User Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: User Researcher (Manager)

Company: Asana

Location: New York City, NY, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: User Experience Research (UXR) / Product Development

Date Posted: March 18, 2026

Experience Level: 8+ years UX Research, 2+ years Management

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Owns and drives the end-to-end User Experience Research (UXR) roadmap, acting as a strategic partner to Product, Design, and Engineering leadership.

• Leads a high-velocity team of researchers, fostering a culture of rigorous curiosity and mentoring them to influence product strategy from first principles.

• Conducts foundational, generative, and evaluative research to ensure product usability, desirability, and alignment with core user needs, with a focus on AI-native workflows and future product categories.

• Builds and manages Design Partner Groups (DPGs) to gather continuous feedback, translate it into actionable insights, and inform strategic product direction.

• Collaborates cross-functionally to shape pre- and post-launch strategy, synthesizing qualitative and quantitative learnings for product iterations (Beta, V1, V2, and beyond).

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a leadership opportunity within a newly formed product category at Asana, emphasizing strategic impact, team building, and first-principles product definition rather than purely execution-based research. The "Go-to-Market" aspect mentioned in the raw description likely refers to the strategic positioning and understanding of market needs for new product initiatives, rather than direct sales operations support.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and own the comprehensive UXR roadmap for a designated product area, aligning research priorities with Product, Design, and Engineering leadership.

• Execute and oversee foundational, generative, and evaluative research initiatives to validate product concepts, user needs, and critical user journeys.

• Establish, recruit, and manage a Design Partner Group (DPG), including planning feedback sessions, conducting studies, generating insight reports, and overseeing program operations (e.g., incentives, rotation).

• Conduct forward-looking research to understand evolving developer landscapes, AI-native workflows, coding agents, role blending, and emerging tools, translating findings into strategic product recommendations.

• Partner closely with cross-functional teams to inform pre- and post-launch strategy, synthesizing qualitative and quantitative learnings into actionable insights for product development cycles.

• Champion and scale durable research frameworks to underpin product thinking and innovation across the organization, elevating insights to inform strategic decisions and opportunity cost analyses.

• Contribute UXR expertise to cross-cutting strategic initiatives, including Strategic Planning, Reporting Foundations, Command Center & Goals, and Executive Dashboards, delivering discovery research and evaluative studies.

• Actively participate in design critiques and product reviews, applying a customer empathy lens to identify issues and influence product direction.

• Coach cross-functional partners on research best practices and empower non-researchers to self-serve foundational insights.

• Balance strategic, long-horizon research initiatives with tactical, just-in-time evaluative work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities indicate a strong emphasis on strategic leadership, team management, and influencing product direction. The "Align pillar" responsibilities suggest involvement in core strategic planning and executive-level reporting tools, requiring a broad understanding of organizational workflows and data visualization needs.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Computer Science, or a related field is typically expected for User Researchers.

Experience: 8+ years of hands-on experience practicing UX Research for digital products, with a minimum of 2 years of experience directly managing, mentoring, or leading a team of researchers in a fast-paced environment.

Required Skills:

• Proven ability to build and manage a strategic talent engine within a research team, moving beyond service-oriented research to architectural partnership.

• Expertise in defining new product primitives and strategies from first principles, particularly within ambiguous problem spaces.

• Deep proficiency across a wide range of qualitative research methodologies (e.g., interviews, ethnography, usability testing, diary studies) and quantitative methods (e.g., surveys, A/B testing, data analysis).

• Strong experience in foundational, generative, and evaluative research techniques.

• Demonstrated ability to build and manage Design Partner Groups (DPGs), including recruitment, program operations, and insight synthesis.

• Experience researching emerging technologies, particularly AI-native workflows and their impact on user behavior.

• Excellent persuasive communication and stakeholder management skills, with a track record of building high-trust relationships with Product, Design, and Engineering leadership.

• Ability to connect disparate product areas and identify cross-cutting themes with significant business impact.

• Comfort and proficiency in navigating ambiguity and translating raw insights into actionable product strategy.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in a high-growth technology company or a company focused on collaboration or productivity software.

• Familiarity with data analysis and visualization tools for synthesizing quantitative findings.

• Experience with early-stage product development and defining new product categories.

• Understanding of developer workflows and tools.

• A portfolio showcasing impactful research projects, especially those involving strategic product definition and team leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "scrappy and crafty" research methods suggests a need for adaptability and resourcefulness, prioritizing timely insights over rigid adherence to formal processes when necessary. This implies a pragmatic approach to research execution.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrations of end-to-end research ownership, from roadmap definition to insight delivery and impact measurement.

• Case studies detailing how foundational research insights led to the definition of new product primitives or significant strategic shifts.

• Examples of managing and scaling a Design Partner Group, including program design, participant management, and the actionable insights generated.

• Documentation of research conducted on complex workflows, particularly those involving AI, collaboration, or developer tools.

Process Documentation:

• Examples of research plans and methodologies employed for both strategic, long-horizon projects and tactical, just-in-time evaluative studies.

• Workflow designs for managing Design Partner Groups, including recruitment, onboarding, feedback mechanisms, and reporting structures.

• Documentation of how research insights were translated into strategic recommendations for product leadership and engineering teams.

• Evidence of developing and championing research frameworks that institutionalize customer empathy and inform product thinking.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's emphasis on strategic impact and defining new product categories, a portfolio should highlight not just research execution but also strategic thinking, leadership, and the tangible business impact of research initiatives. The ability to "connect the dots" across product areas should also be visibly demonstrated.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

The estimated base salary range for this User Researcher (Manager) position in New York City is between $234,000 and $275,000 USD per year.

Note: This range is a guideline and reflects market value for the role and experience level. The actual base salary offered will be determined by various factors, including market conditions, individual qualifications, and objective assessments during the interview process.

Benefits:

• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive mental health support, wellness programs, and fitness benefits.

• Career Development: Access to career coaching and professional development support.

• Family Support: Inclusive family-building benefits.

• Financial Security: Long-term savings or retirement plans.

• On-site Amenities: In-office culinary options catering to various dietary preferences.

• Equity: Potential for equity as part of the total compensation package.

• Sales Incentive Pay: Not applicable for this non-sales role.

Working Hours:

The standard working hours are approximately 40 hours per week. Asana operates on an office-centric hybrid schedule, with standard in-office days typically being Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Wednesday offers flexibility for remote work, and Friday's remote work status depends on the specific nature of the work and team requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is based on Asana's stated estimate for this role. The detailed benefits listed are directly from the job description, highlighting a comprehensive package aimed at supporting employee well-being and long-term growth.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology - Software, Collaboration Platforms, Productivity Tools, Human + AI Collaboration.

Company Size: Asana is a publicly traded company with a significant global presence, indicating a mid-to-large enterprise structure that allows for both specialized roles and cross-functional collaboration.

Founded: Asana was founded in 2008, suggesting a mature company with established processes but also a culture that fosters innovation and adaptation, especially with its focus on AI and new product categories.

Team Structure:

• The User Experience Research (UXR) team is part of the broader Product and Design organization, working closely with Product Management, Design, and Engineering.

• This specific role involves managing a team of researchers and operating within a newly formed product category, implying a dynamic and potentially agile team structure.

Methodology:

• Asana emphasizes a data-driven approach to product development, grounded in understanding customer needs and market dynamics.

• The role focuses on "first principles thinking" to define new product primitives and workflows, particularly in the context of AI.

• Research methodologies will span foundational discovery, generative exploration, and evaluative testing to ensure product-market fit and user desirability.

• A strong emphasis is placed on synthesizing qualitative and quantitative insights to inform strategic product decisions throughout the entire product lifecycle.

Company Website: Asana Careers (General careers page, specific job URL provided in input)

📝 Enhancement Note: Asana's positioning as a "Human + AI collaboration" platform suggests a culture that is forward-thinking, embracing new technologies and their impact on work. The company's emphasis on being "office-centric" while adopting hybrid elements points to a culture that values in-person collaboration for innovation and team cohesion.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role represents a senior leadership position within the User Experience Research discipline. It involves managing a team, setting strategic research direction, and significantly influencing product strategy for a new and high-visibility product category. This level requires not only deep research expertise but also strong leadership, strategic thinking, and the ability to drive organizational change through insights.

Reporting Structure: The User Researcher Manager will likely report to a Director or VP of Product, Design, or Research. They will directly manage a team of UX Researchers and collaborate closely with Product Leads, Design Leads, and Engineering Managers for the product area they support.

Operations Impact: The UXR Manager's impact is critical to Asana's success in launching new product categories. By deeply understanding customer needs, evolving work dynamics (especially with AI), and translating these into product strategy, they directly influence product-market fit, user adoption, and ultimately, revenue growth for new business lines. Their work ensures products are not just built but are also usable, desirable, and strategically aligned with market opportunities.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Expansion: Potential to grow into a Director or VP role overseeing larger research functions or broader product areas.

• Strategic Influence: Opportunity to shape long-term product vision and company strategy through impactful research and thought leadership.

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in emerging areas like AI-driven workflows, developer tools, or new collaboration paradigms.

• Mentorship & Team Building: Develop strong people management and team-building skills by nurturing a high-performing research team.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Gain experience leading initiatives that span multiple departments and influence across the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "ground-floor opportunity" mentioned in the description suggests significant potential for impact and growth, as the individual will be instrumental in defining and shaping a new product category. This implies a fast-paced environment with considerable autonomy and visibility.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Asana promotes an "office-centric hybrid" work model. This suggests a physical office space designed to foster collaboration, innovation, and team cohesion, while still offering flexibility through hybrid arrangements.

Office Location(s): The role is based in the New York City office. Asana has multiple global offices, indicating a company that supports distributed teams but emphasizes in-person collaboration for core team functions.

Workspace Context:

• The New York City office will serve as the primary hub for collaboration, team meetings, and in-person strategic discussions.

• The hybrid model allows for a balance between focused individual work (potentially remote) and collaborative team sessions (in-office).

• The environment is expected to be dynamic and fast-paced, supporting rapid iteration and product development, especially within a new product category.

• Access to cross-functional teams (Product, Design, Engineering) will be readily available for seamless collaboration.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is approximately 40 hours per week, with a hybrid arrangement. In-office days are typically Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, with Wednesday often flexible for remote work. Friday's remote work status can depend on the specific tasks and team needs. This structure is designed to facilitate effective collaboration and individual productivity.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "office-centric hybrid" model indicates a preference for in-person interaction for key team functions, suggesting that successful candidates should be comfortable with this balance and value face-to-face collaboration for strategic initiatives and team building.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

The interview process for this role will likely involve several stages, designed to assess research expertise, leadership capabilities, strategic thinking, and cultural fit:

1. Recruiter Screen: Initial conversation to understand your background, motivations, and alignment with the role.

2. Hiring Manager Interview: Deep dive into your experience managing researchers, strategic roadmap ownership, and approach to complex research problems. Discussion of your leadership philosophy and team-building strategies.

3. Research/Design Team Interviews: Sessions with peer researchers and/or design leaders to assess your research craft, methodological depth, and ability to collaborate effectively. May include portfolio review.

4. Cross-Functional Leadership Interviews: Meetings with Product and Engineering leaders to evaluate your ability to partner, influence, and drive product strategy based on research insights. This may involve discussing case studies or hypothetical scenarios.

5. Executive/Senior Leadership Interview: A final conversation, potentially with a Director or VP, to assess strategic vision, leadership potential, and overall fit with Asana's mission and values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Leadership & Strategy: Highlight projects where you defined research roadmaps, mentored a team, or influenced product strategy from first principles.

• Demonstrate Impact: Clearly articulate the business impact of your research. Quantify outcomes where possible (e.g., increased conversion, reduced churn, successful product launches).

• Structure Case Studies: For each project, outline the problem, your role, the research methods used, key insights, and the resulting product or strategic decisions.

• Highlight Ambiguity Navigation: Present examples of how you tackled ill-defined problems or worked with limited formal structure to generate actionable insights.

• Include DPG Management: If possible, include examples of building or managing user feedback programs or advisory groups.

• Focus on AI/Future Trends: If you have relevant experience researching AI, developer workflows, or future work trends, make these prominent.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for a potential research design exercise or a strategic problem-solving case study. This might involve outlining a research plan for a new product concept or analyzing a hypothetical user problem.

• Practice articulating your thought process clearly and concisely, especially when discussing complex research challenges or strategic trade-offs.

• Be ready to discuss how you would approach building and managing a research team, fostering a strong research culture, and driving research impact within a fast-paced, hybrid environment.

• Prepare questions that demonstrate your understanding of Asana's mission, its position in the market, and its approach to innovation and AI.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the senior and strategic nature of this role, expect interviewers to probe deeply into your ability to lead, mentor, and influence product direction. The portfolio should be a testament to your strategic impact and leadership, not just your research execution skills.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Research Platforms: Tools for survey creation, participant recruitment, and usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, Typeform).

• Collaboration Suites: Asana itself, Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides), or similar productivity and project management tools.

• Communication Tools: Slack, Zoom, or other real-time communication and video conferencing platforms.

• Prototyping & Design Tools: Familiarity with Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD is beneficial for understanding design artifacts and providing feedback.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Analysis Tools: Proficiency in analyzing qualitative data (e.g., Dovetail, NVivo) and potentially quantitative data analysis tools (e.g., Excel, Google Sheets, basic SQL, or statistical software like R/Python for advanced roles).

• Visualization Tools: Experience with tools like Tableau, Looker, or even advanced charting in Google Sheets/Excel for presenting research findings.

• Reporting Dashboards: Understanding how research insights feed into broader product and business dashboards.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct CRM management role, understanding how user data is collected, managed, and potentially integrated with CRM systems (like Salesforce, though less direct for UXR) can be beneficial for context.

• Familiarity with automation concepts in research tools or workflow management can be advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack for a User Researcher Manager focuses on effective research execution, team collaboration, and insight synthesis/communication. While deep technical expertise in development tools isn't required, understanding the product development ecosystem and how research integrates with it is crucial.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the user, ensuring their needs are at the forefront of product decisions.

• Rigorous Curiosity: A proactive, inquisitive mindset that drives deep exploration of user behaviors, motivations, and the evolving landscape of work.

• Collaboration & Partnership: A strong belief in working closely with Product, Design, and Engineering to co-create solutions and integrate research seamlessly into the development process.

• Impact & Ownership: A drive to ensure research translates into tangible product improvements and strategic business outcomes, taking ownership of the research roadmap and its influence.

• Craftsmanship & Rigor: Maintaining high standards for research methodology, analysis, and insight delivery, even when working in fast-paced or ambiguous environments.

• Adaptability: Embracing new technologies (like AI) and evolving work paradigms, and adapting research approaches accordingly.

Collaboration Style:

• Integrated Partnership: Researchers are embedded within product teams, working side-by-side with PMs, Designers, and Engineers throughout the product lifecycle.

• Cross-Functional Influence: The role requires strong communication skills to influence stakeholders across different disciplines, ensuring research insights are understood and acted upon.

• Mentorship & Coaching: A collaborative approach to team development, where senior members mentor junior researchers and coach non-researchers on research practices.

• Feedback Culture: An open environment for sharing work-in-progress, giving and receiving constructive feedback on research plans, findings, and strategic recommendations.

📝 Enhancement Note: Asana's stated values and the role's description emphasize a collaborative, impact-driven culture that values deep customer understanding and forward-thinking innovation, particularly concerning AI's role in work.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Defining New Product Categories: Navigating the ambiguity of building a new product line from scratch, requiring foundational research to identify unmet needs and shape unproven concepts.

• AI Integration Research: Understanding and translating the complex, evolving impact of AI on user workflows and mental models into actionable product features.

• Balancing Strategic vs. Tactical Research: Managing a dual focus on long-term, strategic foundational research and immediate, tactical evaluative needs within a fast-paced environment.

• Team Leadership in a Hybrid Model: Effectively leading, mentoring, and fostering a cohesive research team distributed across hybrid work arrangements.

• Driving Organizational Impact: Ensuring research insights consistently translate into measurable product improvements and influence strategic decisions across multiple teams.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Leadership Skill Development: Opportunities to hone people management, strategic planning, and cross-functional leadership skills.

• Emerging Technology Expertise: Deep dive into AI, automation, and future of work trends through dedicated research initiatives.

• Product Strategy Influence: Direct involvement in shaping the strategic direction of significant new product initiatives at Asana.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gaining a deeper understanding of Product Management, Design, Engineering, and Go-to-Market strategies by working closely with these teams.

• Industry Thought Leadership: Contributing to Asana's reputation in areas like collaboration, AI, and user experience research.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenges revolve around pioneering new product areas and integrating cutting-edge technology like AI, requiring a high degree of strategic thinking and adaptability from the research leader.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach building a UXR roadmap for a completely new product category, starting from first principles?" (Focus on identifying key unknowns, defining research phases, and prioritizing areas of inquiry.)

• "Describe a time you had to conduct research with significant ambiguity or limited resources. How did you adapt your methods to still deliver actionable insights?" (Highlight resourcefulness, pragmatic methodology, and focus on key learnings.)

• "How do you ensure your research team is an influential partner in the product-shaping process, rather than just a service provider?" (Discuss strategies for embedding researchers, building trust with stakeholders, and advocating for insights.)

• "What are your strategies for identifying and recruiting members for a Design Partner Group?" (Detail recruitment criteria, onboarding processes, and engagement strategies.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Asana's mission and its focus on Human + AI collaboration?" (Connect your passion for research and AI to Asana's strategic direction.)

• "How would you foster a culture of rigorous curiosity and customer empathy within your research team and across cross-functional partners?" (Discuss leadership style, team activities, and stakeholder engagement.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Tell a Story: Frame your portfolio pieces as narratives, detailing the problem, your strategic approach, the research journey, the key insights, and the ultimate impact.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the business value of your research (e.g., user adoption improvements, conversion rate increases, cost savings).

• Showcase Leadership: Highlight instances where you mentored researchers, defined team processes, or contributed to strategic decision-making beyond individual research tasks.

• Focus on Ambiguity & Innovation: Emphasize projects where you tackled novel problems or explored new product spaces, demonstrating your ability to define and navigate uncharted territory.

• Tailor to the Role: Select projects that best align with Asana's focus on collaboration, AI, and defining new product categories.

📝 Enhancement Note: Be prepared to discuss your leadership philosophy, your approach to strategic research, and how you drive impact through both your team and cross-functional partnerships. Demonstrating an understanding of AI's evolving role in work will be critical.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this User Researcher (Manager) position at Asana:

• Submit your application through the provided application link on Asana's careers portal.

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your 8+ years of UX Research experience and 2+ years of management/mentorship experience. Emphasize achievements related to roadmap ownership, strategic influence, team leadership, and research in complex/ambiguous environments.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate 3-4 key projects that showcase your strategic thinking, leadership, impact, and experience with foundational/generative research, especially concerning new product areas or AI. Ensure each case study clearly outlines the problem, your approach, insights, and outcomes.

• Research Asana: Familiarize yourself with Asana's platform, its mission, recent news (especially regarding AI), and its company culture. Understand how your role contributes to their strategic goals.

• Practice Your Narrative: Prepare to articulate your leadership philosophy, your approach to research strategy, and how you drive impact. Practice presenting your portfolio projects clearly and concisely, focusing on strategic contributions and outcomes.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description provides a comprehensive overview and strategic insights tailored for operations and research professionals. While based on the provided information and industry standards, it's recommended to verify specific details, particularly regarding compensation and day-to-day responsibilities, directly with Asana's recruitment team.