Senior User Researcher, Enterprise & Platform

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior User Researcher, Enterprise & Platform

Company: Glean

Location: Mountain View, CA

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: User Experience Research (UXR) / Product Design

Date Posted: 2026-06-05

Experience Level: Senior (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (4 days/week in office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive foundational and evaluative user research initiatives for Glean's core Enterprise and Platform experiences, directly impacting IT leaders, administrators, and citizen developers.

• Focus on critical areas such as deployment friction reduction, sandbox and trial experience optimization, and the future of agent governance and ROI measurement.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with Product, Design, Engineering, and GTM teams to translate research insights into actionable product strategies and roadmap decisions.

• Apply a strong understanding of B2B and enterprise product strategy, with a specific emphasis on researching complex administrative workflows, governance, and configuration within software environments.

• Utilize a mixed-methods research approach, blending qualitative techniques like contextual inquiry and journey mapping with quantitative analysis and behavioral data triangulation.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is explicitly User Researcher, its focus on "Enterprise & Platform" and "IT leaders, setup admins, and citizen developers" positions it at the intersection of product strategy and operational efficiency for B2B SaaS. This means candidates should emphasize their experience in understanding complex enterprise workflows, system administration, and how product features directly impact operational outcomes like deployment success, user adoption, and demonstrable business value (ROI). The role also explicitly mentions "GTM teams," suggesting a need for research that supports go-to-market strategies through a deep understanding of customer pain points and value propositions in the enterprise space.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own and execute end-to-end user research projects for the Enterprise & Platform domain, encompassing foundational, generative, evaluative, and post-launch research phases.

• Conduct in-depth research on key product areas including, but not limited to, admin onboarding, platform setup and configuration, governance and permissions management, billing and consumption visibility, and ROI reporting capabilities.

• Generate actionable insights that directly contribute to improving the ease of deployment, increasing rollout confidence, driving adoption rates, and enhancing long-term customer value for enterprise clients.

• Establish and maintain strong partnerships with Product Management, Design, Engineering, Data Science, and other cross-functional stakeholders to effectively influence product roadmaps and execution strategies.

• Actively contribute to shaping critical product decisions by connecting research findings on ROI, time-to-value, and adoption to shipped product enhancements and new features.

• Mentor and enable other team members to conduct high-quality evaluative research, fostering a culture of data-informed product development.

• Thoughtfully integrate and leverage AI tools across the research workflow while upholding research rigor, sound judgment, and ensuring the delivery of high-quality, reliable outputs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for research that directly ties into business metrics and operational efficiency. Candidates should prepare to discuss how their research has tangibly improved deployment speed, reduced administrative overhead, or quantified the business value (ROI) of a product. The mention of "agent governance" and "ROI measurement" suggests a focus on research that informs features related to AI agent management and demonstrating the business impact of the Glean platform, which is crucial for enterprise sales and retention.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience:

• 5–7+ years of dedicated User Experience Research (UXR) experience, with a demonstrated history of significantly influencing B2B or enterprise product strategy.

• Proven expertise in researching and understanding the needs, workflows, and pain points of IT, admin, and builder personas, particularly concerning software deployment, governance, and configuration in complex enterprise environments.

• Demonstrated ability to function as a strong systems thinker, capable of navigating multi-stakeholder ecosystems (including buyers, administrators, end-users, and security teams) to effectively balance competing needs and risk thresholds.

• Proven track record of driving end-to-end impact, connecting research insights on ROI, time-to-value, and adoption directly to shipped product decisions in collaboration with PM, Design, and Engineering.

• Mastery of a wide range of qualitative research methodologies, including but not limited to contextual inquiry, journey mapping, and Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) frameworks.

• Strong quantitative research skills, including proficiency in survey design, statistical literacy, and the ability to triangulate qualitative findings with behavioral product data.

• Ability to work independently and proactively, demonstrating resourcefulness and scrappiness in scoping, recruiting, and executing research in a fast-paced and often ambiguous environment. Required Skills:

• User Experience Research (UXR)

• B2B Product Strategy

• Mixed-methods Research (Qualitative & Quantitative)

• Qualitative Research Methodologies (e.g., Contextual Inquiry, Journey Mapping, JTBD)

• Quantitative Research Methodologies (e.g., Survey Design, Statistical Literacy)

• Systems Thinking

• Enterprise Software Environments

• Stakeholder Management

• Cross-functional Collaboration

• Product Lifecycle Research

• AI Tool Integration & Application Preferred Skills:

• Working knowledge of SQL or a scripting language such as Python or R for exploratory data analysis.

• Experience conducting research within enterprise security, compliance, or governance domains, particularly for developer tools, APIs, platform products, or technical setup workflows.

• Familiarity with enterprise APIs, Managed Cloud Platform (MCP) concepts, connectors, or integration architecture.

• Background in researching productivity tools, collaboration software, or knowledge management systems.

• Hands-on experience using AI tools across the research lifecycle, demonstrating strong judgment regarding rigor, bias, and reliability.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements strongly emphasize experience with B2B/enterprise environments and specific personas (IT, Admin, Builder). Candidates should highlight projects where they've researched complex setup, configuration, governance, and deployment processes. The "systems thinker" and "multi-stakeholder ecosystem" requirements suggest a need for research that considers the broader organizational impact and competing priorities inherent in enterprise software adoption. The "AI Tool Proficiency" requirement is critical, as Glean is an "AI-First" company.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies showcasing Enterprise/B2B Research: Demonstrate your ability to conduct research specifically for enterprise software, focusing on administrative users, IT departments, or developers. Highlight projects that involved complex workflows, system configurations, or governance challenges.

• Mixed-Methods Application: Include examples that clearly illustrate the application of both qualitative (e.g., contextual inquiry, interviews, usability testing) and quantitative (e.g., surveys, data analysis) research methods to solve product problems.

• Impact Demonstration: Showcase how your research directly influenced product decisions, leading to measurable improvements in areas such as deployment success, user adoption, time-to-value, or customer satisfaction. Quantify impact whenever possible.

• Process & System Understanding: Present research that delves into the setup, configuration, and ongoing management of complex software systems or platforms, demonstrating your understanding of enterprise IT environments and user needs within them.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Analysis: Detail your process for mapping and analyzing complex user workflows, particularly for administrative or technical users responsible for system deployment and management.

• Research Methodology Design: Outline your approach to designing research plans that effectively address product questions for enterprise platforms, including participant recruitment strategies for specialized personas.

• Insight Synthesis & Communication: Provide examples of how you synthesize research findings into actionable insights and communicate them compellingly to cross-functional teams (Product, Design, Engineering, GTM) to drive product strategy and execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior UXR role focused on enterprise platforms, a portfolio should go beyond basic usability testing. It needs to demonstrate strategic impact. Candidates should be prepared to showcase how their research has directly influenced roadmap prioritization, led to successful product launches for enterprise features, or improved key operational metrics for administrators. A strong emphasis on research that informed governance, security, or complex configuration features would be highly advantageous.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $185,000 - $210,000 annually (Base Salary)

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Medical, Vision, and Dental coverage.

• Generous Time-Off Policy.

• 401k plan with company contribution support.

• Home Office Improvement Stipend.

• Annual Education Stipend to support professional development.

• Annual Wellness Stipend to support employee well-being.

• Daily healthy lunches provided at the office.

Working Hours: Standard 40-hour work week, with the expectation of hybrid work (4 days per week in the Mountain View office).

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is for the base salary. The total compensation package may also include variable compensation (bonus) and equity, depending on the specific role and company performance. The benefits package is robust, with specific stipends for home office, education, and wellness, which are attractive perks for senior-level professionals. The hybrid requirement of 4 days in office is a key detail for candidates assessing their work environment preferences.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology - AI, Enterprise Software, Enterprise Search, Work Management Platforms.

Company Size: 1,000+ employees.

Founded: Glean was founded in 2019, indicating a rapidly scaling, innovative tech company that has moved beyond its early startup phase into significant growth.

Team Structure:

• The User Researcher will be part of the Design team, described as a "tight-knit and collaborative group."

• This role focuses specifically on the "Enterprise & Platform" area, implying a dedicated sub-team or focus area within the broader product organization.

• Collaboration is expected across Product, Design, Engineering, Data Science, and Go-To-Market (GTM) teams, highlighting a highly cross-functional operational environment. Methodology:

• AI-First Mindset: Glean is an "AI-First" company, and this influences their internal processes and tools. Employees are expected to be AI-fluent and integrate AI into their workflows.

• Data-Driven Product Development: The role emphasizes using research insights to influence roadmaps and execution, suggesting a strong reliance on data (both qualitative and quantitative) to guide product decisions.

• Agile & Iterative: The fast-paced environment and emphasis on research across the product lifecycle (foundational to post-launch) points to an agile and iterative product development process.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Glean's positioning as a leader in "Work AI" and recognized by major publications like Fast Company and CNBC indicates a company at the forefront of technological innovation. The emphasis on an "AI-First Mindset" means candidates should be comfortable discussing how they use AI tools in their research process and how they understand AI's impact on enterprise workflows. The company's rapid growth and global presence (1,000+ employees in 25+ countries) suggest a dynamic, evolving, and complex operational landscape.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior User Researcher. This level signifies a seasoned professional expected to lead complex research initiatives independently, mentor others, and significantly influence product strategy. The role is crucial for shaping core enterprise functionalities.

Reporting Structure: The role reports into the Design team. This indicates a strong emphasis on user-centric design principles and a close working relationship between research and design functions. The Senior Researcher will likely report to a Design Lead or Director.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct impact on Glean's enterprise adoption and customer success. By improving the experience for administrators and IT leaders who deploy, configure, and govern the platform, the research directly influences:

• Deployment Efficiency: Reducing time-to-value for new customers.

• Customer Retention: Ensuring administrators can effectively manage and prove the ROI of Glean.

• Platform Scalability: Informing the development of robust governance and management tools.

• Product Strategy: Providing critical user insights that shape the future direction of the Enterprise and Platform offerings.

Growth Opportunities:

• Team Growth: As Glean scales, there will be opportunities to contribute to building out the UXR function and potentially mentor junior researchers.

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in enterprise AI platforms, governance, and developer tooling research.

• Cross-functional Leadership: Take on research leadership for major product initiatives and influence broader strategic decisions.

• Impact on Core Product: Influence the foundational elements of Glean's platform, which are critical to its overall success and scalability.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title combined with "Enterprise & Platform" focus implies a strategic research role, not just execution. Growth opportunities likely involve shaping research strategy for this critical domain, potentially leading research efforts for new AI agent capabilities, and contributing to the overall UX maturity of the enterprise product.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is a hybrid role, requiring 4 days per week in the Mountain View office. This suggests a modern office environment designed to facilitate collaboration and in-person teamwork.

Office Location(s): Mountain View, California. This location is in the heart of Silicon Valley, offering access to a vibrant tech ecosystem.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model and emphasis on cross-functional collaboration suggest an environment where in-person interactions are valued for brainstorming, problem-solving, and team building.

• Access to Tools & Technology: As an AI-first company, Glean likely provides access to cutting-edge research tools, AI-powered platforms, and robust collaboration software.

• Cross-Functional Interaction: The role requires close daily interaction with Product Managers, Designers, Engineers, and Data Scientists, fostering a dynamic and intellectually stimulating work environment.

Work Schedule: A standard 40-hour work week is implied, with the hybrid arrangement allowing for flexibility on one day per week. The fast-paced nature of a growing tech company may require occasional flexibility for critical deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature (4 days in office) is a significant factor. It indicates a company that values in-person collaboration while offering some flexibility. Candidates should consider how this impacts their daily routine and preference for work setup. The Mountain View location suggests a competitive talent pool and proximity to other tech giants.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will likely review your application and conduct a brief introductory call to assess basic qualifications and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Presentation & Deep Dive: Prepare to present 2-3 key case studies from your portfolio that best highlight your experience with enterprise/B2B research, complex workflows, mixed-methods application, and demonstrable impact. This will likely involve a dedicated session with the hiring manager and potentially other senior researchers or designers.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Expect interviews with Product Managers, Designers, and Engineers from the Enterprise & Platform teams. These interviews will assess your collaboration skills, ability to translate research into product requirements, and understanding of the enterprise software development lifecycle.

• AI Exercise/Discussion: As Glean is an "AI-First" company, be prepared for an exercise or discussion focused on how you think about, design, and use AI to drive impact in your role. This could involve discussing your experience with AI research tools or how you'd approach researching AI-powered features.

• Final Round: This may involve a broader team discussion or an interview with a senior leader to evaluate strategic thinking and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Enterprise & Platform: Select case studies that specifically showcase your work with B2B/enterprise products, focusing on administrative users, IT personas, or developers.

• Demonstrate Impact: Clearly articulate the problem, your research approach, the insights you uncovered, and the product decisions or outcomes that resulted from your work. Quantify impact whenever possible (e.g., "improved deployment time by X%", "increased feature adoption by Y%").

• Highlight Mixed-Methods: Show how you leverage both qualitative and quantitative data to build a comprehensive understanding of user needs and validate solutions.

• Showcase Systems Thinking: Present research that demonstrates your ability to understand complex systems, user ecosystems, and competing stakeholder needs within an enterprise context.

• Prepare for AI Discussion: Be ready to discuss your experience using AI tools in research (e.g., for transcription, analysis, synthesis) and your thoughts on AI's role in enterprise productivity tools like Glean.

Challenge Preparation:

• AI-Focused Exercise: Understand Glean's mission and how AI is integrated into their product. Think about how you would research user needs for AI-powered features or how AI can enhance research processes.

• Enterprise Workflow Scenarios: Be prepared to discuss how you would approach researching a specific enterprise workflow challenge (e.g., streamlining admin onboarding, improving governance controls, or measuring ROI for a platform feature).

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Prepare examples of how you have successfully collaborated with product, engineering, and design teams to drive product outcomes based on user research.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of an "AI-focused exercise or discussion" is a critical preparation point. Candidates should not only be aware of AI tools but also demonstrate a thoughtful approach to how AI impacts user experience and productivity in an enterprise setting. They should also be ready to discuss how their research informs operational aspects of enterprise software, such as deployment, governance, and value demonstration.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• User Research Platforms: Tools for session recording, usability testing, and participant management (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze).

• Qualitative Data Analysis Tools: Software for thematic analysis, affinity mapping, and insight synthesis (e.g., Dovetail, NVivo, Miro).

• Quantitative Data Analysis Tools: Potentially SQL for data extraction, R or Python for statistical analysis, and spreadsheet software (Excel, Google Sheets).

• Survey Platforms: Tools for designing and distributing surveys (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics, Google Forms).

• AI Research Assistants: Tools that leverage AI for transcription, summarization, and thematic analysis of qualitative data.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics Tools: Familiarity with tools that track user behavior within the Glean platform (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel, Pendo) to complement qualitative insights.

• Data Visualization Tools: Experience with tools like Tableau or Looker for creating dashboards and reports to communicate research findings to stakeholders.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a researcher's tool, understanding how CRM data (e.g., Salesforce) or other enterprise systems are used and integrated is beneficial for understanding the broader customer context. Experience with integration concepts or APIs may be a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Nice-to-haves" section explicitly mentions SQL, Python, or R for exploratory analysis, and familiarity with enterprise APIs, MCP, connectors, or integration architecture. Proficiency in these areas, especially for data analysis and understanding technical constraints/opportunities, would make a candidate highly competitive. The emphasis on AI tools across the research workflow is also paramount.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• AI Fluency: A core value at Glean, encouraging employees to integrate AI into their work to drive impact and efficiency.

• Customer Centricity: Driven by research insights to solve complex enterprise problems and deliver tangible value.

• Innovation & Impact: A commitment to pushing the boundaries of Work AI and delivering measurable business outcomes for customers.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Working closely across Product, Design, Engineering, and GTM to achieve shared goals.

• Rigor & Judgment: Maintaining high standards in research methodology and applying sound judgment, especially when using AI tools.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Expectation of deep collaboration with Product, Design, and Engineering teams, where research is embedded in the product development lifecycle.

• Data-Informed Decision Making: Research findings are expected to be a key input for strategic decisions, fostering a culture where data and user insights are valued.

• Mentorship & Enablement: A desire to share knowledge and empower others to conduct effective research, fostering a learning environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "AI-First Mindset" is central to Glean's culture. Candidates should be prepared to discuss how they actively use AI tools in their research process and how they approach research for AI-powered products. The emphasis on collaboration across multiple departments highlights the need for strong communication and interpersonal skills, vital for operations and product teams working in tandem.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complexity of Enterprise Workflows: Researching intricate administrative, IT, and developer workflows requires deep understanding and patience to untangle.

• Balancing Competing Needs: Navigating the needs of various stakeholders (buyers, admins, end-users, security) in an enterprise environment.

• Demonstrating Tangible ROI: Researching and articulating the measurable business value of an AI platform is crucial for enterprise adoption and requires robust data analysis.

• Rapidly Evolving AI Landscape: Staying current with AI advancements and their implications for enterprise productivity tools and user needs.

• Driving Adoption of New Features: Ensuring that new platform capabilities are easily deployable, configurable, and adopted by enterprise admins.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into Work AI: Gain unparalleled expertise in the rapidly growing field of AI for enterprise productivity.

• Influence Core Product Strategy: Shape the foundational elements of Glean's Enterprise and Platform offerings, impacting a core part of the business.

• Mentorship & Team Building: Contribute to the growth and development of the UXR function within a scaling organization.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Develop a strong understanding of product management, engineering, and GTM strategies within a B2B SaaS context.

• Applied AI Research: Hone skills in leveraging AI tools for research efficiency and explore new methodologies in AI-driven product development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenges revolve around the inherent complexity of enterprise software, the need to prove business value (ROI), and the fast-evolving nature of AI. Growth opportunities are significant, particularly in shaping core product strategy for an AI-first company and developing expertise in a high-demand field.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you researched a complex enterprise workflow or system setup. What were the challenges, and how did your research influence the product?" (Focus on structured problem-solving, methodology, and impact on enterprise admin/IT personas.)

• "How would you approach researching the 'governance' needs for AI agents within an enterprise platform?" (Demonstrate understanding of enterprise security/compliance, AI implications, and user needs for control/oversight.)

• "Can you walk us through a research project where you had to balance the needs of multiple stakeholders (e.g., IT admin vs. end-user vs. security)? How did you synthesize these needs into actionable product recommendations?" (Highlight systems thinking and stakeholder management.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "How do you see AI impacting the future of enterprise software, and how would you approach researching user needs for AI-powered features?" (Showcase AI fluency and strategic thinking relevant to Glean's mission.)

• "Describe your experience working within a cross-functional product team (PM, Eng, Design). How do you ensure research insights are effectively integrated into the product roadmap and execution?" (Emphasize collaboration and impact.)

• "What is your approach to measuring and demonstrating the ROI of product features based on user research?" (Connect research to business value, crucial for enterprise sales.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: For each case study, clearly define the business problem, your specific research questions, your methodology (qualitative/quantitative mix), key findings, and the resulting product impact.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use metrics to showcase the success of your research-driven recommendations (e.g., improved adoption, reduced errors, faster time-to-value).

• AI Integration: Be prepared to discuss how you've used AI tools in your research process and how you think about AI's role in enterprise productivity.

• Enterprise Focus: Ensure your chosen examples clearly demonstrate your experience and understanding of the enterprise/B2B context and its unique user personas.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process heavily emphasizes practical application of research skills in an enterprise AI context. Candidates should prepare specific examples that demonstrate their ability to tackle complex problems, collaborate effectively, and drive measurable business outcomes, especially in areas like deployment, governance, and ROI. The AI component is non-negotiable and requires thoughtful preparation.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior User Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Greenhouse.

• Curate your Portfolio: Select 2-3 key case studies that best represent your experience with enterprise/B2B research, complex workflows, mixed-methods application, and demonstrable product impact. Ensure these highlight your work with administrative, IT, or developer personas.

• Tailor your Resume: Emphasize keywords related to enterprise UX research, B2B product strategy, AI tools, mixed-methods research, and specific methodologies like contextual inquiry and journey mapping. Quantify your achievements and impact.

• Prepare for AI Discussion: Familiarize yourself with Glean's product and its AI-first approach. Think about how you've used AI tools in your research workflow and be ready to discuss your perspective on AI's role in enterprise productivity.

• Research Glean: Understand Glean's mission, its position in the market, and its core product offerings. Prepare to discuss how your research skills can contribute to the success of their Enterprise & Platform initiatives.

⚠️ 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.

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