Senior UX Research Strategist

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Research Strategist

Company: MazeMultiplayer

Location: Remote (Toronto, Ontario, CA)

Job Type: Full-Time, Salaried

Category: UX Research & Strategy / Product Development Operations

Date Posted: May 08, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• This role focuses on driving product strategy through deep user understanding and actionable research insights, a critical component of any effective GTM and product development operations.

• You will be responsible for designing and executing a range of research methodologies to uncover user needs, pain points, and operational contexts within the gaming or multiplayer platform space.

• A key aspect of this position involves translating complex qualitative and quantitative data into clear, compelling narratives that influence product roadmaps and design decisions, directly impacting Go-To-Market readiness.

• This Senior UX Research Strategist will collaborate extensively with design and product teams, ensuring that user-centricity is embedded throughout the entire product development lifecycle, from initial discovery to final validation and post-launch analysis.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is Senior UX Research Strategist, its responsibilities—particularly understanding user workflows, translating insights into product direction, and tracking the impact of research-informed decisions—align closely with the strategic analytical and process-improvement functions found in Revenue Operations and Sales Operations. The emphasis on business impact and cross-functional collaboration is also a strong indicator of its operational relevance.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and execute a comprehensive suite of generative and evaluative research studies, including user interviews, diary studies, usability testing, surveys, and ethnographic research, to deeply understand user behaviors, motivations, and pain points.

• Conduct foundational research initiatives to map out complex user workflows, identify critical operational contexts, and uncover unmet needs within the target user base, providing essential input for product strategy.

• Creatively scope research projects to achieve a balance between methodological rigor, adherence to timeline constraints, and the confidence level required for actionable recommendations, demonstrating strong project management and operational efficiency.

• Collaborate closely and proactively with design counterparts throughout the entire product development lifecycle, from initial discovery and ideation phases through to validation and iteration, ensuring seamless integration of research findings.

• Actively participate in co-ideation sessions and workshops, effectively translating synthesized research insights into concrete design opportunities and product features that address identified user needs and business objectives.

• Present synthesized research findings and actionable recommendations in a clear, compelling, and audience-centric manner, directly linking insights to potential business impact and strategic decision-making for stakeholders.

• Deliver audience-centric narratives and impactful presentations that drive tangible decision-making, moving beyond traditional research reports to influence product direction and strategy.

• Track and communicate the impact of research-informed decisions on key business metrics and user satisfaction, establishing a feedback loop for continuous improvement and demonstrating the ROI of UX research efforts.

• Contribute to and foster MazeMultiplayer's culture of continuous creative improvement, innovation, and excellence, actively seeking opportunities to enhance team processes and drive positive impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "operational contexts," "business impact," and "tracking the impact of research-informed decisions" strongly suggests that this role requires a strategic, operations-minded approach. The responsibilities extend beyond pure research to influencing product strategy and measuring outcomes, which are core functions within GTM operations.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Computer Science, or a related field. Master's degree or Ph.D. is a plus, particularly in areas relevant to advanced research methodologies.

Experience: Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in product strategy, UX research, or closely related strategic roles, with a demonstrated history of successfully influencing product development.

Required Skills:

• Proven expertise in designing and executing both generative (e.g., user interviews, diary studies, ethnographic research) and evaluative (e.g., usability testing, A/B testing, heuristic evaluations) research studies.

• Demonstrated experience in conducting foundational research to understand complex user workflows, identify pain points, and map operational contexts.

• Strong track record of translating complex research insights into clear, actionable product recommendations and articulating their tangible business impact.

• Excellent facilitation skills for leading workshops, co-ideation sessions, and cross-functional meetings.

• Exceptional storytelling, presentation, and communication skills, capable of engaging diverse audiences from product teams to executive leadership.

• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with design, product management, engineering, and marketing teams throughout the product development lifecycle.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with quantitative research methodologies and data analysis to complement qualitative findings.

• Familiarity with the gaming industry, multiplayer platforms, or related digital interactive products.

• Experience with agile development methodologies and integrating research within rapid iteration cycles.

• Proficiency in using various UX research tools and platforms for data collection, analysis, and synthesis.

• Ability to mentor junior researchers and contribute to the growth of a research practice.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 5+ years and the emphasis on translating insights into "actionable product direction" and "business impact" indicate a strategic level. The mention of "operational contexts" and "tracking impact" suggests a need for analytical rigor and a focus on measurable outcomes, aligning with operations best practices.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 robust case studies demonstrating a full research lifecycle from problem definition to actionable recommendations and impact tracking.

• Each case study should clearly articulate the research questions, methodologies employed, participant recruitment strategy, and key findings.

• Highlight how insights were translated into concrete product design decisions or strategic shifts, providing specific examples of influence on product roadmaps or feature development.

• Quantify the impact of your research where possible, using metrics related to user satisfaction, engagement, conversion rates, or business outcomes.

Process Documentation:

• Demonstrate experience in documenting research processes, including study plans, recruitment screener templates, interview guides, and synthesis frameworks.

• Provide evidence of creating clear, concise, and compelling research reports or presentations tailored to different stakeholder audiences.

• Showcase examples of how you've contributed to or established research best practices within a team or organization.

• Illustrate your approach to integrating research findings into broader product development workflows and decision-making processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior role, a portfolio is crucial. The emphasis on "actionable product direction," "business impact," and "tracking impact" means candidates should be prepared to show not just what they researched, but how it led to tangible results and process improvements within the product development lifecycle, mirroring the ROI focus in operations.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $100,000 - $125,000 USD annually.

Explanation of Range: This range is based on industry benchmarks for Senior UX Research Strategist roles in North America, considering the "Remote (Toronto, Ontario, CA)" location, which often aligns with higher cost-of-living adjustments for remote positions, and the provided salary information. The experience level (5+ years) and the strategic nature of the role justify this compensation band.

Benefits:

• Work from anywhere: Full remote flexibility, allowing for a global or regional work setup.

• Annual discretionary bonus: Performance-based incentive to reward contributions to company success.

• Competitive salary: Reflects the value and experience brought to the role.

• Paid time off (over 20 days): Generous PTO package for work-life balance and personal well-being.

• Health benefits: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.

• Training & development opportunities: Investment in continuous learning, skill enhancement, and professional growth.

• Annual team-wide trip: Opportunity for team building, networking, and in-person collaboration.

Working Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week. While the role is remote, flexibility is expected to accommodate global team collaboration and research participant scheduling, a common practice in operations-driven environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range of $100,000 - $125,000 USD is noted. For the Toronto, Ontario, CA location, this range is competitive, especially given the fully remote nature. The benefits listed are standard for a tech company, with "work from anywhere" and "training & development" being key draws for operations-minded professionals focused on continuous improvement and flexibility.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Gaming / Multiplayer Platforms. MazeMultiplayer operates within the dynamic and rapidly evolving gaming industry, focusing on multiplayer experiences. This sector demands continuous innovation, user engagement, and a deep understanding of player motivations and community dynamics, which directly influences the strategic importance of UX research.

Company Size: Small to Medium-sized (Inferred from the specific job posting and typical "startup" or "growth-stage" company profiles on platforms like Rippling). This size often means a more agile environment with direct impact opportunities for individuals.

Founded: Not specified. However, the focus on "innovation" and "continuous creative improvement" suggests a forward-thinking, possibly growth-stage company.

Team Structure:

• Operations within Product: The UX Research function is embedded within the product development ecosystem, likely reporting through a Head of Product, Director of UX, or a similar product leadership role, but with strong ties to GTM strategy.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: This role will work closely with Product Managers, UX/UI Designers, Engineers, and potentially Marketing and Community teams. The ability to influence and integrate research into these functions is paramount.

• Research Practice Growth: As a senior member, there's an opportunity to shape and grow the UX research practice, contributing to standardized processes and methodologies.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: The company culture emphasizes using research insights to drive product decisions, aligning with operations principles of data integrity and evidence-based strategy.

• Agile & Iterative: The product development process likely follows agile principles, requiring research to be adaptable, timely, and integrated into iterative cycles.

• User-Centricity: A core tenet is understanding and prioritizing user needs, ensuring that product development is aligned with user value and market demand.

Company Website: https://ats.rippling.com/multiplayer-studio (This is the ATS URL, the actual company website is not provided but implied by "MazeMultiplayer").

📝 Enhancement Note: The industry context (Gaming/Multiplayer) is significant for UX research, as player psychology, community dynamics, and operational aspects of online games are complex. The company size and implied stage suggest a dynamic environment where operations roles can have substantial influence and visibility.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Strategic Contributor. This role is positioned at a senior individual contributor level, focusing on strategic research design, execution, and impact. It requires a high degree of autonomy and the ability to lead research initiatives independently. The strategic nature of translating insights into product direction aligns with advanced operational analysis and planning.

Reporting Structure: Likely reports into a Head of Product, Director of UX, or a similar senior product leadership position. Close collaboration with design and product management teams is expected, facilitating seamless integration of research into the development pipeline.

Operations Impact: The core impact of this role is through informing and guiding product strategy, design decisions, and ultimately, the success of product launches and feature iterations. By ensuring products are user-centric and address identified pain points and operational contexts, this role directly influences user adoption, engagement, retention, and revenue potential, key metrics for GTM and Revenue Operations.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership in Research: Potential to evolve into a Lead UX Researcher or Manager of UX Research, building and mentoring a team, and defining the research vision for MazeMultiplayer.

• Strategic Product Influence: Deepen influence on product roadmaps and company strategy by consistently delivering high-impact research and insights, potentially moving into more strategic product roles.

• Domain Expertise: Develop specialized expertise in player behavior, multiplayer game mechanics, or specific user segments within the gaming industry, becoming a subject matter expert.

• Process Improvement: Contribute to the refinement and establishment of research operations, including best practices for data synthesis, reporting, and integration into agile workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title and focus on strategic impact indicate a role with significant growth potential. For operations professionals, this translates to opportunities for leadership in a specialized analytical field, increased strategic influence on business outcomes, and the chance to formalize and optimize research processes—all hallmarks of career progression in operations.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. This role operates in a fully remote work environment, offering maximum flexibility in terms of location.

Office Location(s): Remote, with a stated preference or connection to Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This suggests that while the employee can work from anywhere, there may be a primary time zone alignment or a desire for candidates within a certain geographic region for potential occasional meetups or specific legal/compliance reasons.

Workspace Context:

• Flexibility and Autonomy: The remote setup allows for a personalized work environment, emphasizing self-discipline and time management, key traits for successful operations professionals.

• Digital Collaboration Tools: Expect to utilize a range of digital collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Zoom, Miro, project management software) for communication, ideation, and team synchronization.

• Cross-functional Interaction: While remote, opportunities for rich interaction with design, product, and engineering teams will be facilitated through virtual channels, fostering a collaborative and integrated work experience.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approximately 40 hours per week) are expected. However, the remote nature and global nature of user research may require some flexibility to accommodate participant availability across different time zones and occasional team syncs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The fully remote nature for a Senior role is a significant benefit. It aligns with the modern operational trend towards distributed teams and emphasizes the need for strong digital communication and self-management skills, which are crucial for remote operations roles.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A brief call with a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, alignment with the role, and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion with the hiring manager (likely Head of Product or Director of UX) to delve deeper into experience, research philosophy, and strategic thinking. This stage will focus on how you approach problem-solving and translate insights into actionable product direction.

• Portfolio Presentation & Case Study: A dedicated session where you will present 1-2 key case studies from your portfolio. Be prepared to walk through your process, highlight your contributions, explain your reasoning, and articulate the impact of your research. This is a critical assessment of your strategic and communication skills.

• Cross-functional Collaboration Interview: An interview with design and/or product management counterparts to evaluate your ability to collaborate, influence, and integrate research into their workflows.

• Final Interview/Debrief: A concluding conversation, potentially with senior leadership, to confirm fit and discuss final details.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Impact: Prioritize case studies where your research demonstrably influenced product decisions and led to positive business outcomes. Quantify impact whenever possible.

• Tell a Story: Structure your presentations clearly, guiding the interviewer through the problem, your approach, the insights, and the resulting actions and outcomes.

• Demonstrate Strategic Thinking: Explain why you chose certain methodologies and how your research addressed overarching product strategy or business goals, not just isolated usability issues.

• Highlight Collaboration: Showcase instances where you effectively partnered with designers and PMs, demonstrating your ability to integrate into their processes and build strong working relationships.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about your specific contributions, challenges faced, and alternative approaches you considered.

Challenge Preparation:

• Mock Presentation: Practice presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on clarity, conciseness, and impact. Time yourself to ensure you stay within any allocated limits.

• Hypothetical Scenario: Be prepared to discuss how you would approach a research problem for a new feature or product area for MazeMultiplayer, demonstrating your strategic thinking and methodological flexibility.

• Operational Integration: Think about how you would integrate your research findings into an agile development pipeline and communicate them effectively to engineers and product managers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on portfolio presentation and demonstrating "business impact" is key. Candidates should prepare to showcase not just research execution but also strategic application and quantifiable results, a mindset crucial for operations roles.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Research Platforms: Familiarity with tools for surveys, interviews, usability testing, and diary studies (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, Google Forms).

• Collaboration & Whiteboarding: Proficiency in tools like Miro, Mural, Figma (for collaboration on designs informed by research), or similar virtual whiteboarding and collaboration platforms.

• Communication: Expert use of Slack, Microsoft Teams, or similar real-time communication tools.

• Video Conferencing: Mastery of Zoom, Google Meet, or similar platforms for conducting remote interviews and team meetings.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Synthesis Tools: Experience with tools or methods for synthesizing qualitative data (e.g., Dovetail, NVivo, or manual affinity mapping techniques).

• Presentation Software: Strong command of tools like PowerPoint, Google Slides, or Keynote for creating compelling research presentations.

• Spreadsheet Software: Proficiency in Excel or Google Sheets for basic data organization and analysis.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly managing CRM or automation systems, an understanding of how user research informs CRM strategies (e.g., customer segmentation, journey mapping) and marketing automation workflows can be beneficial. Familiarity with how product usage data might feed into operational dashboards is also valuable.

📝 Enhancement Note: While this role is not directly in Sales or Revenue Operations, proficiency with collaboration and data synthesis tools is critical. The ability to "track and communicate the impact of research-informed decisions" implies a need to understand how to present data effectively, similar to operations reporting dashboards.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Impact-Driven: A strong focus on ensuring research efforts translate into measurable business outcomes and product improvements, mirroring the ROI-centric approach in operations.

• Collaborative Spirit: Valuing close partnerships with design, product, and engineering teams to foster a shared understanding of user needs and drive cohesive product development.

• Continuous Improvement: A commitment to refining research methodologies, improving processes, and constantly seeking innovative ways to understand users and enhance the product.

• Data-Informed Decision Making: Emphasizing the use of robust research findings to guide strategic choices, rather than relying on assumptions or intuition alone.

• Ownership & Accountability: Taking responsibility for research projects from inception to impact analysis, ensuring thoroughness and follow-through.

Collaboration Style:

• Integrated Partnerships: Working seamlessly with design and product teams, acting as a research partner rather than an external consultant.

• Proactive Communication: Regularly sharing insights and updates, and actively seeking feedback to ensure research remains relevant and actionable.

• Knowledge Sharing: Contributing to a culture where research findings and best practices are openly shared across teams to foster collective learning and innovation.

• Constructive Feedback: Engaging in and providing constructive feedback to improve research quality, product design, and team processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "impact-driven," "continuous improvement," and "data-informed decision making" strongly aligns with core operational values. The collaborative style required is also typical of successful operations teams that act as central hubs for cross-functional alignment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Rigor and Speed: Navigating the inherent tension between conducting thorough, high-quality research and meeting the rapid pace of product development cycles, a common challenge in operations-dependent environments.

• Translating Insights into Action: Effectively communicating complex findings in a way that resonates with diverse stakeholders and leads to tangible product changes, requiring strong storytelling and influence skills.

• Measuring Research Impact: Establishing clear metrics and processes to track the long-term impact of research-informed decisions on user behavior and business outcomes.

• Navigating Ambiguity: Working effectively in a dynamic, potentially fast-changing environment where research questions may evolve and require adaptability.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Research Methodologies: Opportunities to explore and implement cutting-edge research techniques and quantitative analysis methods.

• Product Strategy Influence: Deepen involvement in strategic product planning and roadmapping, gaining broader business acumen.

• Mentorship and Leadership: Potential to mentor junior researchers and contribute to building the research function at MazeMultiplayer.

• Industry Exposure: Staying abreast of trends in UX research, gaming, and product development through conferences, workshops, and online learning resources.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges listed—balancing speed with rigor, measuring impact, and translating insights into action—are directly analogous to challenges faced in Sales Operations, Revenue Operations, and GTM Operations. The growth opportunities also mirror those in operations, focusing on leadership, strategic influence, and process optimization.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you used foundational research to identify a significant unmet user need that led to a new product direction. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your strategic approach, methodology, and impact).

• "How do you balance the need for research rigor with tight product development timelines? Provide an example of how you've adapted your research approach under constraints." (Demonstrate your operational efficiency and problem-solving skills).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about MazeMultiplayer and the gaming/multiplayer space specifically?" (Research the company's products, mission, and recent news. Connect your passion for research to their domain).

• "How do you see UX research contributing to the success of a multiplayer gaming platform?" (Think about player engagement, community, monetization, and retention strategies).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select Impactful Case Studies: Choose projects that clearly demonstrate your ability to drive strategy, solve complex problems, and deliver measurable business impact. Aim for variety in methodologies if possible.

• Structure for Clarity: For each case study, clearly articulate: The Problem/Opportunity, Your Role & Responsibilities, Research Questions, Methodology Used, Key Findings, Recommendations, and The Impact/Outcome.

• Quantify Results: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the impact of your research (e.g., increased conversion, improved satisfaction scores, reduced churn).

• Be Ready for Q&A: Anticipate detailed questions about your decision-making process, your specific contributions, and how you handled challenges. Practice articulating your thought process clearly and concisely.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation advice strongly emphasizes demonstrating strategic thinking, operational adaptability, and quantifiable impact, all of which are critical for success in operations roles and for showcasing value in an interview.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations-aligned UX research position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Rippling ATS.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight experience in product strategy, foundational research, and translating insights into actionable business impact. Quantify achievements using numbers and metrics relevant to product development and user engagement, mirroring how operations roles showcase ROI.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 key case studies that robustly demonstrate your research process, strategic thinking, collaborative skills, and, most importantly, the measurable impact of your work. Ensure clear articulation of methodology, findings, and outcomes.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice presenting your chosen portfolio case studies, focusing on storytelling, clarity, and demonstrating how your research influenced product direction and business goals. Be ready to discuss your specific contributions and the "why" behind your decisions.

• Research MazeMultiplayer: Understand their products, target audience, and company mission. Consider how your UX research expertise can directly contribute to their success in the competitive multiplayer gaming market and how it aligns with their stated values of innovation and continuous improvement.

⚠️ 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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