UX Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Researcher

Company: AvePoint

Location: Jersey City, NJ, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: User Experience Research / Product Design Operations

Date Posted: 2026-04-09T20:35:13

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (4+ years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is a specialized position within AvePoint's Product Design team, focusing on deepening user insights and advancing research methodologies for SaaS products.

• The Senior UX Researcher will lead both generative and evaluative research to uncover complex user problems and validate design solutions, ensuring a high degree of confidence in product development.

• A key aspect of this role involves operationalizing the research function by establishing and managing user recruitment pipelines and optimizing research workflows for efficiency.

• The position requires a strategic storyteller who can translate complex research findings into clear, actionable insights that directly influence product strategy and UI/UX iterations.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "UX Researcher," the description emphasizes a "Senior" level of experience and a proactive, role-defining capacity. The focus on "advancing discovery," "professionalizing the testing pipeline," and "operationalizing research" suggests this role is intended to establish a dedicated research practice within the existing product design team, moving beyond ad-hoc research conducted by designers. This requires a strategic and independent operator.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead and execute comprehensive generative research initiatives, including in-depth ethnographic studies and stakeholder interviews, to identify significant unmet user needs and define future product roadmaps.

• Design, plan, and conduct rigorous usability testing sessions to gather evaluative data, providing the product design team with definitive, evidence-based "Design Directives."

• Employ mixed-methods research approaches, integrating qualitative insights from interviews with quantitative data from A/B testing, heatmaps, and telemetry to provide a holistic understanding of user behavior.

• Synthesize raw research data into clear, concise, and actionable findings, acting as a specialized consultant to the UX/UI team for immediate translation into intuitive interfaces.

• Design, establish, and manage a sustainable user recruitment pipeline to ensure consistent and representative feedback from AvePoint's actual customer base.

• Collaborate closely with Product Designers, Product Managers, and Engineering teams to ensure research insights are effectively integrated into the product development lifecycle.

• Champion user-centricity across the organization by sharing research findings and advocating for user needs in product strategy discussions.

• Continuously evaluate and refine research methodologies, tools, and processes to improve efficiency and impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strategic and foundational aspect to this role. The expectation to "Advance Our Discovery," "Professionalize the Testing Pipeline," and "Operationalize Research" indicates this is not just about executing research tasks but about building and scaling the research function. This implies a need for someone who can define processes, select tools, and establish best practices from the ground up.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• 4+ years of dedicated UX Research experience, with a strong preference for experience within complex B2B, SaaS, or enterprise software environments.

• Demonstrated experience in building or optimizing a user recruitment program from inception to ongoing management.

Required Skills:

• Mastery of both generative (discovery) and evaluative (testing) research methodologies (e.g., interviews, surveys, usability testing, diary studies, ethnographic research, tree testing).

• Expertise in synthesizing qualitative and quantitative data, with the ability to discuss statistical significance and thematic coding.

• Strong proficiency in designing and conducting high-rigor usability tests.

• Experience in leveraging quantitative data sources such as A/B testing results, heatmaps, and telemetry data.

• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex research findings into compelling narratives and actionable insights for diverse stakeholders.

• Ability to work autonomously, proactively establish workflows, and select appropriate research toolstacks.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in data protection, data governance, or related enterprise software domains.

• Familiarity with Agile development methodologies and cross-functional team collaboration.

• Experience with research operations (R&D) best practices.

• Proficiency in specific UX research tools (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, optimal workshop tools, survey platforms, analytics tools).

📝 Enhancement Note: The "ideal candidate" description provides significant insight into the expected soft skills and approach. Emphasis on being a "Researcher's Researcher," "Collaborative Partner," "Independent & Proactive," and "Strategic Storyteller" are critical for success in this role, suggesting that technical proficiency alone will not suffice.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A robust portfolio showcasing a range of UX research projects, with a clear emphasis on impact and outcomes.

• Specific examples demonstrating your leadership in both generative research (uncovering new problems) and evaluative testing (validating solutions).

• Case studies detailing methodologies used, challenges encountered, and how research findings directly influenced product design and strategy, leading to measurable improvements.

• Evidence of experience in building and managing user recruitment pipelines, including strategies for participant sourcing and screening.

Process Documentation:

• Ability to document and articulate research processes, from planning and participant recruitment to data analysis and reporting.

• Experience in establishing and refining research workflows for efficiency and scalability, particularly in a growing team or organization.

• Examples of how you have operationalized research to ensure a consistent flow of user feedback, potentially including documentation of recruitment strategies or research ops frameworks.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role focused on establishing a research function, the portfolio is paramount. Candidates should be prepared to present detailed case studies that not only showcase their technical research skills but also their strategic thinking, ability to collaborate, and impact on product development. Emphasis should be placed on the "how" and "why" behind their research decisions and how those decisions drove business value.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $100,000 - $125,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans.

• 401(k) retirement savings plan with employer match.

• Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO) policy, emphasizing work-life balance and employee autonomy.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time working hours, likely around 40 hours per week, with an on-site work arrangement.

• The emphasis on "Unlimited PTO" suggests a culture that supports flexibility and employee well-being, though core working hours will be expected for team collaboration and on-site presence.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is a good faith estimate and is subject to final determination based on various factors. The inclusion of "Unlimited PTO" is a significant benefit that speaks to company culture, but candidates should clarify expectations around availability and response times during and outside of standard business hours. The total compensation package includes base salary plus benefits, and potentially variable compensation, indicating a comprehensive rewards structure.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software / Technology, specifically focused on Data Protection, Data Security, Governance, and Resilience for cloud environments. AvePoint is a global leader in this space, serving over 28,000 customers.

Company Size: AvePoint is a large enterprise, indicated by its global reach, extensive customer base, and approximate 6,000 MSPs, VARs, and SIs in its partner ecosystem. The company description suggests a significant employee base.

Founded: AvePoint was founded in 2001, indicating a mature and established company with a long history in the technology sector.

Team Structure:

• The UX Researcher will join the Product Design team, which is described as a "strong foundation of end-to-end UX/UI design."

• This role is specialized, intended to "deepen" the insights already generated by product designers, rather than replace them.

• Collaboration is expected with Product Designers, Product Managers, and potentially Engineering teams.

Methodology:

• AvePoint emphasizes a data-driven approach, with the UX Researcher expected to leverage both qualitative and quantitative methods.

• The company aims to provide a "trusted foundation for AI," suggesting a forward-thinking approach to technology and innovation.

• A core value is empowering employees to "craft your career, make an impact, and own (y)our future," indicating a culture that supports professional development and initiative.

• The company's commitment to "data security, governance, and resilience" reflects the core values embedded in its product offerings and likely influences its internal operational practices.

Company Website: www.avepoint.com

📝 Enhancement Note: AvePoint operates in a critical and evolving sector of enterprise software. The company's focus on data protection and AI suggests a need for rigorous, user-centric design and research to build trust and deliver robust solutions. The culture appears to value employee empowerment and professional growth, which is a significant draw for ambitious operations and research professionals.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a "Senior UX Researcher," indicating a mid-to-senior level of experience. It is a specialized role that has the potential to evolve into a leadership position within UX research or contribute to the broader operational excellence of the product development lifecycle. It's about establishing and owning a critical function.

Reporting Structure:

• The Senior UX Researcher will report to a leader within the Product Design team, likely a Head of Design or Design Manager.

• They will work closely with Product Designers, UX/UI Designers, Product Managers, and potentially engineering leads.

Operations Impact:

• The primary impact of this role is on product quality and user satisfaction by ensuring that product development is deeply informed by user needs and validated through rigorous research.

• By providing evidence-based insights, the UX Researcher enables the design and product teams to build more effective, user-friendly, and successful products, ultimately contributing to customer adoption, retention, and revenue growth.

Growth Opportunities:

• Defining a Function: The most significant growth opportunity is the chance to establish and shape the UX research practice at AvePoint, setting the standards, methodologies, and tools for future research initiatives.

• Leadership Potential: This role could serve as a stepping stone to a Lead UX Researcher or Manager of UX Research position as the company scales its research capabilities.

• Skill Expansion: Opportunity to deepen expertise in enterprise SaaS research, mixed-methods research, and potentially specialize in areas like data governance, security, or AI research.

• Cross-functional Influence: Gaining significant influence over product strategy and roadmap decisions through impactful research.

• Mentorship: As the practice grows, there will be opportunities to mentor junior researchers or product designers in research methods.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a unique opportunity for a proactive researcher to build a function from the ground up within a supportive team. The "Why This Role?" section explicitly states the opportunity to "define the research culture" and "have a seat at the table to influence product strategy," which are significant growth drivers for ambitious professionals.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site role in Jersey City, NJ. The description doesn't specify the exact office environment (e.g., open-plan, private offices), but it is within a corporate setting for a global technology company.

Office Location(s): Jersey City, NJ, United States. This location offers access to a major metropolitan area with good transportation links.

Workspace Context:

• The role is part of the Product Design team, implying a collaborative environment where designers, researchers, and product managers work closely together.

• The emphasis on empowering employees suggests a culture that values autonomy and initiative within the team structure.

• As an on-site role, there will be direct opportunities for face-to-face collaboration, brainstorming, and knowledge sharing with colleagues.

Work Schedule:

• This is a full-time position, typically requiring around 40 hours per week.

• While on-site, the "Unlimited PTO" benefit suggests a culture that supports work-life balance, though specific expectations around daily hours and availability will be set by the team and management.

📝 Enhancement Note: An on-site role in Jersey City offers the benefits of a dedicated workspace and direct collaboration opportunities, which are often crucial for building a new function and fostering strong team dynamics within a product development cycle. The proximity to New York City also offers potential for networking and professional development opportunities.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will likely review applications and resumes, focusing on experience in UX research, B2B/SaaS environments, and specific methodologies.

• Portfolio Review: Candidates will be asked to present their portfolio, showcasing relevant case studies that demonstrate their research expertise, problem-solving skills, and impact. This is a critical step for this role.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the hiring manager to assess fit, understanding of research strategy, and alignment with team values.

• Team/Cross-functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Designers, Product Managers, and potentially engineering leads to evaluate collaboration skills, communication style, and ability to integrate research into the product development process.

• Potential Research Challenge: A practical exercise or case study to assess research planning, execution, analysis, and presentation skills.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Impact: Focus on case studies that clearly demonstrate how your research led to tangible product improvements, user experience enhancements, or business outcomes. Quantify results wherever possible.

• Methodological Depth: Be prepared to articulate why you chose specific research methods and how they were appropriate for the problem at hand. Discuss both generative and evaluative approaches.

• Process & Synthesis: Clearly explain your research process from problem definition to insight generation. Highlight your ability to synthesize complex data into clear, actionable recommendations.

• Collaboration & Storytelling: Demonstrate how you collaborated with design and product teams. Present your findings as compelling narratives that resonate with stakeholders.

• Recruitment Strategy: If possible, showcase experience in building or optimizing user recruitment pipelines.

Challenge Preparation:

• Anticipate questions about how you would approach establishing a research function at AvePoint, your preferred research methodologies for different scenarios, and how you manage conflicting stakeholder priorities.

• Prepare to discuss your experience with quantitative data analysis (telemetry, A/B testing) and how it complements qualitative findings.

• Be ready to articulate your understanding of the B2B/SaaS product lifecycle and how UX research fits within it.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given that this role is about establishing a research function, the portfolio and the ability to articulate a strategic approach to research operations will be heavily scrutinized. Candidates should be prepared to discuss not just what they did, but how they did it and why it mattered.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• User Testing Platforms: Tools like UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, or similar platforms for conducting remote and moderated/unmoderated usability tests.

• Survey Tools: Platforms such as SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics, Google Forms, or Typeform for gathering user feedback and quantitative data.

• Prototyping & Design Tools (for review): Familiarity with how designs are created in tools like Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD, as research findings will directly inform these.

• Collaboration Tools: Microsoft Teams, Slack, Jira, Confluence for team communication and project management.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Telemetry Data Analysis: Experience with tools or platforms that provide user behavior data within the application (e.g., Pendo, Mixpanel, or custom solutions).

• Heatmap & Session Recording Tools: Tools like Hotjar, Contentsquare, or similar for understanding user interaction on web interfaces.

• A/B Testing Platforms: Familiarity with tools used for A/B testing (e.g., Optimizely, Google Optimize, or in-app A/B testing frameworks).

• Data Visualization Tools: Tools like Tableau, Power BI, or even advanced Excel/Google Sheets for presenting quantitative findings.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems (for understanding customer context): While not a direct tool for research, understanding how CRM data (e.g., Salesforce) can inform user segmentation and research participant targeting is beneficial.

• Recruitment & Participant Management: Potentially experience with specialized tools or databases for managing user research participants and recruitment pipelines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The job description mentions "A/B testing, heatmaps, and telemetry data" as quantitative methods. This implies the need for a researcher who can not only conduct qualitative research but also interpret and integrate quantitative behavioral data to build a comprehensive user understanding. Proficiency in synthesizing data from various sources will be key.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A fundamental value for the product design team, driven by the need to understand and address user needs in complex enterprise software.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasis on using rigorous research and data to inform product strategy and design choices.

• Collaboration and Partnership: The role is positioned as a collaborative partner to the UX/UI team, fostering a supportive and integrated working relationship.

• Impact and Ownership: Employees are empowered to make an impact and "own (y)our future," suggesting a culture that values initiative, accountability, and proactive contribution.

• Agility and Continuous Improvement: The need to "professionalize" and "operationalize" research points to a culture that embraces evolving processes and seeks ongoing improvement.

Collaboration Style:

• Integrated Research: The expectation is that the UX Researcher will work closely with Product Designers, acting as a specialized consultant to empower them with better data.

• Cross-functional Partnership: Collaboration with Product Managers and potentially Engineering will be crucial for aligning research findings with product roadmaps and technical feasibility.

• Open Communication: A culture that encourages sharing findings, providing feedback, and engaging in constructive dialogue to ensure user insights are effectively translated into product improvements.

• Proactive Engagement: The role's success depends on proactively engaging with stakeholders, identifying research opportunities, and championing user needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: AvePoint's stated values of "Agility, passion and teamwork" and empowering employees to "craft your career, make an impact, and own (y)our future" are critical indicators of the desired work environment. The UX Researcher will need to thrive in a culture that values initiative, collaboration, and a user-first approach.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Establishing a New Function: The primary challenge will be building and embedding a formal UX research practice within an organization that has previously relied on designers for research. This requires strong advocacy, clear process definition, and effective stakeholder management.

• Integrating Research with Agile Cycles: Balancing the need for thorough research with the fast pace of Agile development can be challenging. Strategies for efficient research and timely delivery of insights will be essential.

• Recruiting Diverse Participants: For enterprise SaaS products, recruiting representative participants from a specific customer base can be complex. Developing and managing a robust recruitment pipeline will be a key challenge.

• Demonstrating ROI: Clearly articulating the value and ROI of UX research to leadership and other departments will be crucial for securing resources and continued support.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Building Research Operations: Gain hands-on experience in setting up and scaling a UX research function, including defining best practices, selecting tools, and developing operational frameworks.

• Deepening Enterprise SaaS Expertise: Develop specialized knowledge in the unique research challenges and user needs within the enterprise B2B SaaS market, particularly in data protection and governance.

• Advanced Methodologies: Opportunity to refine expertise in mixed-methods research, advanced qualitative techniques, and leveraging quantitative behavioral data.

• Strategic Influence: Grow skills in influencing product strategy and roadmap decisions through impactful research advocacy and storytelling.

• Cross-functional Leadership: Develop leadership skills in collaborating with and influencing diverse teams across design, product, and engineering.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are directly linked to the growth opportunities. Successfully navigating the establishment of a research function will provide significant professional development and create a strong foundation for future career advancement.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach establishing a dedicated UX research function at AvePoint, given the current team structure?"

• "Describe a time you had to advocate for a research approach that was initially met with resistance. How did you overcome it?"

• "Walk us through your process for designing and executing a complex usability test for an enterprise SaaS product."

• "How do you balance the need for in-depth generative research with the demands of rapid product development cycles?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about AvePoint's products and the enterprise data protection market?"

• "How do you see your role contributing to AvePoint's mission of providing a trusted foundation for AI?"

• "Describe your ideal collaboration style with product designers and product managers."

• "How do you ensure your research findings are actionable and effectively communicated to non-research stakeholders?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly outline the problem, your approach (methodology), your role, the insights gained, the solutions influenced, and the impact/results.

• Highlight Key Decisions: Be prepared to explain why you chose specific methods, recruitment strategies, or analysis techniques.

• Showcase Collaboration: Detail how you worked with designers, PMs, and engineers.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your research (e.g., improved task success rates, reduced error rates, increased user satisfaction scores, impact on feature adoption).

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about any aspect of your presented work, from participant screening to statistical validity.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for this role will heavily emphasize strategic thinking, process definition, and the ability to demonstrate tangible impact. Candidates should prepare to articulate a clear vision for UX research at AvePoint and back it up with concrete examples from their past experience.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the AvePoint careers portal via the provided link.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your experience in B2B/SaaS UX research, mixed-methods expertise, and any experience in establishing or scaling research functions.

• Portfolio Preparation: Curate your portfolio to showcase 2-4 strong case studies that demonstrate your end-to-end research process, your ability to uncover complex problems, and the impact of your findings on product design and business outcomes. Ensure it highlights your ability to work independently and collaboratively.

• Interview Practice: Prepare to discuss your research methodologies, your approach to user recruitment, and how you synthesize data into actionable insights. Practice presenting your portfolio and answering strategy-based questions related to establishing a research function.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research AvePoint's products, target market, and recent company news. Understand their commitment to data protection, governance, and AI to better align your responses with their business objectives and operational context.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions tailored for operations and research roles. All details should be verified directly with AvePoint during the application and interview process to ensure accuracy and alignment with their specific requirements and expectations.