Lead UX Researcher - Digital Pharmacy

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead UX Researcher - Digital Pharmacy

Company: New Era Technology

Location: Remote

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: User Experience Research / Product Operations

Date Posted: 2026-06-18

Experience Level: 7+ Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the strategic integration of UX research and testing into the product development lifecycle for a digital pharmacy platform, ensuring continuous customer-centricity.

• Drive the design, execution, and synthesis of user research across multiple modalities, including usability testing, surveys, and contextual inquiries, to inform product strategy.

• Manage and collaborate with a specialized third-party research firm to ensure high-quality execution of studies, particularly with healthcare and pharmaceutical user populations.

• Translate complex research findings into actionable product recommendations and establish robust measurement frameworks to track the impact of UX improvements.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is "Lead UX Researcher," its responsibilities heavily involve embedding within product development and influencing strategy, positioning it at the intersection of UX Research and Product Operations, with a strong emphasis on driving measurable business outcomes through user insights. The digital pharmacy context implies a need for careful consideration of regulated industry compliance and accessibility.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Partner with client Product Leadership to embed a continuous UX research and testing strategy into the digital pharmacy product development lifecycle.

• Design, prioritize, and execute research initiatives across various modalities including moderated/unmoderated usability testing, surveys, interviews, and contextual inquiry.

• Coordinate study design, participant recruitment, and execution with a specialized third-party research firm focused on healthcare and pharmaceutical user segments.

• Develop unbranded prototypes and simulated experiences for testing new features, workflows, and bug fixes prior to live deployment.

• Translate research and testing findings into concrete, actionable recommendations for design and development teams, and oversee their implementation.

• Establish and operationalize a customer experience measurement framework using leading (e.g., task success rates, usability scores) and lagging indicators (e.g., customer satisfaction, adoption rates, support ticket volume).

• Synthesize and present research findings in clear, concise reports and presentations tailored for product and design stakeholders.

• Maintain a centralized repository of research documentation and user insights for accessibility by cross-functional teams.

• Act as a strong advocate for the end-user (patient and customer) throughout the product development process, ensuring their needs are paramount in all design and product decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a proactive, strategic approach to research, moving beyond ad-hoc studies to creating a systematic process. The mention of "unbranded prototypes" and managing a third-party firm suggests a need for strong vendor management and the ability to work within client-specific constraints, common in regulated industries.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

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

• Equivalent practical experience will be considered in lieu of a formal degree. Experience:

• 7+ years of progressive experience conducting UX research within product development or digital environments.

• Minimum of 2 years in a lead or senior individual contributor role with demonstrated leadership in research strategy.

• Proven track record of successfully embedding research practices into product development lifecycles and influencing product strategy and roadmaps.

• Experience managing and collaborating with third-party research vendors, particularly those specializing in healthcare, pharmaceutical, or other regulated industries.

• Demonstrated ability to design and execute a wide range of research modalities, including evaluative, generative, and benchmark studies.

• Experience producing low- to mid-fidelity prototypes or wireframes to facilitate user testing and experience simulation.

• Familiarity with defining, tracking, and reporting on customer experience (CX) or UX performance metrics throughout product development cycles. Required Skills:

• Deep expertise in qualitative and quantitative UX research methodologies, with the ability to select and apply the most appropriate methods to address specific research questions.

• Demonstrated ability to develop and manage vendor relationships with third-party research firms, including oversight of study design, participant recruitment, and quality assurance.

• Proficiency in creating low- and mid-fidelity unbranded prototypes using tools like Figma, Sketch, or ProtoPie for experience simulation and pre-production testing.

• Strong capability in establishing and operationalizing customer experience measurement frameworks that incorporate both leading and lagging indicators.

• Exceptional communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills, with a proven ability to influence product strategy through evidence-based recommendations.

• Familiarity with regulated industries, especially healthcare or pharmaceutical digital products, including an understanding of compliance and accessibility requirements.

• Strong organizational and project management capabilities to effectively manage multiple concurrent research workstreams. Preferred Skills:

• Experience working within agile development environments and collaborating closely with product managers, designers, and engineers.

• Familiarity with specific digital pharmacy workflows, patient journeys, and healthcare provider interactions.

• Experience with A/B testing and experimentation design to validate UX improvements.

• Knowledge of accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) and their application in UX research.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "regulated industries" and "healthcare/pharmaceutical" implies a need for candidates to demonstrate an understanding of compliance, data privacy (HIPAA, etc.), and the unique user needs within these sectors. The "Lead" title suggests the expectation of strategic thinking and the ability to mentor or guide others, even if not direct reports.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase case studies demonstrating a systematic approach to UX research, from problem definition to actionable insights and measurable impact.

• Include examples of research plans, methodologies used, participant recruitment strategies, and synthesis of findings.

• Present evidence of how research directly influenced product decisions, design iterations, and business outcomes, with quantifiable results.

• Demonstrate experience in creating prototypes or wireframes for testing purposes, with explanations of their role in the research process. Process Documentation:

• Detail your process for embedding research into product development lifecycles, illustrating how you ensure continuous user input at various stages.

• Provide examples of how you establish and operationalize CX measurement frameworks, including the selection of leading and lagging indicators and their reporting.

• Illustrate your approach to managing third-party research vendors, from vendor selection and onboarding to project oversight and quality control.

• Showcase your method for synthesizing research findings into clear, compelling reports and presentations for diverse stakeholder audiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's emphasis on strategy and embedding research, a portfolio should highlight not just individual studies but the system of research the candidate can build and manage. Demonstrating the ability to create and manage measurement frameworks is crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $80 - $105 USD per hour.

Explanation of Range: This range is based on the provided information for a Lead UX Researcher role in a fully remote setting, considering the experience level (7+ years), specialized industry focus (digital pharmacy/healthcare), and the strategic nature of the responsibilities. The hourly rate is typical for senior-level, specialized remote positions in the US tech market.

Benefits:

• Competitive Benefits package.

• Access to Continuous Training opportunities to enhance skills and knowledge.

• Support for Personal and Professional Development initiatives.

• Opportunities for growth within a global technology solutions company.

• Potential for involvement in impactful projects within the digital health sector. Working Hours:

• Full-time, typically 40 hours per week.

• Flexibility is required to meet project timelines and align with client schedules, which may include occasional work outside standard business hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is an hourly rate, which is common for contract or specialized roles, but also sometimes used for full-time positions in certain US markets. The benefits listed are broad; candidates should inquire for specifics. The flexibility requirement is standard for client-facing roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology Solutions, with a specific focus on Digital Pharmacy for a leading pharmaceutical client. New Era Technology provides end-to-end technology solutions, securely connecting people, places, and information.

Company Size: Over 3,000 professionals globally. This scale suggests established processes and a robust infrastructure, while also offering opportunities for impact within specific projects.

Founded: (Information not provided in the raw data, but inferred as an established company given its size). New Era Technology's mission is to connect people, places, and information with end-to-end technology solutions at scale.

Team Structure:

• The role reports to the Digital Practice Area Manager – Experience Design, indicating a structured design leadership hierarchy.

• Close collaboration is expected with the client's Product Leadership, UX/UI Designers, and Engineering teams, highlighting an embedded, cross-functional team dynamic.

• A specialized third-party research firm will also be a key collaborative partner, underscoring the importance of vendor management and clear communication protocols. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: The role is inherently data-driven, relying on user research and CX metrics to inform product strategy.

• Continuous Improvement: The emphasis on embedding research and establishing measurement frameworks points to a culture that values iterative development and ongoing optimization.

• User-Centricity: A core tenet is advocating for the end-user, ensuring their needs and experiences are central to all product decisions.

• Collaboration & Inclusion: New Era emphasizes a team-oriented culture that thrives through collaboration and inclusion.

Company Website: https://www.neweratech.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's "People First" ethos and emphasis on continuous learning and collaboration are key cultural indicators. For this role, the "client-embedded" aspect is crucial, meaning the candidate will operate within the client's culture while representing New Era Technology.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Lead UX Researcher, indicating a senior individual contributor role with significant strategic responsibility. It requires not only deep expertise in UX research but also the ability to define and embed research processes, manage external partners, and influence product direction. This level typically involves autonomy and a high degree of impact.

Reporting Structure: The role reports to the Digital Practice Area Manager – Experience Design. This manager likely oversees multiple design and research functions within the digital practice, providing strategic guidance and career development support. The day-to-day work will be heavily integrated with the client's Product Leadership.

Operations Impact: The Lead UX Researcher has a direct and significant impact on the success of the digital pharmacy platform. By ensuring user needs are met and the customer experience is optimized, this role influences key business outcomes such as customer adoption, satisfaction, retention, and potentially revenue. The ability to establish measurement frameworks directly ties UX efforts to tangible business results, demonstrating clear ROI.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to hone leadership skills in research strategy, vendor management, and cross-functional influence, potentially leading to more formal team leadership roles in the future.

• Industry Specialization: Deepen expertise in the complex and evolving digital health and pharmaceutical sectors, becoming a go-to expert in this niche.

• Process Innovation: Lead the development and refinement of UX research processes and measurement frameworks, contributing to best practices within New Era Technology and for their clients.

• Strategic Influence: Grow influence within client organizations and New Era's digital practice, shaping product roadmaps and technology strategies based on user insights.

• Continuous Learning: Leverage the company's commitment to continuous training to expand skill sets in emerging research methodologies, tools, and industry best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Lead" title implies a significant level of autonomy and responsibility for defining research strategy, not just executing it. The growth path would likely involve expanding influence, potentially managing a small team or becoming a recognized expert in a specific domain or methodology.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. This offers flexibility and the ability to work from any location, aligning with modern work trends.

Office Location(s): Remote. While the company operates globally, this specific role is designated as remote, meaning no physical office is required.

Workspace Context:

• Client Embedded: A primary aspect of the work environment is being embedded within the client's product development teams. This requires adaptability, strong communication, and the ability to integrate seamlessly with client workflows and culture.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: The role necessitates close interaction with client Product Leadership, UX/UI Designers, and Engineering, as well as the third-party research firm. This fosters a dynamic, collaborative environment focused on shared project goals.

• Technology-Rich: Access to and utilization of various UX research tools, prototyping software (Figma, Sketch, ProtoPie), and collaboration platforms will be standard. The company's focus on technology solutions suggests a well-equipped digital workspace.

• Fast-Paced: Described as a "fast-paced, client-embedded" environment, indicating a need for efficiency, agility, and the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.

Work Schedule:

• Full-time, typically 40 hours per week.

• Flexibility is expected to accommodate project deadlines and align with client schedules, which may involve working outside standard hours. This is common when working with client teams in different time zones or on critical project phases.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "client-embedded" nature means the candidate must be comfortable operating as an extension of the client's team, navigating their specific processes and culture while delivering on New Era's objectives.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a recruiter or HR screen to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion with the Digital Practice Area Manager – Experience Design to delve deeper into research strategy, leadership experience, and alignment with New Era's values.

• Portfolio Review & Case Study Presentation: A critical stage where candidates present their work. This will involve walking through 1-2 key projects, detailing the problem, your approach, the research conducted, insights derived, and the impact on the product and business. Expect detailed questions about your methodology, decision-making process, and challenges overcome.

• Cross-Functional/Client Stakeholder Interviews: Interviews with client Product Leadership, UX/UI Designers, or Engineering leads to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and ability to integrate with their teams.

• Final Round: May involve a broader discussion on strategic vision, problem-solving scenarios, or a final cultural fit assessment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 projects that best showcase your ability to lead research, manage vendors, embed research into product lifecycles, and drive measurable impact, ideally within regulated industries or complex digital products.

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly articulate:

  • The Problem/Opportunity: What was the business or user challenge?
  • Your Role & Strategy: How did you approach leading the research effort?
  • Methodology: What methods did you choose and why?
  • Execution: Detail participant recruitment, study design, and any vendor management.
  • Insights & Recommendations: What did you learn, and what specific, actionable recommendations did you make?
  • Impact: What were the tangible results (e.g., improved metrics, product changes, business outcomes)? Quantify whenever possible.

• Highlight Vendor Management: If applicable, explicitly detail your experience managing third-party research firms, including how you ensured quality and collaboration.

• Demonstrate Prototyping: Showcase your ability to create prototypes for testing and explain their role in validating hypotheses or testing new concepts.

• Metrics & Measurement: Emphasize your experience in establishing and using CX/UX measurement frameworks.

• Presentation Skills: Practice delivering your story concisely and engagingly, anticipating questions about your decision-making process.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for hypothetical scenario questions, such as: "How would you approach researching feature X for our digital pharmacy?" or "How would you measure the success of a new onboarding flow?"

• Think about how you would embed research within a fast-paced, client-embedded environment.

• Consider questions related to handling conflicting stakeholder feedback or difficult research findings.

• Be ready to discuss your approach to building a research repository and disseminating insights.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is paramount for this role. Candidates should be ready to demonstrate not just research execution but strategic thinking, leadership, and the ability to translate findings into business value. Specific examples of managing third-party vendors and creating prototypes are crucial.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Prototyping & Wireframing: Figma, Sketch, ProtoPie (demonstrable experience with portfolio examples is required).

• Research Platforms: Experience with various qualitative and quantitative research tools for usability testing, surveys, and interviews (e.g., UserTesting.com, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, Lookback, Maze).

• Collaboration Tools: Platforms like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom for remote communication and collaboration.

• Project Management: Tools such as Jira, Asana, Trello, or similar for tracking research workstreams.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Familiarity with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics) to understand user behavior data and complement qualitative insights.

• Experience with dashboarding tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, Looker) for visualizing CX metrics and research findings. CRM & Automation:

• While not a core CRM role, understanding how UX research impacts user journeys within a CRM context or how to leverage CRM data for research targeting might be beneficial.

• Familiarity with automation concepts in research (e.g., automated surveys, unmoderated testing platforms) is expected.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma, Sketch, and ProtoPie, along with the requirement for portfolio examples, highlights these as essential tools. Familiarity with various research platforms is also a given.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• People First: This is a core attribute of New Era Technology, emphasizing empathy, respect, and support for employees and clients. For this role, it translates to a deep understanding and advocacy for the end-user's needs.

• Continuous Learning: A commitment to ongoing professional development, staying updated on research methodologies, industry trends, and new tools.

• Collaboration & Inclusion: Working effectively within diverse, cross-functional teams (both internal and client-side), valuing different perspectives, and fostering an inclusive environment.

• Customer-Centricity: A strong focus on delivering exceptional customer service and ensuring the customer experience is at the forefront of all product decisions.

• Data-Driven Approach: Utilizing research findings and metrics to inform strategic decisions and demonstrate the value of UX initiatives.

Collaboration Style:

• Embedded & Integrated: The role requires seamless integration with client product teams, working as a collaborative partner rather than an external consultant.

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Proactive engagement with Product Managers, Designers, Engineers, and Client Leadership to ensure research insights are understood and acted upon.

• Open Communication: Maintaining transparent communication channels, especially with the third-party research firm, to ensure alignment and address challenges collaboratively.

• Feedback-Oriented: A culture that encourages constructive feedback exchange during research design, synthesis, and implementation phases.

• Knowledge Sharing: Actively contributing to a centralized repository of insights and sharing learnings across teams to build collective understanding.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "People First" and "Continuous Learning" values are central to New Era's identity and should be reflected in how a candidate approaches their work and interactions. The embedded nature of this role means collaboration is not just a value but a fundamental operational requirement.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Client Environments: Successfully embedding within a client's unique culture, processes, and political landscape while representing New Era's standards and driving UX initiatives.

• Balancing Research Modalities: Determining the optimal mix of qualitative and quantitative research methods, and managing both internal execution and third-party vendor contributions effectively.

• Translating Insights into Action: Ensuring that research findings are not just reported but are understood, prioritized, and translated into concrete product improvements by design and development teams.

• Measuring Impact in Regulated Industries: Establishing robust measurement frameworks that account for the complexities of healthcare/pharmaceutical compliance, patient privacy, and diverse user needs.

• Managing Stakeholder Expectations: Aligning diverse stakeholder needs and priorities, and effectively communicating research limitations or challenging findings.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Research Methodologies: Opportunity to explore and implement cutting-edge research techniques relevant to digital health.

• Client-Side Dynamics: Gaining deep experience in how large pharmaceutical clients approach product development and user experience within regulated environments.

• Vendor Management Expertise: Developing refined skills in managing and optimizing the performance of external research partners.

• Strategic Product Influence: Growing influence in product strategy and roadmap development through consistent, high-impact research contributions.

• Mentorship: Potential to mentor junior researchers or designers within New Era's digital practice, solidifying leadership skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the need for adaptability, strong interpersonal skills, and strategic thinking beyond pure research execution. The growth opportunities focus on expanding expertise within a specialized domain and developing leadership capabilities.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach developing a comprehensive UX research strategy for a new feature in a digital pharmacy app, considering regulatory constraints?"

• "Describe a time you had to influence product strategy based on user research. What was the challenge, your approach, and the outcome?"

• "How would you prioritize research efforts when faced with limited resources and multiple competing product priorities?" Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working within the digital pharmacy space, and what challenges do you anticipate?"

• "How do you embody the 'People First' or 'Continuous Learning' values in your work?"

• "Describe your experience working in a client-embedded role. How do you manage relationships and expectations?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Impact: For each case study, clearly articulate the "so what?" – the business or user impact of your research. Quantify results whenever possible.

• Highlight Leadership & Management: Emphasize your role in leading the research effort, managing the third-party vendor, and influencing stakeholders.

• Demonstrate Process: Walk through your research process from start to finish, explaining your rationale for methodological choices and how you synthesized findings.

• Showcase Prototyping Skills: Be ready to discuss the prototypes you created, their purpose in the research, and how they facilitated testing.

• Address Measurement: Clearly explain how you defined and tracked UX/CX metrics and their significance.

• Prepare for Q&A: Anticipate deep dives into your methodology, decision-making, and how you handle challenges or ambiguity.

📝 Enhancement Note: Prepare specific, STAR-method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) answers for behavioral questions. For case studies, focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, problem-solving, and measurable impact, particularly concerning vendor management and prototype usage.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead UX Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Greenhouse.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight experience in UX research leadership, vendor management, prototyping (mentioning specific tools like Figma, Sketch, ProtoPie), and work within regulated industries (healthcare, pharma). Quantify achievements where possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 strong case studies that demonstrate your strategic approach to research, ability to embed research into product lifecycles, manage third-party vendors, and drive measurable impact. Ensure clear articulation of problem, process, insights, and outcomes.

• Prepare for Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio case studies, focusing on storytelling, clarity, and demonstrating your strategic thinking and leadership capabilities. Be ready to discuss your process for establishing CX measurement frameworks.

• Research New Era Technology: Understand their mission, values ("People First," "Continuous Learning," "Collaboration"), and their role as a technology solutions provider. Familiarize yourself with the digital pharmacy domain.

⚠️ 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.