Staff UX Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Staff UX Researcher

Company: Narvar

Location: Remote - Canada

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: User Experience Research & Operations

Date Posted: January 23, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the strategic vision and execution for User Experience Research within a growing B2B2C SaaS organization, focusing on driving product innovation and user-centric development.

• Architect and implement a scalable Research Operations (Research Ops) framework, encompassing participant recruitment, tool selection, and an insights repository to foster knowledge sharing and efficiency.

• Drive the research strategy for critical platforms, including the Merchant Experience Platform, ensuring seamless user adoption and validating designs through rigorous testing and post-launch analysis.

• Serve as a strategic partner to senior leadership, leveraging deep customer intelligence and data-backed narratives to influence product roadmaps and challenge assumptions.

• Evangelize the value of user research across the organization, empowering designers and Product Managers with continuous discovery methodologies and best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a "Staff" level UX Researcher, indicating a senior individual contributor role with significant leadership and strategic influence. The emphasis on building a Research Ops framework from scratch and partnering directly with R&D leadership suggests a high degree of autonomy and a mandate to shape the UX research function. The "B2B2C SaaS" context is crucial, implying a need to understand both business and end-consumer needs.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and manage a comprehensive Research Operations framework, including participant recruitment pipelines, research tool selection and administration, and the establishment of a centralized insights repository.

• Develop and lead the end-to-end research strategy for the Merchant Experience Platform, focusing on validating designs during development and conducting post-launch research to ensure successful migration for global retail partners.

• Conduct foundational discovery research for new, high-impact 0-to-1 initiatives (e.g., Agentic Post-Purchase Experience, Track AI) to identify merchant pain points and consumer behaviors that directly impact revenue.

• Scale and manage the Design Partnership Program by establishing direct relationships with strategic retail partners, creating a customer advisory framework to foster co-creation of the Narvar roadmap.

• Collaborate closely with Product, Design, and Engineering leadership to translate research findings into actionable insights that inform strategic product decisions and shape the overall product roadmap.

• Act as a subject matter expert and advocate for user research, leading workshops, presenting findings in company-wide forums, and mentoring cross-functional teams on continuous discovery and research methods.

• Analyze qualitative and quantitative data to triangulate findings, identify key user needs, and provide data-backed recommendations without heavy reliance on data engineering support for foundational insights.

• Translate complex research findings into compelling, clear, and concise narratives tailored to diverse stakeholders, including C-suite executives, engineering leads, and product managers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic leadership (architecting framework, leading strategy) and hands-on execution (conducting discovery, analyzing data). The emphasis on "0-to-1 initiatives" and "scaling" the Design Partnership Program suggests a focus on innovation and growth. The requirement to "translate complex findings into compelling narratives" points to strong communication and storytelling skills being essential.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Minimum of 8+ years of progressive experience in User Experience Research, with a significant portion dedicated to building, maturing, or leading research functions within B2B2C SaaS environments.

• Demonstrated success in establishing and operationalizing research functions from inception, including defining processes, selecting tools, and building recruitment strategies.

Required Skills:

• UX Research Expertise: Deep mastery of mixed-methods research, including ethnographic field studies, longitudinal diary studies, usability testing (moderated and unmoderated), concept testing, and survey design.

• Research Operations (Research Ops): Proven ability to architect, implement, and manage scalable Research Ops frameworks, including participant recruitment, consent management, tool selection, and insights repository management.

• B2B SaaS Context: Strong understanding of the unique dynamics of B2B research, including navigating organizational gatekeepers, recruiting busy professionals, and balancing the needs of different user personas (e.g., buyer vs. end-user).

• Data Analysis & Synthesis: Proficiency in analyzing qualitative and quantitative data from various sources to synthesize findings, identify patterns, and derive actionable insights without heavy reliance on dedicated data analytics teams for foundational work.

• Strategic Impact: Ability to translate research findings into compelling narratives and strategic recommendations that influence product roadmaps and drive business impact.

• Stakeholder Management: Excellent communication and collaboration skills to effectively partner with Product, Design, Engineering, and Senior Leadership teams.

• Mentorship & Advocacy: Experience in evangelizing research practices and mentoring junior team members or cross-functional colleagues on research methodologies.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with specific UX research tools such as UserTesting.com, Maze, Lookback, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, Dovetail, or similar platforms.

• Familiarity with product analytics tools (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel) for data triangulation.

• Experience in a fast-paced, high-growth startup or scale-up environment.

• Understanding of e-commerce and post-purchase customer journeys.

📝 Enhancement Note: The minimum experience requirement of 8+ years is noted, but the "Staff" title and responsibilities suggest that candidates with 10+ years of experience will be strongly preferred, aligning with the AI-generated experience level of "10+". The emphasis on "building or maturing" research functions from scratch is a critical differentiator.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A robust portfolio is mandatory, demonstrating a strong track record of successfully launching entirely new product categories and optimizing existing, high-traffic user experiences.

• Showcase case studies that highlight your ability to define and implement research strategies for complex B2B SaaS products and platforms.

• Provide examples of how you have built or significantly matured a UX research function, including the development of Research Ops frameworks, recruitment strategies, and insights repositories.

• Include evidence of your mixed-methods research approach, detailing how you applied various qualitative and quantitative techniques to solve specific user or business problems.

Process Documentation:

• Candidates should be prepared to discuss their approach to documenting research processes, including participant consent, data privacy protocols, and knowledge management for research insights.

• Examples of how you have established workflows for continuous discovery and how research insights are integrated into product development cycles are highly valued.

• Be ready to explain your methods for selecting and implementing research tools and technologies to support scalable research operations.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Staff-level role focused on building infrastructure, the portfolio must go beyond showcasing individual research projects. It needs to demonstrate strategic thinking, the ability to build systems, and a deep understanding of how research operations scale and impact an organization. Showing evidence of building a "blank page" function is key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $200,000 - $220,000 CAD per year.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Includes medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• Generous Paid Time Off: Vacation days, personal days, and company holidays.

• Annual Bonus: Performance-based bonus opportunities.

• Equity: Stock options or grants as part of the compensation package.

• Retirement Savings Plan: Contribution matching or similar programs.

• Professional Development: Budget for conferences, training, and certifications.

• Remote Work Stipend: Support for home office setup and ongoing remote work expenses.

• Parental Leave: Supportive policies for new parents.

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Confidential counseling and support services.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours (approximately 40 hours per week), with flexibility for remote work and global team collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is in CAD, aligning with the "Remote - Canada" location. This is a senior-level compensation band for UX Research roles in Canada, especially for a Staff position in a growing tech company. The additional components like bonus and equity are standard for this level.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: E-commerce Technology / SaaS (Software as a Service)

Company Size: Narvar is a scale-up company. While the exact current number isn't specified, Greenhouse data typically indicates companies with 200-1000+ employees when using this platform for hiring. This implies a dynamic environment with established processes but still room for evolution and impact.

Founded: Narvar was founded in 2012. This provides a decade+ of experience in the market, suggesting a stable foundation and a history of product development and customer acquisition.

Team Structure:

• The UX Research function will likely sit within the Product or R&D organization, reporting to a Director or VP level.

• This role is strategic and will partner closely with Product Management, Design, Engineering Leadership, and potentially Marketing and Customer Success.

Methodology:

• Narvar emphasizes an evidence-driven product culture, meaning decisions are informed by data and user insights.

• The company utilizes a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods to understand user behavior and business needs.

• There's a strong focus on collaboration across disciplines to ensure a cohesive and effective product development process.

• The "Agentic Post-Purchase Experience" and "Track AI" mentioned suggest a forward-thinking approach, likely incorporating AI and automation into their solutions.

Company Website: https://corp.narvar.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Narvar's focus on post-purchase experiences is a unique niche within e-commerce. Understanding this domain will be crucial for success. The company's mission to "simplify the everyday lives of consumers" and its work with major brands suggest a commitment to user value and scale.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Staff UX Researcher - This is a senior individual contributor role. It signifies a high level of expertise, strategic thinking, and the ability to operate with significant autonomy. Staff-level roles often involve mentoring, influencing broader organizational strategy, and tackling the most complex challenges.

Reporting Structure: You will likely report to a Director or VP of Product, Design, or R&D. This position is designed to be a strategic partner to leadership, influencing the product roadmap and research direction.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct and significant impact on revenue by:

• Ensuring products meet the needs of merchants (who pay Narvar) and consumers (who drive transactions).

• Validating new product initiatives that aim to drive new revenue streams (e.g., AI products).

• Optimizing existing experiences to increase customer satisfaction, retention, and loyalty, which directly impacts merchant value and thus Narvar's recurring revenue.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership of Research Ops: Opportunity to build and lead the Research Operations function from the ground up, defining its strategy, processes, and team structure.

• Strategic Influence: Direct impact on the product roadmap and company strategy by providing critical customer intelligence to senior leadership.

• Mentorship & Team Building: Potential to mentor junior researchers, designers, and PMs, and to shape the future of the UX research team at Narvar.

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in B2B2C SaaS research, particularly within the e-commerce and post-purchase domain, and potentially in emerging areas like AI-driven user experiences.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Lead research initiatives across multiple product lines and collaborate with diverse stakeholders, enhancing leadership and communication skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Staff" title implies a career path that moves beyond individual contribution to strategic influence and potentially team leadership. The emphasis on building a function from scratch provides a unique opportunity for an ambitious researcher to make a significant mark.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. This means the primary work environment is home-based, requiring self-discipline and effective remote collaboration tools.

Office Location(s): Remote - Canada. This designation means candidates must be legally authorized to work in Canada and reside within the country. Specific provinces or time zone alignment may be preferred for team collaboration.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: While remote, the role requires strong collaboration with distributed teams across Product, Design, and Engineering. Expect frequent video calls, asynchronous communication, and use of collaboration platforms.

• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to a suite of digital tools for communication (e.g., Slack, Zoom), project management (e.g., Jira, Asana), and UX research (e.g., UserTesting.com, Dovetail).

• Operations Team Interaction: Regular interaction with product teams, including designers and product managers, to integrate research into their workflows. Opportunities to engage with senior leadership for strategic alignment.

Work Schedule: While standard full-time hours are expected, the remote nature and potential for global collaboration may necessitate some flexibility in working hours to accommodate teams in different time zones. The focus is on output and achieving research objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Remote - Canada" location is a key constraint. Candidates must be based in Canada. The emphasis on "evidence-driven" and "user intelligence" suggests a culture that values data and research, which should translate into a supportive environment for the UX Research function.

📄 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, and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Presentation: A significant portion of the interview process will involve presenting a curated portfolio. This is where you'll showcase your experience in building research functions, leading strategic research initiatives, and driving product impact. Expect to detail your process, methodologies, and outcomes.

• Research Deep Dive: Interviews with UX designers, Product Managers, and potentially Engineering leads to discuss your research approach, problem-solving skills, and ability to collaborate.

• Leadership & Strategy Interview: A conversation with senior leadership (e.g., VP Product/R&D) to assess your strategic thinking, ability to influence roadmaps, and vision for building a research function.

• Research Ops Focus: Specific questions may probe your experience in establishing Research Ops frameworks, participant recruitment strategies, and insights management.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight "Building" Experience: Focus on case studies where you built or significantly improved research processes or functions, especially from a "blank page" scenario.

• Showcase Strategic Impact: Clearly articulate how your research influenced product strategy, roadmap decisions, or business outcomes (e.g., revenue, retention, adoption). Quantify impact where possible.

• Demonstrate Mixed Methods: Present examples that show your proficiency across a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods.

• Address B2B Context: Include examples that demonstrate your understanding of B2B research complexities, such as navigating enterprise sales cycles or recruiting specific professional user groups.

• Structure for Clarity: Organize your portfolio by project or theme, clearly outlining the problem, your research approach, key findings, and the impact of your work. Use visuals where appropriate.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for potential scenario-based questions or a take-home exercise focused on a product problem. This might involve outlining a research plan, identifying key questions, or synthesizing hypothetical data.

• Practice articulating your research process and findings concisely and persuasively, as you'll need to communicate complex information to diverse audiences.

• Research Narvar's products and the post-purchase e-commerce landscape to demonstrate your understanding of their business and user needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is paramount for this role. Candidates must be ready to present detailed case studies that showcase their ability to build capabilities, not just execute research. The "Staff" level implies a need for strategic vision and the ability to articulate that vision clearly.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• UX Research Platforms: Experience with platforms like UserTesting.com, Maze, Lookback, UserZoom, or similar for usability testing, remote moderated/unmoderated research.

• Qualitative Data Analysis: Proficiency with tools like Dovetail, NVivo, or similar for organizing, analyzing, and synthesizing qualitative data.

• Survey & Form Tools: Expertise in Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, Google Forms, or Typeform for survey design and deployment.

• Participant Management: Familiarity with tools or processes for managing research participant databases, recruitment, scheduling, and incentives.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not the primary focus, familiarity with product analytics tools such as Amplitude, Mixpanel, or Google Analytics would be beneficial for data triangulation and understanding user behavior at scale.

CRM & Automation:

• Understanding of CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms is helpful in a B2B2C context, particularly for understanding merchant engagement and customer journey mapping.

• Awareness of how research insights can feed into customer success and retention strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core requirement is deep expertise in UX research tools and methodologies. Familiarity with analytics tools is a plus for triangulating data, but the primary focus remains on qualitative and mixed-methods research execution and operations.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the needs of both merchants and end consumers, driving decisions based on user intelligence.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Valuing rigorous research and data analysis to inform strategy, challenge assumptions, and measure impact.

• Collaboration & Partnership: Working effectively across Product, Design, Engineering, and other departments to achieve shared goals.

• Innovation & Agility: Embracing new challenges, experimenting with new approaches, and adapting to a fast-paced, evolving market.

• Impact & Ownership: Taking initiative, owning outcomes, and driving tangible results that contribute to Narvar's mission and business objectives.

• Ego-Free Collaboration: A culture that prioritizes collective success and open feedback over individual recognition.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Research insights are expected to be seamlessly integrated into the product development lifecycle, requiring close collaboration with Product Managers and Designers.

• Process Improvement Culture: An openness to refining and improving existing processes, particularly in building out the Research Ops framework, and valuing feedback exchange.

• Knowledge Sharing: A commitment to sharing research findings broadly and effectively, ensuring insights are accessible and actionable across the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated values emphasize collaboration, user focus, and data-driven approaches, which are all critical for a successful UX research function. The "big hearts" and "leave egos at the door" sentiment suggests a positive and supportive team environment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Building Research Ops from Scratch: Establishing a scalable and efficient Research Ops framework requires strategic planning, stakeholder buy-in, and overcoming potential resource constraints.

• Balancing B2B and B2C Research: Navigating the distinct needs and research complexities of both enterprise merchants and end consumers within a single platform.

• Influencing Senior Leadership: Effectively translating research findings into compelling narratives that drive strategic decisions at the executive level.

• Scaling Research Impact: Ensuring that research efforts keep pace with rapid product development and company growth, while maintaining rigor.

• Evangelizing Research: Continually demonstrating the value of UX research to stakeholders who may not be deeply familiar with its methodologies or impact.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Strategic Leadership Development: Gaining experience in shaping the direction of a research function and influencing company-wide product strategy.

• Research Ops Specialization: Deepening expertise in building and managing Research Operations infrastructure, a highly sought-after skill.

• Industry Trends: Staying at the forefront of UX research methodologies, tools, and emerging areas like AI in research.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Expanding knowledge of product management, engineering, and business operations within a SaaS context.

• Mentorship: Opportunity to mentor junior researchers and contribute to the growth of the UX community within Narvar.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge is the foundational aspect of building Research Ops. This offers a significant growth opportunity for a candidate who thrives on establishing processes and setting strategic direction.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your experience in building a Research Ops framework from the ground up. What were your key priorities, challenges, and successes?" (Focus on process, scalability, and impact.)

• "How would you approach developing a research strategy for a new, ambitious initiative like Agentic Post-Purchase Experience, considering both merchant and consumer needs?" (Demonstrate strategic planning and understanding of B2B2C context.)

• "Walk us through a complex B2B research project where you had to navigate organizational gatekeepers or balance conflicting stakeholder needs. What was your approach and outcome?" (Highlight stakeholder management and B2B acumen.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why Narvar? What interests you about our mission and the post-purchase space?" (Research Narvar's products, competitors, and company values.)

• "How do you see your role influencing Narvar's product roadmap and overall company strategy?" (Connect your skills to strategic impact.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Begin with your most relevant experience (e.g., building research functions, leading strategic initiatives).

• STAR Method: For each case study, clearly articulate the Situation, Task, Action, and Result, emphasizing your specific contributions and the impact of your work.

• Quantify Success: Whenever possible, use metrics and data to demonstrate the impact of your research (e.g., increased conversion, reduced churn, improved satisfaction scores).

• Visual Aids: Use clear visuals (e.g., journey maps, personas, key UI mockups, data charts) to illustrate your process and findings.

• Focus on "Why": Explain the strategic rationale behind your research approaches and decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should heavily focus on demonstrating the ability to build and lead, not just execute research. Candidates should be ready to articulate their vision for UX research at Narvar and how they would operationalize it.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided Greenhouse link.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight experiences in building research functions, strategic research leadership, and driving impact in B2B2C SaaS environments. Prioritize case studies that demonstrate your ability to work from a "blank page."

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly outlines your 8+ years of relevant UX research experience, specifically mentioning B2B2C SaaS, Research Ops development, and strategic influence. Use keywords like "Research Strategy," "Research Ops," "Mixed Methods," "Stakeholder Management," and "Product Roadmap Influence."

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your research process, methodologies, and strategic thinking using the STAR method. Prepare specific examples for how you would build and scale a research function at Narvar.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Narvar's products, target markets (retailers and consumers), and company culture. Understand their mission and how UX research contributes to their success in the post-purchase e-commerce space.

⚠️ 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.