User Researcher, Growth

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: User Researcher, Growth

Company: Notion

Location: New York, New York, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: User Research / Growth Operations

Date Posted: 2026-08-11

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days in office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive product strategy and decision-making for AI-powered growth initiatives through rigorous user research.

• Conduct mixed-methods research, leveraging AI tooling to analyze user adoption, monetization, and AI feature integration.

• Translate complex user journeys and business objectives into actionable research insights that directly impact revenue and user engagement.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with product, engineering, and design teams to iterate on AI experiences and optimize growth engines.

• Analyze behavioral data and experimentation results to refine research questions and validate findings for AI-driven product development.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is specifically focused on "Growth," indicating a strong emphasis on user acquisition, activation, retention, and monetization strategies. The integration of AI features like "Notion Agent" and "Chat" requires a researcher adept at understanding user interaction with emerging technologies and their impact on business outcomes. The role's location in New York City, coupled with a hybrid work model, suggests a collaborative environment with a strong emphasis on in-person ideation and team building for core "Anchor Days."

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and execute comprehensive user research studies, including qualitative (interviews, concept testing, usability testing, diary studies) and quantitative (surveys, advanced pricing studies) methodologies, to evaluate user engagement with AI features.

• Analyze user discovery, trust, and value perception of AI-driven functionalities within Notion, identifying key barriers to adoption and willingness to pay.

• Leverage AI tools and techniques to scale research processes, from data collection and analysis to reporting and insight dissemination, enhancing overall research efficiency.

• Translate research findings into clear, actionable recommendations for product teams, focusing on optimizing growth funnels, improving onboarding flows, and enhancing AI feature adoption.

• Collaborate closely with product managers, designers, and data scientists to define research questions, interpret experimental results, and integrate user insights into the product development lifecycle.

• Develop and maintain a deep understanding of Notion's growth engines and complex user journeys, identifying critical touchpoints for user experience improvement and business impact.

• Proactively identify opportunities for research that can drive significant business outcomes, connecting user needs directly to strategic growth objectives and revenue generation.

• Present research findings and strategic recommendations to executive stakeholders, effectively communicating the business value and implications of user insights.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong need for a researcher who can operate at the intersection of user experience, AI technology, and business growth. The emphasis on "delivering actionable insights" and "driving decision-making" underscores the expectation for the researcher to be a strategic partner, not just an executor of studies. The mention of "leveraging AI tooling to scale your research process" indicates an expectation to be at the forefront of using technology to enhance research efficiency and impact.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Master's or PhD Degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, Behavioral Economics, Anthropology, Sociology, or a related field is preferred.

Experience: 5+ years of dedicated UX research experience in an industry setting, with a focus on product development and user insights.

Required Skills:

• AI Fluency: Demonstrated curiosity and hands-on experience with AI products, with the ability to articulate how AI behavior influences user experience and product adoption.

• Systems Thinking: Ability to comprehend complex user journeys, growth engines, and identify systemic breakdown points across the entire user experience.

• Business Acumen: Strong understanding of how research connects to business outcomes, with the capacity to articulate the strategic importance of insights for growth and revenue.

• Data Fluency: Proficiency in understanding and leveraging experimentation (A/B testing) and behavioral data to inform research questions and interpret findings.

• Pragmatism & Initiative: Proven experience in prioritizing and conducting research within fast-paced, ambiguous, "0 to 1" environments, with a strong capacity for taking initiative.

• Communication Excellence: Skill in adapting communication styles for diverse audiences and a creative approach to sharing insights (e.g., videos, podcasts, workshops).

• Mixed-Methods Research Expertise: Proficiency in designing and executing both qualitative (interviews, usability testing, concept testing, diary studies) and quantitative (surveys, pricing studies) research methods.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience researching AI-enabled products, particularly agentic/workflow automation tools, and B2B SaaS products.

• Expertise in utilizing AI research tools such as Outset, Listen Labs, or Dovetail for enhanced analysis and workflow.

• Proven experience communicating complex research findings and strategic recommendations to executive-level stakeholders.

• Familiarity with the foundational work of computing pioneers like Douglas Engelbart and Alan Kay, understanding their influence on modern human-computer interaction.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "AI Fluency" requirement is a critical differentiator, suggesting that candidates must not only understand AI concepts but also be able to critically assess its impact on user behavior and product strategy. The emphasis on "systems thinking" and "business mindedness" points towards a need for strategic thinkers who can connect user needs to tangible business results, a hallmark of effective growth operations.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 5+ years of UX research experience with a strong emphasis on growth-related projects and AI product integration.

• Include detailed case studies demonstrating the end-to-end research process, from problem definition and study design to analysis and actionable recommendations.

• Highlight projects where research directly influenced product strategy, adoption rates, monetization, or pricing and packaging decisions.

• Demonstrate experience with mixed-methods research, including examples of how qualitative and quantitative data were synthesized to drive insights.

• Present evidence of working with AI features or AI-enabled products, detailing the unique research challenges and solutions employed. Process Documentation:

• Document your approach to designing and executing research studies, including methodology selection, participant recruitment strategies, and data collection techniques.

• Illustrate how you leverage AI tooling to enhance research efficiency, analyze data, and scale your impact.

• Provide examples of how you translate research findings into clear, actionable insights and strategic recommendations for product and business stakeholders.

• Showcase your ability to measure the impact of your research on key business metrics, such as user adoption, engagement, conversion rates, and revenue.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a User Researcher role focused on growth and AI, the portfolio should prominently feature case studies demonstrating impact on key growth metrics (e.g., conversion rates, retention, ARPU). Evidence of using AI tools within the research process itself, and research specifically focused on AI product adoption and monetization, will be highly valued.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For New York City, the estimated base salary range for this role is $196,000 - $230,000 per year.

Benefits:

• Competitive cash compensation

• Equity participation

• Comprehensive benefits package (details not specified, but typical for tech companies include health, dental, vision insurance, 401k matching, paid time off, parental leave, etc.)

Working Hours: 40 hours per week, with an expectation of 3 days per week in the New York City office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is specific to New York City and reflects the senior level of the role and the competitive tech market. The AI-derived benefits mention "Competitive cash compensation" and "Equity," which are standard for senior roles in fast-growing tech companies like Notion. The hybrid work model with 3 days in-office is a key aspect of the work arrangement.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software / AI / Collaboration Tools / Productivity Software

Company Size: Notion has grown significantly and is considered a large, established startup or scale-up, with a substantial employee base.

Founded: Notion was founded in 2013, indicating a mature product with a strong market presence and a history of innovation.

Team Structure:

• The User Researcher will likely be part of a dedicated Research team or embedded within a Product team focused on Growth and AI features.

• The team structure is expected to be collaborative, with close reporting lines to research leads or product leadership.

• Cross-functional collaboration is central, involving frequent interaction with Product Managers, Designers, Data Scientists, and Engineering teams working on AI initiatives. Methodology:

• Notion emphasizes a "craft" mindset, focusing on building enduring products with high attention to detail.

• A data-driven approach is expected, integrating user research with experimentation and behavioral analytics to inform decisions.

• The company values customer-centricity, aiming to deeply understand user needs to build solutions that enhance productivity and collaboration.

• There is a strong focus on AI as a core component of the future of work, with teams actively exploring and integrating AI capabilities.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Notion's culture is characterized by a strong emphasis on product craftsmanship, innovation, and a forward-thinking approach to the future of work, particularly with AI. The company's growth stage suggests a dynamic environment where research plays a critical role in shaping product strategy and driving user adoption, especially for new AI features.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a senior-level User Researcher role, focused on influencing strategic growth decisions and product development in a rapidly evolving AI landscape. It requires a strong blend of research expertise, strategic thinking, and business acumen.

Reporting Structure: The User Researcher will likely report to a Lead User Researcher, Director of Research, or a senior Product leader overseeing growth initiatives.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on Notion's growth trajectory by informing product strategy, optimizing user acquisition and retention, and driving adoption of key AI features. Insights generated will directly influence revenue streams and market positioning.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Advancement: Opportunity to deepen expertise in AI product research, advanced quantitative methods (e.g., pricing studies), and leveraging AI tooling for research.

• Leadership Potential: Potential to lead research initiatives for critical growth areas, mentor junior researchers, and influence research best practices within the organization.

• Strategic Influence: Grow into a more strategic advisory role, shaping the long-term product roadmap and contributing to Notion's vision for AI-powered productivity.

• Cross-functional Expertise: Develop a deeper understanding of product management, data science, and engineering workflows, particularly in the context of AI product development.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant growth potential for a researcher looking to specialize in AI-driven product growth. The opportunity to influence strategy and contribute to a cutting-edge product like Notion, coupled with the senior nature of the position, makes it attractive for experienced professionals aiming for leadership or specialized expertise.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Notion operates a hybrid work model, requiring 3 days per week in their New York City office. This fosters in-person collaboration, team building, and focused work during designated "Anchor Days."

Office Location(s): New York City, New York, United States.

Workspace Context:

• The office environment is designed to support collaboration and innovation, with dedicated spaces for team work and ideation.

• Access to modern technology and tools, including potential AI-powered research platforms, will be available to facilitate research activities.

• Opportunities for direct interaction with cross-functional teams (Product, Design, Engineering, Data Science) are integral to the daily workflow.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time work hours are expected, with flexibility potentially available outside of the core "Anchor Days" in the office. The hybrid model requires presence on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work environment with specific "Anchor Days" in the office emphasizes Notion's belief in the value of in-person collaboration for critical team activities like brainstorming, problem-solving, and building strong team cohesion, especially for roles involving complex product development and strategic discussions.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter will assess your resume and qualifications, focusing on experience with user research, growth, and AI.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion with the hiring manager to delve deeper into your experience, research philosophy, and fit for the team and role. Expect questions about your approach to growth research and AI product evaluation.

• Portfolio Presentation: A critical stage where you will present 2-3 detailed case studies from your portfolio, showcasing your research process, insights, and impact on business outcomes. This is where you'll demonstrate your AI fluency and systems thinking.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Interviews with key stakeholders (e.g., Product Managers, Designers, Data Scientists) to assess collaboration skills, strategic thinking, and ability to integrate research into product development workflows.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader to discuss strategic vision, leadership potential, and overall fit with Notion's culture and mission.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Impact: Clearly articulate the business outcomes and user impact of your research projects. Quantify results whenever possible (e.g., increased conversion rates, improved user satisfaction scores, successful feature adoption).

• Showcase AI Research: Include at least one case study specifically related to researching AI-enabled products, highlighting your approach to understanding user interaction with AI and its implications for growth.

• Demonstrate Mixed-Methods: Present projects where you effectively combined qualitative and quantitative methods to provide a holistic understanding of user behavior.

• Highlight Systems Thinking: Explain how you analyzed complex user journeys and growth engines, identifying key leverage points for research intervention.

• Tailor to Notion: Research Notion's product, growth strategies, and AI initiatives. Frame your case studies to demonstrate how your skills and experience align with their specific needs.

• Be Creative in Presentation: Utilize visuals, concise narratives, and clear takeaways. Consider how you will present your findings creatively, as suggested by the job description (videos, workshops).

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared to discuss hypothetical research scenarios related to Notion's growth challenges or AI feature development.

• Practice articulating your thought process for approaching ambiguous problems and defining research plans under tight deadlines.

• Prepare to discuss how you would measure the success of your research and its contribution to business objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio presentation and case studies suggests that practical, demonstrable experience and impact are paramount. Candidates should be ready to articulate not just what they did, but why they did it and what the results were, especially in the context of growth and AI.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Research Platforms: Proficiency with AI-powered research tools like Outset, Listen Labs, Dovetail, or similar platforms for data analysis, synthesis, and insight management.

• Experimentation Platforms: Experience with A/B testing tools (e.g., Optimizely, VWO, internal experimentation frameworks) to design, execute, and analyze experiments.

• Survey Tools: Expertise in survey design and deployment using tools like SurveyMonkey, Typeform, Google Forms, or specialized platforms for advanced quantitative studies.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Behavioral Analytics: Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude, or similar for understanding user behavior, tracking funnels, and identifying drop-off points.

• Data Visualization: Ability to create clear and compelling data visualizations using tools like Tableau, Looker, or built-in capabilities within analytics platforms to communicate insights effectively.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: While not a direct CRM role, understanding how user research integrates with CRM data (e.g., Salesforce) to inform customer segmentation and journey mapping is beneficial.

• Collaboration Tools: Extensive use of tools like Notion itself, Slack, and project management software for cross-functional communication and workflow management.

📝 Enhancement Note: The mention of "AI tooling to scale your research process" and "AI research tools (Outset, Listen Labs, Dovetail, etc.)" indicates a strong preference for candidates who are not only familiar with traditional UX research tools but are also adopting and leveraging AI-powered solutions to enhance their efficiency and analytical capabilities.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Obsession: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the user, ensuring their needs and experiences are at the forefront of product development.

• Craftsmanship & Quality: A dedication to producing high-quality work, with attention to detail and a focus on building lasting, impactful solutions.

• Intellectual Curiosity & Tinkering: An inherent drive to explore, experiment, and learn, especially in the rapidly evolving field of AI and its applications.

• Collaboration & Transparency: A belief in working openly and effectively with diverse teams, sharing insights, and building consensus to achieve shared goals.

• Bias for Action & Pragmatism: A results-oriented mindset, comfortable navigating ambiguity and taking initiative to drive progress and deliver value in a fast-paced environment.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Seamless collaboration with Product Management, Design, Engineering, and Data Science teams to integrate research into the entire product lifecycle.

• Insight Sharing Culture: Proactive and creative dissemination of research findings through various channels (workshops, presentations, written reports, informal discussions) to ensure broad understanding and impact.

• Data-Driven Dialogue: Engaging in constructive discussions grounded in user data and research insights to inform strategic decisions and product iterations.

📝 Enhancement Note: Notion's culture values individuals who are not only skilled in their domain but also embody a proactive, curious, and collaborative spirit. For a User Researcher, this means being an active participant in product strategy, readily sharing insights, and embracing the iterative nature of product development, especially with AI.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Rapidly Evolving AI Landscape: Staying abreast of the latest AI advancements and their implications for user behavior and product development requires continuous learning.

• Balancing Growth and User Experience: Ensuring that growth initiatives and AI feature adoption do not compromise the core user experience or introduce unintended negative consequences.

• Navigating Ambiguity in 0→1 Environments: Conducting research effectively when product direction is still forming and user needs are not fully defined, requiring strong initiative and adaptability.

• Measuring Impact of AI Features: Developing robust methodologies to quantify the user value and business impact of novel AI functionalities.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Research Specialization: Opportunities to become a subject matter expert in researching AI-powered products and user interactions with AI agents.

• Advanced Quantitative Methods: Deepen expertise in areas like pricing research, conjoint analysis, and survey design for complex quantitative insights.

• Strategic Product Influence: Develop skills in translating research into high-level product strategy and influencing executive decision-making.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Gain experience leading research initiatives that span multiple product areas and collaborating with senior leaders across the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents a unique opportunity to tackle the frontier of AI in productivity software. The challenges are significant but directly translate into substantial growth opportunities for a researcher eager to push the boundaries of their field and make a tangible impact on a leading tech product.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• How would you approach researching the adoption drivers and barriers for Notion's new AI features (e.g., Notion Agent, Chat)?

• Describe a time you used mixed-methods research to uncover a critical insight that significantly impacted product strategy or growth.

• How would you design a study to understand user willingness to pay for advanced AI functionalities within Notion?

• What methodologies would you employ to evaluate the usability and effectiveness of an AI-driven onboarding experience? Company & Culture Questions:

• What excites you most about Notion's mission and its approach to the future of work with AI?

• How do you ensure your research findings are actionable and effectively communicated to diverse stakeholders, including executives?

• Describe your experience working in a hybrid environment and how you foster collaboration on "Anchor Days."

• How do you balance the need for rigorous research with the demands of a fast-paced, agile product development cycle? Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Case Studies: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role and methodology, the key insights, the impact/recommendations, and the results.

• Quantify Impact: Emphasize metrics and business outcomes. If direct attribution is difficult, explain the logical connection between your research and the business impact.

• Showcase AI Experience: If possible, include a case study related to AI or complex systems. Explain the unique challenges and how you addressed them.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about your methodology choices, interpretation of data, and how you handled any challenges or limitations.

• Connect to Notion: Frame your experience and insights in the context of Notion's product and growth objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to discuss their experience with AI research specifically, demonstrating their ability to understand and articulate user interaction with AI. Strong case studies that show direct impact on growth metrics will be crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this User Researcher, Growth position:

• Submit your application through the Ashby application link provided.

• Portfolio Customization: Curate 2-3 of your most impactful research case studies, focusing on growth initiatives, AI product research, and demonstrated business outcomes. Ensure they highlight your mixed-methods expertise and strategic thinking.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize keywords such as "User Research," "Growth," "AI," "Mixed-Methods," "Systems Thinking," "Data Fluency," and "B2B SaaS." Quantify your achievements and clearly state your years of experience.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your research process, insights, and impact, especially for AI-related projects. Prepare to discuss your approach to growth strategies and how you would contribute to Notion's objectives.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Notion's product, recent AI announcements, growth strategies, and company culture. Understand their mission and values to articulate your 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.