UX Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Researcher

Company: DAT Freight & Analytics

Location: Denver, CO, USA / Seattle, Washington, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / User Experience Research

Date Posted: 2026-06-23

Experience Level: Mid-Level (3-5+ years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead user research initiatives to uncover critical customer needs, pain points, and opportunities within the B2B SaaS logistics platform.

• Drive a research-informed culture across Product Design, Product Management, and engineering teams by translating complex user insights into actionable product strategies.

• Design and execute a variety of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, from foundational discovery to iterative evaluation, ensuring robust data for decision-making.

• Partner closely with cross-functional stakeholders to champion the voice of the customer, influencing product roadmaps and enhancing user experience across DAT's freight marketplace and software solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a mid-level UX Researcher, implying a need for independent research execution and strategic contribution, while also emphasizing growth and collaboration within a research-driven product team. The focus on B2B SaaS and logistics is a key differentiator.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design, plan, and execute comprehensive qualitative and quantitative user research studies, including user interviews, usability tests, surveys, concept validation, and ethnography, to address specific product questions and strategic objectives.

• Conduct both moderated and unmoderated research, adapting methodologies for in-person and remote settings to meet diverse team needs and research goals.

• Proactively identify and prioritize high-impact research opportunities across multiple product domains, demonstrating strategic foresight beyond assigned tasks.

• Analyze research findings, synthesize complex qualitative and quantitative data into clear, concise, and actionable insights, and develop compelling deliverables such as research reports, personas, journey maps, and highlight reels.

• Integrate behavioral data, usage analytics, and market intelligence from DAT's extensive data ecosystem to triangulate findings and enrich research insights.

• Present research findings and strategic recommendations confidently and persuasively to a variety of audiences, including designers, product managers, engineers, and executive leadership.

• Foster a research-informed culture by broadly sharing insights, encouraging curiosity, and facilitating engagement with user perspectives across the organization.

• Collaborate closely with UX designers and product managers to embed research seamlessly into the product development lifecycle, from initial discovery through to iterative delivery.

• Build and maintain strong, trusted relationships with cross-functional partners, serving as a go-to resource for understanding customer needs and behaviors.

• Operate with a product mindset, understanding the underlying business goals and connecting research efforts directly to business outcomes and user value.

• Manage individual research projects independently from planning to readout, proactively communicating timelines, managing risks, and escalating blockers.

• Leverage AI tools to enhance research efficiency and quality in tasks such as transcript analysis, survey synthesis, and screener development, while maintaining rigorous quality control and ethical considerations.

• Identify opportunities for process improvements within the research team and contribute to the development of shared research repositories, templates, and best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of tactical execution and strategic influence, typical for a mid-level researcher. The emphasis on integrating with a broader data ecosystem and leveraging AI tools is a modern expectation for this role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• A postgraduate degree in Psychology, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Human Factors, or a closely related field is preferred. Experience:

• 3–5+ years of dedicated UX research experience within a product development or agency setting.

• Proven track record of successfully planning and executing user interviews, usability studies, and surveys.

• Experience with additional research methodologies such as ethnography, diary studies, or card sorting is considered a strong plus.

• Demonstrated experience working within a B2B or SaaS product environment is highly desirable.

• Familiarity with modern product development operating models, including continuous discovery and outcome-focused approaches (e.g., SVPG principles), is a plus. Required Skills:

• User Research Expertise: Deep understanding and practical application of a wide range of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies (user interviews, usability testing, surveys, concept testing, ethnography).

• Analytical & Synthesis Skills: Ability to critically analyze qualitative and quantitative data, identify patterns, and synthesize complex information into clear, actionable insights and strategic recommendations.

• Communication & Presentation: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to tailor complex findings and recommendations to diverse audiences, including technical and non-technical stakeholders, from designers to executives.

• Methodology Selection: Proficiency in selecting appropriate research methods based on project goals, timelines, and available resources.

• Human-Centered Design Principles: A strong grounding in human-centered research methods and a commitment to advocating for the user.

• Research Tool Proficiency: Hands-on experience with at least one modern research platform such as UserTesting, Maze, Dovetail, Optimal Workshop, or equivalent tools for data collection and analysis.

• Proactive Identification: Ability to proactively identify high-value research opportunities and prioritize research requests across multiple product teams.

• Product Mindset: Understanding of product development cycles and the ability to connect research insights to business outcomes and user needs.

Preferred Skills:

• B2B SaaS Experience: Prior experience conducting UX research for Business-to-Business (B2B) Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) products.

• Data Integration: Familiarity with integrating behavioral data, usage analytics, and other data signals into research findings.

• Agile & Lean UX: Exposure to agile development environments and lean UX principles, including continuous discovery practices.

• Design Systems: Experience collaborating with design systems or contributing to shared research repositories and knowledge bases.

• Industry Knowledge: Background or interest in freight, logistics, supply chain, or data-heavy product environments.

• AI Tool Proficiency: Demonstrated ability to effectively utilize AI tools for research tasks while maintaining critical judgment and ensuring data accuracy and unbiased outputs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Bonus Skills" are framed as preferred, indicating that while not strictly required, they would significantly strengthen a candidate's profile and demonstrate readiness for the specific context of DAT's B2B SaaS and logistics domain.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies of Impact: Showcase 2-3 detailed case studies demonstrating your end-to-end UX research process, from problem definition and research design to insight synthesis and influencing product decisions.

• Methodology Diversity: Evidence of applying a range of qualitative and quantitative methodologies (e.g., user interviews, usability testing, surveys, generative research) tailored to specific research questions.

• Insight Synthesis & Actionability: Clear examples of how you synthesized complex data into actionable insights and how those insights directly informed product strategy, design iterations, or business outcomes.

• Deliverable Examples: Presentation of compelling deliverables such as personas, journey maps, detailed research reports, or highlight reels that effectively communicate user needs and perspectives.

• Collaboration & Influence: Demonstrations of how you partnered with cross-functional teams (designers, PMs, engineers) and influenced product roadmaps or design decisions based on your research.

Process Documentation:

• Research Planning & Design: Portfolio pieces that illustrate your ability to define research objectives, select appropriate methodologies, develop research plans, and create research instruments (e.g., interview guides, survey questionnaires, usability test scripts).

• Data Analysis & Synthesis: Examples of your approach to analyzing qualitative and quantitative data, identifying key themes, and synthesizing findings into clear, impactful insights. This could include thematic analysis, statistical summaries, or comparative analysis.

• Insight Communication & Dissemination: Evidence of how you communicate research findings to various stakeholders, including executive summaries, presentations, workshops, and the creation of user artifacts that inform product teams.

• Integration with Product Lifecycle: Showcase how your research efforts were integrated into different stages of the product development lifecycle, from early discovery and ideation to validation and iterative improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements are tailored to a UX Researcher role, emphasizing the demonstration of a full research lifecycle and the ability to translate findings into tangible product improvements and influence.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• For Colorado-based candidates: $96,000.00 - $124,000.00 annually, plus a target bonus.

• For Washington-based candidates: $103,000.00 - $142,000.00 annually, plus a target bonus.

Explanation of Salary Range:

DAT considers multiple factors when determining the final salary offer, including but not limited to the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience, education and training, core skills, internal equity among existing employees, and relevant market and business conditions. These ranges are provided in compliance with Colorado and Washington state pay transparency laws.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance.

• Life and Accident Insurance: Life insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance.

• Family Support: Parental Leave.

• Work-Life Balance: Flexible Vacation Time (FVT) and an additional 10 paid holidays per calendar year.

• Retirement Savings: 401k with immediate vesting and matching, and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP).

• Income Protection: Short-term and Long-term disability insurance, and sick leave.

• Health & Wellness Accounts: Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).

• Employee Support: Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for confidential support.

• Additional Perks: Employee Referral Program, Internal Recognition programs, and Wellness initiatives.

• Commuter Benefits: Free TriMet transit pass (specifically for the Beaverton Office, though this role is in Denver/Seattle, it indicates a company-wide perk philosophy).

• Professional Development: Opportunity to work on impactful projects in a cutting-edge environment.

• Team Environment: Collaborative and supportive team culture.

• Industry Impact: Opportunity to make a real difference in the trucking industry.

• Inclusivity: Employee Resource Groups (ERGs).

Working Hours:

• Approximately 40 hours per week, typical for a full-time position. The hybrid work arrangement allows for flexibility in balancing in-office and remote workdays.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary ranges provided are specific to Colorado and Washington, reflecting regional pay transparency laws. The extensive list of benefits highlights DAT's commitment to employee well-being and work-life balance, which can be a significant draw for candidates.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology (SaaS), Logistics, Data Analytics, Freight Marketplace. DAT operates at the intersection of these sectors, leveraging technology to provide critical data and analytics for the North American freight market.

Company Size: Approximately 700 teammates, indicating a mid-to-large-sized organization with established processes but still retaining agility. This size suggests opportunities for cross-functional collaboration and potential for impact without being lost in a massive corporate structure.

Founded: 1978. With nearly five decades of history, DAT combines the stability and credibility of a market leader with a forward-looking approach, evident in their focus on SaaS, machine learning, and intelligent automation. This long-standing presence in the industry, particularly the freight market, provides deep domain expertise.

Team Structure:

• Product Design Team: The UX Researcher will be part of the