Senior UX Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Researcher

Company: Spring Health

Location: Seattle, WA (hybrid)

Job Type: Full-time

Category: User Experience Research / Product Operations

Date Posted: June 10, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the user experience strategy for individuals seeking mental healthcare through in-depth user research and data analysis.

• Collaborate closely with product management, design, clinical, and commercial teams to define and execute a comprehensive research roadmap.

• Champion user-centricity across the organization, translating research insights into actionable product improvements and business strategies.

• Contribute to the foundational development of UX Research processes and best practices within a rapidly growing, mission-driven company.

• Utilize a blend of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to inform product development from early-stage discovery through post-launch measurement.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Senior UX Researcher, indicating a need for independent ownership and strategic contribution. The emphasis on "outcomes" and "key performance indicators" suggests a strong link between research findings and tangible business results, common in operations-focused roles. The hybrid nature and specific office location are critical for candidates to consider.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design, plan, and execute a variety of user research studies across the entire product lifecycle, including generative research, concept testing, usability testing, and evaluative research.

• Proactively partner with Product Managers, Designers, Engineers, and Clinical teams to identify key research questions and define research objectives aligned with product strategy and business goals.

• Conduct qualitative research (e.g., interviews, ethnographic studies, diary studies) and quantitative research (e.g., surveys, card sorting, tree testing, A/B testing analysis) to uncover user needs, behaviors, and pain points.

• Analyze research data, synthesize findings into clear, compelling insights, and effectively communicate recommendations to cross-functional stakeholders through presentations, reports, and workshops.

• Contribute to the development and refinement of UX research processes, tools, and best practices to ensure scalability, efficiency, and impact as the team grows.

• Advocate for the user by building empathy and understanding within product teams and across the organization, ensuring user needs are at the forefront of decision-making.

• Measure the impact of product changes and research-informed decisions on key company metrics, such as user engagement, retention, and clinical outcomes.

• Facilitate cross-functional alignment and consensus-building around research findings and proposed product solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for end-to-end research ownership, from strategic planning to insight communication and impact measurement. The emphasis on "building out processes and communications strategies" suggests a role in shaping the UX Research function, which is a key aspect of operational maturity.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Information Science, Psychology, Cognitive Science, Anthropology, or a closely related field.

• Equivalent practical experience in an industry setting will also be considered. Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of proven experience conducting UX Research in collaboration with product development teams.

• Demonstrated success in designing, executing, and reporting on user research studies that have directly informed product decisions and led to measurable improvements.

• Experience working within agile or hybrid product development environments and cross-functional teams. Required Skills:

• Expertise in a wide range of qualitative user research methodologies (e.g., in-depth interviews, contextual inquiry, usability testing, diary studies).

• Proficiency in quantitative user research methodologies (e.g., surveys, analytics review, A/B testing analysis, card sorting).

• Strong understanding of when and how to apply different research methods across various stages of the product lifecycle, from discovery to iteration.

• Demonstrated ability to translate research findings into actionable insights and recommendations that drive product strategy and business impact.

• Excellent facilitation, consensus-building, and persuasion skills to effectively influence cross-functional partners and stakeholders.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate complex findings clearly and concisely.

• Experience building empathy and understanding for users within product teams and the broader organization.

• Proactive mindset with a strong sense of ownership and a desire to drive impact. Preferred Skills:

• Experience with research operations (R&D) principles and practices, including participant recruitment, tooling, and process optimization.

• Familiarity with mental health technology or healthcare domains.

• Experience mentoring junior researchers or contributing to team knowledge sharing.

• Ability to work independently and manage multiple research projects simultaneously.

• Experience with tools for remote research, such as Lookback, UserTesting.com, or similar platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "5+ years proven track record" and expertise in both qualitative and quantitative methods, alongside the ability to "make measurable impact," points to a senior-level professional expected to operate with a high degree of autonomy and strategic influence, akin to a lead operations role in driving process improvements.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a diverse range of user research projects demonstrating end-to-end study design, execution, analysis, and impact.

• Include examples of how research insights directly influenced product strategy, design decisions, and key business metrics.

• Highlight projects that involved collaboration with cross-functional teams (product, design, engineering, clinical).

• Provide clear documentation of research methodologies used, rationale for choices, and key findings.

• Demonstrate the ability to translate complex research data into actionable recommendations and compelling narratives.

• Showcase any contributions to defining or improving research processes, tools, or team workflows. Process Documentation:

• Be prepared to discuss your personal research process, including how you approach study planning, participant recruitment, data collection, analysis, and synthesis.

• Provide examples of how you have documented research findings and shared them effectively with diverse audiences.

• Discuss your experience in establishing or refining research operational processes to ensure efficiency and scalability.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior UX Researcher, a portfolio is crucial. It should not only demonstrate research quality but also the operational efficiency and impact of their work. This includes showing how they've streamlined research processes or integrated findings effectively into product development workflows for maximum business value.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• The target base salary range for this position is $150,000 - $196,880 USD per year.

• Individual pay decisions will be made based on factors such as experience, location, internal pay equity, and other relevant business considerations.

• The company utilizes the Radford Global Compensation Database for annual compensation program reviews to ensure competitive and fair pay. Benefits:

• Health, Dental, and Vision insurance benefits commence on the first day of employment.

• Access to One Medical accounts for all employees and their dependents.

• Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) are available, with Spring Health contributing up to $1,000 for HSAs, depending on the plan type.

• Employer-sponsored 401(k) with a matching contribution of up to 2%.

• Annual allotment of no-cost therapy, coaching, and medication management sessions through the Spring Health network for employees and dependents.

• Competitive Paid Time Off (PTO) policies, including vacation, sick leave, and company holidays.

• Parental Leave: 18 weeks for birthing parents and 16 weeks for non-birthing parents after 6 months of tenure.

• Access to Noom, a psychology-based weight management program.

• Access to Carrot for fertility care support, with a $4,000 reimbursement for related fertility expenses.

• Access to Wellhub (formerly Gympass) for fitness, mindfulness, nutrition, and sleep resources.

• Access to BrightHorizons for sponsored childcare, back-up care, and elder care services.

• Annual Professional Development Reimbursement of up to $1,000.

• Annual donation matching of up to $200 to support charitable causes. Working Hours:

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

• The role is hybrid, requiring 2-3 days per week in the Seattle office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is clearly defined, and the mention of Radford database indicates a structured, data-driven approach to compensation, common in well-resourced operations teams. The extensive benefits package is a significant draw and reflects a company culture focused on employee well-being, which can indirectly impact operational efficiency and talent retention.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Healthcare Technology (Mental Health)

Company Size: Spring Health is a rapidly growing company, with its valuation reaching $3.3 billion after a Series E funding round. While the exact employee count isn't specified, its partnerships with over 450 companies and serving 10 million people indicate a significant operational scale.

Founded: Spring Health was founded with a mission to revolutionize mental healthcare and remove barriers to access. This mission-driven foundation is central to its culture and operations.

Team Structure:

• The Senior UX Researcher will join a highly engaged, cross-functional Product team.

• This team is focused on and measured by outcomes, emphasizing a data-driven and results-oriented operational approach.

• The UX Research team itself is growing, suggesting opportunities to influence and shape its structure and processes.

• Collaboration is expected to be extensive, working closely with Product Management, Design, Clinical experts, and Commercial teams. Methodology:

• Precision Mental Healthcare: Spring Health utilizes a clinically validated technology approach to deliver tailored care. This requires rigorous research and data analysis to ensure effective product development.

• Outcome-Focused: The Product team is measured by key performance indicators (KPIs) and business results, underscoring a strong operational focus on impact.

• Data-Driven Decisions: The company emphasizes external validation of net savings and ROI, indicating a commitment to leveraging data to prove value and guide strategic decisions.

• Continuous Discovery & Iteration: Research is integrated throughout the product lifecycle, supporting agile development and a culture of ongoing improvement.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Spring Health's mission to "eliminate every barrier to mental health" is a significant cultural driver. For an operations role, understanding this mission is key to aligning research efforts with the company's core objectives. The emphasis on "outcomes" and "ROI" highlights a business-minded approach to product development and research, which is crucial for operations professionals.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior UX Researcher role, positioning you as an experienced individual contributor with the potential to lead research initiatives and influence product strategy. It sits within the product development function but requires operational thinking regarding process, scalability, and impact measurement.

Reporting Structure:

• You will report to a leader within the UX Research or Product team.

• You will work closely with Product Managers and Designers, acting as a key partner in their decision-making processes.

• The role involves close collaboration with clinical and commercial teams, requiring strong cross-functional communication skills. Operations Impact:

• Your research will directly inform product decisions that aim to reduce waste and accelerate the delivery of the "right thing" to users.

• Insights generated will be critical for achieving core business goals, improving user engagement, and demonstrating the company's ROI and net savings to clients.

• You will play a pivotal role in empowering other teams to conduct their own discovery and testing, democratizing research and embedding a user-centric operational mindset. Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership in Research Operations: As an early member of a growing team, you'll have the opportunity to define and build out research processes, tools, and best practices, contributing significantly to the operational maturity of the UX Research function.

• Strategic Influence: Your work will directly impact product strategy and key business metrics, offering a chance to drive significant organizational change and demonstrate high-level operational impact.

• Skill Development: Opportunities to deepen expertise in both qualitative and quantitative research, potentially exploring new methodologies or specialized areas within mental health tech.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Gain in-depth knowledge of product development, clinical operations, and commercial strategies within the rapidly evolving mental health industry.

• Mentorship: Potential to mentor junior researchers and contribute to team growth and knowledge sharing.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title, coupled with the responsibility to "define the role of UX Research" and "build out processes," indicates a significant opportunity for operational leadership and strategic impact beyond traditional research execution. This is a key differentiator for operations-minded candidates.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is hybrid, requiring 2-3 days per week at Spring Health's office located at 255 King St in Seattle. This suggests a modern, collaborative office space designed to facilitate in-person teamwork and innovation.

Office Location(s): Seattle, WA (255 King St). Candidates must be based in the Seattle metro area or willing to relocate within 90 days of their start date. Occasional travel for team on-sites is also expected.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model and cross-functional team structure emphasize collaboration, encouraging in-person interaction for brainstorming, problem-solving, and relationship building.

• Tools & Technology: Expect access to standard UX research tools and technologies necessary for conducting studies, analyzing data, and communicating findings. This likely includes platforms for remote user testing, survey creation, data analysis, and presentation software.

• Team Interaction: The hybrid setup allows for dedicated time for in-person collaboration, team building, and spontaneous interactions that foster a strong team culture and operational synergy.

Work Schedule:

• A standard 40-hour work week is anticipated.

• The hybrid arrangement offers flexibility, balancing in-office collaboration with remote work, which can be conducive to focused research analysis and writing.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role is a critical detail. For operations professionals, understanding how to balance in-office collaboration with remote work is essential for maintaining team cohesion and operational efficiency. The specific office location (255 King St) is also a key piece of information for candidates considering relocation.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter will likely assess your background, experience, and alignment with the role's core requirements. Be prepared to discuss your motivation for applying to Spring Health and this specific role.

• Hiring Manager/Team Interview: This stage will delve deeper into your UX research experience, methodologies, and approach to problem-solving. Expect questions about past projects, challenges faced, and how you've driven impact.

• Portfolio Review: A dedicated session where you will present 1-2 key research projects from your portfolio. This is your opportunity to showcase your process, insights, and the impact of your work.

• Cross-Functional Interview(s): You may meet with Product Managers, Designers, or other stakeholders you would collaborate with. These interviews focus on your collaboration style, communication skills, and ability to integrate research into product development workflows.

• Take-Home Assignment/Case Study (Potential): Some companies may assign a small research task or case study to assess your problem-solving skills and approach to a specific research challenge.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader to discuss strategic alignment, career growth, and overall fit with the company culture.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Select Impactful Projects: Choose projects that clearly demonstrate your ability to drive measurable business impact and influence product strategy. Highlight the "before" and "after" of your research.

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your research objectives, the methodologies used (and why), key findings, actionable recommendations, and the resulting impact (quantified if possible).

• Showcase Process: Detail your research process, demonstrating rigor, efficiency, and adaptability. Explain how you overcame challenges.

• Focus on Collaboration: Emphasize how you partnered with cross-functional teams, managed stakeholder expectations, and communicated findings effectively.

• Tailor to Spring Health: If possible, connect your past work to the challenges and mission of Spring Health, particularly in the mental health space.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Business Context: Research Spring Health's mission, products, and target audience. Understand their business model and the importance of mental health outcomes.

• Prepare for "How" Questions: Be ready to explain how you would approach specific research problems, how you've handled difficult stakeholders, or how you've measured the impact of your work.

• Think Operationally: Consider how your research processes can be scaled, made more efficient, and integrated seamlessly into product development cycles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes portfolio presentation and cross-functional collaboration. For an operations-focused candidate, it's crucial to highlight not just research quality but also the efficiency, scalability, and measurable impact of their research processes and outcomes.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• User Research Platforms: Expect to use tools for remote usability testing, participant recruitment, and session recording (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, UserZoom).

• Survey Tools: For quantitative data collection (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics, Google Forms).

• Data Analysis Software: Tools for qualitative data analysis (e.g., Dovetail, NVivo, Condens) and quantitative analysis (e.g., Excel, Google Sheets, potentially R or Python for advanced analysis).

• Collaboration & Communication: Slack, Zoom, Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides), potentially Miro or Figma for collaborative whiteboarding and design feedback.

• Project Management: Tools like Jira or Asana might be used for tracking research projects within the product development lifecycle.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics: Familiarity with product analytics tools (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics) can be beneficial for understanding user behavior and informing quantitative research.

• Reporting Tools: Proficiency in creating clear, concise reports and presentations using tools like Google Slides, PowerPoint, or specialized data visualization tools.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly managed by UX Research, understanding how CRM data (e.g., Salesforce) or other customer data platforms are used can provide context for user segmentation and behavior analysis.

📝 Enhancement Note: While this role is primarily UX Research, a strong understanding of how research integrates with product analytics and potentially CRM data is vital for demonstrating operational impact and data-driven decision-making. Highlighting experience with research operations tools and efficient data analysis methods will be advantageous.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Mission-Driven: A core value is the dedication to improving mental healthcare accessibility. Research efforts should align with this mission.

• Data-Driven & Outcome-Oriented: Strong emphasis on measuring impact, demonstrating ROI, and making decisions based on evidence. This translates to a need for rigorous research and clear reporting.

• Collaboration & Empathy: Fostering a culture where teams deeply understand and empathize with users and work together effectively to solve problems.

• Efficiency & Scalability: As the company grows, there's an implicit value placed on building processes that are efficient, scalable, and sustainable.

• Innovation & Continuous Improvement: A commitment to finding new ways to deliver better care and continuously refine products and processes.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Expect a highly collaborative environment where UX Researchers work as integral members of product teams, closely aligned with Product Managers, Designers, and Engineers.

• Open Communication: Valuing transparent communication and constructive feedback to ensure research findings are understood and acted upon.

• Empowerment: A desire to empower non-researchers with the skills and insights to conduct their own basic user testing and discovery, embedding user-centricity across the organization.

• Process-Oriented: While creative, there's a need for structured processes to ensure research is conducted effectively and efficiently, especially as the team scales.

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding Spring Health's values, particularly their data-driven and outcome-oriented approach, is crucial. For an operations professional, demonstrating how your research practices contribute to these values—through efficiency, scalability, and measurable impact—will be key.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Research Rigor with Speed: In a fast-paced tech environment, ensuring research is thorough while also meeting product development timelines can be a challenge. Developing efficient research processes is key.

• Scaling Research Operations: As a growing team, establishing scalable processes for participant recruitment, study management, and knowledge sharing will be critical.

• Driving Impact Across Diverse Stakeholders: Effectively communicating research insights to various teams (product, clinical, commercial) and ensuring they are translated into tangible actions requires strong persuasion and strategic communication skills.

• Navigating a Complex Domain: Mental healthcare is a sensitive and complex field. Research must be conducted with ethical considerations and a deep understanding of user needs and potential challenges.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deepen Expertise in Mental Health Tech: Gain specialized knowledge in a high-impact and rapidly growing sector.

• Shape Research Operations: Play a key role in defining and implementing best practices for a growing UX Research team, contributing to the operational infrastructure.

• Strategic Product Influence: Contribute to high-level product strategy and business decisions, understanding how research directly impacts company KPIs and client ROI.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Work closely with clinical experts, product managers, and commercial teams, broadening your understanding of the healthcare ecosystem.

• Professional Development: Utilize the annual $1,000 Professional Development Reimbursement for courses, conferences, or certifications relevant to UX research or operations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the operational aspects of the role: balancing speed with rigor, scaling processes, and managing diverse stakeholders. Growth opportunities are clearly linked to operational leadership and strategic influence.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to influence a cross-functional team to adopt a research-backed recommendation that initially faced resistance. How did you approach it?" (Focus on stakeholder management, persuasion, and data communication).

• "Walk us through your process for designing and executing a generative research study for a new product feature." (Demonstrate your end-to-end research methodology and strategic thinking).

• "How would you measure the impact of your research on key business metrics like user engagement or retention?" (Highlight your understanding of linking research to business outcomes and operational impact). Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in Spring Health's mission, and how does it align with your career goals?" (Connect your passion to their mission).

• "How do you approach building empathy within product teams that may not have direct user interaction?" (Showcase your understanding of user advocacy and knowledge sharing).

• "Describe your experience in contributing to or improving UX research processes within a team." (Emphasize your operational mindset and proactive approach). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Impact: For each project, clearly state the business problem, the research objective, the key insight, the action taken, and the measurable outcome. Quantify impact wherever possible.

• Showcase Your Process: Explain your methodology, including how you chose specific methods, recruited participants, and analyzed data. Highlight any operational efficiencies you implemented.

• Demonstrate Collaboration: Discuss how you partnered with product, design, and engineering teams, and how you communicated findings to ensure buy-in and action.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about your methodology choices, data interpretation, and how you handled challenges or unexpected findings.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not only research expertise but also operational thinking: how you manage processes, influence stakeholders, measure impact, and contribute to team efficiency and scalability.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the Spring Health careers portal via the provided Greenhouse link.

• Tailor your Resume: Highlight specific UX research projects, methodologies used, and quantifiable outcomes. Emphasize experience with cross-functional collaboration, process improvement, and driving measurable business impact. Use keywords like "user research," "qualitative," "quantitative," "product lifecycle," "strategic insights," and "stakeholder management."

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 impactful case studies that showcase your end-to-end research process, ability to generate actionable insights, and demonstrable impact on product and business goals. Be ready to clearly articulate the problem, your approach, findings, recommendations, and results.

• Research Spring Health: Understand their mission, products, company values, and recent news. Prepare to discuss how your skills and experience align with their specific needs and the challenges within the mental health tech industry.

• Practice Your Interview Responses: Rehearse answers to common UX research interview questions, focusing on STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for behavioral questions, and prepare to articulate your research process and impact clearly.

⚠️ 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.

---