Senior UX Researcher, Customer & Partner Experience

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Researcher, Customer & Partner Experience

Company: ServiceNow

Location: Chicago, Illinois, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: User Experience Research / Customer Experience Operations

Date Posted: September 05, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Remote OK

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive customer and partner experience research initiatives across the product lifecycle, from discovery to adoption, to ensure user needs are central to product development.

• Apply a diverse range of UX research methodologies, including qualitative and quantitative techniques, to gather deep insights into customer behaviors, needs, and pain points within enterprise software environments.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers and Designers to translate research findings into actionable recommendations that influence product strategy, roadmaps, and feature validation.

• Synthesize complex research data into clear, compelling artifacts such as user segments, persona frameworks, jobs-to-be-done, and user journeys to drive informed decision-making.

• Leverage and critically assess the integration of AI into work processes, decision-making, and problem-solving within the customer and partner experience context.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Senior UX Researcher, indicating a need for a seasoned professional capable of independent research execution, strategic influence, and mentorship. The emphasis on "Customer & Partner Experience" suggests a focus on the entire ecosystem surrounding ServiceNow's enterprise software, requiring an understanding of both end-user and business partner perspectives. The explicit mention of AI integration signifies a forward-looking requirement, expecting candidates to understand and potentially research AI's impact on user workflows and decision-making.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the planning, execution, and synthesis of user research studies, from defining research objectives and goals to selecting appropriate methodologies and outlining timelines for both qualitative and quantitative data collection.

• Conduct in-depth customer interviews, usability tests (formative and summative), participatory design sessions, and other research activities to validate product concepts, features, and designs.

• Analyze and synthesize complex qualitative and quantitative data, along with secondary research, to generate strategic insights and actionable recommendations that directly inform product strategy and roadmaps.

• Develop and present comprehensive research artifacts, including detailed user segments, robust persona frameworks, jobs-to-be-done analyses, user journey maps, and task analyses.

• Partner effectively with Product Management, Design, Engineering, and other cross-functional teams to ensure research insights are understood, integrated, and acted upon throughout the product development lifecycle.

• Champion the voice of the customer and partner, acting as a key advocate for user needs and ensuring a user-centered approach is maintained across the product portfolio.

• Stay abreast of emerging UX research trends, tools, and techniques, particularly those related to AI and its application in enterprise software, and propose their adoption where beneficial.

• Effectively communicate research findings and recommendations to diverse stakeholders, including senior leadership, through compelling presentations, reports, and interactive sessions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary responsibilities highlight a hands-on research role with significant strategic influence. The emphasis on "synthesizing complex research data" and "generating strategic and tactical insights with actionable recommendations" points to the need for strong analytical and communication skills. The requirement to partner with Product Managers and Designers suggests a highly collaborative environment where research directly shapes product direction.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Information Science, or a related field is highly preferred, providing a strong theoretical foundation for user research.

Experience: A minimum of 5 years of professional experience conducting customer-centered research is required, with a preference for 5-10 years of work experience. This experience should be focused on influencing product strategy and design through rigorous research methodologies.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated experience in leveraging customer-centered research techniques to inform product definition and design processes.

• Proven ability to define, plan, and execute research studies, including outlining objectives, goals, and timelines, and developing sample plans.

• Expertise in selecting and applying appropriate data collection methods, encompassing both quantitative and qualitative research approaches.

• Experience in critically thinking about and integrating AI into work processes, decision-making, or problem-solving, potentially through using AI-powered tools or analyzing AI-driven insights.

• Strong analytical skills to synthesize qualitative studies and quantitative data into strategic and tactical insights with actionable recommendations.

• Proficiency in developing and presenting research artifacts such as user segments, persona frameworks, jobs-to-be-done, user journeys, and task analyses.

• Excellent presentation and communication skills, with the ability to visualize technically complex topics and articulate findings clearly to diverse audiences, including technical and business stakeholders.

• The ability to learn new technical concepts quickly and apply them to research contexts. Preferred Skills:

• Experience conducting research with enterprise software users, understanding the unique needs of highly technical individuals and business-minded end-users.

• Deeper knowledge of user interface design principles, usability evaluation techniques, task analysis, and experimental design.

• Experience with the creation and execution of online surveys and advanced qualitative research techniques.

• A strong portfolio showcasing research projects that have demonstrably influenced product insights or user experiences, detailing research goals, methodologies, processes, and outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Basic Qualifications" explicitly mention AI integration as a key requirement, indicating that candidates are expected to have practical experience or a strong conceptual understanding of how AI impacts user workflows and decision-making within a business context. The portfolio requirement is crucial, emphasizing the need to showcase tangible impact.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio demonstrating significant UX research work is mandatory. This should include examples that clearly show how your research directly influenced product insights or user experiences.

• For each portfolio example, clearly articulate the research goals, the specific methodologies employed (qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods), the process followed, and your individual role and contributions.

• Showcase data visualizations that effectively communicate research findings and highlight crisply articulated insights derived from the research.

• Include examples of how your research findings translated into actionable recommendations that influenced product strategy, roadmaps, or design iterations. Process Documentation:

• Documentation of your research process, including how you define research objectives, select appropriate methods, and plan studies with clear timelines and sample plans.

• Evidence of how you synthesize both qualitative and quantitative data, along with secondary research, to generate strategic and tactical insights.

• Examples of how you create and utilize research artifacts such as user segments, persona frameworks, jobs-to-be-done, user journeys, and task analyses to communicate findings.

• Demonstration of how you validate designs and features through methods like participatory design, concept testing, and usability testing.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio with "examples of work representing research that influenced great insights or experiences" and the detailed breakdown of what the portfolio should contain strongly suggests that candidates will be evaluated on their ability to demonstrate tangible impact and a structured research process. This is a critical component for senior-level operations and product roles.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: The base pay for this role in Chicago, Illinois, is estimated to be between $128,900 and $219,100 annually. This range is a guideline and the final compensation will be determined by factors such as the candidate's qualifications, skill level, competencies, and specific work location.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health plans, including flexible spending accounts.

• A 401(k) Plan with a company match.

• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP).

• Matching donations to charitable organizations.

• A flexible time away plan, promoting work-life balance.

• Family leave programs.

• Equity (when applicable), indicating potential for stock options or grants.

• Variable/incentive compensation, potentially including bonuses or commissions based on performance.

• Sales positions typically offer a competitive On Target Earnings (OTE) structure.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are estimated at 40 hours per week. While the role is classified as "Flexible or Remote," specific daily schedules may vary based on team collaboration needs and project deadlines, often requiring flexibility to accommodate different time zones and urgent research needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is explicit and based on the Chicago, Illinois location. The inclusion of "Equity (when applicable)" and "variable/incentive compensation" suggests a total compensation package that can exceed the base salary, common for senior roles in technology companies. The benefits list is comprehensive, highlighting a strong employee support system. The "Work Persona: Flexible or Remote" indicates that while remote work is an option, some flexibility might be required for in-office collaboration days, though the exact frequency is not specified.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: ServiceNow operates within the Software and Technology sector, specifically focusing on enterprise cloud computing and workflow automation. Their platform aims to digitize and automate business processes across various departments like IT, HR, Customer Service, and more, positioning them as a leader in Digital Transformation and AI-powered business reinvention. This industry context means a strong emphasis on innovation, data-driven decision-making, and continuous improvement.

Company Size: ServiceNow is a large enterprise company, likely employing over 10,000 employees globally. This size implies a structured environment with established processes, but also opportunities for impact within specific product groups. For operations professionals, this means a need to navigate larger organizations, understand cross-functional dependencies, and potentially contribute to scaling existing processes.

Founded: ServiceNow was founded in 2004 by Fred Luddy. The company's origin story, rooted in automating tedious tasks and freeing people for "meaningful work," reflects a core value of efficiency and impact. This history suggests a culture that values innovation, problem-solving, and a user-centric approach to technology.

Team Structure:

• The UX Research team is likely part of a larger Product or Engineering organization, with specialized UX researchers focusing on specific product areas or customer segments.

• This Senior UX Researcher will report into a UX Research Lead or Director, with a dotted line to Product Management and Design leads for the product portfolio they support.

• Cross-functional collaboration is paramount, involving close partnerships with Product Managers, Designers, Engineers, Marketing, and potentially Sales and Customer Success teams to gather comprehensive insights and drive product adoption. Methodology:

• A strong emphasis on data-driven decision-making and user-centered design principles guides product development.

• Research methodologies will likely be a blend of qualitative (e.g., interviews, usability testing) and quantitative (e.g., surveys, analytics) approaches, adapted to the specific needs of enterprise software and AI integration.

• Agile development methodologies are likely employed, requiring researchers to integrate seamlessly into sprints and provide timely feedback.

• The company's move towards an "AI-native culture" suggests a focus on exploring and integrating AI across workflows and products, with research playing a key role in understanding user interaction with AI features.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company description emphasizes ServiceNow's role as an "AI control tower for business reinvention" and its commitment to an "AI-native culture." This context is crucial for a UX Researcher, as it implies that research will increasingly focus on how users interact with and benefit from AI-powered features and workflows within their enterprise solutions.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is at a Senior level, indicating that the individual is expected to operate with a high degree of autonomy, possess deep expertise in UX research methodologies, and be capable of influencing strategic product decisions. Senior researchers are often tasked with leading complex research initiatives, mentoring junior team members, and contributing to the evolution of research practices within the organization. The focus on "Customer & Partner Experience" means the impact extends beyond just the end-user interface to encompass the broader ecosystem.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Researcher will likely report to a UX Research Manager or Director. They will work closely with Product Managers and Designers for specific product lines or features, forming a core product team. This collaborative structure ensures research insights are directly integrated into product development cycles.

Operations Impact: The Senior UX Researcher's impact is critical to ServiceNow's success. By deeply understanding customer and partner needs, they directly influence product strategy, feature development, and overall user satisfaction. This leads to improved product adoption, customer retention, and ultimately, revenue growth, by ensuring ServiceNow's solutions effectively address market demands and user challenges, especially with the integration of AI.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific research areas such as AI research, enterprise software usability, or customer journey mapping.

• Leadership Development: Potential to lead research for larger, more complex product initiatives, mentor junior researchers, and contribute to defining research best practices within ServiceNow.

• Cross-functional Mobility: Experience gained can open doors to roles in Product Management, Design Strategy, or even GTM strategy roles that require a deep understanding of customer needs.

• Industry Influence: Contributing to key product decisions within a leading enterprise software company can build a strong professional reputation and network within the UX and technology industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title and the broad scope of "Customer & Partner Experience" suggest that this role offers significant opportunities for strategic influence and career advancement within a major technology firm. The emphasis on AI integration also presents a chance to develop cutting-edge research skills in a high-demand area.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: ServiceNow offers various work personas, including "Flexible" and "Remote." This specific role is listed as "Remote OK," indicating that candidates can work from a remote location, likely within the United States, given the specified location. The "Flexible" persona suggests that for some roles, employees might be expected to come into the office on occasion.

Office Location(s): The primary job location listed is Chicago, Illinois, at 176 North Racine Ave, Suite 500, 60607. While the role is remote-friendly, this location serves as a reference point and may indicate the presence of a significant ServiceNow office or team hub in the Chicago area.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Remote work will necessitate strong communication and collaboration tools to maintain connection with distributed teams. Expect regular virtual meetings, use of collaboration platforms, and a culture that values asynchronous communication.

• Operations Tools and Technology: Access to industry-standard UX research tools, collaboration software (e.g., Slack, Teams), project management platforms, and potentially AI-powered research assistance tools.

• Team Interaction: While remote, opportunities for team interaction will likely be facilitated through virtual team-building activities, regular check-ins, and well-structured virtual collaboration sessions.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time, with an estimated 40 hours per week. The "Flexible or Remote" work persona implies a degree of autonomy in managing one's schedule, though responsiveness during core business hours and for critical research activities will be expected. This flexibility is beneficial for operations professionals who may need to balance deep work with collaborative sessions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Work Persona: Flexible or Remote" is a key detail. While remote work is permitted, the "Flexible" aspect implies that occasional in-office presence might be beneficial or required for certain team events or strategic meetings, especially for a senior role. Understanding this nuance is important for candidates.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will likely conduct an initial call to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Review & Presentation: A critical stage where candidates present their portfolio to the hiring team (UX researchers, designers, product managers). This involves walking through 1-2 key projects, detailing research objectives, methodologies, your role, insights, and the impact of your work. Be prepared to discuss how you handled challenges and adapted your approach.

• Technical/Behavioral Interviews: Sessions with team members to delve deeper into research methodologies, problem-solving skills, collaboration style, and experience with AI integration. Expect questions about how you've applied specific research techniques and how you handle ambiguity.

• Case Study/Take-Home Assignment (Potential): Some companies may present a hypothetical research problem or ask for a brief analysis of a common UX challenge to assess your approach and strategic thinking.

• Final Interview: May involve meeting with senior leadership to discuss strategic vision, leadership potential, and alignment with company values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 projects that best showcase your senior-level expertise, impact, and experience with enterprise software and AI. Ensure variety in methodologies if possible.

• Tell a Story: Structure each case study with a clear narrative: the problem/opportunity, your research approach and rationale, your specific contributions, the key insights, and the measurable impact on the product or business.

• Focus on "Why" and "So What": Explain why you chose certain methodologies and what the implications of your findings were. Quantify impact whenever possible (e.g., "led to a 15% increase in task completion," "reduced support tickets by X%").

• Highlight AI Experience: If possible, include a project that demonstrates your experience or thoughtful approach to researching AI-driven features or user interactions.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about your decision-making process, challenges faced, and how you collaborated with stakeholders.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a take-home assignment, thoroughly research ServiceNow's products and target users to inform your approach.

• Structure Your Response: Clearly outline your proposed research plan, including objectives, target participants, methodology, and expected deliverables.

• Prioritize and Justify: Focus on the most critical aspects of the problem and justify your choices. For senior roles, strategic thinking and prioritization are key.

• Practice Articulation: Rehearse presenting your findings and recommendations concisely and persuasively, as if you were communicating to product stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process description emphasizes the critical nature of the portfolio review for this Senior UX Researcher role. Candidates must be prepared to not only present their work but also articulate the strategic thinking and impact behind it, particularly concerning enterprise software and AI.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

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

• Collaboration & Communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Workspace for team communication and virtual meetings.

• Prototyping & Design Tools (Familiarity): While not a designer, understanding tools like Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD is beneficial for reviewing designs and participating in design critiques.

• Data Analysis Tools: Spreadsheets (Excel, Google Sheets), statistical software (SPSS, R - for quantitative data), and qualitative data analysis software (e.g., Dovetail, NVivo).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics or Adobe Analytics for understanding user behavior on digital platforms.

• Product Analytics: Tools like Pendo, Mixpanel, or Amplitude to track user engagement and feature adoption within the ServiceNow platform.

• Reporting Dashboards: Experience creating and interpreting dashboards using tools like Tableau, Power BI, or internal ServiceNow reporting capabilities to visualize research findings and KPIs.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems (Familiarity): Understanding of CRM principles and potentially experience with systems like Salesforce or ServiceNow's own CRM capabilities to grasp how customer data is managed and utilized.

• Workflow Automation Tools: Familiarity with automation concepts, as ServiceNow's core offering is workflow automation. Understanding how research can inform automated processes is a plus.

• Data Integration Concepts: Awareness of how data from various sources (CRM, analytics, research) can be integrated to provide a holistic view of the customer experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The mention of AI integration in the job description suggests that familiarity with tools or methodologies related to AI research, such as analyzing AI-generated insights or understanding user interaction with AI features, would be highly advantageous.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the needs of customers and partners is paramount, driving all research and product decisions.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasizing the use of rigorous research data and analytics to inform strategy and product development, moving beyond intuition to evidence-based approaches.

• Innovation & Continuous Improvement: A culture that encourages exploring new research methodologies, especially those related to emerging technologies like AI, and a drive to constantly refine processes and product offerings.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Fostering an environment where cross-functional teams work together seamlessly, sharing insights openly and constructively, with research findings accessible to relevant stakeholders.

• Impact & Accountability: A focus on delivering research that has a tangible impact on product success and business outcomes, with individuals taking ownership of their research initiatives.

Collaboration Style:

• Partnership-Oriented: Researchers are expected to act as strategic partners to Product Managers and Designers, co-creating solutions based on user insights rather than simply delivering findings.

• Proactive Communication: Maintaining open lines of communication, sharing progress and preliminary findings regularly, and seeking feedback throughout the research process.

• Cross-Functional Integration: Actively participating in product team meetings, design reviews, and strategy sessions to ensure research is integrated early and often.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture that encourages sharing learnings, best practices, and insights across the broader UX team and relevant departments to elevate the collective understanding of users.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's emphasis on being an "AI control tower" and "AI-native culture" implies that a value placed on understanding and integrating AI ethically and effectively will be a key aspect of the team's culture and operational values.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Strategic vs. Tactical Research: Senior researchers must adeptly switch between deep, strategic research that informs long-term roadmaps and faster, tactical research needed for immediate feature validation.

• Researching Complex Enterprise Workflows: Understanding and researching intricate, multi-step business processes within enterprise software requires significant domain knowledge and analytical rigor.

• Integrating AI into Research: Developing effective methodologies to research user interactions with AI features, understand AI-driven insights, and assess the impact of AI on user workflows presents an ongoing challenge.

• Influencing Stakeholders: Effectively translating complex research findings into compelling narratives that persuade diverse stakeholders (including senior leadership) to act on recommendations.

• Navigating a Large Organization: Understanding and leveraging the various teams and resources within a large company like ServiceNow to drive research initiatives and ensure adoption of insights.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Research Specialization: Opportunities to become a go-to expert in researching AI-powered products and features, a highly sought-after skill.

• Domain Expertise: Deepen knowledge in specific ServiceNow product areas (e.g., IT Service Management, Customer Service Management) and the enterprise software landscape.

• Leadership and Mentorship: Develop leadership skills by mentoring junior researchers, leading cross-functional research initiatives, and contributing to the UX research practice's strategic direction.

• Industry Conferences and Training: Access to professional development opportunities, conferences, and training to stay current with UX research best practices and emerging technologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the dynamic nature of enterprise UX research, particularly with the integration of AI, and the need for continuous learning and strategic thinking.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you used research to significantly influence product strategy. What was the situation, your approach, and the outcome?" (Focus on strategic impact, methodology, and stakeholder influence).

• "How would you approach researching the user experience of an AI-powered feature designed to automate a common business task? What challenges do you anticipate?" (Assess AI research understanding, methodology adaptation, and problem-solving).

• "Walk us through your process for synthesizing complex qualitative and quantitative data into actionable insights. Can you provide an example?" (Evaluate analytical rigor, data synthesis skills, and clarity of communication).

• "How do you balance the needs of different user segments (e.g., technical users vs. business users) when conducting research for enterprise software?" (Assess understanding of diverse user needs and ability to cater research accordingly). Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on your understanding of ServiceNow, what do you see as the biggest opportunities and challenges for UX research in your role?" (Demonstrate company research and strategic thinking).

• "How do you ensure your research findings are effectively communicated and acted upon by product and design teams?" (Assess collaboration, communication, and influence skills).

• "Describe your experience working in an agile development environment. How do you integrate research into agile sprints?" (Evaluate adaptability and process integration).

• "How do you stay current with new UX research methodologies and emerging technologies like AI?" (Assess commitment to continuous learning and innovation). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Start with the "Why": Clearly articulate the business problem or user need that initiated the research project.

• Detail Your Process: Explain your chosen methodology, why it was appropriate, and your specific role. Be ready to defend your choices.

• Showcase Insights, Not Just Data: Focus on the "so what" of your findings. What did you learn about the user, and what does it mean for the product?

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the impact of your research on product decisions, user experience improvements, or business outcomes.

• Address Challenges: Be prepared to discuss any obstacles you encountered and how you overcame them.

• Focus on AI if Applicable: If you have relevant AI research examples, highlight them. If not, discuss how you would approach researching AI features.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the Senior level and the emphasis on AI, interviewers will likely probe deeply into strategic thinking, problem-solving related to complex enterprise workflows, and the candidate's ability to adapt research methodologies for AI-driven products.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Researcher position at ServiceNow:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the SmartRecruiters job portal.

• Curate and Refine Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your most impactful UX research projects, ensuring they demonstrate senior-level expertise, strategic thinking, and experience with enterprise software. Tailor your portfolio to highlight any experience with AI integration or complex workflow research.

• Optimize Your Resume: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 5+ years of experience in customer-centered research, highlighting achievements related to influencing product strategy, synthesizing complex data, and collaborating with cross-functional teams. Strategically incorporate keywords like "UX Research," "AI integration," "enterprise software," "qualitative/quantitative methods," and "stakeholder influence."

• Prepare Your Portfolio Presentation: Practice delivering a compelling narrative for each selected project. Focus on the problem, your research process and rationale, key insights, your specific contributions, and the measurable impact. Be ready to discuss your approach to AI research and complex enterprise workflows.

• Research ServiceNow: Thoroughly understand ServiceNow's products, target audience, and company culture, particularly their emphasis on AI and business reinvention. Prepare thoughtful questions about the team, their research practices, and the challenges within the customer and partner experience domain.

⚠️ 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.