Senior UX Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Researcher

Company: Retool

Location: San Francisco, California, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: User Experience Research / Product Strategy

Date Posted: 2026-08-05

Experience Level: 5+ Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive product and design strategy through impactful user research initiatives, focusing on understanding user needs and market opportunities within the AI-powered software development era.

• Serve as a foundational, leading member of a small, strategic research team, with a significant opportunity to shape the culture of research and define how insights influence organizational decisions.

• Collaborate closely with curious and customer-centric designers, engineers, and product managers to uncover new opportunities and elevate product experiences.

• Own research projects end-to-end, from scoping and planning to execution, analysis, and dissemination of actionable learnings to diverse stakeholders.

• Triangulate insights from various sources, including user research, product usage data, customer support feedback, and market signals, to identify meaningful patterns and drive strategic product direction.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is "Senior UX Researcher," the emphasis on informing "product and design strategy" and shaping "how insights drive impact across the organization" positions this role as a strategic contributor to Go-To-Market (GTM) and product development operations. The focus on Enterprise SaaS and technical platforms suggests a need for understanding complex user workflows, which is highly relevant to revenue and sales operations in understanding customer pain points and adoption drivers.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Partner with stakeholders across product, design, and engineering to identify critical knowledge gaps, uncover latent assumptions, and define open questions to prioritize high-impact research opportunities.

• Design, plan, and execute research studies utilizing a comprehensive range of qualitative and quantitative methodologies, including but not limited to: usability testing, in-depth user interviews, in-product surveys, competitive analysis, and diary studies.

• Generate actionable and impactful learnings by analyzing and synthesizing data from various research initiatives, ensuring findings are relevant and directly inform product decisions.

• Foster a strong user-centered culture by collaborating with cross-functional teams, effectively communicating research findings, and embedding user insights into the product development lifecycle.

• Distill complex research data into clear, compelling, and persuasive narratives tailored for diverse audiences, including product managers, engineers, designers, and executive leadership.

• Contribute to the foundational development of Retool's research practice by evolving methodologies, refining processes, and establishing best practices for user research within the organization.

• Proactively identify opportunities to leverage research to guide Retool's expansion into new customer segments and explore the potential of AI-powered experiences.

• Balance research rigor with the need for speed, creatively adapting methodologies to work effectively within project constraints and deliver timely insights.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of tactical execution and strategic influence. For a Senior UX Researcher, the ability to "synthesize complex data into clear, compelling stories" and "distill ambiguity into clarity" is paramount for driving adoption and informing revenue-generating product decisions. The mention of "AI-powered experiences" and "technical workflows or developer tools" indicates a need to understand complex user journeys, which directly impacts product adoption and customer success metrics.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s or advanced degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Human Factors, Computer Science, or a similar relevant field. Experience:

• Minimum of 5+ years of dedicated experience in UX research, product research, or a closely related field.

• Prior experience within Enterprise SaaS or technical platform environments is highly preferred, demonstrating an understanding of complex user workflows and business needs. Required Skills:

• Proven ability to independently own and execute research projects end-to-end, from initial scoping and planning through to execution, analysis, and reporting.

• Expertise in a wide range of qualitative research methods (e.g., in-depth interviews, ethnographic studies, contextual inquiries) and quantitative research methods (e.g., surveys, A/B testing, usage data analysis).

• Exceptional synthesis and storytelling skills, with a demonstrated ability to translate complex research findings into clear, actionable insights that resonate with diverse audiences.

• Experience in shaping product strategy and direction through early-stage generative research and iterative usability testing.

• Comfort navigating ambiguous problem spaces and a strong bias for action; ability to be both strategic and scrappy in research execution.

• Deep curiosity and understanding of how complex systems work, particularly technical workflows or developer tools, to effectively research their usability and impact.

• Excellent collaboration and communication skills, with a proven ability to bring cross-functional teams into the research process and rally them around user insights.

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple research priorities simultaneously, scope projects appropriately, and deliver high-quality work within deadlines. Preferred Skills:

• Experience working on AI products, with a solid understanding of AI technologies and their implications for user interaction and experience.

• Familiarity with design thinking frameworks, advanced usability evaluation techniques, and experimental design for A/B testing.

• Experience or strong interest in leading and growing a small User Experience Research (UXR) team, including mentoring junior researchers and shaping team processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "Enterprise SaaS" and "technical platform environments" is critical. For operations roles, this means understanding how users interact with complex, often mission-critical software. The ability to conduct "early-stage generative research" and "iterative usability testing" directly informs product-market fit and user adoption, key drivers for revenue growth. The "AI products" preference indicates a forward-thinking approach, relevant to GTM strategies for emerging technologies.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A robust portfolio showcasing end-to-end UX research projects with a clear demonstration of research methodologies applied, problem statements, execution, and actionable outcomes.

• Evidence of how research insights directly influenced product strategy, design decisions, or business outcomes, ideally with quantifiable results.

• Case studies highlighting experience with both qualitative and quantitative research, demonstrating a balanced approach to understanding user needs and behaviors.

• Examples of research conducted within complex technical environments or Enterprise SaaS platforms, showcasing an ability to understand and research intricate user workflows.

• Documentation of how research findings were synthesized and communicated effectively to diverse stakeholders, including product, engineering, and executive leadership. Process Documentation:

• Demonstrated ability to document research processes clearly, from initial stakeholder alignment and study design to data analysis and reporting.

• Examples of how research findings were integrated into product development workflows and decision-making processes.

• Experience in developing and refining research methodologies to ensure rigor and relevance within project constraints.

• Ability to articulate the impact of research on process optimization and user experience improvements within a product lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior UX Researcher, the portfolio is crucial for demonstrating practical application of research skills. The emphasis should be on showing how research leads to tangible improvements, directly impacting product adoption, customer satisfaction, and ultimately, revenue. This aligns with operations' focus on efficiency and measurable results.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Based on Retool's San Francisco location, the experience level (5+ years), and the senior nature of the role, a competitive salary range for a Senior UX Researcher is estimated to be between $150,000 - $200,000 annually. This estimate is derived from industry benchmarks for similar roles in major tech hubs, considering the company's stage and funding, and the specialized nature of UX research in Enterprise SaaS. Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• Generous paid time off (PTO) and holidays, promoting work-life balance.

• Stock options or equity, offering a stake in the company's growth.

• Professional development budget for conferences, training, and learning resources, supporting continuous skill enhancement in UX research and related fields.

• Parental leave policies to support new parents.

• 401(k) retirement savings plan with potential company match.

• Commuter benefits for on-site employees in San Francisco. Working Hours:

• Standard full-time working hours, typically around 40 hours per week.

• Flexibility may be offered, with an expectation of availability during core business hours for cross-functional collaboration with teams in different time zones, especially given the remote-friendly nature of the company.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on current market data for Senior UX Researchers in San Francisco, considering Retool's profile as a growing tech company. Benefits are typical for a company of Retool's caliber and location, with a focus on professional development crucial for a research role.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software Development Tools / Enterprise SaaS / AI Technology. Retool operates at the intersection of developer tools and enterprise software, empowering businesses to build internal tools rapidly. The current focus on AI signifies an innovative and forward-looking approach to software development.

Company Size: Retool is a rapidly growing startup. While specific employee numbers fluctuate, they are generally considered a mid-stage startup, likely employing between 100-500 individuals. This size offers a dynamic environment with opportunities for significant impact and direct visibility with leadership.

Founded: Retool was founded in 2017. This relatively young company has quickly established itself as a leader in its space, indicating a culture of rapid innovation, execution, and responsiveness to market needs.

Team Structure:

• The UX Research team is described as small and strategic, suggesting a highly collaborative and integrated unit.

• As a foundational member, the Senior UX Researcher will likely work closely with a dedicated Product Manager, Lead Designer, and a team of engineers focused on specific product areas.

• Cross-functional collaboration is a core tenet, with research insights expected to inform product strategy and design across the organization. The Senior UXR will be a key liaison between users and these teams. Methodology:

• Retool emphasizes a customer-centric approach, with research playing a vital role in understanding user needs and validating product direction.

• The company likely employs agile development methodologies, requiring research to be both rigorous and adaptable, providing timely insights to support iterative development cycles.

• Data-driven decision-making is implicitly valued, with research providing the qualitative and quantitative foundation for strategic choices.

Company Website: https://retool.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Retool's position as a rapidly growing startup in the Enterprise SaaS and AI space means the culture is likely fast-paced, innovative, and highly collaborative. The emphasis on research as a valued function suggests an openness to data-driven decision-making, which is critical for operations roles focused on efficiency and growth.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a "Senior" UX Researcher, indicating a mid-to-senior level position within the User Experience discipline. It requires a high degree of autonomy, strategic thinking, and the ability to lead research initiatives independently. The role is also described as "foundational," suggesting significant influence over the future direction and practices of the research function at Retool.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Researcher will report to a lead within the Product or Design organization, likely a Head of Product, VP of Design, or a similar senior leadership role. As an early member of the research team, there's potential for direct mentorship from this leader and significant input into team growth and structure.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is significant, as it directly informs product strategy and design decisions that shape the core offering of Retool. By understanding user needs and pain points, the Senior UX Researcher will influence the development of features that drive customer adoption, retention, and expansion, thereby directly impacting revenue and GTM success. The focus on AI also positions this role to influence the strategic direction of new product lines.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: As a foundational member, there is a clear path to grow into a leadership role, potentially managing and scaling the UXR team as Retool expands.

• Strategic Influence: Opportunity to shape research practices, methodologies, and integrate user insights deeply into the company's strategic planning and product roadmap.

• Skill Specialization: Potential to deepen expertise in researching complex technical platforms, AI technologies, or specific user segments within the developer/enterprise tool market.

• Cross-Functional Impact: Opportunity to work closely with senior leaders across Product, Engineering, and Design, gaining broad exposure to business strategy and operations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "foundational" aspect of this senior role implies significant autonomy and the chance to build processes and influence culture. This is a key differentiator for ambitious operations professionals looking for a role where they can truly make their mark and grow their strategic influence.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Retool is advertising this role as "TELECOMMUTE" with a San Francisco location, suggesting a hybrid or remote-first approach with a physical presence in San Francisco. This indicates a modern work environment that balances flexibility with opportunities for in-person collaboration.

Office Location(s): San Francisco, California, United States. This location offers access to a vibrant tech ecosystem, talent pool, and potentially facilitates in-person collaboration with local team members or stakeholders.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The emphasis on cross-functional collaboration suggests an open and communicative workspace, whether physical or virtual. Expect regular interaction with designers, product managers, and engineers.

• Tools and Technology: The role will likely involve access to standard UX research tools, collaboration platforms (e.g., Slack, Zoom), and potentially specialized software for data analysis and visualization.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular team syncs, brainstorming sessions, and knowledge-sharing forums to discuss research findings and best practices.

Work Schedule: While typically full-time (approx. 40 hours/week), there's an expectation of flexibility to accommodate cross-functional collaboration needs, especially if working with teams in different time zones. This aligns with the dynamic nature of a growing tech company.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "TELECOMMUTE" designation combined with a specific city implies a flexible work arrangement, likely hybrid. For operations professionals, this means understanding how to manage distributed teams and maintain productivity across different work settings.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A brief conversation with a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and understanding of the role's strategic importance.

• Hiring Manager Interview: In-depth discussion with the hiring manager (likely a senior leader in Product or Design) focusing on experience, research philosophy, strategic thinking, and alignment with Retool's values.

• Portfolio Review & Presentation: A dedicated session where candidates present 1-2 key UX research projects from their portfolio. This is crucial for demonstrating end-to-end ownership, methodological rigor, synthesis skills, and the impact of their research. Expect questions about challenges, trade-offs, and how insights were translated into action.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with key collaborators, such as Product Managers, Designers, and Engineers, to assess communication style, collaboration effectiveness, and ability to influence cross-functional teams.

• Final Round/Executive Interview: Potentially a conversation with a higher-level executive (e.g., VP of Product, CEO) to assess strategic alignment, leadership potential, and overall fit with Retool's mission.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 projects that best showcase your end-to-end research capabilities, strategic impact, and experience relevant to Enterprise SaaS or technical platforms.

• Highlight Impact: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the methodologies used, key findings, and most importantly, the impact of your research on product decisions and business outcomes. Quantify results where possible.

• Demonstrate Process: Walk through your research process step-by-step, explaining your rationale for choosing specific methods and how you handled challenges or ambiguity.

• Storytelling: Frame your projects as compelling narratives. Explain the "why" behind your research and how it led to significant learnings and actions.

• Tailor to Retool: If possible, subtly tailor your presentation to reflect an understanding of Retool's product and user base, demonstrating your ability to research their specific context.

Challenge Preparation:

• Methodology Deep Dive: Be prepared to discuss your preferred research methodologies, their strengths and weaknesses, and how you adapt them to different project needs and constraints.

• Synthesis & Storytelling Practice: Practice articulating complex findings clearly and concisely. Prepare examples of how you've synthesized data from multiple sources to form a cohesive narrative.

• Stakeholder Management: Think about how you manage stakeholder expectations, communicate findings effectively to different audiences, and handle pushback or differing opinions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is a critical component for this role. Candidates should focus on demonstrating not just research execution, but also strategic thinking and the ability to drive tangible business outcomes through their work. This aligns with the operations focus on measurable results and ROI.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• UX Research Platforms: Familiarity with tools for conducting remote usability tests, user interviews, and surveys (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, Typeform, SurveyMonkey).

• Prototyping & Design Tools: Ability to work with or understand prototypes created in tools like Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD to conduct usability testing.

• Collaboration Tools: Proficiency in Slack, Zoom, Google Workspace, or similar platforms for communication and team collaboration.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Analysis Software: Experience with tools for analyzing qualitative data (e.g., Dovetail, NVivo) and quantitative data (e.g., Excel, Google Sheets, basic statistical software).

• Product Analytics Tools: Familiarity with tools like Amplitude, Mixpanel, or Pendo for understanding user behavior and product usage patterns.

• Visualization Tools: Ability to create clear and compelling charts and graphs to represent research findings.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a primary focus, familiarity with CRM systems (like Salesforce) or product management platforms (like Jira, Asana) can be beneficial for understanding how research integrates into the broader product development lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: The specific tools listed are typical for a UX Research role. For an operations professional evaluating this role, understanding the data analysis and product analytics tools is key, as this is where quantitative insights for GTM strategy are often derived.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the user, ensuring their needs and perspectives are at the forefront of product development.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Valuing insights derived from research and user behavior to inform strategic choices and product direction.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Fostering an open environment where ideas are shared freely, feedback is constructive, and teams work together towards common goals.

• Impact & Ownership: A drive to make a tangible impact on the product and business, taking ownership of research initiatives from start to finish.

• Innovation & Continuous Learning: Embracing new methodologies, technologies (like AI), and approaches to research and product development.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Actively engaging with product managers, designers, and engineers, acting as a bridge between user needs and technical/design execution.

• Insight Sharing: Regularly disseminating research findings and insights in accessible formats to relevant teams and stakeholders across the organization.

• Feedback Integration: Open to receiving and providing constructive feedback to continuously improve research processes and product outcomes.

• Proactive Engagement: Not waiting to be asked, but proactively identifying research opportunities and bringing them to the attention of relevant teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on customer-centricity, data-driven decisions, and collaboration are core values that resonate strongly with the principles of effective Revenue and Sales Operations. This suggests a company culture where operations professionals can thrive by driving efficiency and informed strategies.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Establishing Research Practice: As an early member of the research team, a key challenge will be defining and scaling the research function, establishing processes, and building credibility across the organization.

• Balancing Speed and Rigor: In a fast-paced startup environment, balancing the need for timely insights with the imperative of research rigor can be demanding.

• Navigating Ambiguity: Working with new technologies like AI and in evolving product areas often involves significant ambiguity, requiring strong problem-framing and adaptive research skills.

• Influencing Diverse Stakeholders: Effectively communicating complex research findings and advocating for user needs to diverse audiences with varying priorities and technical backgrounds.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Leadership Track: Significant opportunity to grow into a leadership role, shaping the future of UX research at Retool and potentially managing a growing team.

• AI Research Expertise: Deepen expertise in researching AI-powered products and understanding the unique challenges and opportunities they present to users.

• Strategic Product Involvement: Gain hands-on experience shaping product strategy for a rapidly growing Enterprise SaaS company, directly influencing market positioning and revenue drivers.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Exposure to Product Management, Engineering, and Design processes, fostering a holistic understanding of product development and GTM strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for senior, foundational roles in growing tech companies. The growth opportunities are significant for individuals looking to build out a function and gain broad strategic experience, highly relevant for operations leaders.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to balance research rigor with the need for speed in a fast-paced environment. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on agility and pragmatic research).

• "How would you approach understanding the needs of developers building internal tools with Retool, particularly concerning new AI features?" (Focus on user segmentation, workflow analysis, and AI implications).

• "Walk me through a project where your research significantly influenced product strategy or design. What was the impact, and how did you measure it?" (Focus on strategic influence and ROI). Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on your understanding of Retool, what do you see as the biggest opportunities for UX research to impact our product and business?" (Show research into Retool and strategic thinking).

• "How do you foster a user-centered mindset within teams that may not have a deep research background?" (Focus on collaboration and advocacy).

• "Describe your experience working with technical platforms or developer tools. What unique challenges do these products present for UX research?" (Demonstrate relevant domain experience). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly define the problem, your specific role and approach, the methods used, key findings, and the resulting impact. Use a STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) or similar framework.

• Focus on Impact: Emphasize how your research led to concrete product improvements, strategic shifts, or business outcomes. Quantify results whenever possible (e.g., "improved task completion rate by X%", "identified key pain point leading to feature redesign that increased adoption by Y%").

• Showcase Methodological Breadth: Highlight your ability to choose and apply appropriate qualitative and quantitative methods based on research goals and constraints.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about your decision-making process, challenges encountered, alternative approaches you considered, and how you handled ambiguity.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, the ability to translate research into actionable insights that drive business outcomes, and a deep understanding of the user experience within technical/SaaS environments.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on jobs.gem.com.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features projects demonstrating end-to-end research ownership, strategic impact, and experience relevant to Enterprise SaaS or technical platforms. Tailor your presentation to highlight how your research drives product adoption and informs business strategy.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly articulate your 5+ years of experience, emphasizing accomplishments related to influencing product direction, driving user adoption, and working within complex technical environments. Use keywords like "product strategy," "generative research," "usability testing," and "data synthesis."

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your research process, synthesis skills, and impact with specific examples. Prepare to discuss how you would approach research challenges at Retool and how you would contribute to building their research practice.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Retool's product, target audience, and recent news. Understand their mission to "reimagine how software gets built" and their focus on AI. Consider how your research skills can directly contribute to their growth and innovation.

⚠️ 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.