Senior UX Researcher – Digital Experience (Business Banking)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Researcher – Digital Experience (Business Banking)

Company: U.S. Bank

Location: Minneapolis, MN (Hybrid) | Atlanta, GA (Hybrid) | Chicago, IL (Hybrid) | Charlotte, NC (Hybrid) | Los Angeles, CA (Hybrid)

Job Type: Full time

Category: User Experience Research | Digital Product Development | Financial Services Operations

Date Posted: September 21, 2026

Experience Level: 6-8 years

Remote Status: Hybrid (3+ days in office per week)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end UX research and discovery initiatives to inform digital experiences for Business Banking clients and internal partners.

• Drive UX research strategy across a portfolio of Business Banking digital products, aligning user needs with business objectives and digital transformation goals.

• Translate complex user insights into clear, actionable recommendations that influence product direction, business strategy, and digital investment decisions.

• Foster a user-centered approach across product, design, business banking, and strategy teams, strengthening research's role in decision-making.

• Mentor and guide junior researchers, contributing to the growth and consistent application of research best practices within the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Senior UX Researcher within the Business Banking digital experience domain. The emphasis on "discovery, problem framing, and insight generation in complex environments" and "strengthening how research informs digital decision-making" indicates a strategic, influential role rather than a purely execution-focused one. The requirement to "influence prioritization and investment decisions" and "shape research strategy" suggests a significant impact on product roadmaps and organizational strategy.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead end-to-end UX research and discovery efforts, ensuring alignment with business and product objectives for Business Banking digital initiatives.

• Collaborate closely with product managers, designers, business stakeholders, and Business Banking leadership to define complex problems, develop robust research strategies, and guide critical decisions.

• Develop and execute UX research strategy across multiple Business Banking products, channels, and initiatives, ensuring alignment with strategic business priorities, client needs, and digital transformation objectives.

• Select and expertly apply appropriate qualitative and exploratory research methodologies (e.g., stakeholder interviews, journey mapping, user interviews, usability testing) based on project context, constraints, and desired outcomes.

• Synthesize findings from qualitative and quantitative data into clear, compelling, and actionable insights that directly inform product direction, user experience improvements, and business strategy.

• Present research insights in a structured, outcome-oriented manner, effectively communicating complex findings to both technical and non-technical audiences, including senior leadership.

• Identify and champion opportunities to enhance digital experiences for business clients, bankers, and internal partners, contributing to the definition of future-state strategies and experience roadmaps.

• Cultivate and maintain strong cross-functional partnerships, positioning UX research as a critical and indispensable input to strategic decision-making processes.

• Influence senior product, strategy, and Business Banking leaders by translating research insights into concrete recommendations that inform digital investment, experience improvement initiatives, and prioritization decisions.

• Establish, refine, and advance UX research standards, frameworks, and best practices to enhance the quality, consistency, and repeatability of research outcomes across the organization.

• Provide mentorship and guidance to junior researchers, supporting their professional growth, skill development, and integration into the broader research practice.

• Contribute to the development and maintenance of consistent research practices, driving improvements in the quality, clarity, and repeatability of research outputs across all teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic leadership in research and hands-on execution. The emphasis on "driving UX research strategy" and "influencing product, strategy, and Business Banking leaders" points to a role that shapes the research agenda and its impact, not just fulfills study requests. The mention of "establishing and advancing UX research standards" indicates a contribution to the maturity of the research function.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in UX, Design Research, Psychology, Social Science, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. Experience:

• Six to Eight years of progressive experience in User Experience (UX) design research, with a strong track record of delivering impactful insights.

• Demonstrated experience in leading end-to-end research projects from problem definition through insight delivery and influencing product decisions. Required Skills:

• UX Research Expertise: Deep understanding and practical application of qualitative and exploratory research methodologies (e.g., user interviews, contextual inquiry, diary studies, journey mapping, persona development, usability testing).

• Research Strategy Development: Proven ability to define research strategies that align with business objectives, product roadmaps, and user needs within complex environments.

• Insight Generation & Synthesis: Strong analytical skills to synthesize complex qualitative and quantitative data into clear, actionable insights and strategic recommendations.

• Stakeholder Management & Influence: Exceptional ability to partner with and influence cross-functional stakeholders, including Product Managers, Designers, Business Analysts, and senior leadership, to drive user-centered decision-making.

• Communication & Presentation: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex research findings and their business implications to diverse audiences, including executive-level stakeholders.

Preferred Skills:

• Subject Matter Expertise: Recognized UX research subject matter expert with a demonstrated ability to influence product strategy and business decision-making at a senior level.

• Research Practice Enhancement: Experience in establishing, scaling, or improving UX research standards, methodologies, and best practices within an organization.

• Mentorship & Coaching: Proven experience mentoring or coaching junior researchers and contributing to the professional development of a research practice.

• Financial Services Domain Knowledge: Experience conducting research within the Business Banking, treasury management, lending, payments, or other financial services domains.

• Complex Organizational Navigation: Experience working within large, complex, or highly regulated organizations, demonstrating an understanding of navigating corporate structures and compliance requirements.

• Consulting or Agency Background: Background in consulting or agency environments, showcasing strong stakeholder engagement and project management skills.

• Agile/Fast-Paced Environments: Experience working effectively in fast-paced environments with evolving priorities and a need for balancing methodological rigor with speed.

📝 Enhancement Note: The preferred qualifications emphasize leadership in research practice, strategic influence, and domain-specific experience. The mention of "consulting or cross-functional environments with strong stakeholder engagement" suggests the need for strong interpersonal and influencing skills beyond pure research execution. The "recognized UX research subject matter expert" benchmark indicates a high bar for influence and thought leadership.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies: Showcase 3-5 detailed case studies demonstrating end-to-end UX research projects, focusing on problem definition, research methodology, execution, insights, and demonstrable impact on product or business outcomes.

• Methodology Diversity: Highlight experience with a variety of research methods, including qualitative (interviews, journey mapping, ethnographic research) and quantitative (surveys, analytics interpretation for research context).

• Impact & ROI: Clearly articulate the business impact and return on investment (ROI) derived from your research findings, quantifying improvements where possible (e.g., increased conversion rates, reduced support tickets, improved client satisfaction).

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Provide examples of how you collaborated with product, design, engineering, and business stakeholders to integrate research insights into the product development lifecycle.

• Strategic Influence: Demonstrate instances where your research directly influenced product strategy, prioritization, or investment decisions at a senior level.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Present examples of how you have documented and optimized research workflows to improve efficiency, consistency, and quality within a research team or practice.

• Insight Management: Showcase methods for organizing, synthesizing, and disseminating research insights to ensure they are actionable and readily accessible to relevant teams.

• Measurement & Analysis: Include examples of how you have measured the impact of research initiatives and analyzed research program effectiveness against defined objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is crucial for this role, as it directly demonstrates the ability to influence strategy and drive business outcomes through research. The emphasis on "demonstrable impact on product or business outcomes" and "quantifying improvements" suggests a need for candidates to show tangible results from their research efforts. The requirement to showcase "strategic influence" is a key differentiator.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $119,765.00 - $140,900.00 USD per year.

• Note: This range is based on the primary location (Minneapolis, MN) and may differ based on the candidate's specific work location among the listed options (Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Charlotte, NC; Los Angeles, CA). U.S. Bank considers factors such as geographic location, scope of responsibilities, and candidate experience when determining final compensation.

Benefits:

• Healthcare: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• Life Insurance: Basic term and optional term life insurance coverage.

• Disability Insurance: Short-term and long-term disability coverage to provide financial security.

• Family Leave: Pregnancy disability leave and parental leave policies.

• Retirement Savings: 401(k) plan with employer matching contributions and an employer-funded retirement plan.

• Paid Time Off: Generous paid vacation (2-5 weeks depending on salary grade and tenure) and up to 11 paid holiday opportunities.

• Adoption Assistance: Support for employees pursuing adoption.

• Sick and Safe Leave: Accruals of one hour for every 30 hours worked, up to 80 hours per calendar year (subject to local law variations).

• Additional Benefits: U.S. Bank offers incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase, and other benefits subject to eligibility requirements.

Working Hours:

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

• Hybrid work arrangement requires 3+ days per week in a designated U.S. Bank office location.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is a competitive benchmark for a Senior UX Researcher role in a major metropolitan area within the US financial sector. The benefits package is comprehensive, typical of large financial institutions, and includes robust health, retirement, and paid time off provisions. The hybrid work arrangement with a minimum of 3 days in-office is a key detail for candidates to consider.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services | Banking (Business Banking focus)

Company Size: Large Enterprise (U.S. Bank is a major financial institution with tens of thousands of employees globally).

Founded: 1863 (U.S. Bank has a long-standing history, indicating stability and established processes).

Team Structure:

• Operations Focus: The role sits within the Digital Experience team, specifically supporting Business Banking initiatives. This implies a close working relationship with product management, UX design, engineering, and key business stakeholders within the Business Banking division.

• Reporting: While not explicitly stated, a Senior UX Researcher typically reports into a UX Research Lead, Director of UX, or a Head of Digital Experience. The role will likely involve collaboration with multiple product teams and business units.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: This role is inherently cross-functional, requiring deep partnerships with product managers, designers, business strategists, client-facing teams (bankers), and potentially operations and compliance teams to ensure research insights are integrated effectively into product development and business strategy.

Methodology:

• User-Centered Design: The company emphasizes delivering digital experiences grounded in deep user insight. This means a strong commitment to user research as a foundational element of product development.

• Data-Driven Decision-Making: Insights from UX research are expected to directly inform decisions, influence prioritization, and support investment in digital products and experiences.

• Agile & Iterative Development: While not explicitly stated, large financial institutions typically operate with agile or hybrid development methodologies, requiring researchers to adapt to fast-paced, iterative cycles and provide timely, relevant insights.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: U.S. Bank's status as a large, established financial institution suggests a structured environment with established processes, but also potential for significant impact due to the scale of its operations. The "Business Banking" focus means the research will be applied to critical revenue-generating and client-servicing digital products. The emphasis on "journey to do our best" and "enabling communities to grow and succeed" points to a mission-driven culture, which can be a strong motivator for candidates.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Individual Contributor. This role is for an experienced researcher who is expected to lead complex projects, mentor others, and influence strategy. It represents a significant step beyond a mid-level researcher, requiring autonomy and strategic thinking.

Reporting Structure: Likely reports to a UX Research Manager or Director, or a Head of Digital Experience within Business Banking. Will collaborate extensively with Product Managers, Designers, and Business Banking leadership.

Operations Impact:

• Direct Influence on Client Experience: The research directly impacts how business clients interact with U.S. Bank digitally, influencing acquisition, onboarding, servicing, and relationship growth.

• Strategic Decision Support: Insights generated will inform critical business decisions regarding digital investments, product roadmaps, and future-state strategies for Business Banking.

• Efficiency & Operational Improvement: Research can identify pain points for both clients and internal users (bankers), leading to process improvements and operational efficiencies within digital channels.

Growth Opportunities:

• Deepening Domain Expertise: Opportunity to become a recognized expert in Business Banking digital experiences and user needs.

• Leadership within Research Practice: Potential to grow into a lead researcher role, manage research projects more broadly, or take on team leadership responsibilities.

• Strategic Influence Expansion: Further develop skills in influencing senior leadership and shaping organizational strategy through impactful research.

• Cross-Disciplinary Skill Development: Exposure to product strategy, business analysis, and digital transformation initiatives can broaden skill sets.

• Mentorship & Practice Development: Contribute to the growth of the UX research discipline within U.S. Bank by mentoring junior team members and helping to refine research methodologies and standards.

📝 Enhancement Note: This senior-level role offers significant opportunities for impact and growth within a large financial institution. The path from Senior UX Researcher often leads to Lead Researcher, Research Manager, or even broader UX leadership roles, especially within specialized domains like Business Banking. The emphasis on influencing strategy is a key indicator of potential for career advancement.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid. Requires working from a U.S. Bank location 3 or more days per week. This suggests a mix of collaborative in-office work and focused remote work.

Office Location(s): Minneapolis, MN; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Charlotte, NC; Los Angeles, CA. Candidates can be based in any of these major metropolitan areas.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: In-office days will likely be used for team syncs, cross-functional workshops, brainstorming sessions, and building relationships with colleagues.

• Tooling & Technology: Access to standard enterprise tools for communication, collaboration, and research (e.g., video conferencing, project management software, potentially specialized research platforms).

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular interaction with designers, product managers, and business stakeholders, fostering a dynamic and communicative work environment.

Work Schedule:

• Standard business hours, typically 40 hours per week.

• The hybrid model offers some flexibility, allowing for focused work at home while requiring in-person collaboration. The exact days in office may be determined by team needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is a key aspect of this role, balancing the benefits of in-person collaboration with the flexibility of remote work. Candidates should be prepared for a structured office presence, which is common in regulated industries like banking. The variety of listed locations suggests the company has a distributed presence, offering flexibility in where the candidate is based, provided they can meet the hybrid requirement.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or recruiter screen to assess basic qualifications, interest, and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: In-depth discussion about experience, research philosophy, strategic thinking, and alignment with the role's responsibilities.

• Portfolio Review & Presentation: A critical stage where candidates present 2-3 detailed case studies from their portfolio, demonstrating their research process, insights, and impact. This often includes a live presentation and Q&A.

• Cross-functional Stakeholder Interviews: Interviews with key partners (e.g., Product Managers, Designers, Business Leads) to assess collaboration style, communication, and ability to influence.

• Senior Leadership/Executive Interview: Final interview, potentially with a Director or VP, to evaluate strategic thinking, leadership potential, and overall fit with the organization's direction.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Impact: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the methodology, the key insights, and most importantly, the impact of your research on the product, user experience, or business outcomes. Quantify results whenever possible.

• Tell a Story: Structure your case studies as narratives. Explain the context, the challenges you faced, how you overcame them, and the lessons learned.

• Showcase Strategic Thinking: Highlight instances where your research led to significant strategic shifts or influenced major product decisions, rather than just incremental improvements.

• Demonstrate Collaboration: Explain how you partnered with other teams and integrated their perspectives into your research and findings.

• Prepare for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your decision-making process, how you handle ambiguity, and how you would approach specific challenges within U.S. Bank's Business Banking context.

Challenge Preparation:

• Hypothetical Scenario: Be prepared for a hypothetical research challenge related to Business Banking digital products. This might involve problem framing, proposing a research plan, or interpreting simulated data.

• Strategic Approach: Focus on demonstrating a strategic, user-centered approach rather than just listing research techniques. Explain why you would choose certain methods and how they connect to business goals.

• Communication Clarity: Practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely, as if presenting to senior stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is a cornerstone of the interview process for this role. Candidates must be ready to present their work compellingly, emphasizing strategic impact and collaboration. The interview process is designed to assess not only research expertise but also the ability to influence and operate effectively within a large, complex organization.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• User Research Platforms: Familiarity with tools for participant recruitment, scheduling, and remote moderation (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, UserZoom).

• Collaboration & Communication: Proficiency in enterprise collaboration suites like Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Google Workspace for team communication and virtual workshops.

• Diagramming & Whiteboarding: Tools such as Miro, Mural, Lucidchart, or Figma for journey mapping, affinity diagramming, and collaborative brainstorming.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Qualitative Data Analysis: Experience with tools for thematic analysis, coding qualitative data (e.g., Dovetail, NVivo, or manual methods).

• Business Intelligence/Reporting Tools: While not a primary analyst role, understanding how to interpret data from tools like Tableau, Power BI, or internal dashboards can be beneficial to contextualize research findings.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: Familiarity with CRM systems like Salesforce can provide context for understanding client data and business processes, especially in a banking environment.

• Product Management Tools: Experience with tools like Jira, Confluence, or Asana for understanding product development workflows and managing research deliverables.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job description doesn't list specific tools, a Senior UX Researcher in a large financial institution would typically be expected to be proficient with a range of qualitative research tools, collaboration platforms, and data synthesis tools. Familiarity with the broader product development technology stack is also advantageous for effective cross-functional collaboration.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Client-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of Business Banking clients, ensuring their experiences are seamless and valuable.

• Data-Driven Impact: Valuing research that provides clear, actionable insights that directly influence product development, business strategy, and investment decisions.

• Collaboration & Partnership: Fostering strong, collaborative relationships across product, design, business, and technology teams to achieve shared goals.

• Continuous Improvement: A dedication to refining research methodologies, enhancing the quality and consistency of research outcomes, and advancing the practice of UX research within the organization.

• Integrity & Trust: Operating with a high degree of professionalism and ethical conduct, especially critical within the financial services industry.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Proactively engaging with diverse teams to ensure research is integrated early and often in the product lifecycle.

• Open Communication: Encouraging open dialogue, feedback exchange, and transparency in research processes and findings.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture that promotes sharing research insights, best practices, and learnings across teams to build collective understanding and capability.

• Pragmatic Rigor: Balancing the need for robust, methodologically sound research with the practical constraints and speed required in a dynamic business environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values and collaboration style emphasize a proactive, influential, and team-oriented approach. Candidates should demonstrate an ability to be both a methodological expert and a strategic partner who can drive change through collaboration and clear communication, particularly within the context of financial services.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Complexity: Operating effectively within a large, established financial institution with complex systems, regulatory requirements, and multiple stakeholder groups.

• Balancing Speed and Rigor: Delivering timely, actionable insights while maintaining methodological rigor in a fast-paced digital environment.

• Driving Adoption of Insights: Ensuring research findings are not just delivered but are understood, trusted, and acted upon by decision-makers across various departments.

• Defining Ambiguous Problems: Tackling research challenges where the problem itself is not clearly defined, requiring strong discovery and problem-framing skills.

• Influencing Senior Stakeholders: Effectively communicating the value of UX research and influencing strategic decisions at the executive level.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialization in Business Banking: Deepen expertise in the unique needs, behaviors, and challenges of business clients and the digital solutions that serve them.

• Research Strategy Leadership: Develop advanced skills in shaping research roadmaps, aligning research efforts with business strategy, and advocating for research investment.

• Mentorship and Practice Building: Contribute to the growth of the UX research practice by mentoring junior colleagues and helping to establish best practices and frameworks.

• Industry Trends & Technology: Stay abreast of evolving UX research methodologies, digital banking trends, and new technologies impacting financial services.

• Cross-Functional Acumen: Gain deeper understanding of product management, business strategy, and operational processes within the financial services sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for senior roles in large organizations, requiring strong problem-solving, communication, and influence skills. The growth opportunities are geared towards deepening expertise, expanding strategic influence, and contributing to the development of the research function.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to define a research strategy for a complex, ambiguous problem. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your problem-framing process, stakeholder alignment, and how you selected methodologies.)

• "How do you ensure your research insights are not just delivered but acted upon by product and business leaders? Provide an example." (Highlight your communication, storytelling, and influencing techniques, and how you track impact.)

• "Imagine we need to understand how small business clients currently manage their cash flow digitally. Outline a research approach you would recommend." (Demonstrate your ability to translate a business need into a concrete, strategic research plan.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What attracts you to U.S. Bank and specifically to this role within Business Banking digital experience?" (Research U.S. Bank's mission, values, and recent digital initiatives.)

• "How would you approach building trust and strong working relationships with product managers and business leaders who may not have a deep background in UX research?" (Showcase your collaboration and communication style, emphasizing empathy and partnership.)

• "Describe your experience in mentoring junior researchers or contributing to the development of research best practices within a team." (Highlight your leadership potential and commitment to team growth.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select Strategic Examples: Choose 2-3 case studies that best showcase your ability to influence strategy, drive significant impact, and work in complex environments. Prioritize quality over quantity.

• Structure for Impact: For each case study, follow a clear narrative: Problem/Opportunity -> Your Role & Approach -> Key Insights -> Recommendations -> Impact/Outcome.

• Quantify Results: Wherever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the impact of your research (e.g., "led to a 15% increase in onboarding completion," "reduced client support inquiries by 10%").

• Emphasize Collaboration: Clearly articulate how you partnered with cross-functional teams to achieve results.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your methodology, decision-making rationale, and how you handled challenges within each case study.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation advice focuses on demonstrating strategic thinking, strong communication, and a proven track record of impact. Candidates should be ready to articulate their process, defend their choices, and clearly link their research to business value, particularly within the context of financial services and business banking.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Researcher position:

• Visit the U.S. Bank Careers portal and submit your application through the provided link.

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your resume and portfolio to prominently feature case studies that highlight your experience in leading complex UX research initiatives, driving strategic influence, and achieving measurable business impact within digital product development, preferably in financial services or regulated industries.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly outlines your 6-8 years of relevant UX research experience, using keywords from the job description such as "UX Research," "Discovery," "Research Strategy," "Stakeholder Influence," "Business Banking," and "Digital Transformation." Quantify achievements wherever possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your research process, strategic thinking, and collaboration skills. Prepare to present 2-3 strong portfolio case studies, focusing on the problem, your approach, key insights, and demonstrable business impact.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with U.S. Bank's mission, values, recent digital banking initiatives, and the specific challenges and opportunities within Business Banking. Understand their commitment to user-centered design and digital transformation.

⚠️ 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.