Senior User Experience (UX) Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior User Experience (UX) Researcher

Company: Air Canada Vacations / Air Canada Rouge

Location: Montreal, QC, Canada

Job Type: Permanent, Full-Time

Category: Digital Product & Design - User Experience Research

Date Posted: July 30, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead strategic UX research initiatives to deeply understand traveler needs, motivations, and behaviors throughout the vacation booking journey.

• Drive the design and improvement of the Air Canada Vacations website by translating complex user insights into actionable product and design recommendations.

• Conduct comprehensive qualitative and quantitative research, including in-depth customer interviews, usability testing, and persona development, to inform digital product strategy.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with Product Owners, UX/UI Designers, and business stakeholders to ensure user-centered design principles are embedded in product development and feature prioritization.

• Enhance the traveler experience by identifying and addressing pain points, optimizing user flows, and validating design solutions to increase online bookings and customer satisfaction.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is critical for a B2C travel company focused on driving bookings. The Senior UX Researcher will be instrumental in bridging the gap between user needs and business objectives by providing data-driven insights that directly influence website design, feature development, and overall customer journey optimization. The emphasis on the "booking experience" and "drive bookings" indicates a strong focus on conversion optimization through user-centric design.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and execute comprehensive UX research plans, defining research goals, methodologies, and timelines to align with product roadmaps and business objectives.

• Lead qualitative research efforts, including planning, recruiting, and conducting in-depth customer interviews and discovery sessions to uncover trip planning behaviors, booking preferences, and pain points.

• Develop and document data-driven traveler personas and detailed end-to-end user journey maps that illustrate key touchpoints and identify friction points within the website and digital channels.

• Plan and conduct usability testing on wireframes and interactive prototypes to evaluate the ease of use for core functionalities like destination search, package comparison, and booking completion.

• Analyze and synthesize research findings from various qualitative and quantitative methods (including analytics and A/B testing) into clear, strategic insights and actionable recommendations for product, design, and marketing teams.

• Facilitate workshops and presentations to effectively communicate research outcomes and advocate for user needs to a diverse group of stakeholders, including executives and subject matter experts.

• Collaborate closely with UX/UI designers and product owners to iterate on designs based on research feedback, ensuring the final product is intuitive, trustworthy, and engaging for travelers.

• Leverage analytical skills to interpret significant amounts of information, paying close attention to detail and accuracy in research synthesis and reporting.

• Contribute to a culture of continuous improvement by advocating for user-centered design and data-informed decision-making across the digital product team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly outline a senior-level role requiring strategic thinking, end-to-end research ownership, and significant stakeholder influence. The emphasis on "actionable recommendations," "drive bookings," and "improve the traveler experience" underscores the business-critical nature of this position. The inclusion of "analytics" and "A/B testing" as research methods suggests a blend of qualitative and quantitative expertise is expected.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Post-secondary degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Cognitive Science, Psychology, or a closely related field. Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in UX research, customer research, or design research roles.

• Demonstrated experience within the Tourism/Travel online booking industry is highly preferred. Required Skills:

• Expertise in designing and executing a wide range of qualitative and quantitative UX research methods, including field studies, usability testing, card sorting, surveys, analytics review, and A/B testing.

• Proven ability to conduct in-depth customer interviews and discovery sessions to uncover user needs and pain points.

• Strong experience in developing actionable traveler personas and comprehensive user journey maps.

• Proficiency in planning and conducting usability testing on wireframes and interactive prototypes.

• Excellent analytical skills with a keen attention to detail and accuracy in data collection, organization, and analysis.

• Strong communication, storytelling, and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate complex research findings clearly and persuasively.

• Proven ability to facilitate stakeholder workshops and drive consensus on design and product decisions.

• Demonstrated ability to work independently while also being a collaborative and effective team player.

• Experience working closely with a diverse group of executives, managers, and subject matter experts. Preferred Skills:

• Experience in other related fields such as market research or behavioral economics.

• Familiarity with web analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics) and A/B testing tools.

• Bilingual proficiency (written and spoken) in English and French, essential for daily interactions with partners, clients, and colleagues across Quebec and beyond.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 5+ years of experience and specific industry knowledge in travel booking positions this as a senior-level individual contributor role. The emphasis on bilingualism is a critical requirement due to the company's operational footprint and customer base. The mention of "analytics" and "A/B testing" alongside qualitative methods suggests a need for a researcher who can integrate quantitative data into their qualitative findings.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A portfolio demonstrating a strong track record of UX research projects, showcasing the end-to-end research process from planning to actionable insights.

• Case studies that clearly articulate research objectives, methodologies used, key findings, and the impact of research on product design and business outcomes (e.g., increased conversion rates, improved user satisfaction).

• Examples of personas, user journey maps, and usability testing reports that highlight your ability to synthesize complex data into understandable and actionable formats.

• Evidence of how your research has directly informed product strategy, feature development, and design iterations.

• Ability to present your research process and findings confidently, explaining your rationale and the strategic value of your work. Process Documentation:

• Experience in documenting research plans, methodologies, and findings in a structured and organized manner.

• Ability to create clear and concise reports, presentations, and workshops that effectively communicate research insights to diverse audiences.

• Understanding of how to integrate research findings into existing product development workflows and agile methodologies.

• A systematic approach to user recruitment, data analysis, and synthesis to ensure research rigor and validity.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior UX Researcher role, the portfolio is paramount. It serves as tangible proof of their ability to conduct rigorous research and translate it into impactful business results. The emphasis here is on demonstrating a complete research lifecycle and showing how their work directly influenced product decisions and business metrics within a travel booking context.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Based on industry benchmarks for Senior UX Researchers in Montreal, QC, with 5-10 years of experience, a typical salary range would be CAD $90,000 - $120,000 annually. This estimate considers the specialized nature of UX research, the senior level of the role, and the cost of living in Montreal.

Benefits:

• Generous Employee Travel Program: Eligibility for travel privileges for yourself and eligible persons after 6 months of service, a significant perk in the travel industry.

• Comprehensive Health & Wellness: A wide variety of benefit plans, including health and dental coverage for you and your family.

• Hybrid Work Model: A balanced approach with 4 days in the office (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, plus one chosen day) and 1 day working from home, promoting work-life integration.

• Professional Development: Access to training and development tools designed to help unlock your full potential and advance your skills.

• Permanent, Full-Time Position: Offers job security and full access to all company benefits.

Working Hours:

• Standard working hours are typically 40 hours per week. The hybrid model offers some flexibility in structuring the work week.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on industry standards for a senior-level UX Researcher in a major Canadian city, considering the company's industry. The benefits specifically highlight the travel industry perk, which is a key differentiator for this role. The hybrid model details are crucial for candidates evaluating work-life balance.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Travel & Tourism, specifically online vacation package and tour bookings. Air Canada Vacations is a prominent player in the Canadian leisure travel market, offering a wide array of products.

Company Size: Air Canada Vacations is part of Air Canada, a major international airline, implying a large corporate structure with a dedicated digital product and design team. The specific size of the Vacations division is not detailed but operates within a large enterprise.

Founded: Air Canada Vacations has been operating for over 50 years, signifying a long-standing presence and established reputation in the Canadian travel industry.

Team Structure:

• The Senior UX Researcher will be part of the "Digital Product & Design" department.

• This team likely comprises UX/UI designers, product owners/managers, and potentially other researchers or analysts.

• The role requires close collaboration with business stakeholders from various departments, suggesting a matrixed or cross-functional reporting structure for project work. Methodology:

• The company emphasizes a user-centered approach to digital product development, driven by research and data.

• Expect a methodology that integrates research findings directly into agile product development cycles, ensuring iterative design and continuous improvement.

• A focus on understanding traveler segments and mapping journeys indicates a strategic approach to customer experience design.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding Air Canada Vacations' position as a long-standing travel provider is key. The "Digital Product & Design" team operates within this established framework, aiming to modernize and enhance the online booking experience. The combination of a large parent company (Air Canada) and a specialized vacation division suggests a dynamic environment with opportunities for broad impact.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Individual Contributor role within the UX Research discipline. It signifies a high level of expertise, autonomy, and the ability to lead complex research initiatives. The role is expected to mentor junior researchers if they exist within the team and influence research strategy.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Researcher will report to a manager or director within the Digital Product & Design department. While project work involves collaboration across multiple teams (Product, Design, Marketing), the direct reporting line will likely be within the UX/Design functional area.

Operations Impact: The primary impact of this role is on improving the traveler's online booking experience, which directly translates to increased website conversion rates, higher customer satisfaction, and ultimately, driving more vacation package sales. The insights generated will influence product strategy and feature prioritization, shaping the digital future of Air Canada Vacations.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas of UX research within the travel domain, such as generative research, longitudinal studies, or advanced quantitative methods.

• Leadership: Transition into a Lead UX Researcher role, managing a team of researchers, or a UX Research Manager position, overseeing the research function.

• Cross-functional Advancement: Move into Product Management or UX Strategy roles by leveraging deep user understanding and strategic thinking.

• Industry Expertise: Become a recognized expert in travel UX research, potentially presenting at conferences or contributing to industry best practices.

• Mentorship: Guide and mentor junior UX researchers, sharing best practices and fostering a strong research culture.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title implies a clear path for growth, either through increased leadership responsibility, deeper specialization, or a pivot into related product/strategy roles. The impact on revenue through conversion optimization is a key aspect of this role within a B2C e-commerce environment.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based in Montreal (YUL) and operates under a hybrid work model, with a mandate of 4 days in the office and 1 day remote. This suggests a corporate office environment designed for collaboration and team interaction.

Office Location(s): While specific office addresses aren't provided, the "YUL" designation points to operations within the Montreal area, likely near the airport or in a central business district.

Workspace Context:

• The office environment is expected to be professional and collaborative, facilitating in-person teamwork, workshops, and stakeholder meetings.

• Access to standard office technology, software, and potentially specialized UX research tools will be available.

• The hybrid model allows for focused work at home while leveraging the office for critical team interactions and idea generation.

• The team likely fosters an environment where user insights are valued and integrated into daily work. Work Schedule:

• The standard work schedule is typically 40 hours per week.

• The hybrid model offers some flexibility, with the core office days ensuring team connectivity. The remote day can be utilized for focused individual work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is a significant aspect of the work environment. The 4-day in-office requirement suggests a company culture that values in-person collaboration, especially for a role that involves frequent interaction with designers, product managers, and stakeholders.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review your application and resume, focusing on relevant experience in UX research, the travel industry, and required skills.

• Portfolio Review & Presentation: You will likely be asked to present your portfolio, showcasing 2-3 key UX research projects. Be prepared to walk through your process, methodologies, key findings, and the impact of your work on product decisions and business outcomes. This is often the most critical stage.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A deeper dive into your experience, research philosophy, problem-solving skills, and how you approach collaboration. Expect behavioral questions and scenario-based questions related to UX research challenges.

• Team/Stakeholder Interviews: Interviews with UX/UI designers, Product Owners, and potentially business stakeholders to assess your collaboration style, communication skills, and ability to integrate into the team.

• Potential Practical Exercise: A small research-related task or case study may be assigned to assess your practical skills in analysis, synthesis, or strategic recommendation development.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Select Impactful Projects: Choose projects that best demonstrate your senior-level capabilities, cover a range of research methods, and show clear business impact (e.g., improved conversion, user satisfaction).

• Tell a Story: For each project, structure your presentation to tell a compelling story: the problem, your approach, your findings, and the solution/impact.

• Highlight Your Role: Clearly articulate your specific contributions and responsibilities within each project, especially if it was a team effort.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your research and its influence on product outcomes.

• Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your methodology choices, how you handled challenges, and how you translated insights into action.

Challenge Preparation:

• Research Design: Be ready to discuss how you would approach a hypothetical research problem related to the travel booking experience.

• Methodology Justification: Explain why you would choose specific research methods for different scenarios.

• Insight Translation: Practice articulating how you would turn raw data into actionable insights for product teams.

• Stakeholder Management: Prepare examples of how you have managed stakeholder expectations and communicated research findings effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio presentation is crucial for senior research roles. Candidates should prepare to not only showcase their work but also to articulate the strategic thinking and business impact behind their research. The emphasis on the travel industry context is vital for tailoring portfolio examples.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• UX Research Methodologies: Proficiency in a broad spectrum of qualitative methods (e.g., in-depth interviews, contextual inquiries, ethnographic studies, diary studies) and quantitative methods (e.g., surveys, card sorting, tree testing, analytics review, A/B testing).

• Prototyping & Design Tools: Familiarity with tools used by designers for wireframing and prototyping (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD) to effectively conduct usability testing on these artifacts.

• Data Analysis Tools: Experience with qualitative data analysis software (e.g., Dovetail, NVivo) and quantitative analysis tools (e.g., Excel, SPSS, R, Python for statistical analysis) may be beneficial.

• Survey Platforms: Experience with survey tools such as SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics, or Google Forms.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics to understand user behavior on the website and identify areas for research.

• Business Intelligence (BI) Tools: Potential exposure to BI platforms for understanding broader business metrics and performance indicators that research can influence.

• Reporting & Presentation Software: Proficiency in tools like PowerPoint, Google Slides, or Keynote for communicating research findings.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct requirement for a UX Researcher, understanding how CRM data (e.g., customer profiles, booking history) can inform research and how research insights might feed into marketing automation strategies can be advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the specific tools are not listed, the description implies a need for a researcher who is adept at using a variety of research methodologies and can work with design and analytics tools. The ability to interpret data from analytics platforms is a key skill.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the traveler's needs and experience as the driving force behind product decisions.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: A reliance on research insights and data analysis to inform strategy, design, and prioritization, moving beyond assumptions.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: A strong emphasis on working effectively across diverse teams (Product, Design, Marketing, Business) to achieve shared goals.

• Continuous Improvement: A mindset of constantly seeking ways to optimize processes, enhance user experiences, and drive better business outcomes.

• Innovation: Encouraging new ideas and approaches to problem-solving that can lead to a more engaging and efficient travel booking experience.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Actively partnering with Product Managers and UX/UI Designers throughout the product development lifecycle, from discovery to validation.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Proactively communicating research plans and findings to business stakeholders, translating technical research concepts into business language.

• Feedback Loop: Participating in design reviews, sprint planning, and retrospectives, providing user-centric feedback and insights.

• Knowledge Sharing: Willingness to share research expertise and findings across the broader organization to foster a shared understanding of the customer.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, as stated in their description, should also be considered a core value that influences their team culture and collaboration. This means fostering an environment where all voices are heard and valued.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Research Rigor with Business Pace: Effectively conducting thorough research while meeting the fast-paced demands of a digital product environment and tight release schedules.

• Translating Insights into Action: Ensuring research findings are not just reported but actively implemented and influence product decisions, overcoming potential resistance or differing priorities.

• Diverse Traveler Needs: Understanding and catering to the varied needs and preferences of different traveler segments (e.g., families, solo adventurers, budget travelers, luxury seekers) within the Canadian market.

• Competitive Landscape: Navigating a highly competitive online travel market where user experience is a key differentiator.

• Data Synthesis: Integrating insights from various research methods and data sources (qualitative, quantitative, analytics) into a cohesive and actionable understanding of the user.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Research Techniques: Opportunities to deepen expertise in specific research methodologies or explore emerging research practices.

• Travel Industry Specialization: Becoming a subject matter expert in UX for the travel and tourism sector.

• Cross-functional Skill Development: Gaining deeper understanding of product management, agile development, and business strategy through close collaboration.

• Mentorship: Learning from senior leaders within the Digital Product & Design team.

• Industry Conferences: Potential for attending relevant UX and travel industry conferences to stay abreast of trends and network.

📝 Enhancement Note: These challenges are typical for senior UX roles in e-commerce, particularly in a competitive sector like travel. The growth opportunities are aligned with advancing within the UX field or leveraging UX expertise for broader product leadership.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you used UX research to significantly influence a product decision that led to a measurable business outcome, such as increased bookings or conversion rates."

• "How would you approach designing a research plan to understand why a specific segment of travelers is not completing their booking on our website?"

• "Walk us through your process for developing user personas and journey maps for a new online travel feature."

• "How do you balance the need for thorough research with tight project deadlines in an agile environment?" Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Air Canada Vacations and the online travel market?"

• "How do you see UX research contributing to the success of a travel company like ours?"

• "Describe your experience working in a hybrid work environment and how you ensure effective collaboration."

• "How do you foster inclusivity in your research practices and ensure you're representing diverse user groups?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Impact: For each project, clearly articulate the business problem, your research objectives, the user insights you uncovered, and the resulting product or design changes. Quantify impact whenever possible.

• Showcase Your Process: Be ready to detail your methodology, why you chose specific methods, and how you adapted your approach based on project constraints or learnings.

• Demonstrate Collaboration: Highlight how you worked with designers, product managers, and stakeholders, and how you incorporated their feedback.

• Prepare for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about specific methodologies, challenging findings, or situations where research didn't go as planned.

• Tailor to Travel: If possible, use examples from the travel industry or e-commerce to demonstrate direct relevance.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview questions will likely probe into practical application of research skills, strategic thinking, and the ability to drive business impact within the travel domain. The portfolio presentation is a key component, so thorough preparation is essential.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior User Experience (UX) Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Dayforce portal.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your UX research experience, specific methodologies used, and any experience within the travel or e-commerce industries. Quantify achievements wherever possible (e.g., "Improved conversion rates by X% through usability testing").

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate 2-3 of your strongest UX research case studies that demonstrate your end-to-end process, research impact, and relevant skills. Ensure it's easily accessible (e.g., a personal website, PDF, or presentation deck).

• Practice Your Presentation: Rehearse presenting your portfolio projects, focusing on clarity, conciseness, and articulating the business value of your research. Be ready to answer in-depth questions about your process.

• Research the Company: Familiarize yourself with Air Canada Vacations' website, offerings, and the competitive landscape of online travel booking. Understand their customer base and potential UX challenges.

⚠️ 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.