UX Researcher / Strategist - New York at Photon Career Site

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Researcher / Strategist Company: Photon Career Site Location: New York, New York, United States Job Type: Full-time Category: User Experience (UX) Operations / Design Strategy Date Posted: July 31, 2025 Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5-10 years) Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

This role is pivotal in shaping the user experience strategy for digital products, focusing on bridging user needs with business objectives through meticulous research and strategic design.
Key responsibilities include leading comprehensive user research initiatives, from qualitative interviews to quantitative usability testing, to gather actionable insights.
The position requires the creation of essential UX artifacts such as user personas, journey maps, wireframes, and interactive prototypes to visualize and test design concepts.
This UX Strategist will also be instrumental in developing and maintaining design systems, ensuring consistency and scalability across all digital platforms.
Collaboration is a cornerstone of this role, requiring close partnership with Product Management, Engineering, and Marketing teams to ensure user-centricity is embedded throughout the product development lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "UX Researcher / Strategist," the responsibilities and required experience suggest a senior-level role that leads and influences UX strategy, rather than solely executing research tasks. The emphasis on "design leadership" and "project management" indicates a strategic and potentially managerial component. The operations aspect lies in the systematic and data-driven approach to product design, ensuring efficient and effective user experiences that support business goals.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

Lead User Research & Insights Generation: Spearhead end-to-end user research, including planning, participant recruitment, execution of qualitative (interviews, contextual inquiries) and quantitative (surveys, usability testing) studies, and synthesis of findings into actionable insights.
Develop UX Strategy & Roadmaps: Translate user research insights and business requirements into a cohesive UX strategy, defining user needs, identifying opportunities, and contributing to product roadmaps with a user-centric perspective.
Design Artifact Creation & Prototyping: Create comprehensive UX documentation, including detailed user personas, empathy maps, user journey maps, site maps, user flows, wireframes, and interactive prototypes to communicate design concepts and validate solutions.
Information Architecture & Interaction Design: Define and maintain the information architecture for digital products, ensuring logical navigation and intuitive user flows across various platforms and devices.
Usability Testing & Iterative Design: Plan, conduct, and analyze usability tests to identify pain points and areas for improvement, iteratively refining designs based on user feedback and data analytics.
Design System Management: Contribute to the development, maintenance, and governance of a design system, ensuring consistency in UI patterns, components, and brand guidelines across all digital touchpoints.
Cross-Functional Collaboration & Advocacy: Act as a user advocate by collaborating closely with Product Managers, Engineers, Marketing, and other stakeholders to champion user needs and ensure alignment on design solutions. Facilitate workshops and present findings to diverse audiences.
UX Process Improvement: Continuously evaluate and refine UX research and design processes to enhance efficiency, quality, and impact, ensuring best practices are adopted and shared within the team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The description emphasizes a strategic leadership role in UX, requiring not just research but also the ability to translate findings into actionable strategies and comprehensive design artifacts. The "operations" aspect is inherent in establishing and managing efficient UX processes, design systems, and cross-functional collaboration to deliver consistent, high-quality user experiences that drive business outcomes.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Interaction Design, Cognitive Psychology, Computer Science, or a closely related field.

Experience:

Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in User Experience (UX) design, research, and strategy.
At least 2 years in a leadership, lead, or strategic role within UX, demonstrating the ability to drive projects and influence product direction.
Proven track record of successfully leading user research initiatives and translating insights into impactful design solutions.
Experience in developing and presenting user personas, user journeys, information architecture models, and wireframes.
Demonstrated experience in creating and iterating on interactive prototypes.

Required Skills:

User Research Expertise: Proficiency in a wide range of qualitative and quantitative user research methodologies (e.g., user interviews, usability testing, surveys, card sorting, tree testing).
Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop and articulate a clear UX strategy that aligns with business objectives and user needs.
Design Tool Proficiency: Advanced skills in industry-standard UX design and prototyping tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, or similar.
Information Architecture (IA): Strong understanding and practical application of IA principles for organizing content and navigation.
Interaction Design: Expertise in designing intuitive and efficient user interactions.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Excellent ability to work effectively with product managers, engineers, QA, marketing, and other stakeholders.
Communication & Presentation: Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas and present findings persuasively to various audiences, including executive leadership.
Portfolio: A robust portfolio demonstrating a breadth of UX research, strategy, and design work, showcasing problem-solving skills and impact on digital products.

Preferred Skills:

Design Systems: Experience in creating, implementing, or managing design systems and style guides.
Accessibility Standards: Knowledge of WCAG guidelines and best practices for designing accessible products.
Agile Methodologies: Familiarity with Agile development processes (Scrum, Kanban) and experience working in fast-paced, iterative environments.
Front-End Development Principles: Basic understanding of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to better collaborate with engineering teams.
Analytical Skills: Proven ability to analyze user data, identify trends, and make data-informed design decisions.
Problem-Solving: A methodical and detail-oriented approach to identifying and solving complex user experience challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirement of "5+ years" with "at least 2 years in a leadership or strategic role" positions this as a senior contributor or lead role. The emphasis on a "strong portfolio" is critical, suggesting that candidates will need to demonstrate their strategic thinking, research process, and design execution capabilities through case studies.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

Research Process Showcase: Detailed case studies demonstrating your end-to-end user research process, from problem definition and methodology selection to data analysis and actionable insights. Highlight how research informed strategic decisions.
Strategic Design Examples: Showcase projects where you developed UX strategies, information architecture, user flows, and wireframes. Emphasize the rationale behind your design choices and how they addressed user needs and business goals.
Prototyping & Usability Testing: Include examples of interactive prototypes you've created and detail your approach to usability testing, including how feedback was incorporated to iterate and improve designs.
Impact & Problem-Solving: Clearly articulate the problems you solved, the solutions you designed, and the measurable impact of your work on user experience and business outcomes (e.g., increased conversion rates, reduced user errors, improved task completion).
Design System Contribution (if applicable): If you have experience with design systems, showcase your contributions, including component design, documentation, and implementation strategy.

Process Documentation:

Research Plan Documentation: Evidence of well-structured research plans that outline objectives, methodologies, target participants, and key questions.
Design Specification Documents: Examples of detailed design specifications, including user flows, wireframes, and interaction notes, provided to development teams.
Usability Test Reports: Documentation of usability test findings, including severity ratings of issues, user quotes, and prioritized recommendations for design improvements.
Cross-Functional Handoff Artifacts: Examples of how you effectively hand off design work to engineering and other teams, ensuring clarity and understanding of design intent.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the "Strategist" aspect of the role, the portfolio should not only showcase design execution but also strategic thinking, research methodology, and the ability to articulate the "why" behind design decisions and their impact on business objectives. This aligns with how operations professionals demonstrate value through process efficiency and strategic implementation.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Estimated Range: USD $100,000 - $161,000 annually.
Rationale: This estimate is based on the provided minimum (USD $46,000) and maximum (USD $161,000) compensation figures, the specified experience level (5-10 years, with 2+ years in leadership), and the on-site location in New York City. A significant portion of the range is allocated to the higher end to reflect the strategic and leadership components of the role, typical for a UX Strategist in a high-cost-of-living area like New York. The $46,000 figure appears to be an outlier or a very low baseline, potentially for entry-level roles not aligned with the stated experience requirements. Therefore, a more realistic range for a candidate meeting the specified qualifications is applied.
Factors Influencing Salary: Actual compensation will be determined by the candidate's specific experience, skills, qualifications, and demonstrated impact.

Benefits:

Comprehensive Health Coverage: Medical, vision, and dental insurance plans.
Retirement Savings: 401k plan with potential company match.
Performance-Based Rewards: Variable pay and incentive programs tied to individual and company performance.
Work-Life Balance: Generous paid time off (PTO) and paid holidays.
Employee Well-being: Access to resources and programs supporting employee health and well-being.

Working Hours:

Standard: Approximately 40 hours per week.
Flexibility: While the role is on-site, there might be some flexibility in daily start/end times, subject to team and project needs. The emphasis is on delivering results and meeting project milestones.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range of $46,000 - $161,000 is exceptionally wide and potentially misleading for a role requiring 5+ years of experience and leadership. The $46,000 figure is likely an anomaly or placeholder. The enhanced range of $100,000 - $161,000 is a more accurate reflection of a UX Researcher/Strategist role with the specified qualifications in New York City, aligning with industry benchmarks for senior-level UX professionals.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Information Technology / Software Services Company Size: Photon is a global IT services and consulting company, typically indicating a larger organizational structure with diverse teams and projects. The exact size isn't specified, but companies of this nature often range from hundreds to thousands of employees. Founded: Photon was founded in 1999, suggesting a company with established processes, a history of innovation, and experience in navigating the evolving technology landscape.

Team Structure:

UX Team: Likely part of a larger Product Development or Design department. The UX team may consist of researchers, designers, and strategists working on various product lines or client projects.
Reporting Structure: The UX Researcher/Strategist will likely report to a Head of UX, Director of Product Design, or a similar senior leadership role within the product organization.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: This role necessitates close collaboration with Product Managers (defining product strategy and requirements), Engineering teams (implementing designs), QA (ensuring quality and usability), and Marketing (aligning user experience with brand messaging and go-to-market strategies).

Methodology:

Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasis on using user research data and analytics to inform design strategy and product decisions.
Agile Development: Likely operates within an Agile framework, involving iterative design cycles, frequent feedback loops, and close collaboration with development teams.
User-Centric Design Principles: A core philosophy of prioritizing user needs and experiences throughout the product lifecycle.
Design Thinking: Adoption of a design thinking approach, focusing on empathy, ideation, prototyping, and testing.

Company Website: https://www.photon.com/ (Note: The provided URL was for their career site, this is the general company website.)

📝 Enhancement Note: Given Photon's background as an IT services company, the UX team might work on a variety of client projects, offering exposure to different industries and challenges. This implies a need for adaptability and a strong understanding of diverse user needs and business contexts.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a Mid-Senior to Senior level within the UX discipline. It requires not only execution skills but also strategic thinking, leadership, and the ability to influence product direction. It's a step towards potential leadership roles like Lead UX Researcher, Principal UX Designer, or UX Manager.

Reporting Structure: The UX Researcher/Strategist will likely report to a senior leader within the UX/Product Design function. This provides opportunities for mentorship and exposure to higher-level strategic decision-making. Collaboration will be with peers in Product Management and Engineering.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is significant, influencing the usability, desirability, and effectiveness of digital products. By ensuring user needs are met and business goals are achieved through user-centered design, this role directly contributes to customer satisfaction, adoption rates, conversion, and ultimately, revenue and business growth. The strategic aspect means influencing the product roadmap and ensuring that user experience is a core driver of product success.

Growth Opportunities:

Leadership Track: Potential to move into a Lead UX Researcher or Principal UX Designer role, taking on more complex projects and mentoring junior team members. Progression to a UX Manager or Director position overseeing the entire UX function is also a possibility.
Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas like user research methodologies, interaction design, information architecture, or design systems.
Industry Exposure: Working with diverse clients and projects within Photon's IT services model can broaden industry knowledge and skill sets.
Skill Development: Continuous learning through internal training, external workshops, conferences, and exposure to cutting-edge UX tools and techniques.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a clear path for growth within UX, moving from strategic execution to leadership and specialization. The "operations" aspect of career growth involves developing expertise in process management, team leadership, and strategic planning within the UX domain.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is described as "On-site," implying a traditional office environment. This typically means a shared workspace with desks, meeting rooms, and collaborative areas.

Office Location(s): New York, New York, United States. This location suggests access to a vibrant tech and design ecosystem, with opportunities for networking and industry engagement.

Workspace Context:

Collaborative Spaces: Expect access to meeting rooms equipped for brainstorming, design reviews, and user interviews/testing sessions.
Tools & Technology: The workspace will likely be equipped with standard office technology, including high-performance computers, monitors, and access to necessary design and collaboration software.
Team Interaction: The on-site nature facilitates regular face-to-face interaction with colleagues, fostering a strong sense of team cohesion and enabling spontaneous collaboration on design challenges.

Work Schedule:

On-site Requirement: The position is strictly on-site in New York.
Standard Hours: While core business hours apply, the emphasis is on project delivery. Flexibility may exist in daily start/end times, but consistent presence and availability during core working hours are expected.

📝 Enhancement Note: An on-site role in New York City offers a dynamic work environment within a major business hub, facilitating direct collaboration and immersion in the company's culture. The emphasis on user research and strategy implies a need for focused work time, balanced with collaborative sessions.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review your application and resume, focusing on experience, skills, and alignment with the role's core requirements.
Portfolio Review & Screening Call: Candidates who pass the initial screening will likely have their portfolios reviewed. A subsequent call may involve discussing specific portfolio projects, your research process, and strategic thinking.
Skills Assessment/Case Study: You may be asked to complete a take-home design challenge or a live exercise focusing on user research, strategy, or problem-solving relevant to the role. This assesses your practical skills and approach.
On-site/Virtual Interviews: Expect interviews with the hiring manager, potential team members (other UX designers, researchers, product managers), and possibly cross-functional stakeholders. These interviews will delve into your experience, behavioral competencies, and how you approach UX challenges.
Final Interview/Offer: A final interview may involve senior leadership or department heads. If successful, an offer will be extended.

Portfolio Review Tips:

Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest, most relevant projects that showcase your UX research, strategy, and design leadership capabilities. Prioritize projects that demonstrate impact and problem-solving.
Tell a Story: For each project, structure your presentation clearly:
- Problem: Define the business and user problem you were trying to solve.
- Your Role: Clearly state your specific contributions, especially leadership and strategic responsibilities.
- Process: Detail your research methodology, design process, and problem-solving approach. Use visuals like personas, journey maps, wireframes, and prototypes.
- Solution: Present the final design solution and rationale.
- Outcome: Quantify the impact of your work using metrics (e.g., improved conversion, reduced errors, increased satisfaction).
Highlight Strategy: Emphasize how your research informed strategic decisions and product direction. Showcase your ability to think beyond individual screens to the overall user journey and product ecosystem.
Showcase Research Rigor: Clearly articulate your research methods, participant selection criteria, and how you synthesized data into actionable insights.
Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Expect questions about your decision-making process, challenges encountered, and how you handled trade-offs.

Challenge Preparation:

Understand the Brief: If a case study is provided, thoroughly analyze the problem statement, target audience, and constraints.
Prioritize: Focus on demonstrating your strategic thinking and process. You may not have time to complete a full, polished design. Show your thought process.
Research: If possible, conduct brief secondary research relevant to the challenge topic.
Structure Your Response: Outline your approach clearly, similar to your portfolio presentation (problem, approach, solution, rationale).
Time Management: Practice delivering your presentation or explaining your solution within a specified timeframe.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process heavily relies on the portfolio. Candidates must be prepared to articulate their strategic thinking, research methodology, and the business impact of their UX work. The emphasis on "strategy" means showcasing not just design execution but also how research influences product decisions.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

Figma: Widely used for UI design, wireframing, prototyping, and collaboration.
Sketch: Another popular vector design tool for UI/UX, often used for app and web interfaces.
Adobe XD: Comprehensive design and prototyping tool for user experience design.
Prototyping Tools: InVision, Axure RP, or similar for creating interactive prototypes.
User Research Platforms: UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, Optimal Workshop, SurveyMonkey, Google Forms for conducting usability tests and surveys.

Analytics & Reporting:

Google Analytics: For tracking website traffic, user behavior, and conversion metrics.
Mixpanel / Amplitude: For product analytics, event tracking, and user behavior analysis.
Hotjar / FullStory: For session recordings, heatmaps, and user behavior insights.
Tableau / Power BI: Potentially used for visualizing user data and research findings.

CRM & Automation:

While not directly a UX tool, familiarity with CRM systems like Salesforce or HubSpot can be beneficial for understanding customer data and business context.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in core UX design and prototyping tools (Figma, Sketch, XD) is essential. Experience with user research platforms and web/product analytics tools is also highly valued, showcasing an ability to integrate data into the design process.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

User-Centricity: Placing the user at the heart of all design and strategic decisions.
Data-Driven Insights: Valuing research and analytics to inform and validate design choices.
Collaboration & Transparency: Fostering open communication and teamwork across departments.
Innovation & Continuous Improvement: Encouraging new ideas and a proactive approach to enhancing user experiences.
Quality & Craftsmanship: Commitment to delivering high-quality, well-executed designs and research findings.
Efficiency: Streamlining processes and leveraging tools to maximize productivity and impact.

Collaboration Style:

Cross-Functional Integration: Actively partnering with Product Management, Engineering, QA, and Marketing to ensure a unified approach to product development.
Iterative Feedback Loops: Embracing a culture of continuous feedback and iteration on designs and research findings.
Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of research insights, best practices, and design techniques within the UX team and across the organization.
Proactive Communication: Maintaining open lines of communication to ensure all stakeholders are informed and aligned.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture likely emphasizes a blend of creative problem-solving and rigorous, data-informed methodologies. As a "strategist," collaboration and the ability to influence stakeholders are key cultural components.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

Balancing User Needs with Business Constraints: Effectively navigating competing priorities between user desires, technical feasibility, and business objectives.
Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring consistent understanding and buy-in for UX strategies and design decisions across diverse teams.
Rapid Iteration & Evolving Requirements: Adapting quickly to changes in project scope, user feedback, and market dynamics in a fast-paced environment.
Measuring UX Impact: Quantifying the ROI of UX initiatives and demonstrating their contribution to business goals.
Managing Multiple Projects: Juggling various projects simultaneously while maintaining high standards of quality and strategic focus.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

Advanced UX Research Techniques: Deepening expertise in specialized research methods (e.g., ethnographic studies, diary studies, advanced analytics).
Design System Expertise: Developing skills in building and scaling robust design systems.
Leadership & Mentorship: Opportunities to lead projects, mentor junior designers, and potentially manage a team.
Industry Trends & Technology: Staying abreast of emerging UX trends, tools, and technologies through conferences, workshops, and continuous learning.
Cross-Industry Exposure: Gaining experience across different industries through Photon's client portfolio.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the need for strong problem-solving, communication, and adaptability. Growth opportunities are tied to deepening expertise and taking on leadership responsibilities within the UX domain.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

"Describe a time you had to balance conflicting stakeholder requirements with user needs. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your strategic decision-making process, negotiation skills, and how you advocated for the user.)
"Walk me through a complex UX strategy you developed. What were the key insights, and how did they inform your design decisions and product roadmap?" (Highlight your research process, strategic thinking, and ability to connect insights to business goals.)
"How do you measure the success of your UX research and design efforts? Provide an example of how you used data to demonstrate the impact of your work." (Emphasize your analytical skills and ability to quantify the value of UX.)
"How would you approach designing a new feature for [mention a hypothetical product or a product Photon might work on] given limited time and resources?" (Demonstrate your prioritization skills, efficient process, and ability to deliver value under constraints.)

Company & Culture Questions:

"What do you know about Photon and our work in the IT services industry?" (Research Photon's website, recent projects, and company values.)
"How do you see your role as a UX Strategist contributing to Photon's success and client outcomes?" (Connect your skills and approach to the company's business model and client-centricity.)
"Describe your ideal team environment and how you collaborate with Product Managers and Engineers." (Align your collaboration style with the likely team dynamics.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

Start with the "Why": Begin by clearly stating the problem and the strategic objectives for each project.
Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (personas, journey maps, wireframes, prototypes, user quotes) to illustrate your process and findings.
Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, present metrics and data to support the success of your solutions.
Articulate Trade-offs: Discuss any difficult decisions or trade-offs you had to make and the rationale behind them.
Keep it Concise: Focus on the most impactful aspects of each project, respecting time limits.

📝 Enhancement Note: Be prepared to discuss your strategic thinking process, how you leverage research to influence product direction, and how you measure the impact of your work. The interview will likely assess your ability to operate autonomously and lead UX initiatives.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

Submit your application through the provided Oracle Cloud portal link. Ensure your resume and any accompanying documents are up-to-date and tailored to highlight your UX research and strategy experience.
Portfolio Customization: Select and refine 3-5 of your strongest UX case studies that best demonstrate your strategic thinking, research methodology, problem-solving skills, and impact. Ensure each case study clearly outlines the problem, your role, process, solution, and measurable outcomes.
Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to include keywords from the job description such as "UX Researcher," "UX Strategist," "User Research," "Usability Testing," "Information Architecture," "Prototyping," "Design Systems," and "Cross-Functional Collaboration." Quantify achievements wherever possible.
Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your portfolio projects, focusing on the strategic rationale behind your decisions and the outcomes achieved. Prepare answers to common UX interview questions, particularly those related to research, strategy, and collaboration.
Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Photon's services, client base, and company culture. Understand how your UX expertise can contribute to their success in the IT services industry.

⚠️ 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.

UX Researcher / Strategist - New York