Staff User Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Staff User Researcher

Company: Buyers Edge Platform, LLC

Location: Remotely based (North America)

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: User Research / Product Insights / Operations

Date Posted: April 27, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Define and execute the vision, strategy, and operating model for user research across Buyers Edge Platform's (BEP) seven distinct product lines.

• Establish and scale foundational research operations, including repositories, intake processes, governance, quality standards, and participant recruitment.

• Elevate the research craft and capability of the design team through coaching, workshops, and practical toolkits, empowering them to conduct high-quality research.

• Lead complex, ambiguous research initiatives that directly inform product direction and strategic executive decisions.

• Champion a user-centered culture across the organization, establishing research as a trusted, strategic voice in product and design leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a "Staff" level researcher, indicating a senior individual contributor role with significant influence on strategy and operations. The emphasis on "building from the ground up" and "creating structure where none exists" highlights a strong need for an entrepreneurial and operational mindset, akin to establishing a Revenue Operations or Sales Operations function within a growing organization. The focus on scaling research across multiple product lines suggests a need for robust process design and governance.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define and execute the vision, strategy, and operating model for user research at BEP, ensuring alignment with business objectives and product portfolio needs.

• Design and implement scalable research operations across seven product lines, each potentially with unique user bases, maturity levels, and business models.

• Establish foundational operational systems, including a centralized research repository, standardized intake and prioritization processes, clear governance frameworks, quality control standards, efficient participant recruitment pipelines, and robust data privacy practices.

• Partner closely with VP of Design and other design leadership to shape the product roadmap and long-term strategic plan for growing research as a core organizational capability.

• Uplevel the research capabilities of the broader design team through targeted coaching, interactive workshops, constructive critiques, and dedicated office hours.

• Develop and disseminate practical frameworks, templates, and toolkits to streamline the research process and ensure consistency in high-quality research execution.

• Model exemplary research craft while enabling and empowering designers to confidently own and execute appropriate research activities.

• Exercise sound judgment in determining when to lead research initiatives directly versus enabling design teams to operate autonomously.

• Lead complex, ambiguous, and strategically critical research initiatives that will shape product direction and influence executive-level decision-making.

• Proactively identify organizational knowledge gaps and initiate research projects to address them, driving a deeper understanding of user needs and market opportunities.

• Synthesize research insights across multiple product lines to uncover overarching patterns, identify strategic opportunities, and formulate actionable recommendations.

• Translate research findings into compelling, data-driven narratives that foster stakeholder alignment and drive concrete actions and product improvements.

• Collaborate closely with Product Management, Design, Engineering, and other cross-functional leaders to ensure research insights are integrated meaningfully into product roadmaps and strategic planning.

• Establish research as a trusted, strategic voice within product and design leadership forums, effectively communicating its value and impact.

• Advocate for user needs and perspectives in critical product and business decision-making processes.

• Contribute to embedding user-centered thinking and methodologies across BEP's entire product organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a blend of strategic leadership, operational execution, and hands-on research. The "build from the ground up" aspect is critical, requiring the candidate to not only conduct research but also architect the entire research function's infrastructure and processes. This mirrors the foundational work done in establishing Sales Operations or Revenue Operations, focusing on standardization, efficiency, and scalability.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Design Research, or a related field is highly beneficial for establishing foundational research principles.

Experience:

• 8–10+ years of progressive experience in user research, with a strong preference for B2B SaaS or enterprise software environments.

• Proven track record of successfully building research practices, establishing operational systems, and scaling team capabilities from inception.

• Deep and demonstrable expertise across a wide range of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, with seasoned judgment on their appropriate application.

• Experience designing and implementing robust research operations, including research repositories, user panels, governance structures, and effective intake processes.

• Demonstrated ability to coach and enable non-researchers (e.g., designers, product managers) to conduct effective user research.

• A history of influencing product and design strategy through impactful research insights and compelling storytelling.

• Comfort and proficiency in navigating ambiguity and leading initiatives without pre-existing structures or defined processes.

• Excellent communication, presentation, and storytelling skills, capable of engaging both technical and non-technical audiences.

Required Skills:

• Research Strategy & Vision: Ability to define and articulate a long-term research strategy that aligns with business goals.

• Research Operations Design: Expertise in building and optimizing research infrastructure (repositories, intake, governance, recruitment).

• Qualitative & Quantitative Methods: Mastery of diverse research techniques (e.g., user interviews, usability testing, surveys, card sorting, diary studies, analytics review).

• Product & Design Partnership: Proven ability to collaborate effectively with Product Managers and Designers to inform roadmaps and product decisions.

• Coaching & Enablement: Skill in training and mentoring others in research best practices.

• Stakeholder Management & Influence: Experience influencing senior leaders and driving adoption of research insights.

• Ambiguity Navigation: Comfort and effectiveness in establishing processes in undefined environments.

• Storytelling & Communication: Ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable narratives.

• User-Centered Design Principles: Deep understanding and application of user-centered thinking.

• B2B SaaS/Enterprise Software Context: Familiarity with the nuances of enterprise product development and user bases.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in private equity-backed or multi-product portfolio environments.

• Background in the foodservice, hospitality, supply chain, or similarly complex operational industries.

• Experience working with multi-sided platforms serving diverse user personas.

• Experience in growing and managing dedicated research teams.

• Familiarity with the unique challenges of enterprise B2B sales cycles and complex stakeholder ecosystems.

• Proficiency in leveraging modern research tools and AI-assisted workflows to enhance efficiency and scalability.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Staff" level designation implies a senior individual contributor expected to operate with a high degree of autonomy. The emphasis on "building from scratch" and "scaling" research operations is directly analogous to the operational setup required for a new Sales Ops or RevOps function, requiring strategic thinking, process definition, and infrastructure development.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Research Strategy & Execution Case Studies: Examples showcasing how you've defined and executed research strategies, particularly in ambiguous or greenfield environments. Highlight the strategic thinking behind your approach.

• Research Operations Frameworks: Demonstrations of how you've built or significantly improved research operations, including examples of intake processes, research repositories, governance models, or participant recruitment strategies.

• Methodology Application & Justification: Clear explanations of why specific qualitative and quantitative methods were chosen for particular research questions, demonstrating sound judgment and methodological rigor.

• Impact & Influence Documentation: Case studies illustrating how your research insights directly influenced product roadmaps, design decisions, or strategic business outcomes. Quantify impact where possible (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced support tickets, increased user satisfaction).

• Enablement & Coaching Examples: Materials or descriptions of workshops, training sessions, templates, or toolkits you've created to upskill designers or product managers in research practices.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Showcase examples of well-defined research workflows from problem definition to insight delivery, demonstrating an ability to optimize for efficiency and clarity.

• System Implementation: Evidence of establishing and managing research tools and systems (e.g., research repositories, participant management platforms, survey tools), detailing the implementation process and benefits.

• Measurement & Performance Analysis: Demonstrations of how you measure the effectiveness and impact of research initiatives and operations, including key performance indicators (KPIs) for research quality and operational efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a "Staff" level role focused on building operations, the portfolio is critical. Candidates should be prepared to showcase not just research findings, but the processes and systems they've put in place to enable scalable and impactful research. This is akin to a Sales Ops candidate presenting their framework for territory planning or a RevOps candidate showcasing their lead-to-cash process optimization.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Staff User Researchers with 8-10+ years of experience in remote, high-cost-of-living regions within North America, the estimated salary range is $160,000 - $220,000 USD annually. This estimate considers the senior nature of the role, the significant operational building responsibilities, and the demand for experienced researchers in B2B SaaS.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health coverage including medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for healthcare expenses.

• Company-paid life insurance policy.

• 401(k) retirement savings plan with a company match, offering financial security.

• Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO) policy, emphasizing work-life balance and autonomy without accrual requirements.

• Opportunities for professional development and training.

• Competitive compensation package.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours, typically 40 hours per week, with flexibility encouraged to accommodate different time zones within North America and to support effective cross-functional collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on publicly available data for similar senior-level user research roles in the US tech market, considering the remote nature and the company's industry. The benefits listed are directly from the job description.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, specifically focused on revolutionizing the foodservice industry through a digital procurement network, supply chain management, and software solutions. The company operates within a complex B2B ecosystem that includes operators, distributors, and manufacturers.

Company Size: Buyers Edge Platform operates as a significant player in the foodservice tech space, managing over a dozen brands and aggregating over $60 billion in spend volume across more than 200,000 operator locations. This indicates a large, complex organization with multiple product lines and diverse stakeholders.

Founded: While the founding date is not explicitly stated, the company's description suggests a mature and established organization that has grown significantly, likely through both organic growth and acquisitions, given the mention of "over a dozen brands."

Team Structure:

• The User Research function will be built and led by this Staff User Researcher, reporting to the VP of Design.

• This role will establish foundational research operations that will support seven distinct product lines, implying a matrixed structure where research insights are leveraged across multiple product teams.

Methodology:

• Data Analysis & Insights: A strong emphasis on using user insights to drive product direction and executive decisions. This involves synthesizing complex data from multiple sources to uncover patterns and strategic opportunities.

• Workflow Planning & Optimization: The core of this role is to design and implement scalable, efficient research workflows and operational systems where none currently exist.

• Automation & Efficiency: The "Nice to Have" section mentions leveraging modern research tools and AI-assisted workflows, indicating an openness to technological solutions for improving research efficiency and scale.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on transforming a traditional industry (foodservice) with technology suggests a culture that values innovation, efficiency, and data-driven decision-making. The multi-product, multi-brand structure implies a need for standardization and operational excellence, which this role is tasked with building for research.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is classified as "Staff," signifying a senior individual contributor position. It is a leadership role focused on establishing and scaling a critical function (User Research Operations) within the product organization. It requires strategic thinking, operational design, and the ability to influence at a senior level, particularly in partnership with the VP of Design.

Reporting Structure: The Staff User Researcher will report directly to the VP of Design. This provides a direct line of communication and influence to senior product leadership, crucial for establishing research as a strategic function and driving adoption of insights.

Operations Impact: The primary impact of this role will be to ensure that product and design decisions are deeply informed by user needs and insights. By building robust research operations and enabling product teams, this role will drive the development of more effective, user-centered products across BEP's portfolio, ultimately contributing to increased user adoption, satisfaction, and business success in the foodservice technology market.

Growth Opportunities:

• Establishing and Scaling a Function: The opportunity to build a research practice from the ground up offers significant professional development in operational design, strategy, and team enablement.

• Leadership Through Influence: While not a direct management role initially, this position offers the chance to lead through strategy, process, and enablement, potentially paving the way for future team leadership if the research function grows.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Deepening collaboration with Product, Design, and Engineering leaders across multiple product lines provides broad exposure to different product development cycles and business challenges.

• Industry Specialization: Gaining in-depth experience within the complex foodservice technology industry offers a valuable specialization.

• Mentorship & Skill Development: Opportunities to mentor designers and product managers in research methodologies and to learn from senior leadership (VP of Design).

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Staff" title and the mandate to "build from the ground up" indicate a significant opportunity for impact and growth. This is not just about conducting research; it's about architecting how research functions within a large, complex organization, a valuable skill set transferable to other operational leadership roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is a fully remote role, meaning there is no physical office requirement. The company operates in a distributed manner, with a focus on asynchronous communication and digital collaboration tools.

Office Location(s): While the role is remote and based in North America, the company has a significant presence in North Carolina, United States, as indicated by derived location data. However, the remote nature allows for flexibility across various North American time zones.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The role requires close collaboration with the VP of Design, product teams, and other stakeholders, necessitating strong digital collaboration skills and comfort with virtual team interactions.

• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to and utilization of modern research tools, collaboration platforms (e.g., Slack, Zoom, Teams), and potentially project management software will be essential for effective execution.

• Operations Team Interaction: While there isn't an existing research team to manage initially, the Staff User Researcher will be a key operational leader within the design organization, interacting frequently with design leadership and product teams.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approx. 40 hours/week) are expected, with flexibility to accommodate cross-time zone collaboration. The emphasis on asynchronous communication supports this flexibility. The ability to manage one's own schedule effectively is crucial for success in a remote, build-from-scratch role.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote, distributed nature of the work environment places a high premium on self-discipline, proactive communication, and proficiency with digital collaboration tools. The "build" aspect means the researcher will be instrumental in defining how the remote research team (once scaled) will operate.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess relevant experience in building research functions, operational design, and strategic research leadership.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Likely with the VP of Design to discuss your vision for research operations, strategic approach to ambiguity, and experience in establishing new practices.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders from Product, Design, and potentially other departments to assess collaboration style, influence, and ability to drive impact across teams.

• Portfolio Presentation & Case Study: A dedicated session where you will present specific examples from your portfolio, focusing on how you've built research operations, led strategic initiatives, and influenced product direction. Expect in-depth questions about your process and outcomes.

• Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership to discuss strategic alignment and long-term vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure for Operations: Beyond showcasing research findings, emphasize the processes, systems, and operational frameworks you've built or improved. Think about how you've created scalable, repeatable methods for research intake, execution, and knowledge management.

• Demonstrate "Builder" Mentality: Highlight projects where you were tasked with establishing something new. Explain the challenges, your approach to defining structure, and the outcomes achieved in ambiguous environments.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, present metrics that demonstrate the impact of your research and operational improvements (e.g., reduction in research cycle time, increase in research participation, impact on product metrics due to insights).

• Storytelling with Process: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your strategic approach (including operational design), the methods used, the key insights, and the resulting actions/impact.

• Focus on Enablement: Prepare examples of how you've coached or enabled others to conduct research, demonstrating your ability to scale research capability beyond your direct output.

Challenge Preparation:

• Operational Design Challenge: Be prepared for a hypothetical scenario where you need to design a research operation for a new product line or a specific challenge BEP might face. Outline your process for defining requirements, proposing solutions, and planning for implementation.

• Strategic Research Plan: You might be asked to outline a strategic research plan for one of BEP's product lines, considering their business goals and current maturity.

• Stakeholder Alignment Scenario: Prepare to discuss how you would gain buy-in from various stakeholders (Product, Engineering, Sales) for research initiatives or operational changes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize the candidate's ability to "build" and "scale" operations. A portfolio that clearly demonstrates experience in establishing processes, governance, and infrastructure will be crucial. This is a key differentiator for an operations-focused role.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Research Platforms: Experience with various qualitative and quantitative research tools (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, Typeform) for conducting and analyzing studies.

• Collaboration Suites: Proficiency in tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace for day-to-day communication and collaboration.

• Project Management Tools: Familiarity with tools such as Jira, Asana, Trello, or Monday.com for managing research projects and timelines.

• Whiteboarding & Ideation Tools: Experience with Miro, Mural, or similar tools for collaborative design and research synthesis sessions.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Analysis Software: Ability to work with data analysis tools, potentially including Excel, Google Sheets, or more advanced statistical software if quantitative research is heavily involved.

• Reporting & Dashboarding (Basic): While not the primary focus, understanding how to present research findings clearly, potentially using presentation software (e.g., PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote) or basic dashboarding concepts.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Familiarity (Indirect): Understanding how user data might be captured or referenced within CRM systems like Salesforce (though direct CRM administration is not expected).

• Integration Concepts: Awareness of how research tools might integrate with other systems to enrich user data or streamline workflows.

Emerging Technologies:

• AI-Assisted Workflows: "Nice to have" but increasingly important, familiarity with AI tools that can aid in research analysis, transcription, synthesis, or participant recruitment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis here is on tools that support the research process and its operationalization. While this isn't a traditional RevOps role, the need for structured processes, data management (of research data), and efficiency mirrors operational roles. The mention of AI suggests a forward-thinking approach to research tooling.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A fundamental commitment to understanding and advocating for users, ensuring their needs are at the forefront of product development.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Valuing empirical evidence and insights derived from research to inform strategic choices and product direction.

• Collaboration & Partnership: A belief in working closely with cross-functional teams (Product, Design, Engineering) to achieve shared goals and integrate user insights effectively.

• Operational Excellence & Scalability: A drive to build robust, efficient, and scalable processes and systems that enable high-quality research and maximize impact.

• Ambiguity Navigation & Proactivity: A proactive approach to tackling complex, undefined problems and creating structure where none exists.

• Continuous Improvement: A commitment to learning, iterating, and refining research practices and operations over time.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Proactive engagement with Product, Design, and Engineering teams to ensure research is integrated early and often into the product development lifecycle.

• Process Review & Feedback: An open culture of sharing research processes and outcomes, actively seeking and providing constructive feedback to improve quality and efficiency.

• Knowledge Sharing: Establishing mechanisms for sharing research findings and best practices across teams to foster a broader understanding of user needs and build collective knowledge.

• Efficiency Experimentation: An openness to experimenting with new tools and methodologies to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of research operations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's mission to modernize the foodservice industry suggests a culture that values innovation, efficiency, and impact. The emphasis on "building from the ground up" for this role implies a culture that supports entrepreneurial initiatives and values individuals who can create structure and drive strategic improvements.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Establishing Research Operations from Scratch: The primary challenge is building a comprehensive research function, including processes, tools, and governance, within a multi-product environment with potentially varying levels of research maturity.

• Navigating Ambiguity: Working in a "greenfield" environment requires comfort with uncertainty, the ability to define own priorities, and the skill to create structure without predefined guidance.

• Scaling Across Multiple Product Lines: Ensuring research operations and insights are effectively scaled to support seven distinct product lines, each with unique user bases and business needs, will require careful planning and execution.

• Driving Organizational Change: Establishing research as a strategic, respected function requires influencing stakeholders across different departments and demonstrating consistent value.

• Balancing Direct Research with Operational Building: Effectively allocating time between leading critical research initiatives and architecting the operational infrastructure will be key.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Operations Design & Strategy: Significant opportunity to develop expertise in designing and implementing scalable operational frameworks for research, applicable to other operational domains.

• Organizational Influence & Leadership: Gaining experience in influencing senior leadership and driving strategic initiatives within a growing organization.

• Cross-Product Research Strategy: Developing a holistic understanding of user needs and market opportunities across a diverse portfolio of B2B SaaS products.

• Industry Expertise: Deepening knowledge of the foodservice technology, supply chain, and B2B platform industries.

• Mentorship & Skill Development: Potential to mentor designers and product managers, and to receive mentorship from senior design leadership. Participation in industry conferences and certifications related to user research or operations management is also likely.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the entrepreneurial nature of this role. Success will depend on the candidate's ability to create value and structure in an environment where it doesn't yet exist, a hallmark of effective operations leaders.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Vision & Strategy: "How would you define the vision and operating model for user research at BEP, considering our seven product lines and the need to build from scratch?" (Prepare a structured approach outlining key pillars like strategy, operations, craft, and impact).

• Operationalizing Research: "Describe your process for establishing research operations, including creating a repository, intake process, and governance. What are the critical components you'd prioritize?" (Focus on scalability, efficiency, and data privacy).

• Ambiguity & Influence: "Tell me about a time you had to build a research function or a significant process with limited existing structure. How did you navigate ambiguity and gain buy-in from stakeholders?" (Use the STAR method, emphasizing your proactive approach and outcomes).

Company & Culture Questions:

• Understanding BEP's Business: "Based on what you know about Buyers Edge Platform and the foodservice industry, what do you see as the biggest user research opportunities or challenges for our product portfolio?" (Research the company, its brands, and the industry's pain points).

• Collaboration & Team Dynamics: "How do you approach collaborating with Product Managers and Designers, especially when establishing new research practices?" (Highlight your ability to enable others and build strong partnerships).

• Measuring Impact: "How would you measure the success and impact of the research function you're building at BEP?" (Think about both operational efficiency metrics and research-driven product/business outcomes).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on "The Build": Select case studies that most clearly demonstrate your experience in building research processes, operations, or practices from the ground up.

• Structure Your Narratives: For each case study, clearly articulate:

  1. The Problem/Ambiguity: What was the challenge or lack of structure?
  2. Your Strategic Approach: How did you plan to address it, including operational considerations?
  3. The Process/Operations Implemented: What specific systems, tools, or workflows did you create or improve?
  4. The Research Conducted (if applicable): What key insights were uncovered?
  5. The Impact/Outcome: How did your work influence product direction, business results, or the organization's research capability?

• Showcase Enablement: Include examples of how you've trained or empowered others to conduct research, demonstrating your ability to scale research impact beyond direct execution.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Expect questions about the specific trade-offs you made, the challenges encountered during implementation, and how you iterated on your solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation should emphasize the candidate's ability to act as an operational architect. Questions will likely probe their strategic thinking, process design capabilities, and experience in influencing organizational change, similar to what would be expected of a senior operations professional.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Greenhouse.

• Curate Your Portfolio for Operations: Carefully select and prepare examples that highlight your experience in building and scaling research operations, establishing processes, and driving strategic impact. Prioritize case studies that demonstrate your ability to create structure in ambiguous environments.

• Optimize Your Resume for "Builder" Roles: Tailor your resume to emphasize achievements related to establishing new functions, designing operational frameworks, and leading strategic initiatives. Use keywords like "research operations," "strategy development," "process optimization," "stakeholder influence," and "scale."

• Prepare Your Portfolio Presentation: Practice walking through your selected portfolio examples, focusing on clear storytelling, quantifying impact, and explaining the operational processes you implemented. Be ready to articulate your vision for research at BEP.

• Research Buyers Edge Platform: Gain a deep understanding of their business, their brands, the foodservice industry, and the challenges their technology aims to solve. This will enable you to tailor your responses and demonstrate strategic alignment during interviews.

⚠️ 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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