Senior UX Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Researcher

Company: Carousell Group

Location: Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Job Type: Full-time

Category: User Experience Research / Product Operations

Date Posted: 2026-10-01T06:48:49.993

Experience Level: Senior (4-8 years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead end-to-end UX research initiatives to drive product decision-making within key marketplace journeys for buyers and sellers.

• Partner closely with Product Managers, Designers, and Analysts to integrate user insights into the discovery and delivery phases, reducing product risk and validating product direction.

• Translate complex user needs and pain points into clear, actionable recommendations that directly influence product strategy, prioritization, and design.

• Establish and maintain consistent usability testing practices across critical user flows to ensure early detection of issues and elevate overall user experience quality.

• Develop and manage reusable research assets, such as journey maps and insight libraries, to foster a shared understanding of user needs across product teams and enhance decision-making consistency.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role sits within the Product Management department, focusing on UX Research. Given the emphasis on influencing product direction, validating hypotheses, and reducing product risk, this role has strong ties to Product Operations and GTM strategy by ensuring that user needs are central to product development and market readiness. The explicit mention of "generative AI tools" indicates a forward-thinking approach to research methodologies.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own the complete UX research lifecycle for priority marketplace journeys, including planning, participant recruitment, moderation, synthesis, and reporting.

• Conduct diverse research studies such as in-depth user interviews, usability testing (on mobile app and web), concept validation, prototype testing, and journey mapping to uncover friction points and unmet user needs.

• Collaborate proactively with Product Managers and Designers during the discovery phase to validate problem statements, test hypotheses, and define success metrics for new features and improvements.

• Synthesize research findings into sharp, actionable recommendations, clearly communicating trade-offs and implications to product teams to foster confident decision-making.

• Implement lightweight yet repeatable usability testing protocols for critical flows (e.g., search, listing, posting, lead generation, chat) to ensure continuous quality improvement.

• Integrate qualitative research insights with quantitative behavioral data from Product Analytics to provide a holistic understanding of user behavior and support go/no-go decisions.

• Maintain high standards of research rigor, ensuring participant quality, unbiased moderation, and clear documentation to build stakeholder trust and ensure insights are actionable.

• Develop and maintain reusable research assets, such as comprehensive journey maps and curated pain-point libraries, to serve as ongoing resources for product teams.

• Champion user-centricity across the product development process, advocating for user needs and ensuring that product improvements are grounded in real user insights.

• Leverage generative AI tools to enhance research efficiency, accelerate insights generation, and explore new research methodologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong emphasis on influencing product strategy and ensuring "decision-ready recommendations." This indicates a need for the candidate to not only gather data but also to strategically communicate findings to senior stakeholders, impacting roadmap prioritization and feature scope. The integration of qualitative and quantitative data suggests a need for analytical skills beyond typical UX research.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Design Research, or a related field is typically expected for a Senior UX Researcher role.

Experience: 4-8 years of dedicated UX research experience, with a proven track record in consumer products, digital marketplaces, classifieds, e-commerce, or high-traffic digital platforms.

Required Skills:

• UX Research Expertise: Deep understanding and practical application of various qualitative research methodologies, including user interviews, usability testing, concept testing, and prototype validation.

• Synthesis & Insight Generation: Ability to synthesize complex qualitative and quantitative data into clear, compelling, and actionable insights that drive product strategy.

• Stakeholder Management & Influence: Proven ability to effectively communicate research findings, handle stakeholder pushback, and influence product direction, scope, and prioritization decisions.

• Research Planning & Execution: Independently capable of scoping, planning, recruiting, moderating, and executing end-to-end research studies with minimal oversight.

• Generative AI Integration: Active experience and proficiency in integrating generative AI tools into daily research workflows to enhance efficiency and output.

• Communication & Presentation: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present crisp insights and recommendations that directly inform trade-offs and next steps.

• Bias for Action & Agility: Comfortable working in fast-paced environments, delivering timely and practical research that is directly tied to product outcomes.

Preferred Skills:

• Marketplace Dynamics: Experience researching two-sided marketplaces (buyers and sellers), understanding their unique dynamics and user needs.

• Specific Journey Expertise: Familiarity with trust and safety, fraud prevention, content quality, or monetization flows within a marketplace context.

• Quantitative Data Integration: Experience triangulating qualitative findings with behavioral data from product analytics tools.

• Journey Mapping & Persona Development: Skilled in creating comprehensive user journey maps and personas that inform product strategy.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Demonstrated ability to work effectively with Product Managers, Designers, Engineers, and Data Analysts.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "4-8 years of UX research experience" with a focus on marketplaces and the explicit mention of "actively integrate generative AI tools into daily research workflows" are key differentiators. The emphasis on influencing product decisions and handling pushback suggests a need for strong strategic thinking and communication skills beyond just research execution.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 2-3 comprehensive case studies demonstrating end-to-end UX research projects from initiation to impact.

• Each case study should clearly articulate the research problem, the chosen methodologies, the research process, key findings, actionable recommendations, and the resulting impact on product decisions or user experience.

• Highlight instances where research directly influenced product scope, prioritization, or design, demonstrating your ability to drive tangible outcomes.

• Include examples of how you've leveraged qualitative insights in conjunction with quantitative data to inform product strategy.

• Demonstrate proficiency in using generative AI tools within your research process, showcasing how they enhanced efficiency or provided novel insights. Process Documentation:

• Evidence of establishing or improving research processes, such as participant recruitment strategies, usability testing frameworks, or insight synthesis methods.

• Examples of creating reusable research assets like journey maps, user personas, or pain-point libraries that have been adopted by product teams.

• Documentation illustrating how you've integrated research findings into product roadmaps or sprint planning.

• Show how you've ensured research rigor and quality control in your studies.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior UX Researcher role, the portfolio is critical. It should not only demonstrate research craft but also strategic impact. Candidates should be prepared to discuss how their research influenced business outcomes, product strategy, and how they've improved research processes within teams. The inclusion of generative AI in the portfolio is a specific requirement.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Senior UX Researchers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with 4-8 years of experience, the estimated annual salary range is approximately MYR 90,000 - MYR 150,000. This estimate considers the cost of living in Kuala Lumpur, the seniority of the role, and the specific requirements of a fast-paced marketplace environment.

Benefits:

• Impactful Work: Opportunity to shape the user experience of Malaysia's largest digital marketplace, affecting millions of users.

• Ownership & Foundation Building: Play a key role in establishing how user insights consistently inform product decisions at Mudah.

• Collaborative Culture: Work within a product team that values measurable outcomes, strong craft, and high-quality execution.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for continuous learning and skill enhancement, potentially including access to industry conferences or training.

• Standard Benefits: Likely includes health insurance, paid time off, and other statutory benefits as per Malaysian labor laws.

Working Hours: The job is full-time, implying approximately 40 hours per week. While the role is on-site, there may be an expectation of flexibility to accommodate research needs or urgent product discussions, typical in fast-paced tech environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on general market data for Senior UX Researchers in Kuala Lumpur. Specific benefits are inferred from the "Why Join Us?" section and standard tech industry offerings in the region. The "on-site" requirement suggests a standard work week, though flexibility might be present.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: E-commerce / Digital Marketplace / Recommerce. Carousell Group operates in the recommerce sector, aiming to make secondhand the first choice. Mudah.my, specifically, is Malaysia's largest digital platform for buying and selling a wide variety of goods.

Company Size: Carousell Group is a significant player, with tens of millions of monthly active users across eight markets. The group is backed by prominent investors, indicating a substantial and growing organization.

Founded: Carousell Group was founded in August 2012 in Singapore. Mudah.my has a long-standing presence in Malaysia, contributing to the group's established market leadership.

Team Structure:

• The Senior UX Researcher will be part of the Product Management department at Mudah.my.

• They will operate as the research owner for specific product areas, implying a matrixed reporting structure where they collaborate closely with dedicated Product Managers and Designers for those areas.

• The role involves significant cross-functional collaboration with Product Managers, Designers, Analysts, and potentially Engineering teams. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: The company emphasizes measurable outcomes and grounding product decisions in user insight and behavioral data.

• User-Centricity: A core value is solving problems for users and making secondhand the first choice.

• Iterative Improvement: The culture supports continuous improvement and learning, with a focus on efficiency and high-quality execution.

• Resourcefulness: Teams are encouraged to be relentlessly resourceful, a trait valuable in operations roles.

Company Website: https://www.carousell.com/group/ (for Carousell Group) and https://www.mudah.my/ (for Mudah.my)

📝 Enhancement Note: The company description highlights a mission-driven culture ("inspire the world to start selling") and specific values like "mission-first mindset" and "relentlessly resourceful." This suggests an environment where operations professionals who can demonstrate impact and efficiency will thrive. The integration of multiple brands under Carousell Group indicates a dynamic, potentially complex operational environment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a "Senior" level position, indicating a need for experienced professionals who can operate with a high degree of autonomy and influence. It suggests a transition from purely execution to strategic guidance and mentorship.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Researcher will report into a Product Management leadership role (e.g., Head of Product, Director of Product). They will work closely with Product Managers and Designers on specific product areas, forming a core product triad.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct impact on the success of Mudah.my by ensuring that product development is aligned with user needs and market opportunities. By reducing product risk and validating direction, the researcher contributes to more efficient development cycles, better product-market fit, and ultimately, increased user engagement and platform growth. Their work directly supports the GTM strategy by ensuring products are user-validated before launch.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership in Research: Potential to grow into a lead or manager role within the UX Research function, overseeing a team and setting research strategy for larger product areas or the entire platform.

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific marketplace domains (e.g., automotive, property, fashion) or research areas (e.g., generative AI in research, advanced qualitative methods).

• Cross-functional Advancement: Transition into Product Management, Product Strategy, or GTM roles by leveraging deep user understanding and strategic influence.

• Mentorship: Opportunity to mentor junior researchers and contribute to building the research practice within Carousell Group.

• Impactful Projects: Lead research for high-impact initiatives that significantly shape the future of the Mudah.my platform.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title implies leadership potential. The emphasis on influencing product direction and building foundational research processes suggests opportunities for strategic growth and shaping the UX research discipline within the company.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This role is designated as "On-site," indicating a physical office presence is required in Kuala Lumpur.

Office Location(s): Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Specific details about office amenities or accessibility would need to be confirmed directly.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office environment is likely designed to foster collaboration among product teams (PMs, Designers, Analysts, Researchers). Expect opportunities for in-person brainstorming, workshops, and design reviews.

• Technology Enabled: Access to necessary research tools, software, and potentially a dedicated lab space for usability testing. The company's focus on generative AI suggests a forward-looking approach to technology adoption.

• Team Interaction: Regular interaction with cross-functional team members, fostering a dynamic and communicative work environment.

Work Schedule: As a full-time, on-site role, a standard work schedule (e.g., Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM) is expected. However, flexibility may be required to accommodate user recruitment schedules, critical deadlines, or urgent product discussions, common in agile tech environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement suggests a preference for in-person collaboration and team cohesion, which can be beneficial for operations roles that often rely on strong working relationships across departments.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review your application and resume, focusing on relevant experience and skills.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the hiring manager (likely a Product Lead or Head of Product) to assess your experience, research philosophy, stakeholder management skills, and fit with the team. Be prepared to discuss your approach to research problems and how you've influenced product decisions.

• Portfolio Presentation: A dedicated session where you will present 1-2 key case studies from your portfolio. This is a critical step to demonstrate your research craft, synthesis skills, and the impact of your work. Focus on storytelling, clear articulation of problems and solutions, and quantifiable outcomes.

• Team Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers, Designers, and potentially Data Analysts to assess your collaboration style, ability to integrate insights with data, and how you operate within a product team.

• Final Round: Potentially an interview with a senior leader (e.g., VP of Product) to discuss strategic thinking, leadership potential, and overall cultural fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for Impact: Select case studies that clearly demonstrate how your research led to significant product improvements, strategic shifts, or measurable business outcomes. Highlight your role in driving these changes.

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly outline: The Problem, Your Role, The Research Process (methods, participants), Key Insights, Recommendations, and The Impact (quantifiable if possible).

• Showcase AI Integration: Explicitly detail how you used generative AI tools, the benefits you gained (e.g., speed, depth of insight), and how it informed your final recommendations.

• Demonstrate Strategic Thinking: Be ready to discuss trade-offs, how you prioritized research efforts, and how your work aligned with broader business objectives.

• Practice Your Presentation: Rehearse your presentation to ensure it is concise, engaging, and within the allocated time. Be prepared for in-depth questions about your methodology and decisions.

Challenge Preparation:

• Expect a potential research challenge or a take-home assignment that requires you to apply your research skills to a specific problem relevant to the Mudah.my platform.

• Focus on demonstrating a structured approach, clear reasoning, and actionable recommendations.

• If it's a take-home exercise, pay close attention to the brief, time constraints, and expected deliverables.

• Be prepared to present your findings and rationale clearly and concisely.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio presentation is a key element. Candidates should prepare to showcase their ability to not only conduct research but also to translate it into strategic product direction and measurable business impact, with a specific focus on generative AI applications.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• UX Research Platforms: Tools for participant recruitment, scheduling, and remote usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze).

• Survey Tools: For quantitative data collection and user feedback (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Google Forms, Typeform).

• Collaboration & Whiteboarding: Tools for synthesis, journey mapping, and team collaboration (e.g., Miro, Mural, Figma).

• Generative AI Tools: Explicitly mentioned as a requirement; specific tools may vary but could include AI-powered transcription, summarization, or insight generation platforms.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics Tools: To triangulate qualitative findings with behavioral data (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude).

• Data Visualization Tools: Potentially for presenting synthesized data and insights (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, Looker).

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a CRM/Automation role, familiarity with how user data is managed within a CRM or product analytics platform is beneficial for understanding user segmentation and behavioral tracking.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of "generative AI tools" is a critical requirement. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience with specific AI tools used in UX research. Familiarity with marketplace analytics platforms would be a strong advantage.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A fundamental value, driving a mission to solve user problems and make secondhand the first choice. This translates to prioritizing user needs in all product decisions.

• Mission-First Mindset: A commitment to the company's overarching mission, encouraging teams to align their work with strategic goals.

• Relentlessly Resourceful: An expectation that team members will find innovative solutions and overcome challenges efficiently, a key trait for operations professionals.

• Caring Deeply: Fostering a supportive and empathetic environment, both for users and colleagues.

• Staying Humble to Constantly Improve: A dedication to continuous learning, feedback, and self-improvement, essential for staying ahead in a dynamic tech landscape.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Triads: Close partnership within Product Management, Design, and Research teams to drive product discovery and delivery.

• Data-Informed: A strong emphasis on using both qualitative and quantitative data to inform decisions, fostering a collaborative approach with Product Analysts.

• Open Communication: The culture likely encourages open dialogue, feedback exchange, and proactive communication to ensure alignment and efficiency.

• Outcome-Oriented: Focus on achieving measurable results and driving impact, encouraging a pragmatic and goal-driven approach to collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated values directly align with desirable traits for operations professionals: resourcefulness, a mission-first mindset, and a commitment to continuous improvement. These values should be reflected in how candidates present their experience and approach to problem-solving.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Research Rigor with Speed: In a fast-paced marketplace, the challenge will be to conduct thorough research while meeting tight product development timelines. Strategies for lightweight yet impactful research will be key.

• Influencing Diverse Stakeholders: Effectively communicating research insights and driving consensus among Product Managers, Designers, Engineers, and potentially business leaders who may have different priorities or perspectives.

• Integrating Qualitative and Quantitative Data: Seamlessly combining user feedback with behavioral analytics to provide a comprehensive and convincing picture for decision-making.

• Scaling Research Practice: As the company grows, ensuring that research methodologies and insights remain consistent and accessible across an expanding product portfolio.

• Adapting to Evolving User Needs: Continuously understanding and responding to changing user behaviors and market trends within the recommerce and digital marketplace space.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Research Methodologies: Opportunity to explore and implement cutting-edge research techniques, including advanced qualitative methods and leveraging generative AI for deeper insights.

• Marketplace Domain Expertise: Deepen understanding of specific user segments and journeys within a large-scale digital marketplace.

• Product Strategy Contribution: Gain exposure to and influence product strategy and roadmap planning based on user insights.

• Cross-functional Skill Development: Enhance skills in product management, data analysis, and GTM strategy through close collaboration.

• Mentorship and Leadership: Potential to mentor junior team members and contribute to the strategic direction of the UX Research function.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the need for adaptability, strong communication, and strategic thinking. The growth opportunities underscore the potential for significant career development in a dynamic tech environment.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time when your research significantly changed the direction of a product or feature. What was the situation, your approach, and the outcome?" (Focus on impact and influence).

• "How do you balance the need for rigorous research with fast-paced product development cycles? Provide an example of a time you delivered timely, actionable insights." (Demonstrate bias for action and practical research).

• "Walk me through how you would approach researching a new feature for our buyer journey, for instance, improving the search experience. What methods would you use and why?" (Showcase your research planning and methodology selection).

• "How do you integrate qualitative findings with quantitative data to create a more compelling narrative for product teams?" (Highlight your analytical and triangulation skills).

• "Describe your experience using generative AI tools in your UX research workflow. What benefits did you see, and what are the potential pitfalls?" (Address the specific AI requirement). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Carousell Group and the Mudah.my platform specifically?" (Research the company's mission, products, and market position).

• "How do you embody our company values, such as 'Relentlessly Resourceful' or 'Staying Humble to Constantly Improve,' in your work?" (Align your experiences with their stated values).

• "How do you typically collaborate with Product Managers and Designers? What makes for a successful partnership?" (Showcase your teamwork and cross-functional collaboration skills). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Tell a Story: Frame your case studies as compelling narratives that highlight user problems and how your research provided the solution.

• Focus on Impact: Quantify results whenever possible (e.g., "led to a 15% increase in conversion," "reduced user errors by 20%"). If direct metrics aren't available, focus on the strategic impact (e.g., "informed a pivot in product strategy," "validated a key hypothesis that saved X development resources").

• Explain Your 'Why': Be prepared to justify your methodological choices and explain the rationale behind your recommendations.

• Showcase AI Integration: Clearly articulate where and how generative AI tools were used, the specific advantages they provided, and how they informed your final insights or recommendations.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your process, challenges faced, and how you handled pushback.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should heavily emphasize the candidate's ability to demonstrate impact, strategic influence, and proficiency with generative AI tools, in addition to core UX research skills.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on SmartRecruiters.

• Craft a targeted resume: Highlight your 4-8 years of UX research experience, specifically mentioning work in consumer products, marketplaces, or e-commerce. Quantify achievements and use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare your portfolio: Select 2-3 strong case studies that demonstrate end-to-end research, strategic impact, and your use of generative AI tools. Ensure clear articulation of problem, process, insights, recommendations, and outcomes.

• Research the company: Familiarize yourself with Carousell Group's mission, values, and Mudah.my's position in the Malaysian market. Understand their user base and key journeys.

• Practice your portfolio presentation: Rehearse your case study walkthroughs to ensure clarity, conciseness, and impact, focusing on how your research drove product decisions and business outcomes.

⚠️ 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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