UX Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Researcher

Company: CivilGrid

Location: Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product & Design Operations / User Experience Research

Date Posted: 2026-08-17

Experience Level: Mid-Level

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the planning and execution of qualitative UX research initiatives to deeply understand user workflows and product needs within the civil design and infrastructure sector.

• Translate complex user behaviors and pain points into clear, actionable insights that directly influence product strategy, roadmap prioritization, and design iterations.

• Establish and scale a repeatable, lightweight UX research practice, fostering a customer-centric culture across product, design, and engineering teams through regular customer engagement.

• Conduct usability testing on prototypes and in-progress designs to enable rapid iteration and ensure product usability and effectiveness for technical users.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers and Designers from the early stages of product development to define research questions and shape product direction based on user needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is situated within a Series A startup environment, suggesting a dynamic, fast-paced setting where the UX Researcher will have significant influence in shaping research methodologies and embedding customer insights into the product development lifecycle. The focus on B2B technical users (civil engineers, GIS teams, field crews) implies a need for research tailored to complex workflows and data-driven decision-making.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and execute comprehensive qualitative research plans, including user interviews, contextual inquiries, and usability testing, to uncover user needs and behaviors in civil design project planning, scoping, and execution.

• Partner with Product Managers and Designers to proactively define research questions, ensuring that user insights are integrated early in the product development process, optimizing design and engineering efforts.

• Synthesize qualitative and quantitative research findings into compelling, data-backed narratives that drive product decisions, influence roadmap priorities, and foster a shared understanding of the user.

• Conduct rigorous usability testing on designs and prototypes, providing timely feedback to design and engineering teams to facilitate rapid iteration and enhance product usability.

• Develop and implement a lightweight, scalable UX research framework, including templates, a centralized research repository, and protocols for regular customer feedback loops across the product organization.

• Support quantitative research efforts, such as surveys and usage data analysis, to complement qualitative findings and provide a holistic view of user behavior and product performance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibility to "build a lightweight, repeatable research practice" indicates a foundational aspect of this role. The candidate is expected not only to execute research but also to establish the processes and infrastructure for it, a common requirement in early-stage companies seeking to scale their product development capabilities.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Computer Science, or a related field. Master's degree or equivalent practical experience is a plus.

Experience: 3–5 years of dedicated UX research experience, with a significant portion focused on B2B or technical product environments.

Required Skills:

• Proven ability to independently plan and execute qualitative research studies, including participant recruitment, discussion guide development, moderation, and synthesis.

• Expertise in qualitative research methodologies such as user interviews, contextual inquiry, and usability testing.

• Strong analytical and synthesis skills, capable of transforming raw qualitative data into clear, actionable insights and product recommendations.

• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate research findings and product implications to diverse stakeholders, including product managers, designers, engineers, and leadership, avoiding jargon.

• Aptitude for quickly understanding complex technical workflows and user domains, even without prior industry-specific background, by asking insightful follow-up questions.

• A bias for action and lean research methodologies, prioritizing timely, impactful insights over extensive, delayed studies.

• Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills. Preferred Skills:

• Experience researching for technical, spatial, mapping, or GIS-based products.

• Prior industry experience in Utilities, Construction, or Civil Engineering.

• Experience in establishing or scaling a UX research function, including setting up research repositories or best practice frameworks in an early-stage company.

• Familiarity with quantitative research methods, survey design, and analysis of usage data.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement to "talk to a civil engineer or field technician about their workflow and ask good follow-up questions, even without prior industry background" highlights the importance of strong interviewing skills and the ability to quickly build rapport and understanding in a specialized domain. This also suggests that candidates with a strong foundational understanding of research principles and adaptability will be highly valued.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrable experience showcasing end-to-end UX research projects, from problem definition and research design to synthesis and impact on product decisions.

• Case studies that clearly articulate the research questions, methodologies employed, participant profiles, key findings, and the subsequent product or design changes influenced by the research.

• Evidence of your ability to translate complex user needs and technical workflows into actionable insights for product and engineering teams.

• Examples of how you have effectively communicated research findings to diverse stakeholders, driving product strategy and roadmap adjustments.

• Documentation of your process for establishing or managing a research repository and ensuring research findings are accessible and actionable. Process Documentation:

• Showcase your methodology for planning and executing qualitative research studies, including participant recruitment strategies and discussion guide development.

• Provide examples of your synthesis process, illustrating how you distill qualitative data into clear, impactful insights and recommendations.

• Detail your approach to usability testing, from test planning to reporting and facilitating iterative design based on findings.

• Demonstrate your experience in building repeatable research practices, including templating, repository management, and establishing customer feedback cadences.

📝 Enhancement Note: For this role, a portfolio should emphasize the impact of research on product decisions and user experience improvements, particularly within a B2B technical context. Demonstrating how research directly led to measurable outcomes or strategic shifts will be crucial. The ability to show how research was integrated into a fast-paced development cycle is also key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $116,400 - $166,900 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive company-funded medical, dental, and vision insurance, with medical plans available at no cost to the employee.

• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for health and dependent care expenses.

• Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO) with a company culture that encourages its use.

• 401(k) retirement savings plan.

• Meaningful early-stage equity in a growing company.

• A flexible, remote-friendly work environment.

Working Hours: Full-time position, typically aligning with standard business hours in the Eastern Time Zone (ET) for core collaboration, with flexibility offered. The role requires working from the Boston, MA or San Francisco, CA office at least 2 days per week.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is a baseline for the role, and final compensation will be determined by factors including candidate experience, skills, level, and specific work location. The inclusion of "meaningful early-stage equity" is a significant component for a Series A startup, offering substantial upside potential beyond base salary. The hybrid work requirement means candidates must be willing and able to commute to either Boston or San Francisco.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software / Infrastructure Technology / Civil Engineering Tech. CivilGrid operates within the crucial but historically underserved market of infrastructure renewal and civil design, leveraging technology to modernize processes for utilities, engineers, and municipalities.

Company Size: Series A startup, indicating a relatively small but rapidly growing team with significant potential for impact. This size typically means flatter hierarchies, more direct access to leadership, and greater individual ownership.

Founded: Founded by industry insiders with deep expertise in utilities and civil engineering, suggesting a strong understanding of customer pain points and a mission-driven approach to solving complex industry challenges.

Team Structure:

• The UX Researcher will report to the Head of Product, indicating a direct line to product leadership and strategic input.

• The product organization likely consists of Product Managers, Designers, and Engineers who will be key collaborators.

• Cross-functional collaboration is expected to be high, involving regular interaction with teams focused on engineering, sales, and customer success to gather diverse perspectives. Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making is paramount, with a focus on translating user insights into concrete product improvements.

• A lean and agile approach to product development and research is implied, prioritizing speed and iterative progress.

• Emphasis on building customer empathy and embedding user feedback loops into the daily operations of the product team.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: As a Series A startup, CivilGrid likely fosters a culture of innovation, rapid iteration, and high ownership. The founders' background in the industry suggests a deep commitment to solving real-world problems for their target users, which can translate into a passionate and focused work environment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This UX Researcher role is positioned at a mid-level, requiring 3-5 years of experience. It offers the opportunity to be a foundational member of the research function, with the potential to grow into a senior or lead researcher role as the company scales.

Reporting Structure: Reporting directly to the Head of Product provides high visibility and direct influence on product strategy and roadmap. This structure allows for close collaboration with product leadership.

Operations Impact: The UX Researcher's work will have a direct and significant impact on CivilGrid's product development, customer satisfaction, and ultimately, its market success. By ensuring the platform meets the complex needs of civil engineers and related professionals, the role contributes directly to the company's mission of powering infrastructure renewal and growth.

Growth Opportunities:

• Research Practice Leadership: Opportunity to build and scale the UX research function, defining best practices, methodologies, and tools for the company.

• Domain Expertise Development: Deepen knowledge in the specialized fields of civil engineering, utilities, and infrastructure management, becoming a subject matter expert.

• Strategic Influence: Contribute directly to product strategy and roadmap decisions, influencing the direction of a category-defining B2B SaaS platform.

• Career Advancement: Potential to move into senior research roles, lead research teams, or transition into product management roles as the company grows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Bonus points" in the requirements section, particularly "experience setting up a research practice or repository from scratch at an early-stage company," strongly indicate that this role is designed for someone who wants to build and shape the research function. This offers significant growth potential beyond just conducting research.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model, requiring employees to be in the office at least 2 days per week in either Boston, MA or San Francisco, CA. This suggests a collaborative office environment designed for in-person interaction, complemented by remote flexibility.

Office Location(s): Boston, Massachusetts and San Francisco, California. These locations offer access to vibrant tech ecosystems and talent pools.

Workspace Context:

• A "high-trust team" environment that values direct feedback and ownership.

• Expectation of in-person collaboration for key activities, suggesting dedicated meeting spaces and an environment conducive to teamwork.

• Proximity to customers (large utilities, public agencies, engineering firms) is emphasized, implying opportunities for direct user interaction and observation in real-world settings, potentially through site visits or client meetings.

Work Schedule: Full-time with flexibility, indicating a focus on output and results rather than strict adherence to hours, while still maintaining core collaboration needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model and emphasis on in-person collaboration for "where it matters" suggests that CivilGrid values the synergy of face-to-face interaction for brainstorming, strategy sessions, and team building, while leveraging remote work for individual focus and work-life balance.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A brief call with a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and interest in the role and company.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Conversation with the Head of Product to discuss experience, research philosophy, and alignment with the role's responsibilities. This is a key stage for understanding your approach to building research practices.

• Portfolio Review & Presentation: A dedicated session where candidates present selected case studies from their portfolio. Expect to walk through your research process, findings, and the impact of your work on product development. This is critical for demonstrating your ability to synthesize and communicate.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with designers, product managers, and engineers to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and ability to integrate research into cross-functional workflows.

• Final Interview: Potentially a discussion with a founder or senior leader to assess strategic thinking, cultural alignment, and long-term potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 projects that best showcase your end-to-end research capabilities, particularly those involving B2B technical users or complex workflows.

• Focus on Impact: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your research approach, the key insights derived, and most importantly, the resulting product changes and their impact (e.g., improved usability, reduced task completion time, strategic roadmap shifts). Quantify impact where possible.

• Highlight Process: Detail your methodology for each stage: how you defined research questions, recruited participants, conducted research, synthesized findings, and communicated them.

• Showcase Communication: Demonstrate your ability to present complex information clearly and concisely to non-research audiences. Practice explaining your findings and their implications without jargon.

• Address Challenges: Be prepared to discuss challenges encountered during research and how you overcame them.

Challenge Preparation:

• Research Scenario: You may be given a hypothetical problem or product area and asked to outline a research plan, including research questions, methodologies, and target users. Focus on a lean, actionable approach.

• Synthesis Exercise: You might be presented with simulated qualitative data (e.g., interview snippets) and asked to identify key themes and insights.

• Communication Practice: Be ready to present your portfolio and answer questions in a way that demonstrates your strategic thinking and ability to influence product decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "building a lightweight, repeatable research practice" means interviewers will likely probe into how you would establish processes, manage a research repository, and embed research into the team's workflow. Be prepared to discuss your experience and ideas in this area.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Research Tools: Proficiency in tools for qualitative data collection and analysis. While specific tools aren't listed, expect familiarity with common platforms for user interviews (e.g., Zoom, Google Meet), usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback), and synthesis (e.g., Dovetail, Miro, Mural).

• Collaboration Tools: Experience with tools like Slack, Notion, Jira, and Confluence for communication, documentation, and project management.

• Design Tools: Familiarity with design and prototyping tools such as Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD, to effectively review and test designs.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Experience with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude) for understanding user behavior and complementing qualitative findings.

• Ability to interpret and present usage data to support research insights. CRM & Automation:

• While not directly managing CRM systems, understanding how customer data is captured and utilized within a CRM (e.g., Salesforce) can be beneficial for understanding the B2B customer lifecycle.

• Familiarity with survey tools (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Typeform) for quantitative data collection.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the B2B technical nature of CivilGrid's users, familiarity with tools that can handle complex data visualization or spatial information might be a plus, though not explicitly stated. The key is the ability to adapt and learn new tools quickly to support research needs.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of civil engineers, utilities, and municipalities, translating user feedback into product value.

• Impact-Driven: Focus on delivering work that matters and directly contributes to the company's mission of modernizing infrastructure, with an emphasis on measurable outcomes.

• Collaboration & Transparency: A high-trust environment where direct feedback is encouraged, and information is shared openly across teams to foster collective problem-solving.

• Agility & Iteration: A dynamic approach that embraces rapid learning, continuous improvement, and adapting to customer needs and market changes.

• Craftsmanship: A dedication to high-quality work, attention to detail, and a passion for solving complex problems effectively.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Close partnership with Product Management, Design, and Engineering to ensure user insights are embedded throughout the product development lifecycle.

• Proactive Communication: A culture of open dialogue, regular feedback exchange, and proactive sharing of research findings and implications.

• Shared Ownership: Encouraging a collective responsibility for understanding and serving the customer, rather than siloed research efforts.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture emphasizes practical application and tangible results, aligning with the needs of technical users in industries like civil engineering. The "how we work" section highlights a blend of focused in-person collaboration and flexible remote work, suggesting a pragmatic approach to maximizing team effectiveness.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Domain Complexity: Navigating and quickly mastering the specialized language, workflows, and technical nuances of the civil engineering, utilities, and infrastructure sectors.

• Establishing Research Practice: Building and scaling a formal UX research function from the ground up in an early-stage startup environment, requiring process definition and advocacy.

• Balancing Speed and Rigor: Conducting timely, actionable research that meets the demands of a fast-paced startup while maintaining research integrity and depth.

• Cross-Functional Influence: Effectively advocating for user needs and research findings across different departments, ensuring insights translate into product decisions.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Domain Expertise: Opportunity to become a recognized expert in the unique user needs and challenges of the infrastructure and civil design industries.

• Research Practice Leadership: Develop skills in research operations, program management, and establishing organizational research maturity.

• Product Strategy Contribution: Gain experience in shaping product roadmaps and influencing business strategy through user-centered insights at a critical growth stage.

• Industry Exposure: Potential to engage with leading companies in utilities, engineering, and municipalities, gaining broad industry perspective.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are directly tied to the growth stage of the company and the specialized nature of its market. Successfully navigating these challenges will provide significant opportunities for professional development and a unique career trajectory.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach understanding the core workflows of civil engineers and field crews who use our platform?" (Focus on methodology, participant recruitment, and initial hypotheses.)

• "Describe your process for establishing a lightweight, repeatable research practice at an early-stage company. What are the key components?" (Highlight your experience in building processes, repositories, and embedding research.)

• "Imagine we're considering a new feature for [specific product area]. How would you determine the most critical research questions to answer before development begins?" (Demonstrate proactive engagement and strategic thinking.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about CivilGrid's mission to modernize infrastructure and our specific B2B technical market?" (Showcase research into the company and industry.)

• "How do you approach collaborating with product managers and designers who may have different priorities or timelines?" (Emphasize communication, empathy, and finding common ground.)

• "How would you measure the impact of your UX research on the product and the business?" (Discuss metrics, ROI, and qualitative impact assessment.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: For each case study, clearly outline: Problem, Your Role, Research Questions, Methodology, Participants, Findings, Recommendations, and Impact.

• Visuals: Use clear visuals to support your narrative – e.g., journey maps, personas, key quotes, screenshots of prototypes/designs influenced by your research.

• Narrative: Tell a compelling story about how your research solved a problem and drove positive change. Focus on the "so what?" of your findings.

• Conciseness: Be mindful of time; practice your presentation to be clear, impactful, and within the allotted timeframe.

• Q&A: Be prepared for in-depth questions about your methodology, decision-making process, and the impact of your work.

📝 Enhancement Note: Expect interviewers to probe deeply into your ability to work autonomously, establish processes, and translate complex technical user needs into actionable product insights. Your portfolio presentation is your primary opportunity to demonstrate these capabilities.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your experience in B2B or technical product research, qualitative methodologies, and experience in establishing research practices. Quantify your achievements whenever possible.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate 2-3 strong case studies that showcase your end-to-end research process, synthesis skills, and the tangible impact of your work on product decisions and user experience. Ensure it’s easily accessible (e.g., a dedicated website or PDF).

• Research CivilGrid: Familiarize yourself with CivilGrid's product, mission, target market, and recent company news. Understand the challenges in the civil engineering and infrastructure sector.

• Practice Your Presentation: Rehearse your portfolio presentation, focusing on clarity, conciseness, and demonstrating your ability to articulate insights and their impact to a non-research audience.

⚠️ 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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