Sr UX/UI Researcher, Product

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Sr UX/UI Researcher, Product

Company: DaVita Kidney Care

Location: California Remote, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Research & Design (UX/UI)

Date Posted: April 15, 2026

Experience Level: 6+ Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote (within the US)

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead user research initiatives to drive product design strategies and enhance user experiences for healthcare applications.

• Conduct comprehensive qualitative and quantitative research to uncover user needs, pain points, and opportunities within the complex nephrology landscape.

• Translate research findings into actionable insights and strategic recommendations that directly influence product roadmaps and feature development.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including designers, product managers, and developers, to champion user-centered design principles throughout the product lifecycle.

• Advocate for the user by synthesizing research data from various sources (analytics, customer support, account management) to build a strong understanding of user behavior and impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: While this role is listed as UX/UI Researcher, the "Product" designation and the context of designing apps for physicians and teammates managing patient care indicate a strong focus on product development and the user's journey within a clinical workflow. The emphasis on "clinical processes" and "nephrology landscape" suggests a need for an understanding of healthcare operations or at least the ability to quickly learn and adapt to complex medical environments. This is not a typical consumer UX role; it's deeply embedded in enterprise healthcare IT.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and execute robust research plans tailored to different product development phases, from discovery to iteration.

• Design and conduct a variety of research studies, including usability testing (remote and in-person), user interviews, surveys, focus groups, and contextual inquiries.

• Recruit, schedule, and manage participant logistics for research studies, ensuring diverse representation from target user groups (physicians, healthcare teams).

• Analyze and synthesize qualitative and quantitative research data to identify key themes, user needs, and behavioral patterns.

• Create compelling research reports and presentations that clearly articulate findings, user insights, and strategic recommendations to stakeholders at all organizational levels.

• Partner with UX designers and product managers to translate research insights into user personas, journey maps, and other design artifacts that inform product strategy.

• Champion a research-driven decision-making culture by sharing user data and insights across the organization, fostering empathy for the end-user.

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of clinical processes by conducting research on existing workflows and experimenting with potential solutions.

• Stay abreast of emerging UX research methodologies and technologies, and propose their adoption where appropriate to enhance research quality and impact.

• Effectively communicate project status, risks, and opportunities to management on a regular basis.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core responsibilities highlight a need for strong project management skills, as the researcher will be expected to manage multiple concurrent projects with minimal supervision. The emphasis on translating insights into strategy and "stimulating designs" suggests the role requires more than just reporting findings; it demands proactive contribution to the creative and strategic direction of the product.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Minimum of 6 years of professional experience in UX/UI research or a closely related field, with a proven track record of impacting product strategy and user experience.

Required Skills:

• Deep understanding of user-centered design principles, research methodologies (qualitative and quantitative), and usability testing techniques.

• Proficiency in planning, executing, and analyzing various research studies, including user interviews, surveys, persona development, journey mapping, and usability evaluations.

• Ability to recruit and manage research participants effectively.

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to synthesize complex data into clear, actionable insights and strategic recommendations.

• Excellent written, verbal, and visual communication skills, with the ability to present research findings persuasively to diverse audiences, including executive leadership.

• Proven ability to work independently, manage multiple projects concurrently, and meet deadlines with minimal supervision.

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams (designers, product managers, engineers).

• Adaptability and resilience in a challenging and complex healthcare IT environment.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the healthcare industry, particularly in clinical IT or patient care technologies.

• Familiarity with A/B testing and experimental design within product development.

• Experience with advanced statistical analysis and data visualization tools.

• Knowledge of design thinking methodologies.

• Experience in introducing new research methods and tools to a team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Core Requirements" in the original listing (fast-paced agile environment, smart risks, minimal supervision, collaboration, feedback, self-starter) are integrated into the "Required Skills" and "Experience" sections to provide a more structured view of the candidate profile. The emphasis on "user impact and influence on product experience" is crucial and should be a key focus for candidates preparing their portfolios.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 distinct research projects that demonstrate end-to-end research execution, from problem definition to actionable recommendations.

• Each project should clearly articulate the research objectives, methodologies employed, participant profiles, key findings, and the tangible impact of the research on product design or business outcomes.

• Highlight specific instances where your research directly influenced product strategy, feature prioritization, or user experience improvements, quantifying impact where possible (e.g., reduction in task completion time, increase in user satisfaction scores).

• Include examples of research artifacts such as detailed research plans, user personas, journey maps, usability test reports, and survey results.

Process Documentation:

• Provide examples of how you have documented research processes, including criteria for participant recruitment, study protocols, and data analysis frameworks.

• Illustrate your ability to adapt research methodologies based on product phase, project timelines, and available resources.

• Showcase how you have shared research insights and fostered a research-driven culture within teams or organizations, potentially through workshops, presentations, or shared repositories.

📝 Enhancement Note: The original listing mentions "research including user personas, surveys & journey maps" and "develop research reports with clear and actionable recommendations. Ability to translate research insights into strategy." This section extrapolates these requirements into a more structured portfolio guidance, emphasizing the need to demonstrate impact and strategic contribution, which is critical for senior-level operations and product roles.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $104,000.00 - $150,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• Retirement Savings: 401(k) plan with company match.

• Paid Time Off: Generous paid time off (PTO) with a PTO cash-out option.

• Work-Life Support: Family resources, Employee Assistance Program (EAP) counseling, backup child and elder care services.

• Mental Wellness: Access to Headspace® for mental well-being.

• Family Support: Maternity/paternity leave benefits.

• Professional Growth: Access to DaVita's online training platform, StarLearning, for on-demand virtual leadership and development courses, along with other professional development programs.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time workweek, likely around 40 hours, with flexibility expected in an agile and remote environment. Ability to manage own schedule and meet deadlines is key. Occasional availability for research sessions outside standard hours may be required, depending on participant availability.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is specific to the role. The benefits listed are directly from the job description. The working hours are inferred from the "full-time" designation and the nature of remote work in an agile setting, emphasizing self-management and deadline adherence. The note about location-specific minimum wages is included for completeness, although the primary range is provided.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Healthcare Technology / Healthcare Services

Company Size: DaVita Kidney Care is a large organization, typically employing over 65,000 teammates globally, indicating a robust enterprise environment with established processes and significant resources.

Founded: DaVita was founded in 1999 (though its roots trace back further), signifying a company with substantial experience and a deep understanding of the healthcare landscape.

Team Structure:

• The Research & Design Science (RDS) team is part of DaVita, focusing on designing physician and teammate-facing applications.

• This team likely operates within a product development structure, collaborating closely with product management, engineering, and design.

• The UX Researcher will be a senior member, expected to work with minimal supervision and potentially mentor junior team members or influence research practices across the RDS group.

Methodology:

• The team operates within an agile development environment, requiring flexibility and iterative processes.

• A strong emphasis is placed on user-centered design (UCD) and research-driven decision-making.

• The goal is to improve clinical processes and experiment with solutions, suggesting a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.

• Data analysis from various sources (analytics, customer insight, support, account managers) will inform research and design strategies.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company description and specialties provided in the LinkedIn data were used to infer the scale and focus of DaVita Kidney Care. The "Research & Design Science (RDS)" department mentioned in the job description helps define the immediate team context. The emphasis on "community first and a company second" and "a place where I belong" points towards a strong, supportive, and inclusive company culture.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Individual Contributor (IC) in UX/UI Research. This role requires significant autonomy, strategic thinking, and the ability to lead complex research projects independently. The "Sr" title indicates a level of expertise and expected leadership in research practices and influencing product direction.

Reporting Structure: The role is likely within the Research & Design Science (RDS) department, reporting to a UX Research Lead, Design Manager, or Director of Product. The emphasis on communicating project status to management suggests a clear reporting hierarchy.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare delivery by improving the tools physicians and teammates use. By ensuring these applications are intuitive and user-friendly, the researcher contributes to better patient care, reduced administrative burden, and improved operational workflows within DaVita's network. The research directly informs product strategy, which in turn shapes how clinical operations are managed.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership in Research: Opportunity to become a go-to expert for UX research within the RDS team, potentially leading research initiatives for major product areas or mentoring junior researchers.

• Domain Expertise: Deepen understanding of the complex and critical nephrology healthcare landscape, becoming a valuable asset in healthcare IT.

• Cross-Functional Influence: Expand influence across product management, engineering, and clinical operations by consistently delivering high-impact research insights.

• Strategic Contribution: Grow into a more strategic role, contributing to broader product vision and long-term research roadmapping.

• Formal Development: Access to DaVita's extensive professional development programs, including leadership courses via StarLearning, to enhance career progression.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Sr" title and the description of responsibilities (minimal supervision, influencing stakeholders, leading efforts) are key indicators for defining the career level and growth potential. The impact is framed within the context of healthcare operations and patient care, aligning with the user's focus.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is a fully remote position, allowing candidates to work from anywhere within the United States. This offers significant flexibility and autonomy in structuring their workday.

Office Location(s): While the role is remote, the company lists "09514 - California Remote" and a physical address in El Segundo, California, suggesting that the team may have a presence or historical ties to California operations. However, the remote nature means daily physical office attendance is not required. Travel is required up to 20% across the U.S. and to local clinics.

Workspace Context:

• Remote Collaboration: The primary workspace will be a home office setup. Success will depend on strong virtual communication and collaboration skills.

• Tools & Technology: Access to standard remote work tools (video conferencing, collaboration platforms) and DaVita's internal systems will be provided. The role necessitates proficiency with UX research tools and software.

• Team Interaction: While remote, there will be ample opportunity for interaction through virtual meetings, project discussions, and team syncs, fostering a sense of connection and shared purpose within the RDS team.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time. While remote, candidates are expected to manage their schedules effectively to meet project deadlines and collaborate with team members who may be in different time zones. Occasional research sessions might require flexibility outside standard hours to accommodate participant availability.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "TELECOMMUTE" location type and "California Remote" designation clearly establish the remote nature of the role. The inclusion of travel requirements is a crucial detail for understanding the on-site expectations despite the remote work arrangement.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

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

• Portfolio Presentation: A key stage will involve presenting a portfolio of past research work. This is where candidates will showcase their projects, methodologies, and impact. Expect detailed questions about your process, decision-making, and the outcomes of your research.

• Skills-Based Interview/Case Study: Candidates may be given a hypothetical research problem or a small case study to analyze and propose a research plan for. This assesses problem-solving skills, methodological approach, and strategic thinking.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with key stakeholders such as product managers, UX designers, and potentially engineers or clinical liaisons to assess collaboration style and ability to communicate research effectively.

• Final Interview: A discussion with senior leadership to finalize the decision, focusing on strategic alignment, leadership potential, and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Impact: Clearly articulate the business or user impact of each project. Quantify results whenever possible (e.g., "reduced task completion time by 15%," "identified critical usability issues leading to a redesign that improved user satisfaction by X points").

• Showcase Process: Detail your research process for each project – problem definition, hypothesis generation, methodology selection, participant recruitment, data collection, analysis, and synthesis. Explain why you chose certain methods.

• Tell a Story: Structure your portfolio presentations as narratives. Start with the problem, explain your approach, present your findings, and conclude with your recommendations and their impact.

• Tailor to DaVita: Research DaVita's products and mission. Highlight projects that demonstrate experience in complex, enterprise, or healthcare-related environments if possible. Emphasize how your skills can address their specific challenges.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Expect interviewers to ask very specific questions about your methodology, data interpretation, and how you handled challenges or unexpected findings.

Challenge Preparation:

• Methodology Fluency: Be ready to discuss the pros and cons of various research methods and justify your choices for different product phases or research questions.

• Problem Decomposition: Practice breaking down complex problems into researchable questions.

• Insight Synthesis: Demonstrate your ability to move beyond raw data to actionable insights and strategic recommendations.

• Communication Clarity: Prepare to articulate complex research concepts clearly and concisely, adapting your language for technical and non-technical audiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The job description emphasizes the need to "create & run multiple types of user tests, analyze the collected data, and present the results along with your recommendations and meaningful user insights to all organizational levels." This section builds on that by outlining a typical interview flow for a senior research role and providing actionable advice for portfolio preparation and potential case study challenges.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

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

• Collaboration Tools: Platforms for team communication and project management (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams, Asana, Jira).

• Design & Prototyping Tools (Familiarity): Understanding of tools used by designers to interpret designs and prototypes (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD).

• Data Analysis Software: Tools for analyzing qualitative and quantitative data (e.g., Excel, SPSS, R, NVivo for qualitative data).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web/App Analytics: Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics or similar platforms to understand user behavior patterns and inform research.

• Business Intelligence Tools: Experience with BI tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) for accessing and visualizing broader business data that might inform research hypotheses.

• Reporting & Presentation Software: Proficiency in tools like PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote for creating impactful research reports.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems (Understanding): General understanding of how CRM data (e.g., Salesforce) might be used to segment users or understand customer journeys, though direct CRM management is not expected.

• Workflow Automation Concepts: Awareness of how user workflows are designed and potentially automated within enterprise software, to better understand the context of the applications being researched.

📝 Enhancement Note: The job description mentions "analytics, customer insight, support, account managers" as sources of research data, implying the need to work with or understand data from various business systems. The core requirements of a UX Researcher necessitate proficiency in specific research tools. This section infers the types of tools commonly used in such roles within a product development context.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User Focus: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the needs of users (physicians, healthcare teammates) to create effective and empathetic solutions.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Valuing research and data analysis as the foundation for strategic decisions, product development, and process improvements.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Fostering a supportive environment where team members work together, share knowledge, and help each other succeed. The emphasis is on being "a community first."

• Innovation & Adaptability: Encouraging the exploration of new ideas, taking smart risks, and adapting to the complexities and evolving landscape of healthcare IT.

• Excellence & Quality: Striving for the highest quality in research, analysis, and communication, ensuring actionable insights and persuasive presentations.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Close partnership with product managers, UX designers, engineers, and potentially clinical stakeholders to ensure research is integrated into the entire product development lifecycle.

• Open Communication: A culture that encourages open feedback, constructive criticism, and transparent communication about project status and challenges.

• Knowledge Sharing: Actively sharing research findings, methodologies, and best practices across the team and the broader organization to build collective understanding and improve decision-making.

• Proactive Engagement: Team members are expected to be self-starters who proactively identify opportunities for research and contribution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The job description explicitly states, "At DaVita, we strive to be a community first and a company second. We want all teammates to experience DaVita as 'a place where I belong.'" This core value is incorporated. Other values are inferred from the "Core Requirements" like "Take smart risks," "Work with minimal supervision," "Ability to collaborate," and "Be open to receiving feedback."

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Healthcare Complexity: Navigating the intricate regulatory environment, clinical workflows, and diverse user needs within the nephrology healthcare sector. This requires a steep learning curve and a commitment to deep domain understanding.

• Fast-Paced Agile Environment: Balancing rigorous research methodologies with the rapid iteration cycles common in agile development, ensuring research remains timely and impactful.

• Remote Collaboration: Effectively building rapport and driving consensus with distributed teams and stakeholders, relying heavily on virtual communication tools and strategies.

• Translating Insights into Action: Moving beyond simply reporting findings to actively influencing product strategy and design decisions, which requires strong persuasion and stakeholder management skills.

• Data Synthesis: Integrating insights from diverse sources (qualitative research, quantitative analytics, support tickets, etc.) into a cohesive and actionable understanding of the user.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Domain Specialization: Gaining deep expertise in healthcare IT and the specific challenges of kidney care, becoming a valuable specialist in a critical industry.

• Advanced Research Methodologies: Opportunities to explore and implement new research techniques, potentially expanding the team's research toolkit.

• Strategic Influence: Developing skills in strategic product thinking and influencing senior leadership through impactful research presentations and recommendations.

• Leadership Development: Access to DaVita's professional development programs, including leadership training, to grow into more senior or leadership roles within UX research or product development.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Working closely with various departments to understand the broader business context and operational impact of product design.

📝 Enhancement Note: Challenges are derived from the description of the work environment ("Healthcare IT is notorious for lagging... goal is to change the status quo," "Healthcare is rife with complexities, and the learning curve is steep") and the core responsibilities (influencing design, working with stakeholders). Growth opportunities are linked to the senior nature of the role and DaVita's stated commitment to professional development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to influence product strategy based on your research findings. What was the situation, your approach, and the outcome?" (Focus on demonstrating impact and persuasion).

• "How do you prioritize research efforts when faced with multiple competing product priorities and limited resources in an agile environment?" (Assess project management, prioritization, and strategic thinking).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about DaVita Kidney Care and our mission to improve patient lives through technology?" (Show genuine interest and alignment with the company's purpose).

• "How do you approach building relationships and trust with cross-functional teams, especially when your research insights might challenge existing assumptions or plans?" (Assess collaboration and communication skills).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly define the problem/opportunity, your role and responsibilities, the methodology used and why, key findings, actionable insights, and the ultimate impact on the product or business.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use numbers to demonstrate the value of your work (e.g., percentage improvements, cost savings, efficiency gains).

• Highlight Problem-Solving: Showcase how you tackled challenges, adapted your methods, and overcame obstacles during the research process.

• Visual Storytelling: Use visuals (screenshots, mockups, charts, persona examples) to make your presentation engaging and easier to understand.

• Practice Your Pitch: Rehearse your presentation to ensure it flows logically, stays within time limits, and you can confidently answer questions about each aspect.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section is tailored based on the emphasis in the job description on influencing design, working in an agile environment, communicating with stakeholders, and the general requirements of a senior UX Researcher role. The "strategy" and "company/culture" questions are designed to probe critical skills and fit for this specific position at DaVita.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link on the DaVita Workday portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to prominently feature projects that align with enterprise software, healthcare contexts, or complex workflow optimization. Highlight your ability to conduct research in fast-paced agile environments and translate findings into strategic product decisions.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 6+ years of UX/UI research experience, emphasizing key skills such as user-centered design, various research methodologies, data analysis, and stakeholder communication. Use keywords from the job description like "user personas," "journey maps," "usability testing," and "product strategy."

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your research process and impact using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Prepare to present your portfolio and discuss how your research has influenced product development and user experience.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research DaVita Kidney Care's mission, values, and current product offerings in healthcare IT. Understand their commitment to being a "community first" organization and how your role contributes to their goal of improving patient care through technology.

⚠️ 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.