement: Support for home office needs if applicable to hybrid setup or remote work days.
• 🏝 Flexible Time Off (FTO) + Holidays: Generous paid time off policy.
• 🚀 Quarterly Team Gatherings: Opportunities for team building and connection.
• ☕ In Office Amenities: Perks provided at the Foster City office.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours, typically 40 hours per week, with flexibility expected to meet project demands. The role requires presence in the Foster City office on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is provided and falls within industry standards for a Staff UX Designer role in the San Francisco Bay Area. The benefits package is comprehensive, indicating a company that invests in its employees' well-being and professional development.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software Development Tools, AI, Education Technology. Replit operates in a rapidly evolving tech landscape, focusing on democratizing software creation through AI and an accessible, browser-based platform. This context implies a fast-paced, innovative, and agile work environment where user feedback is crucial for rapid iteration. Company Size: Replit is a growing startup, likely meaning a dynamic environment with opportunities for significant impact and direct collaboration across departments. As of its last known funding rounds, it's likely a Series B or C stage company, indicating a balance between startup agility and established processes. Founded: Replit was founded in 2016, giving it several years of operational history and product development experience, building a strong foundation for its current mission.

Team Structure:

• The Staff UX Designer will report to the Head of Design, indicating a direct reporting line within the Design leadership.
• Collaboration will be tight-knit with Product Managers and Engineering teams within specific product "pods," suggesting an agile, cross-functional team structure where designers are embedded.
• Close partnership with Product Marketing, Support, and Data Analytics teams is essential for holistic customer understanding.

Methodology:

• Data Analysis & Insights: Strong emphasis on synthesizing both qualitative research data and quantitative analytics to form a comprehensive view of user behavior and needs.
• Workflow Planning & Optimization: Focus on improving the software building experience for users of all skill levels, requiring iterative design and research processes.
• Automation & Efficiency: Leveraging AI (Replit Agent, Assistant) to streamline the software creation process, which also implies a need for UX research to understand the effectiveness and usability of these AI features.

Company Website: http://replit.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Replit's mission to make programming accessible, coupled with its AI-powered approach, suggests a culture that values innovation, user empowerment, and rapid learning. The "Autonomous Work Environment" benefit aligns with a culture that trusts its employees to drive their work forward.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Staff UX Designer. This is a senior individual contributor role, signifying a high level of expertise, autonomy, and influence within the design and product organization. Staff-level roles typically involve tackling the most complex user problems, mentoring others, and contributing to the strategic direction of the design practice. Reporting Structure: Reports directly to the Head of Design. This provides direct access to design leadership and strategic alignment. Collaboration is expected to be highly cross-functional, working closely with Product Managers and Engineering leads within dedicated product pods. Operations Impact: The Staff UX Designer will have a direct impact on Replit's core mission by ensuring the platform is intuitive, accessible, and effective for a wide range of users, from beginners to experienced developers. Insights generated will directly influence product roadmaps, feature development, and overall user satisfaction, contributing to user adoption and retention.

Growth Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Opportunity to deepen expertise in advanced research methodologies, particularly those involving AI-driven tools and complex user segments. Potential to lead research strategy for new product areas.
• Leadership & Mentorship: As a Staff Designer, there's an expectation to mentor junior designers and product managers, helping them develop their research skills and apply user-centered principles. This can be a stepping stone to Principal Designer or Design Lead roles.
• Strategic Influence: Opportunity to shape the user experience vision for Replit, influencing product strategy and contributing to the company's growth by ensuring user needs are at the forefront of development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Staff" title suggests a career path that emphasizes deep individual contribution, strategic impact, and potentially informal or formal mentorship, rather than direct people management initially.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Replit maintains an office presence in Foster City, CA, indicating a hybrid work model. The description specifies an in-office requirement of Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This setup aims to balance the benefits of in-person collaboration and team cohesion with the flexibility of remote work. Office Location(s): Foster City, California. This location is within the San Francisco Bay Area, a hub for technology companies, offering access to a vibrant tech ecosystem. Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model with set in-office days is designed to foster collaboration, spontaneous discussions, and stronger team bonds. Expect a dynamic office setting where designers, product managers, and engineers work closely together.
• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to standard design and collaboration tools, likely including Figma for design, various research platforms, communication tools like Slack, and project management software. The company's own platform, Replit, will be a primary tool for many users and potentially for internal testing.
• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular interaction with UX Designers, Product Managers, Engineers, and other cross-functional team members during in-office days, facilitating knowledge sharing and cross-pollination of ideas.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time, with an expectation of 3 days per week in the Foster City office. This structured hybrid approach allows for focused individual work and planned team collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid requirement with specific in-office days suggests a structured approach to collaboration, ensuring that key team members are present for critical discussions and team-building activities.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screen: A recruiter screen to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and interest in Replit.
• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion with the Head of Design to delve deeper into experience, research philosophy, and strategic thinking. This stage often includes a review of the candidate's portfolio.
• Portfolio Presentation & Case Study: Candidates will likely present a portfolio showcasing their best work, typically focusing on 2-3 key projects. These should demonstrate the end-to-end research process, problem-solving skills, collaboration, and impact. Expect questions about your research methodology, decision-making process, and how you handle ambiguity.
• Cross-functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers and/or Engineers to assess collaboration skills, ability to influence cross-functional partners, and how you integrate research into the product development lifecycle.
• Final Round/Executive Interview: Potentially an interview with a senior leader to assess strategic alignment and cultural fit, reinforcing Replit's operating principles.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Process, Not Just Output: Clearly articulate your research process, from problem definition and methodology selection to synthesis and recommendation delivery.
• Highlight Impact: Quantify the impact of your research whenever possible. How did your insights influence product decisions, improve user experience, or contribute to business goals? Use metrics if available.
• Demonstrate Collaboration: Include examples of how you worked with cross-functional teams. Showcase how you translated complex user needs into actionable items for designers and engineers.
• Address Ambiguity: Given the fast-paced startup environment, be prepared to discuss how you handle ambiguous problems and evolving priorities.
• Tailor to Replit: Understand Replit's mission and user base. If possible, weave in how your skills and experience are particularly relevant to their product and audience (e.g., understanding developer workflows, making complex tools accessible).

Challenge Preparation:

• Research Scenario: You might be given a hypothetical design or product problem and asked to outline a research plan to address it. Focus on how you'd prioritize, choose methods, and define success metrics.
• Stakeholder Communication: Be ready to discuss how you communicate research findings to different audiences, including technical teams and leadership, and how you advocate for user needs.
• Handling Feedback: Prepare to discuss how you incorporate feedback on your research and designs, and how you manage differing opinions or priorities among stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "training team members" and "embedding with product pods" suggests that interviewers will be looking for candidates who can not only conduct research but also act as a research leader and coach within product teams.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable for collaborative design and prototyping).
• Research Platforms: Tools for usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback), survey creation (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Typeform, Google Forms), and potentially specialized platforms for qualitative data analysis.
• Collaboration & Communication: Slack, Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides), Jira, Confluence.
• Data Analytics: Familiarity with product analytics tools (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel) would be beneficial for synthesizing quantitative data.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Synthesis: Ability to work with data from sources like Amplitude, Mixpanel, or internal databases to complement qualitative findings.
• Visualization: Proficiency in creating clear and impactful reports and presentations using tools like Google Slides, Keynote, or specialized data visualization software.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a CRM/Automation role, understanding how user data flows through systems like CRMs or marketing automation platforms can provide context for user segmentation and journey mapping. Familiarity with how user feedback integrates into product management workflows is key.

📝 Enhancement Note: The job description does not specify exact tool requirements, but an understanding of modern design and research tool stacks, including those that integrate AI features, is implied. Proficiency with Figma and a variety of research methodologies is essential.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A core value, reflected in the mission to make programming accessible and the emphasis on user research. Expect a culture that prioritizes understanding and serving the user.
• Innovation & Iteration: Replit is a fast-moving tech company leveraging AI. This suggests a culture that encourages experimentation, rapid learning, and continuous improvement of the product and user experience.
• Ownership & Autonomy: The "Autonomous Work Environment" benefit points to a culture that empowers employees to take initiative and drive their work forward.
• Collaboration & Transparency: The hybrid model and the need to work across Product, Engineering, and Marketing highlight the importance of strong cross-functional collaboration and open communication. Replit also shares "Operating Principles" publicly, indicating a value placed on transparency and shared understanding of how the company functions.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Expect to work closely with Product Managers and Engineers, acting as a bridge between user needs and product development. Your role will be to ensure user insights are integrated seamlessly into the product lifecycle.
• Process Improvement Focus: A culture that values feedback and continuous improvement. This extends to research processes, where you'll be expected to refine methodologies and share best practices.
• Knowledge Sharing: As a Staff Designer, you are expected to share your expertise, mentor others, and contribute to building a strong design and research culture within Replit.

📝 Enhancement Note: Replit's "Operating Principles" (linked in the job description) are a key indicator of their culture. They emphasize principles like "Shipping," "Speed," "Customer Obsession," and "Ownership," which will heavily influence how teams operate and collaborate.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Rapidly Evolving Product: Replit is at the forefront of AI in coding, meaning the product and user needs are constantly evolving. Adapting research strategies to keep pace with these changes will be critical.
• Diverse User Base: Catering to a wide spectrum of users, from absolute beginners to seasoned developers, presents a challenge in segmenting research efforts and ensuring all user needs are met.
• Balancing Research Methodologies: Effectively managing multiple research initiatives simultaneously, each potentially requiring different methods and stakeholder management approaches, requires strong organizational skills.
• Influencing without Authority: As a senior individual contributor, influencing product direction and stakeholder decisions often relies on the strength of your data and communication, rather than direct authority.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Opportunity to gain deep experience with AI-powered tools and their UX implications, a rapidly growing field.
• Industry Exposure: Working at a leading company in developer tools and AI provides exposure to cutting-edge technology and product development practices.
• Leadership Development: The Staff level role provides natural opportunities to mentor junior team members, lead research initiatives, and contribute to the strategic direction of UX at Replit.
• Cross-functional Expertise: Deepening understanding of product management, engineering processes, and go-to-market strategies through close collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical of a fast-growing tech company, especially one innovating in AI. The growth opportunities are significant for a senior role focused on a critical function like user research.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to influence a product decision with research. What was the outcome?"
  • Preparation: Have a clear, concise story ready that outlines the problem, your research approach, the insights you uncovered, how you communicated them, and the resulting product change. Quantify impact if possible.
• "How do you approach research when working with a fast-paced, ambiguous product like Replit's AI features?"
  • Preparation: Discuss your iterative research methods, lean approaches, and how you prioritize research questions when information is limited or changing rapidly. Emphasize your ability to adapt.
• "Walk me through your process for selecting research methodologies for a new feature."
  • Preparation: Be ready to discuss how you consider research goals, project timelines, available resources, and the specific user questions you need to answer to choose the most appropriate methods.
• "How do you collaborate with Product Managers and Engineers to ensure research insights are actionable and implemented?"
  • Preparation: Highlight your ability to translate research findings into clear, concise, and actionable recommendations. Discuss your strategies for involving PMs and Engineers early in the research process.

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Replit's mission and its use of AI in software development?"
  • Preparation: Research Replit's mission, product, and recent developments. Show genuine enthusiasm for making programming accessible and for the role of AI in this space.
• "How do you align with Replit's Operating Principles?"
  • Preparation: Review Replit's published operating principles and prepare examples of how your past work or approach aligns with them (e.g., ownership, customer obsession, speed).
• "How do you handle disagreements or differing opinions on research findings or product direction with stakeholders?"
  • Preparation: Discuss your approach to constructive conflict resolution, focusing on data-driven arguments and collaborative problem-solving.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Structure your portfolio case studies as narratives. Start with the problem, explain your role and process, present key findings, and conclude with the impact and learnings.
• Visual Aids: Use clear visuals (e.g., mockups, journey maps, charts) to illustrate your points. Ensure your presentation is well-organized and easy to follow.
• Focus on Collaboration: Explicitly mention how you partnered with other teams and how your research influenced their work.
• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your methodology, decision-making process, and the challenges you faced.

Challenge Preparation:

• Research Plan: If given a scenario, clearly state your goals, target users, research methods, key questions, and expected deliverables.
• Prioritization: Demonstrate how you'd prioritize research efforts given limited time or resources.
• Communication: Practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely, as if you were presenting to a diverse group of stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "training team members" means interviewers will be looking for candidates who can not only deliver insights but also empower others to conduct research, showcasing strong communication and mentorship skills.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Staff UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.
• Portfolio Customization: Prepare a portfolio that highlights 2-3 key user research projects. Focus on demonstrating the end-to-end research process, your strategic approach, collaboration, and the impact of your work. Tailor your presentation to Replit's mission and user base.
• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 8+ years of user research experience, highlighting specific methodologies used, types of companies worked for (startup, B2B/B2C), and any experience mentoring or training others in research. Use keywords relevant to UX research and operations.
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your research process, how you handle ambiguity, your collaboration strategies with product and engineering, and your understanding of Replit's business. Be ready to discuss Replit's operating principles and how you align with them.
• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Replit's platform, its AI initiatives, and its target audience. Understand their mission to make programming accessible and how user experience plays a critical role in achieving this.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions based on the provided data. All details should be verified directly with Replit before making application decisions.