Senior UX Researcher (Incogni)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Researcher (Incogni)
Company: Surfshark
Location: Kaunas, Lithuania; Vilnius, Lithuania; Warsaw, Poland
Job Type: Full Time
Category: User Experience Research / Product Operations
Date Posted: 2026-05-05
Experience Level: Mid to Senior Level (5-10 years)
Remote Status: Hybrid (up to 2 remote days per week)

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive impactful user experience research initiatives for Incogni, a privacy-focused product, by conducting both evaluative and exploratory research across desktop and mobile platforms.
• Own the end-to-end research process, from defining research objectives and selecting methodologies to executing research sessions, synthesizing complex data, and delivering actionable insights to cross-functional teams.
• Play a pivotal role in strengthening and structuring the UX research practice within the product development lifecycle, contributing to the establishment of robust research procedures and documentation.
• Translate user feedback and research findings into concrete product improvements, user journey optimizations, and strategic recommendations that enhance usability and user satisfaction.
• Foster a data-driven design culture by collaborating closely with Product Managers, Designers, and Engineers, ensuring user needs are at the forefront of product decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Senior UX Researcher, indicating a need for an individual capable of not only executing research but also shaping and formalizing research processes within a growing product organization. The emphasis on "building the foundations of UX research" suggests a significant opportunity for strategic impact and process ownership. The mention of Incogni, a privacy-tech product, implies a need for research that understands user concerns around data privacy and security.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and execute a comprehensive range of research studies, including usability tests, in-depth interviews, surveys, and concept testing, for Incogni's desktop and mobile applications.
• Proactively identify critical user pain points and opportunities for improvement through user journey mapping and in-depth qualitative and quantitative data analysis.
• Develop and refine research protocols, templates, and repositories to standardize research operations and ensure consistent, high-quality research outputs.
• Synthesize research findings into clear, concise, and actionable reports, presentations, and recommendations tailored for diverse stakeholder audiences, including product, design, and engineering teams.
• Collaborate closely with product and design teams to integrate user insights into the product roadmap and design iterations, ensuring a user-centric approach to product development.
• Champion user advocacy by effectively communicating user needs, behaviors, and motivations across the organization, influencing product strategy and design decisions.
• Conduct remote user testing and interviews, leveraging appropriate tools and techniques to gather rich qualitative data from a global user base.
• Contribute to the development of user personas and mental models based on research findings to foster a deeper understanding of the target audience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for a researcher who can operate independently and strategically, not just as an executor. The emphasis on "creating and improving research procedures, templates, documentation, and ways of working" points to a significant operational and foundational aspect of the role, common in maturing product organizations.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Computer Science, or a related field. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.
Experience: 5-10 years of hands-on experience in UX research, with a proven track record of owning and delivering end-to-end research projects.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrable experience in conducting both qualitative and quantitative UX research methodologies, including usability testing, user interviews, surveys, and heuristic evaluations.
• Proven ability to define research goals, select appropriate methods, and manage the entire research lifecycle from planning to reporting.
• Strong analytical skills to synthesize complex qualitative and quantitative data into clear, actionable insights and strategic recommendations.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively articulate research findings and influence product decisions across cross-functional teams.
• Experience in creating and improving research processes, documentation, and templates.
• A proactive and self-directed mindset, comfortable working in an environment where processes are being established and optimized.
• Ability to challenge assumptions constructively and advocate for user needs.

Preferred Skills:

• Proficiency with remote user testing platforms and tools for conducting online interviews and usability studies.
• Experience with visual design testing and A/B testing methodologies.
• Ability to integrate qualitative research findings with quantitative data analytics for a holistic understanding of user behavior.
• Proven track record of establishing research operations practices, creating research repositories, or building foundational UX research frameworks within an organization.
• Experience as an early UX researcher in a product organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience level requirement (5-10 years) and the emphasis on building foundational research practices suggest that candidates with experience in establishing or scaling UX research functions will be highly valued. The "Bonus points" section strongly indicates a preference for candidates who have been instrumental in setting up research operations from the ground up.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing end-to-end UX research projects, demonstrating ownership from problem definition to actionable insights and impact.
• Case studies that clearly articulate research objectives, methodologies employed (qualitative and quantitative), synthesized findings, and the resulting product or design improvements.
• Evidence of process improvement contributions, such as the creation or enhancement of research procedures, templates, or documentation.
• Examples of how research insights have directly influenced product strategy, design decisions, and key business metrics.
• Ability to present research data and findings effectively, showcasing how complex information was translated into clear, stakeholder-friendly reports.

Process Documentation:

• Examples of well-documented research plans, user interview guides, usability test scripts, and synthesis frameworks.
• Demonstrations of how research findings were translated into actionable product requirements or design specifications.
• Evidence of contributions to establishing or refining research operations, including potential examples of research repository structures or best practice guidelines.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's emphasis on establishing and improving research practices, the portfolio should highlight not just research execution but also the candidate's ability to contribute to the operationalization and strategic integration of UX research within a product development framework. This includes process documentation and the creation of reusable assets.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Lithuanian Market: 4600 - 5700 EUR gross per month.
• Polish Market: 18000 - 22900 PLN gross per month. These ranges are indicative and may vary based on the candidate's specific skills, experience, and the chosen location.

Benefits:

• Professional Development: Dedicated time for learning, access to conferences, online learning platforms, and books for continuous professional growth.
• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive benefits including online workouts, a physical coach, gym membership, and regular mental health check-ins.
• Tools of Choice: Flexibility to select preferred technical equipment and tools necessary for optimal performance.
• Community & Engagement: Participation in company traditions such as yearly workations, regular team gatherings, team-building events, and company celebrations.
• Commuting Support: Compensation for a portion of public transport costs, depending on individual circumstances.
• Work-Life Balance & Flexibility: Encouragement of office-based work with up to two remote days per week. The Work From Anywhere (WFA) policy allows for remote work from almost any location globally.
• Exclusive Access: Premium Surfshark accounts for personal use, family, and friends.

Working Hours: Standard 40 hours per week, with flexibility offered through the hybrid work model and WFA policy, allowing for adaptation to personal schedules and work-life balance needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary ranges provided are specific to the Lithuanian and Polish markets, reflecting the listed locations. These figures represent gross monthly salaries. The benefits package is extensive, emphasizing professional development, well-being, and work flexibility, which are attractive to experienced professionals in the tech industry. The hybrid model with the WFA policy offers significant autonomy.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology / Software / Cybersecurity / Privacy-Tech. Surfshark operates in the competitive digital privacy and security market with its suite of products, including VPNs and Incogni, a data privacy service. Company Size: Surfshark is a growing company, likely employing several hundred to over a thousand employees, indicated by its broad product portfolio and international presence. This size suggests a dynamic environment with opportunities for impact but also a need for structured processes. Founded: Surfshark was founded in 2018. Its relatively recent founding means it's likely in a phase of rapid growth and evolution, with opportunities to shape its future.

Team Structure:

• The UX Researcher will be part of the Experience Design Team, working closely with Product Managers, UX/UI Designers, and Development Teams.
• This role is crucial for embedding user research within the product development process, suggesting a collaborative structure where research findings directly inform product strategy and execution.
• The team likely operates with agile methodologies, emphasizing cross-functional collaboration and iterative development cycles.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Product Development: The company emphasizes using data, including user research insights, to drive product decisions and improvements.
• User-Centric Design: A core principle is understanding and addressing real user needs and pain points.
• Process Improvement: There is a strong focus on establishing and refining processes, particularly in the UX research domain, to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.

Company Website: https://surfshark.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Surfshark's focus on privacy and security through products like Incogni suggests a company culture that values innovation, user trust, and a forward-thinking approach to technology. The emphasis on building foundational research practices indicates a company that is maturing its product development processes and values the input of experienced professionals.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior UX Researcher role, indicating a position of significant responsibility and autonomy. It's a role for an individual expected to lead research initiatives, mentor others (implicitly), and contribute to the strategic direction of user research within the product organization. This level typically involves owning complex projects and influencing cross-functional teams.
Reporting Structure: The UX Researcher will likely report to a Head of Product, a Design Lead, or a Director of UX. They will work closely with Product Managers and Designers, forming a core part of the product development team. This structure allows for direct access to decision-makers and impactful collaboration.
Operations Impact: The role directly impacts the success of Incogni by ensuring the product is user-friendly, addresses genuine user needs, and effectively solves privacy concerns. By translating user insights into actionable product improvements, the UX Researcher contributes significantly to user satisfaction, adoption rates, and ultimately, the revenue and growth of the Incogni product.

Growth Opportunities:

• Research Leadership: Opportunity to grow into a lead researcher role, manage a team of researchers, or define the long-term UX research strategy for Incogni.
• Process & Operations Specialization: Develop expertise in building and scaling research operations, creating frameworks, and establishing best practices for a growing organization.
• Cross-functional Expertise: Deepen understanding of product management, design, and engineering within the privacy-tech industry, potentially leading to broader product roles.
• Industry Influence: Contribute to the evolution of UX research practices within the cybersecurity and privacy-tech sectors.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title and the mandate to build foundational research practices point towards a role with significant growth potential, moving beyond execution to strategic leadership and operational design within the UX research domain.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company encourages working in the office, suggesting a hybrid model with opportunities for in-person collaboration, team building, and knowledge sharing. This is balanced with the flexibility of remote work.
Office Location(s): The role is available in Kaunas and Vilnius, Lithuania, and Warsaw, Poland. These locations likely offer modern office spaces designed to foster collaboration and productivity.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model facilitates both focused individual work and dynamic team interactions, crucial for brainstorming and problem-solving in UX research.
• Tools & Technology: Candidates are encouraged to choose their own technical equipment and tools, indicating a commitment to providing a high-quality and personalized work setup. Access to modern communication and collaboration software is expected.
• Team Interaction: Regular face-to-face interactions with product, design, and development teams are expected, promoting strong working relationships and efficient communication loops.

Work Schedule: A standard 40-hour work week is implied, with flexibility built into the hybrid and Work From Anywhere (WFA) policies. This allows individuals to manage their schedules effectively, balancing work responsibilities with personal life, and accommodating the needs of research participants and global teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on hybrid work and the Work From Anywhere (WFA) policy signifies a modern approach to work-life balance, catering to professionals who value flexibility while still recognizing the benefits of in-office collaboration. The company's commitment to providing "tools of your choice" suggests a well-equipped and modern workspace.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio, focusing on relevant UX research experience and the ability to own research projects.
• Hiring Manager/Team Interview: A discussion about your background, approach to UX research, and experience in building research practices. You'll likely be asked about specific research projects and how you synthesized insights.
• Skills Assessment/Case Study: A potential exercise or case study where you might be asked to outline a research plan for a given problem, or analyze a dataset to derive insights. This will assess your strategic thinking and methodological proficiency.
• Cross-functional Team Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers, Designers, and Engineers to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and how you integrate research into the product development workflow.
• Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership to discuss cultural fit, long-term vision, and strategic contributions.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Ownership: Clearly highlight projects where you took full responsibility for the research process from start to finish.
• Detail Your Process: For each case study, explain your research objectives, chosen methodologies (and why), how you synthesized data, and the specific impact of your findings. Use visuals where appropriate.
• Highlight Process Building: Include examples where you developed research templates, documentation, or improved existing research workflows. This is a key requirement for this role.
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, demonstrate the tangible outcomes of your research – e.g., how it led to increased conversion rates, reduced user errors, or improved satisfaction scores.
• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize your experience with privacy-tech products or B2C SaaS products, and your ability to work in a growing, process-defining environment.

Challenge Preparation:

• Research Strategy: Be prepared to discuss how you would approach research for a privacy product like Incogni, considering user concerns and the competitive landscape.
• Methodology Justification: Be ready to defend your choice of research methods based on specific research questions or business objectives.
• Data Synthesis: Practice explaining how you would synthesize disparate qualitative and quantitative data into a coherent narrative and actionable insights.
• Stakeholder Communication: Prepare examples of how you've communicated complex research findings to non-research audiences effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "some processes still need to be created, improved, and introduced" and "building the foundations of UX research" means the interview process will heavily scrutinize a candidate's ability to not just perform research but to structure and scale it. The portfolio review will be critical for demonstrating this capability.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Research Platforms: Proficiency with tools for conducting remote usability testing and user interviews (e.g., UserTesting.com, Maze, Lookback, Zoom, Google Meet).
• Survey Tools: Experience with survey platforms for collecting quantitative and qualitative feedback (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Typeform, Google Forms).
• Collaboration Tools: Familiarity with tools like Jira, Confluence, Slack, and Miro for cross-functional collaboration, documentation, and ideation.
• Design/Prototyping Tools: Ability to work with or understand designs from tools such as Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD, and to conduct usability tests on prototypes.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Synthesis Tools: Experience with tools or methods for analyzing qualitative data (e.g., Dovetail, NVivo, or manual coding techniques) and quantitative data (e.g., Excel, Google Sheets, basic statistical software).
• Visualization Tools: Ability to create clear and compelling charts and graphs to present findings, potentially using tools like Tableau, Power BI, or built-in features of other platforms.
• Reporting Software: Proficiency in creating well-structured reports and presentations using tools like Google Slides, PowerPoint, or dedicated reporting features within research platforms.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct CRM role, understanding how user feedback and research inputs can feed into CRM systems or product management platforms for tracking user issues and feature requests is beneficial.
• Familiarity with project management and workflow automation tools (e.g., Asana, Trello) can be advantageous for managing research projects efficiently.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role requires a broad toolkit, with a strong emphasis on research execution platforms and data synthesis. The ability to integrate with design and product development tools is also key. Given the "tools of your choice" benefit, a candidate's expressed preferences and rationale for tool selection will be important.

👥 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: Valuing evidence-based insights derived from rigorous research to guide strategy and execution.
• Collaboration & Transparency: Working openly with cross-functional teams, sharing findings, and seeking diverse perspectives.
• Continuous Improvement: A proactive mindset towards refining processes, learning new methodologies, and enhancing product quality.
• Impact & Ownership: Taking responsibility for research outcomes and driving meaningful improvements to the user experience.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Actively partnering with Product Managers, Designers, Developers, and Marketing to ensure research is integrated seamlessly into the product lifecycle.
• Constructive Feedback: Open to giving and receiving feedback, fostering a culture of continuous learning and iterative development within the product team.
• Knowledge Sharing: Willingness to share research findings, methodologies, and best practices across teams, contributing to a collective understanding of the user.
• Proactive Engagement: Engaging early and often with stakeholders to define research needs and ensure alignment on goals and outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's emphasis on building research foundations and the nature of a privacy-tech product suggest a culture that values integrity, user trust, and a proactive approach to problem-solving. Collaboration with diverse teams is essential for translating research into impactful product changes.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Establishing Research Infrastructure: A primary challenge will be formalizing and scaling UX research operations in a growing organization, which requires strategic planning, process design, and stakeholder buy-in.
• Balancing Research Needs: Effectively prioritizing research requests from various stakeholders and managing a dynamic product roadmap while ensuring methodological rigor.
• Evolving Privacy Landscape: Staying abreast of user concerns and regulatory changes in the privacy-tech space to ensure research remains relevant and insightful.
• Measuring Research Impact: Developing robust methods to quantify and communicate the ROI of UX research to demonstrate its value to the business.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Research Operations Leadership: Opportunity to build and lead the UX research function, defining its strategy, processes, and standards for Incogni.
• Specialized Skill Development: Deepen expertise in specific research methodologies, privacy-related user research, or advanced data analysis techniques.
• Industry Exposure: Engage with the broader privacy-tech community through conferences and networking, contributing to and learning from industry trends.
• Mentorship: Potential to mentor junior researchers as the team grows, or to be mentored by senior leaders within Surfshark.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for a senior role focused on building out a function. The growth opportunities are directly tied to overcoming these challenges and leveraging the company's support for professional development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to establish a new research process or framework. What were the challenges, and how did you overcome them?" (Focus on your experience in building foundational elements).
• "How would you prioritize research requests when working with multiple product teams with competing needs?" (Demonstrate your prioritization and stakeholder management skills).
• "Imagine we want to understand user trust in a privacy product. What research approach would you recommend, and why?" (Showcase your strategic thinking and methodological selection for a privacy context).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working on a privacy-tech product like Incogni?" (Highlight your understanding of the product's mission and user needs).
• "How do you approach collaboration with product managers and designers who may have different priorities or perspectives?" (Emphasize your ability to communicate research findings and influence effectively).
• "How do you measure the impact of your UX research efforts?" (Prepare to discuss metrics and demonstrate how you link research to business outcomes).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your portfolio around key projects, clearly articulating the problem, your role, methodology, key findings, and the impact.
• Highlight Process Ownership: For each project, specifically call out areas where you defined objectives, chose methods, synthesized data, and delivered actionable insights.
• Showcase Process Building: If you have examples of creating templates, documentation, or improving workflows, present these prominently.
• Quantify Impact: Use data and metrics to demonstrate the tangible results of your research.
• Engage Your Audience: Be prepared to discuss your projects in detail, answer questions, and tailor your presentation to the interviewer's focus.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will likely probe deeply into your ability to not only execute research but also to build and mature the UX research function. Candidates should prepare to discuss their experience in process creation, strategic thinking, and cross-functional collaboration with a focus on driving impact.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Lever.co.
• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your most impactful UX research projects that best demonstrate your end-to-end ownership, process-building capabilities, and ability to drive product improvements. Ensure each case study clearly outlines the problem, your approach, key insights, and measurable outcomes.
• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight keywords and experiences relevant to UX research, process development, cross-functional collaboration, and working in dynamic environments. Quantify your achievements wherever possible.
• Prepare for Process Discussions: Be ready to articulate your experience in establishing research practices, improving workflows, and synthesizing complex data into actionable recommendations.
• Research Incogni and Surfshark: Understand the company's mission, product suite, and the privacy-tech landscape to better articulate your interest and approach during the interview.

⚠️ 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.

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