Senior UX Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Researcher

Company: Shine

Location: Berlin, Germany; Amsterdam, Netherlands

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: User Experience Research / Product Operations

Date Posted: 2026-05-20

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (2 remote days per week)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead high-impact, complex qualitative and quantitative research initiatives to inform strategic product decisions.

• Establish and scale a democratized research model, actively coaching and upskilling Product Managers, Designers, and Engineers in research methodologies.

• Develop and maintain essential research infrastructure, including playbooks, templates, and participant panels, in collaboration with Research Operations.

• Champion a customer-centric culture across the organization, ensuring research findings translate into actionable product improvements and influence roadmap discussions.

• Act as a key quality reviewer for research conducted by other team members, ensuring high standards without impeding velocity.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within a newly formed UX Research team, emphasizing the opportunity to build foundational processes and tooling from the ground up. The "democratized research model" is a critical aspect, highlighting the need for a candidate who excels at enablement and mentorship alongside direct research leadership. The focus on connecting research to business and revenue KPIs is a strong indicator of the strategic impact expected from this Senior UX Researcher.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead end-to-end qualitative and quantitative research projects, tackling ambiguous and strategic product questions from initial discovery through insight generation to actionable recommendations.

• Provide expert coaching, mentorship, and practical guidance to Product Managers, Designers, and other stakeholders on research techniques, effective question design, data synthesis, and insight delivery.

• Serve as a trusted sparring partner and quality assurance resource for research activities across product teams, ensuring methodological rigor and actionable outcomes.

• Collaborate closely with the Research Operations specialist to build and maintain shared research infrastructure, including process playbooks, standardized templates, a robust participant panel, and a centralized insights repository.

• Actively advocate for and embed a customer-centric mindset throughout the organization, influencing product strategy, roadmap prioritization, and ensuring research findings are effectively disseminated and utilized.

• Design and execute mixed-methods research studies, leveraging expertise in in-depth interviews, usability testing, diary studies, survey design, and quantitative analysis.

• Translate complex research findings into clear, compelling, and memorable insights that directly inform product decisions and drive business value, particularly concerning business and revenue KPIs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a blend of hands-on, high-impact research leadership for complex problems and a strong focus on enablement and operationalizing research across the organization. The need to build infrastructure and champion culture suggests a proactive, foundational role rather than simply executing research requests.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

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

Experience: 6+ years of progressive experience in UX or product research, with a proven track record in fast-paced product environments. Experience in building or significantly contributing to a democratized research model is highly desirable.

Required Skills:

• Mixed-Methods Research Expertise: Proficient in both qualitative (e.g., in-depth interviews, usability testing, ethnographic studies, diary studies) and quantitative research methodologies (e.g., survey design, A/B testing, correlational analysis, higher-volume studies).

• Research Strategy & Execution: Ability to define research questions, select appropriate methodologies, design studies, collect data, and synthesize findings for ambiguous and strategic product challenges.

• Mentorship & Enablement: Demonstrated ability to coach, mentor, and upskill non-researchers (PMs, Designers, Engineers) in research best practices, fostering independent research capabilities within teams.

• Stakeholder Management & Influence: Proven ability to act as a trusted advisor, build strong relationships with cross-functional stakeholders, and effectively influence product strategy and decision-making.

• Insight Synthesis & Communication: Skill in translating complex data into clear, actionable, and memorable insights that resonate with diverse audiences and drive product decisions.

• Product Sense: Strong understanding of product development processes and the ability to connect research outcomes to business objectives and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), including revenue.

• Research Infrastructure Development: Experience in building or contributing to shared research resources such as templates, playbooks, participant panels, and insights repositories.

Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with research tools like Marvin, Maze, Hotjar, Typeform, or similar platforms for survey design, usability testing, and data collection.

• Experience with analytics tools such as Mixpanel for quantitative user behavior analysis.

• Proficiency in leveraging AI tools (e.g., Claude) to enhance research efficiency and speed.

• Previous experience within the fintech, SME, or B2B product sectors.

• Understanding of Research Operations (Research Ops) principles and practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "6+ years of experience" and the mention of building a "democratized research model" suggests this role is for a seasoned researcher who can operate independently and strategically, while also possessing strong coaching and operationalization skills. The requirement to connect research to "business and revenue KPIs" is a key differentiator for strategic impact.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate Strategic Impact: Showcase case studies that illustrate leading high-impact, ambiguous research initiatives from inception to actionable recommendations and their subsequent impact on product strategy or business outcomes.

• Mixed-Methods Application: Provide examples of how both qualitative and quantitative research methods were integrated to provide a holistic understanding of user needs and behaviors.

• Enablement & Coaching Examples: Include evidence of how you have coached or mentored non-researchers in research methodologies, leading to improved research quality or independent research execution by others.

• Infrastructure Contribution: Highlight any experience in developing or contributing to research infrastructure such as participant panels, insights repositories, templates, or playbooks.

• Insight Translation: Showcase examples of complex findings distilled into clear, actionable insights that directly influenced product decisions and, ideally, business KPIs.

Process Documentation:

• Research Process Design: Candidates should be prepared to discuss their approach to designing and documenting research processes, from planning and execution to synthesis and reporting, especially within a democratized model.

• Methodology Playbooks: Experience or understanding in creating standardized research playbooks and templates to ensure consistency and quality across multiple research initiatives.

• Insights Repository Management: Familiarity with establishing systems for organizing, accessing, and disseminating research findings to maximize their impact and avoid knowledge silos.

• Quality Assurance Frameworks: Ability to articulate how you ensure research quality and rigor when multiple individuals are conducting studies, potentially through review processes or shared best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: While a formal portfolio isn't explicitly requested in the initial description, the emphasis on the candidate's ability to "turn fuzzy business problems into sharp research questions, and complex findings into clear, memorable insights that actually influence decisions" strongly implies that the interview process will involve evaluating past work. Candidates should be prepared to present case studies that demonstrate these capabilities, particularly showcasing their impact and enablement skills.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on location (Berlin/Amsterdam), experience level (6+ years), and the seniority of the role (Senior), a competitive salary range can be estimated.

• Berlin, Germany: For a Senior UX Researcher with 6+ years of experience, typical ranges can fall between €70,000 - €95,000 annually, depending on specific skills, company performance, and negotiation.

• Amsterdam, Netherlands: Similarly, for Amsterdam, the range might be between €75,000 - €100,000 annually, reflecting the cost of living and market rates.

📝 Enhancement Note: These figures are estimates based on industry benchmarks for Senior UX Researchers in major European tech hubs and the provided experience level. Actual compensation will depend on the candidate's specific qualifications, interview performance, and Shine's internal compensation structure. Researching current market data on platforms like Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, and local job boards for "Senior UX Researcher Berlin" and "Senior UX Researcher Amsterdam" is recommended.

Benefits:

• Hybrid Work Model: Opportunity for 2 remote working days per week, offering flexibility and work-life balance.

• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive health insurance and wellness programs (details not specified, but standard for European tech companies).

• Professional Development: Dedicated budget and opportunities for learning and growth, including conferences, training, and certifications.

• Generous Leave Policy: Competitive paid time off (vacation, public holidays).

• Team Events & Socials: Regular company-sponsored events and team-building activities to foster camaraderie.

• Stock Options/Equity: Potential for equity participation, common in high-growth tech companies.

• Supportive Work Environment: Emphasis on a positive and collaborative culture, with a focus on employee well-being.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours are typically around 40 hours per week, with flexibility offered, especially with the hybrid work arrangement. The company emphasizes respecting employees' time.

📝 Enhancement Note: While specific benefits are not listed, the company description highlights a focus on employee experience ("Your hiring experience matters") and growth, suggesting a robust benefits package is likely.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Fintech / SaaS (Software as a Service), specifically serving freelancers and small business owners.

Company Size: Over 400 people, indicating a mid-to-large-sized tech organization that has grown significantly, likely through acquisitions.

Founded: Shine was founded with the goal of simplifying financial administration for freelancers. The company has since integrated with other leading European fintechs (Kontist, Tellow) to form a broader platform.

Team Structure (UX Research):

• Newly Formed: The UX Research team is in its early stages, currently comprising four members: two UX Researchers, one Research Ops specialist, and the Head of UXR (Brigitte). This structure offers a unique opportunity to shape the team's direction and processes.

• Democratized Model: The team operates under a "democratized research model," meaning UX Researchers will work closely with Product Managers, Designers, and Engineers who conduct their own day-to-day research. The Senior UX Researcher's role is to enable, guide, and quality-assure this distributed research effort, while also leading complex, strategic research.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: The Senior UX Researcher will be embedded within product teams, collaborating daily with PMs, designers, and engineers, and will also work with other functions to champion customer-centricity.

Methodology:

• Customer-Centricity: A core value, aiming to deeply understand the needs of freelancers and small business owners.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Encouraging the use of evidence and research findings to guide product development, moving away from assumptions.

• Agile & Iterative: Likely operates within agile development cycles, requiring research to be timely and integrated into product sprints.

• Building from the Ground Up: The UX Research team's nascent stage means there's a strong emphasis on establishing foundational tooling, processes, and best practices.

Company Website: https://careers.shine.co

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's mission to simplify financial admin for freelancers is a strong guiding principle. The "democratized research model" is a key cultural and operational element that distinguishes this role from traditional UX research positions. Candidates should be prepared to discuss how they would thrive in and contribute to such an environment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Senior UX Researcher. This level typically signifies an individual contributor with deep expertise in research methodologies, the ability to lead complex and ambiguous projects independently, and the capacity to mentor others and influence product strategy. The emphasis on building the research function from the ground up also suggests leadership potential in shaping the research practice.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Researcher will report to Brigitte, the Head of UXR. They will also work closely with Product Managers, Designers, and Engineers within various product teams. The role requires strong collaboration and influence across these groups.

Operations Impact: The Senior UX Researcher will have a significant impact by:

• Ensuring product development is grounded in a deep understanding of user needs, leading to more effective and desirable products.

• Elevating the quality and strategic impact of research across the entire organization through coaching and quality assurance.

• Championing a customer-centric culture, which can directly influence customer satisfaction, retention, and ultimately, revenue growth.

Growth Opportunities:

• Shape the Research Function: As part of a new team, there's a unique opportunity to influence the direction, tooling, and processes of UX Research at Shine.

• Leadership Development: Potential to grow into a more formal leadership role as the UX Research team expands, possibly managing junior researchers or leading specific research domains.

• Skill Expansion: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific research areas, explore new methodologies, and gain experience in a rapidly evolving fintech environment.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Working closely with diverse product teams provides broad exposure to different aspects of the business and product development lifecycle.

• Mentorship of Peers: The role explicitly involves coaching and mentoring, offering valuable experience in developing others' research capabilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: This is a pivotal role for someone looking to make a substantial impact on how a growing company understands its users. The opportunity to "build something from the ground up" is a significant draw for candidates who are proactive and enjoy establishing best practices.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Shine operates with a hybrid work model, allowing for two remote working days per week. This suggests a modern office environment designed for collaboration and focused work, with the flexibility to work remotely.

Office Location(s): The role is based in either Berlin, Germany, or Amsterdam, Netherlands. These are major European tech hubs with vibrant professional communities.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The office likely features collaborative zones, meeting rooms, and potentially quiet areas conducive to both team interaction and individual deep work.

• Technology & Tools: Access to necessary research tools and technology will be provided to support effective research execution and collaboration.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for in-person interaction with colleagues, fostering team cohesion and knowledge sharing, especially on office days. The hybrid model balances this with remote flexibility.

• Global Reach: Working within a company with offices and teams across multiple European countries.

Work Schedule: A standard full-time schedule (approximately 40 hours per week) is expected, with the flexibility afforded by the hybrid model allowing for a balance between in-office collaboration and remote focus.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role is a key aspect of the work environment, catering to modern employee expectations for flexibility while maintaining in-person collaboration essential for team building and strategic alignment.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. 45' Call with Talent Acquisition: Initial screening to assess cultural fit, basic qualifications, and understanding of the role's context.

• Preparation: Be ready to articulate your interest in Shine, your experience with democratized research models, and your understanding of the fintech/freelancer space.

1. 60' Interview with Hiring Manager (Brigitte, Head of UXR): Deeper dive into your research experience, strategic thinking, mentorship capabilities, and approach to building research infrastructure.

• Preparation: Prepare specific examples of complex research projects you've led, how you've coached others, and your vision for establishing research best practices. Be ready to discuss your approach to connecting research to business KPIs.

1. 1h Business Case Presentation: A practical exercise to showcase your skills in a hands-on manner, simulating a real-world challenge.

• Preparation: Focus on a structured approach to problem-solving, insight generation, and clear communication of recommendations. Tailor your approach to a potential problem Shine might face, demonstrating your product sense.

1. Team Introduction & Soft Skills Interview: Meet with team members and undergo a personality assessment to evaluate cultural alignment and how Shine can best support your growth.

• Preparation: Be prepared to discuss your collaboration style, how you handle feedback, and what you look for in a supportive team environment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Impact: Select 2-3 key projects that demonstrate your ability to lead high-impact research, solve ambiguous problems, and influence product decisions.

• Showcase Methodology: Clearly articulate the research questions, methodologies used (qualitative and quantitative), and the rationale behind your choices.

• Highlight Enablement: If possible, include examples of how you've helped others conduct research or improved research processes.

• Quantify Results: Whenever possible, demonstrate the impact of your research with metrics (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced usability issues, contribution to revenue KPIs).

• Synthesize Clearly: Ensure your insights are sharp, actionable, and easy to understand. Practice presenting complex information concisely.

• Company Alignment: Consider how your past work aligns with Shine's mission and the specific challenges of serving freelancers and small businesses.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Business: Research Shine's product, target audience (freelancers, small businesses), and the competitive landscape in fintech.

• Embrace the Democratized Model: Think about how you would approach a case study that requires you to provide guidance or structure for others conducting research.

• Focus on Actionability: The goal of the case study is likely to see how you translate findings into concrete, data-informed product recommendations.

• Presentation Skills: Practice delivering your presentation clearly, confidently, and within the allotted time. Be ready for follow-up questions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is structured to assess a broad range of skills, from core research capabilities to strategic thinking, mentorship, and cultural fit. The business case presentation is a significant component, requiring candidates to demonstrate practical application of their skills.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Qualitative Research Tools: Familiarity with tools for conducting remote usability testing, user interviews, and diary studies. Examples include:

  • Marvin, Maze: For moderated/unmoderated usability testing and surveys.
  • Hotjar: For heatmaps, session recordings, and feedback widgets.
  • Typeform: For flexible survey and form creation.
  • Standard video conferencing tools (Zoom, Google Meet) for interviews.

• Quantitative Research & Analytics Tools:

  • Mixpanel: Explicitly mentioned for higher-volume studies and analyzing user behavior.
  • Survey platforms (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Google Forms, Typeform) for quantitative data collection.

• Collaboration & Documentation:

  • Standard office productivity suites (e.g., Google Workspace) for documentation and presentations.
  • Potentially tools for creating shared playbooks and insights repositories (e.g., Notion, Confluence, specialized research repository software).

• AI Tools:

  • Claude or similar AI skills: To speed up research tasks, such as summarizing interview transcripts, generating survey questions, or synthesizing findings.

CRM & Automation: While not directly used by the UX Researcher, understanding how research insights feed into CRM strategies or product automation features is beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: The mention of specific tools like Mixpanel, Marvin, Maze, Hotjar, Typeform, and AI (Claude) indicates the technical proficiency expected. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience with these or comparable tools and how they leverage them for efficient and effective research.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A foundational value, driving the organization to deeply understand and serve the needs of freelancers and small business owners.

• Evidence-Based Decision Making: Prioritizing data and research insights over assumptions to guide product development and strategy.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Working effectively across departments (Product, Design, Engineering, Marketing) to achieve common goals.

• Growth Mindset: Encouraging continuous learning, skill development, and a proactive approach to embracing new challenges and opportunities.

• Simplicity & Efficiency: Reflecting the company's mission to simplify financial admin, this value likely extends to internal processes and operations.

Collaboration Style:

• Partnership: Working collaboratively with Product Managers and Designers to identify research needs and integrate findings into the product lifecycle.

• Enablement Focused: A key aspect of collaboration involves empowering non-researchers to conduct their own research effectively and ethically.

• Quality Assurance: A supportive but rigorous approach to reviewing research conducted by others, ensuring high standards.

• Cross-Functional Advocacy: Championing user needs and research insights in discussions with broader stakeholders, influencing roadmaps and strategy.

• Knowledge Sharing: Actively contributing to and leveraging shared research resources (playbooks, repositories) to foster a culture of learning and data accessibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on customer-centricity and evidence-based decision-making are critical. The collaborative style, particularly the "democratized research model," requires a candidate who is not only a strong individual researcher but also an excellent communicator, mentor, and facilitator.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Establishing Research Maturity: As a new team, a significant challenge will be establishing robust processes, tooling, and a widespread understanding of research's value across the organization.

• Balancing Direct Research with Enablement: Juggling leading complex strategic research with coaching and quality assurance for a growing number of distributed researchers requires strong time management and prioritization skills.

• Influencing Without Authority: In a democratized model, influencing product decisions and ensuring research impact often relies on strong persuasion, communication, and relationship-building skills rather than direct authority.

• Scaling Research Operations: Building and maintaining shared infrastructure like participant panels and insights repositories to support a growing product organization.

• Navigating Ambiguity: Tackling complex, strategic product questions that lack clear initial definitions requires comfort with ambiguity and strong problem-framing skills.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Foundational Role: Opportunity to significantly shape the UX Research practice at Shine, gaining experience in building processes and culture from the ground up.

• Mentorship & Coaching: Developing strong leadership and teaching skills by enabling Product Managers, Designers, and Engineers.

• Fintech Industry Exposure: Gaining deep knowledge of the fintech sector, specifically serving freelancers and small businesses, a dynamic and growing market.

• Strategic Impact: Directly contributing to product strategy and business growth by ensuring user needs are at the forefront of decision-making.

• Advanced Methodologies: Opportunity to explore and implement advanced research techniques and leverage emerging technologies like AI in research.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are inherent to building a new function within a growing company. These challenges also represent significant growth opportunities for a motivated and experienced researcher.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to lead a complex, strategic research initiative with ambiguous requirements. How did you approach it, what methodologies did you use, and what was the outcome?"

  • Preparation: Focus on your problem-framing, methodological rigor, and how you translated findings into actionable strategic recommendations. Quantify impact where possible.

• "How would you approach coaching a Product Manager or Designer who has limited research experience to conduct effective usability tests or surveys?"

  • Preparation: Detail your methods for teaching research fundamentals, providing constructive feedback, and empowering others without creating dependency. Emphasize raising the quality bar.

• "Imagine you've identified a critical user need through your research that conflicts with the current product roadmap. How would you advocate for this insight and influence the product strategy?"

  • Preparation: Prepare to discuss stakeholder management, data storytelling, and strategies for building consensus and driving change.

• "What are your key considerations when building or contributing to shared research infrastructure like an insights repository or participant panel?"

  • Preparation: Discuss scalability, accessibility, data privacy, and how to ensure the infrastructure is utilized effectively by the wider team.

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What appeals to you about Shine's mission and our focus on freelancers and small businesses?"

  • Preparation: Research Shine's product, values, and recent news. Connect your personal values or past experiences to their mission.

• "How do you see yourself fitting into a newly formed UX Research team and contributing to a democratized research model?"

  • Preparation: Discuss your proactive approach, your experience with building processes, and your philosophy on enabling others in research.

• "How do you measure the impact of your research beyond just delivering findings?"

  • Preparation: Be ready to discuss how you track the adoption of your insights, their influence on product decisions, and their contribution to business KPIs.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your case studies logically: Problem/Opportunity -> Your Role -> Research Questions -> Methodology -> Key Findings -> Recommendations -> Impact/Outcome.

• Visual Storytelling: Use visuals (screenshots, mockups, data visualizations) sparingly but effectively to illustrate your points and make your presentation engaging.

• Focus on "Why" and "So What": Clearly articulate why you made certain methodological choices and so what the implications of your findings were.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your process, decision-making, and the challenges you encountered.

• Demonstrate Enthusiasm: Show genuine interest in Shine's product and mission, and convey your excitement about the opportunity to contribute to their research practice.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview questions are designed to probe not only your technical research skills but also your strategic thinking, leadership potential, and ability to thrive in Shine's specific organizational context, particularly the democratized research model.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the official careers link: https://careers.shine.co/jobs/7762709-senior-ux-researcher

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your 6+ years of experience in UX/product research, specifically emphasizing your expertise in mixed-methods research, experience with democratized research models, and ability to coach/mentor. Use keywords from the job description such as "qualitative research," "quantitative research," "usability testing," "stakeholder management," and "customer-centric culture."

• Prepare Your Portfolio/Case Studies: Select 2-3 strong projects that showcase your ability to lead complex research, translate findings into actionable insights, and demonstrate impact. Be ready to present these during the business case interview. Focus on projects that demonstrate your strategic thinking and enablement skills.

• Research Shine Thoroughly: Understand their product, mission, target audience (freelancers/SMEs), and recent company news. Prepare to discuss why you are a good fit for their culture and industry.

• Practice Your "Why": Be ready to articulate your motivations for applying, your understanding of the role, and your vision for contributing to Shine's UX Research function, especially in a democratized model.

⚠️ 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.