Senior UX Researcher, Consumer Product

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Researcher, Consumer Product

Company: Reddit

Location: Remote - United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: User Experience Research / Product Research

Date Posted: 2026-08-28

Experience Level: 6+ Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead high-impact foundational, generative, and evaluative research initiatives to shape Reddit's core consumer product experiences.

• Drive deep understanding of user motivations, behaviors, barriers, and opportunities influencing engagement across Reddit's platform.

• Partner closely with product, design, engineering, and data science to inform product strategy and guide high-impact product decisions.

• Integrate qualitative research findings with quantitative signals and behavioral data to develop holistic user insights.

• Communicate compelling research narratives and actionable recommendations to cross-functional partners and leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within the Consumer Product division, indicating a focus on user-facing features and platform experiences rather than internal tools or administrative functions. The emphasis on "meaningful engagement" suggests a need to understand user retention, community participation, and content consumption drivers.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead foundational, generative, and evaluative research projects that directly inform the strategic direction of Reddit's consumer product offerings.

• Investigate and deeply understand user behaviors, motivations, and unmet needs across critical user journeys, including discovery, consumption, engagement, and contribution.

• Design, plan, and execute rigorous qualitative research studies, such as in-depth interviews, usability testing, concept validation, diary studies, and ethnographic research, selecting methods appropriate to the research questions.

• Synthesize qualitative insights with quantitative data, including behavioral analytics, survey results, A/B testing outcomes, and key product metrics, to build a comprehensive understanding of user behavior and identify opportunities.

• Collaborate proactively with product managers, designers, engineers, data scientists, and other stakeholders to shape product roadmaps, identify new opportunities, and influence product strategy and design decisions.

• Develop and deliver clear, concise, and compelling research findings through various communication formats, including reports, presentations, and storytelling, tailored to diverse audiences, from individual contributors to executive leadership.

• Proactively identify unmet research needs and opportunities within the broader product area, championing user-centricity and ensuring research insights translate into tangible product improvements and business impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a proactive and strategic approach to research, going beyond simply executing studies to actively shaping product strategy. The requirement to "connect insights to product and behavioral signals" highlights the need for researchers who can bridge the gap between user feedback and measurable product outcomes, a key trait in operations-aligned roles.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Master’s degree, Ph.D., or equivalent practical experience in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Behavioral Science, Sociology, Cognitive Science, Statistics, Computer Science, or a closely related field.

Experience: 6+ years of dedicated experience conducting consumer-focused User Experience (UX) research, ideally within an embedded researcher role on a product development team.

Required Skills:

• Deep expertise in qualitative research methodologies, with a strong understanding of their application across the entire product development lifecycle.

• Proven ability to execute mixed-methods research, effectively integrating qualitative findings with quantitative data, product metrics, surveys, and experimentation results.

• Demonstrated track record of influencing product strategy and driving tangible product or user experience improvements through research insights.

• Strong product sense, including comfort with engagement metrics, understanding of A/B testing principles, navigating product tradeoffs, and addressing ambiguous product questions.

• Exceptional communication, presentation, and storytelling skills, with the ability to synthesize complex research findings into clear, actionable recommendations for diverse audiences, including leadership.

• Ability to work autonomously, manage multiple competing priorities effectively, and adapt quickly to evolving product and business requirements. Preferred Skills:

• Experience researching large-scale social platforms or community-driven products.

• Familiarity with survey design and analysis tools.

• Experience with statistical analysis software or approaches.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for a Master's or Ph.D. suggests a need for strong theoretical understanding alongside practical application. The emphasis on "product sense" and "engagement metrics" indicates that candidates must think beyond user satisfaction to consider business impact and platform growth, aligning with the analytical rigor expected in operations roles.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case studies demonstrating leadership in foundational and evaluative research projects that directly informed product strategy and user experience improvements.

• Examples showcasing the ability to integrate qualitative insights with quantitative data (e.g., behavioral metrics, A/B test results, surveys) to form comprehensive user understandings.

• Documentation of research processes, including study design, participant recruitment, data collection, analysis, and reporting for complex consumer products.

• Evidence of influencing product roadmaps, design decisions, or strategic pivots based on research findings, with clear articulation of impact.

• Examples of synthesizing complex information into actionable recommendations and compelling narratives for diverse stakeholders. Process Documentation:

• Demonstrate structured approaches to identifying research opportunities and defining research questions that align with business objectives and product strategy.

• Showcase methodologies for designing and executing robust qualitative studies, including participant screening, interview/moderation guides, and data analysis frameworks.

• Provide examples of how research processes were adapted to meet evolving product needs or ambiguous problem spaces.

• Illustrate how research findings were translated into clear, actionable recommendations and integrated into product development workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior UX Researcher role, the portfolio should highlight not just execution but strategic thinking and impact. Candidates should showcase their ability to connect research to business outcomes, similar to how operations professionals demonstrate ROI. The emphasis on integrating qualitative and quantitative data is crucial for operationalizing insights.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $167,500 - $234,500 USD per year (Base Salary)

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Healthcare Benefits and Income Replacement Programs

• 401k with Employer Match

• Global Benefit programs tailored to individual lifestyles, including workspace support, professional development, and caregiving assistance.

• Family Planning Support

• Gender-Affirming Care

• Mental Health & Coaching Benefits

• Flexible Vacation Policy and Paid Volunteer Time Off

• Generous Paid Parental Leave

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours (approximately 40 hours per week), with flexibility expected to accommodate research needs and cross-functional team collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is for base compensation. This role is also eligible for equity in the form of Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). The benefits package is comprehensive, offering robust support for employee well-being, family, and professional growth, which is often a key consideration for experienced professionals in operations and research roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Social Media / Internet Services

Company Size: Large (Likely 1,000-5,000+ employees, based on Reddit's public profile)

Founded: 2005

Team Structure:

• The UX Research team is likely integrated within the broader Product and Design organizations, working closely with Product Management, Design, Engineering, and Data Science.

• As a Senior Researcher, this role will likely collaborate with multiple product teams, acting as a key research partner for specific consumer product areas.

• Collaboration is expected to be cross-functional, requiring strong communication and relationship-building skills to influence without direct authority. Methodology:

• Reddit emphasizes a data-informed approach, combining qualitative user insights with quantitative behavioral data and experimentation.

• The company culture encourages community-driven development and authenticity, which likely influences how user feedback is gathered and interpreted.

• Research methodologies will span the product lifecycle, from generative exploration to evaluative testing, ensuring a user-centric approach to product development.

Company Website: www.redditinc.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Reddit's culture is known for being community-centric and authentic. For operations-minded individuals, this means understanding how to leverage community feedback, data, and user sentiment in a structured way to drive product improvements that resonate with a large, diverse user base. The company's growth stage suggests a dynamic environment with opportunities for impact.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Individual Contributor (IC) focused on specialized research expertise within the Consumer Product domain. This level typically involves leading complex projects, mentoring others, and contributing to research best practices.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Researcher will likely report to a UX Research Manager or Director, within the Product organization. They will work closely with Product Managers, Designers, and Engineers on specific product initiatives.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct impact on the user experience and engagement of Reddit's core consumer product. By understanding user needs and behaviors, the researcher influences product strategy, feature development, and ultimately, user retention and growth, contributing significantly to the company's overall success.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific research areas or consumer product domains within Reddit.

• Leadership: Transition into a Lead UX Researcher role, managing research projects or a small team, or influencing research strategy across a larger product area.

• Mentorship: Mentor junior researchers and contribute to the development of the UX research practice at Reddit.

• Cross-functional Influence: Expand influence across more product lines or contribute to broader GTM strategies through user insights.

📝 Enhancement Note: While not a traditional "operations" role, the Senior UX Researcher position requires strong analytical skills, a data-driven mindset, and the ability to translate complex information into actionable insights, all of which are core to Revenue Operations and Sales Operations. Growth potential includes leadership and strategic influence, common career paths for senior operations professionals.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote (United States)

Office Location(s): Remote within the United States. This offers flexibility in work location, allowing candidates to work from anywhere within the country.

Workspace Context:

• A fully remote setup necessitates strong self-discipline, proactive communication, and effective use of collaboration tools to maintain team cohesion and productivity.

• The role requires a dedicated workspace conducive to focused research activities and virtual collaboration.

• Opportunities for virtual team building, knowledge sharing sessions, and cross-functional syncs will be integral to the remote work experience.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is approximately 40 hours per week. Flexibility may be required to accommodate research participant availability, cross-functional team needs across different time zones, and urgent product development cycles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The fully remote nature of this role aligns with modern work trends and requires candidates to be adept at virtual collaboration and time management. For operations professionals, this environment emphasizes the importance of clear documentation, asynchronous communication, and proactive engagement with distributed teams.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screen: A recruiter screen to assess basic qualifications, interest, and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion with the hiring manager focusing on experience, research philosophy, and alignment with team needs.

• Portfolio Presentation: A session where candidates present 2-3 detailed case studies from their portfolio, showcasing their research process, impact, and strategic thinking. This is a critical step for evaluating research leadership and communication skills.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers, Designers, and potentially Data Scientists to assess collaboration style, ability to integrate insights, and product sense.

• Research Team Interview: Discussion with other UX Researchers to evaluate research methodology depth, problem-solving skills, and contribution to the research practice.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Select case studies that demonstrate a range of research methodologies (foundational, generative, evaluative) and highlight your role in influencing product strategy.

• For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your research approach, the key insights, the actions taken based on those insights, and the measurable impact on the product or business.

• Be prepared to discuss your decision-making process for choosing specific research methods and how you integrated qualitative and quantitative data.

• Showcase your ability to tailor communication to different audiences, from technical teams to executive leadership.

• Highlight instances where you navigated ambiguity, managed competing priorities, or influenced stakeholders effectively. Challenge Preparation:

• Be ready to discuss how you would approach research for a hypothetical new feature or product area on Reddit.

• Prepare to articulate your process for identifying user needs and translating them into actionable product recommendations.

• Consider how you would measure the success of product changes influenced by your research.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio presentation and cross-functional interviews highlights the need for candidates to not only possess strong research skills but also excellent communication and influencing abilities. This mirrors the requirements for operations roles where conveying insights and driving change through data and analysis is paramount.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

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

• Survey Tools: Platforms for designing and distributing surveys (e.g., Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, Google Forms).

• Collaboration Suites: Tools for team communication and document sharing (e.g., Slack, Google Workspace, Confluence).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Analysis Software: Proficiency in analyzing qualitative data (e.g., Dovetail, NVivo) and quantitative data (e.g., Excel, SQL for data extraction, statistical packages like R or SPSS).

• Visualization Tools: Familiarity with tools like Tableau or Looker for exploring and presenting data patterns.

• Product Analytics: Experience with product analytics platforms (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel) to link user behavior to research findings.

CRM & Automation: While not a direct CRM role, understanding how user data is managed and how product changes impact user journeys within the platform is key. Familiarity with how different systems (e.g., product analytics, feedback platforms) feed into a broader understanding of the user base is beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack emphasizes tools for research execution, data analysis, and collaboration. For operations professionals, this signifies the importance of data literacy, analytical tool proficiency, and the ability to work within integrated technology ecosystems to drive informed decision-making.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the user in all product decisions.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilizing both qualitative and quantitative data to inform strategy and validate hypotheses.

• Collaboration: Working effectively with cross-functional teams to achieve shared goals and drive product success.

• Impact & Ownership: Taking initiative to identify opportunities and drive research that has a meaningful impact on the product and users.

• Authenticity: Reflecting Reddit's core value of open and authentic communication in research and stakeholder interactions.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly collaborative, working closely with Product Managers, Designers, Engineers, and Data Scientists.

• Emphasis on clear communication, constructive feedback, and shared ownership of product outcomes.

• Research insights are integrated into team workflows, fostering a culture of continuous learning and iteration.

📝 Enhancement Note: Reddit's culture values authenticity and community. For individuals in operations or research roles, this translates to transparent communication, a focus on genuine user needs, and a collaborative approach that respects diverse perspectives. The emphasis on data-driven decision-making aligns with operational best practices.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scale and Complexity: Researching a platform used by millions of diverse users across numerous communities presents challenges in segmentation, generalization, and understanding nuanced behaviors.

• Ambiguity: Navigating evolving product roadmaps and ambiguous user needs requires strong critical thinking and the ability to define clear research questions.

• Cross-functional Alignment: Ensuring research insights are understood, prioritized, and acted upon by various stakeholders requires effective influencing and communication skills.

• Balancing Foundational vs. Evaluative Research: Managing a mix of strategic, long-term research and tactical, short-term project-based research can be demanding.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Exposure to diverse user segments and complex product challenges within a leading social platform.

• Opportunities to develop expertise in specific areas of consumer product research and social media dynamics.

• Potential to contribute to the advancement of UX research methodologies and best practices within Reddit.

• Collaboration with experienced professionals across Product, Design, Engineering, and Data Science, fostering cross-disciplinary learning.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges inherent in this role, such as dealing with scale, ambiguity, and cross-functional alignment, are very similar to those faced by professionals in revenue and sales operations. Successfully navigating these challenges offers significant opportunities for professional growth and skill development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you used mixed-methods research to solve a complex product problem. What was your process, and what was the impact?" (Focus on demonstrating quantitative-qualitative integration and impact.)

• "How would you approach understanding user motivations for contributing content to Reddit communities?" (Prepare to outline a research plan, including methodologies and key questions.)

• "Walk us through a research project where your insights significantly influenced product strategy or design. What was your role in driving that change?" (Highlight influencing skills and tangible outcomes.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Reddit and its consumer product?" (Research Reddit's mission, recent product updates, and community dynamics.)

• "How do you approach collaborating with product managers and designers who may have different perspectives or priorities?" (Emphasize communication, empathy, and data-driven persuasion.)

• "How do you ensure your research findings are actionable and integrated into product development?" (Discuss your methods for communicating insights and working with teams.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure each case study with a clear problem statement, your research objectives, your methodology, key findings, actionable recommendations, and demonstrated impact.

• Be prepared to discuss the trade-offs you made in your research design and how you managed constraints.

• Practice articulating your thought process and decision-making clearly and concisely.

• Anticipate questions about how you would apply similar approaches to potential challenges at Reddit.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process heavily relies on demonstrating strategic thinking, impact, and collaboration skills through case studies. This aligns with operations roles where presenting data-driven solutions and their ROI is key. Candidates should prepare to articulate their process and impact with quantifiable results where possible.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Reddit careers portal.

• Curate your portfolio: Select 2-3 of your most impactful UX research projects that showcase your leadership, mixed-methods expertise, and ability to influence product strategy. Ensure each case study clearly outlines the problem, your approach, key insights, actions taken, and measurable impact.

• Tailor your resume: Highlight experience relevant to consumer products, large-scale platforms, and cross-functional collaboration. Quantify achievements where possible, focusing on the impact of your research.

• Prepare your presentation: Rehearse presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on clear storytelling, logical flow, and concise articulation of your contributions and the outcomes. Practice answering potential questions about your methodology and impact.

• Research Reddit: Familiarize yourself with Reddit's platform, its communities, its mission, and recent product developments. Understand the unique challenges and opportunities of researching a large, community-driven social platform.

⚠️ 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.