UX Researcher

Fundraise Up
Full-time

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Researcher

Company: Fundraise Up

Location: Serbia - Remote

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: User Experience Research

Date Posted: 2026-09-02

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5-10 years estimated)

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

  • Lead complex, ambiguous, and high-impact UX research initiatives to shape product strategy and drive innovation within the nonprofit technology sector.

  • Build and scale a pragmatic UX Research practice within the Design team, enabling designers to conduct research independently while maintaining high-quality standards.

  • Serve as the dedicated UX Research expert, collaborating closely with Product, Design, Marketing, and Analytics teams to ensure user needs are central to product decisions.

  • Actively evangelize UX research best practices, coach colleagues, and launch new research-driven initiatives across the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The raw job description indicates a need for a UX Researcher to not only execute research but also to establish and mature the UX Research practice within Fundraise Up's Design team. This dual focus suggests a mid-to-senior level role requiring both strong research execution skills and the ability to mentor and build processes. The emphasis on AI tools and a "research radar" indicates a forward-thinking approach to research operations.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

  • Own and execute end-to-end UX research projects, from initial brief intake and methodology design to data analysis, synthesis, and actionable presentation of findings.

  • Proactively identify research opportunities by gathering insights from Sales, Customer Success, Support, Marketing, and Analytics teams, translating them into testable research questions.

  • Select and apply appropriate research methods (e.g., interviews, usability tests, concept tests, surveys, competitive scans) based on uncertainty levels, business goals, and project timelines.

  • Manage research logistics independently, including participant recruitment, scheduling, tool setup, and session moderation, ensuring efficient and ethical research execution.

  • Partner closely with Product Analytics to integrate quantitative data with qualitative findings, providing a comprehensive understanding of user behavior to Product Managers.

  • Experiment with and leverage emerging research approaches and tools, including AI-enabled methods like synthetic users, to enhance research efficiency and impact.

  • Champion user needs and constraints within product development cycles, ensuring that user perspectives are prioritized over subjective opinions.

  • Maintain a "research radar" by continuously monitoring internal learnings, market trends, competitor activities, and high-signal UX/product sources, sharing regular updates to keep the team informed.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a proactive and self-sufficient researcher. The expectation to "run your work independently" and manage all logistics without "hand-holding" points to a need for strong organizational and project management skills. The emphasis on integrating qualitative and quantitative data suggests a sophisticated approach to research synthesis and reporting.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

  • A postgraduate degree is preferred, particularly in a relevant academic or scientific research field (e.g., Master's or PhD track). Experience:

  • Proven experience (estimated 5-10 years) in conducting UX research end-to-end with a high degree of ownership and autonomy.

  • Demonstrated experience working across both B2C and B2B product environments and understanding diverse audience needs. Required Skills:

  • Expertise in Research Methodologies: Proficient in selecting and applying a wide range of qualitative and quantitative research methods, including interviews, usability testing, concept testing, surveys, and competitive analysis.

  • End-to-End Research Ownership: Proven ability to manage research projects independently from initiation to final delivery of actionable insights.

  • Data Synthesis & Analysis: Strong skills in synthesizing complex qualitative and quantitative data to derive clear, impactful insights and recommendations.

  • AI Tool Proficiency: Demonstrated experience and fluency in using AI tools to accelerate research operations, analysis, and synthesis (e.g., for note-taking, tagging, summarization, survey drafting).

  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Ability to effectively gather input from and collaborate with Sales, CS, Support, Marketing, and Analytics teams.

  • Communication & Presentation: Excellent English communication skills for moderating sessions, presenting findings, and evangelizing research across the organization.

  • Ethical Research Practices: Commitment to high research quality, structured methodology, predictable timelines, and ethical participant engagement.

  • Logistics Management: Proficiency in using recruiting platforms and managing all research logistics independently (access, scheduling, confirmations, tool setup).

Preferred Skills:

  • NN/g certifications.

  • Academic/scientific research background (graduate/PhD track).

  • Experience with analytics tools such as PostHog or Tableau.

  • Familiarity with insights repository tools like Productboard.

  • Experience in mentoring or teaching research craft through workshops or onboarding.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on AI tools is a critical requirement, indicating that candidates must already be proficient users. The "research radar" responsibility implies a need for proactive curiosity and continuous learning about the UX and product landscape. The preference for academic/scientific backgrounds and NN/g certifications suggests a desire for rigorous, evidence-based research practices.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

  • Demonstrations of end-to-end UX research projects, clearly outlining the research problem, methodology, execution, key findings, and resulting product impact.

  • Case studies showcasing the ability to translate user needs and constraints into actionable product recommendations that influenced strategic decisions.

  • Examples of how qualitative and quantitative data were integrated to provide a holistic understanding of user behavior and inform product roadmaps.

  • Evidence of building or scaling research processes, including examples of creating quality guardrails or enabling others to conduct research. Process Documentation:

  • Showcase the ability to define and document research methodologies clearly, ensuring reproducibility and methodological rigor.

  • Include examples of how research insights were synthesized and communicated to diverse stakeholders (e.g., Product Managers, Designers, Engineers) to drive action.

  • Highlight experience in managing research operations and logistics efficiently, demonstrating self-sufficiency in participant recruitment and tool setup.

  • Provide examples of how AI tools were integrated into the research workflow to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's dual focus on execution and practice-building, portfolios should ideally showcase both impactful individual research projects and examples of process improvement or enablement. The emphasis on AI integration means portfolio pieces should ideally highlight how AI tools were leveraged.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

  • 351,500 - 445,000 Serbian dinars (RSD) gross per year.

  • Final compensation will be determined by relevant experience, skills, qualifications, alignment with role requirements, and location. Benefits:

  • Private medical insurance for the employee and their family.

  • 20 paid vacation days per year.

  • 15 paid public holidays per year.

  • 5 company-paid sick leave days.

  • English learning courses.

  • Relevant professional education opportunities.

  • Access to gym or swimming pool facilities.

  • Home Office Setup Assistance: support for purchasing furniture (office chair, desk, monitor) and other workspace items.

  • Co-working space access.

  • Fully remote working arrangement. Working Hours:

  • Estimated 40 hours per week, aligning with typical full-time employment. Flexibility may be available given the remote nature, but core collaboration hours will likely be expected.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary is provided in Serbian Dinars (RSD) gross. For candidates outside Serbia, converting this to their local currency and considering purchasing power parity and local market rates for UX Researchers with 5-10 years of experience is crucial for accurate compensation assessment. The benefits package is comprehensive, with a strong emphasis on remote work support and professional development.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, specifically focused on the nonprofit fundraising sector. Fundraise Up provides a global fundraising platform that aims to make donations fast, seamless, and accessible.

Company Size: 160+ product professionals (distributed team). This indicates a growing, established company with a significant product focus.

Founded: While the founding date is not explicitly stated, the company's description suggests a mature product with a global presence, serving major nonprofits.

Team Structure:

  • The UX Researcher will be part of the Design team, working within a larger distributed Product team of 160+ professionals.

  • The role is the "dedicated UX Research expert within the Research Team," collaborating closely with Product Managers, Designers, and Product Analytics.

  • Other researchers (Product and Marketing) will support specific projects, indicating a collaborative research environment. Methodology:

  • Fundraise Up emphasizes innovation that directly impacts results, focusing on speed, conversion rates, global support, and accessibility.

  • The company operates with a "flat structure: no politics, just great work with great people," valuing thoughtful collaboration and strong engineering/product practices.

  • AI is a "default tool, not an experimental one," indicating a strong integration of AI into daily workflows across functions.

Company Website: https://fundraiseup.com/careers/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on the nonprofit sector implies a mission-driven culture. The emphasis on a flat structure and collaborative environment suggests that individuals who can work autonomously yet effectively within a team will thrive. The explicit mention of AI as a default tool is a significant cultural and operational differentiator.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This UX Researcher role is positioned at a mid-to-senior level, requiring significant autonomy and expertise. It involves not only executing research but also building and formalizing the UX Research practice. This dual responsibility offers substantial growth potential in leadership and strategic influence.

Reporting Structure:

  • The UX Researcher will report within the Design team structure and work closely with Product, Marketing, and Analytics. The specific reporting manager is not detailed but likely a Design Lead or Head of Product/Design.

  • Collaboration is key, with support from Product and Marketing Researchers on specific projects. Operations Impact:

  • UX research directly informs product strategy and decision-making, impacting the effectiveness of Fundraise Up's platform for nonprofits and donors.

  • By ensuring user needs are represented, the researcher helps drive higher conversion rates, improved user experience, and ultimately, greater donation impact for clients.

  • The role contributes to the company's reputation for quality and innovation, as evidenced by their high ratings on software review platforms. Growth Opportunities:

  • Practice Leadership: Opportunity to build and scale the UX Research function, defining processes, best practices, and mentorship frameworks.

  • Strategic Influence: Directly shape product strategy through high-impact, ambiguous research initiatives.

  • Skill Development: Deepen expertise in advanced research methodologies, including AI-enabled techniques, and potentially gain experience in mentoring and teaching research craft.

  • Industry Expertise: Develop specialized knowledge within the nonprofit technology and fundraising space.

  • Cross-Functional Exposure: Gain extensive experience collaborating with Product, Design, Analytics, Sales, and CS teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth trajectory for this role is significant, moving beyond individual contributor to a practice builder and strategic advisor. The emphasis on AI also presents an opportunity to become a thought leader in AI-augmented UX research.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. This allows for flexibility and access to a global talent pool.

Office Location(s): Serbia - Remote. While the role is remote, the salary and some benefits (like co-working access) are tied to this location.

Workspace Context:

  • The company provides assistance for home office setup, including furniture and equipment, ensuring a comfortable and productive remote workspace.

  • Access to co-working spaces is also offered, providing an alternative work environment if desired.

  • The culture values thoughtful collaboration, suggesting that even in a remote setting, there are opportunities for team interaction and knowledge sharing. Work Schedule:

  • Standard full-time hours (estimated 40 hours/week) are expected, but the remote nature likely offers some flexibility in daily scheduling.

  • Collaboration with teams across different time zones (Spain, Poland, Portugal, Georgia, Armenia, Serbia, Turkey, Cyprus) may require occasional adjustments to working hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote setup is well-supported with home office assistance and co-working options. The primary consideration for remote work will be managing time zones for effective collaboration with distributed teams.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

  • Initial Screening: Likely a recruiter screen to assess basic qualifications, language proficiency, and cultural fit.

  • Hiring Manager Interview: A deeper dive into experience, research philosophy, and approach to practice building. Expect questions about handling ambiguity and leading initiatives.

  • Portfolio Review / Case Study Presentation: A session where candidates present 1-2 key research projects, demonstrating their methodology, findings, and impact. This is where you'll showcase your ability to articulate complex research clearly and persuasively. Be prepared to discuss how you used AI tools.

  • Team Collaboration Interview: Potentially an interview with cross-functional team members (Product, Analytics, Design) to assess collaboration style and ability to integrate research into product workflows.

  • Final Interview: Likely with senior leadership to confirm fit and discuss the strategic vision for the UX Research function.

Portfolio Review Tips:

  • Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 projects that best demonstrate end-to-end ownership, impact, and your ability to handle complex/ambiguous problems.

Include examples of both B2B and B2C if possible.

  • Structure for Impact: For each project, clearly outline:

    • The Business/Product Problem
    • Your Research Questions/Hypotheses
    • Methodology (and why you chose it)
    • Recruitment & Logistics (highlighting your independence)
    • Key Findings (synthesized clearly)
    • Recommendations & Impact (quantify if possible, show how it influenced decisions)
    • Your Role & Contribution (especially how you used AI tools)
  • Highlight AI Integration: Explicitly detail how AI tools were used to streamline operations, enhance analysis, or improve synthesis. Be ready to discuss the benefits and any limitations encountered.

  • Showcase Practice Building: If you have experience establishing processes, mentoring others, or creating research frameworks, include examples or discuss your approach.

  • Practice Your Narrative: Be prepared to talk through your portfolio confidently and answer questions about your decision-making process.

Challenge Preparation:

  • Fundraise Up emphasizes AI integration. Be prepared for potential questions about your experience using AI in UX research or a hypothetical scenario where you'd apply AI tools to a given problem.

  • Think about how you would build a UX Research practice from the ground up, considering scalability, quality control, and designer enablement.

  • Prepare examples of how you've collaborated with Product Analytics to connect quantitative and qualitative data.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is likely to be rigorous, with a strong emphasis on practical application, strategic thinking, and the ability to integrate AI into research workflows. The portfolio review is a critical component, requiring candidates to showcase not just research skills but also their ability to drive impact and build processes.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

  • AI Tools: Explicitly mentioned as a default. Candidates are expected to be proficient users of AI for research operations, analysis, and synthesis. Examples include Claude (mentioned as provided by the company) and other AI-powered research assistants.

  • Recruiting Platforms: Used independently for participant scheduling and confirmations.

  • Research Tools: A variety of tools will be used for interviews, usability testing (moderated/unmoderated), surveys, and data analysis. Specific tools are not listed but expect standard industry software.

Analytics & Reporting:

  • Product Analytics: Close collaboration with Product Analytics teams is expected.

  • Potential Tools: PostHog / Tableau (or similar analytics tools) are listed as strong pluses, indicating familiarity with data analysis and visualization platforms is highly valued.

CRM & Automation:

  • Insights Repository: Productboard (or other insights repository tools) is listed as a strong plus, suggesting experience in managing and organizing research findings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit emphasis on AI tools is paramount. Candidates should be ready to discuss their current AI tool stack and how they leverage AI in their research process. Familiarity with analytics and insights management tools is also a significant advantage.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

  • User-Centricity: A core value is ensuring user needs and constraints are represented in all product decisions, acting as the "user's best friend."

  • Impact-Driven: Focus on innovation that directly impacts results, such as faster load times and higher conversion rates.

  • Collaboration: Thoughtful collaboration is highly valued, with an expectation of working closely with Product, Design, and Analytics teams.

  • Efficiency & Pragmatism: Building a "pragmatic" research process and using AI to "speed up ops" highlights a value for efficient, effective workflows.

  • Continuous Learning: The "research radar" and AI as a default tool indicate a culture that embraces evolving tools and methodologies.

  • High Trust & Transparency: The company culture is described as transparent, sharing growth metrics and future plans, fostering a high-trust environment.

Collaboration Style:

  • Cross-Functional Integration: Expect to work closely with Product Managers, Designers, and Product Analysts, integrating research insights into their workflows.

  • Proactive Engagement: The role requires actively engaging with Sales, CS, Support, and Marketing to gather input and drive research initiatives.

  • Mentorship & Enablement: A key aspect involves coaching designers and building a scalable research practice, suggesting a collaborative and supportive approach to knowledge sharing.

  • Remote Collaboration: Given the distributed nature, strong asynchronous communication skills and effective use of collaboration tools are essential.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's values strongly align with modern, agile product development environments, with a particular emphasis on leveraging technology (AI) and fostering a collaborative, transparent culture. The "flat structure" suggests an environment where contributions are recognized regardless of hierarchy.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

  • Building a New Practice: Establishing and scaling a UX Research practice within the Design team requires navigating potential resistance, defining processes, and demonstrating value consistently.

  • Ambiguous Research: Leading "complex, ambiguous, high-impact UX research" means tackling undefined problems and requiring strong strategic thinking to frame research questions.

  • Balancing Depth and Breadth: As the sole dedicated UX Researcher, managing multiple projects across different product areas while also building the practice will be demanding.

  • AI Integration at Scale: Effectively integrating AI tools into daily workflows requires continuous learning, experimentation, and ensuring methodological rigor is maintained.

  • Remote Collaboration: Maintaining strong team cohesion and effective communication in a fully distributed environment can be challenging.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

  • UX Research Leadership: Opportunity to define and lead the UX Research function, developing strategic planning and practice management skills.

  • AI in Research Specialization: Become an expert in leveraging AI for UX research, potentially becoming a go-to person for AI-driven insights.

  • Cross-Functional Expertise: Gain deep understanding of product development, analytics, and go-to-market strategies within the nonprofit tech sector.

  • Mentorship and Coaching: Develop skills in teaching, mentoring, and enabling other team members in research methodologies.

  • Industry Immersion: Deepen knowledge of the nonprofit sector and fundraising technology.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant opportunities for professional development, particularly in areas of practice building, AI application, and strategic product influence. The challenges are substantial but come with commensurate growth potential.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

  • "How would you approach building a scalable UX Research practice within a Design team that currently conducts research ad-hoc?" (Focus on process, enablement, quality guardrails, and AI integration).

  • "Describe a time you led a complex, ambiguous research project from start to finish. What was the challenge, how did you define the problem, and what was the impact?" (Prepare a case study showcasing your end-to-end ownership and strategic thinking).

  • "How do you balance the need for rigorous research methodology with tight project timelines and business goals? Provide an example." (Showcase your ability to be pragmatic and efficient).

  • "How have you used AI tools to improve your UX research process? What are the benefits and limitations you've observed?" (Be ready to discuss specific AI tools and applications).

  • "Imagine you've gathered conflicting qualitative and quantitative data. How would you reconcile these findings and present them to a Product Manager?" (Demonstrate your ability to synthesize and communicate complex data). Company & Culture Questions:

  • "What interests you about working in the nonprofit technology sector with Fundraise Up?" (Research their mission and impact).

  • "How do you see yourself contributing to a 'flat structure' and a culture of thoughtful collaboration?" (Emphasize teamwork, transparency, and constructive feedback).

  • "What are your expectations for working in a fully remote environment?" (Highlight your self-discipline, communication skills, and experience with remote tools).

  • "How do you stay current with the latest UX research trends and AI advancements?" (Discuss your "research radar" approach). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

  • Tell a Story: Structure your case studies as narratives, highlighting the problem, your journey, the insights, and the resolution/impact.

  • Focus on "Why": Clearly articulate why you chose specific methodologies, why certain insights were critical, and why your recommendations were important.

  • Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the impact of your research on product decisions and business outcomes.

  • Showcase Collaboration: Highlight how you worked with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.

  • Demonstrate AI Use: Explicitly point out where AI tools were leveraged and the value they added.

  • Be Prepared for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your decisions, alternative approaches, and the challenges you faced.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interviews will likely probe both research craft and strategic thinking, with a significant focus on how candidates leverage AI and build research capabilities. The portfolio presentation is a key opportunity to showcase these skills.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Researcher position:

  • Submit your application through the provided link on the Fundraise Up careers page.

  • Tailor Your Resume: Highlight experience with end-to-end UX research, B2B/B2C product environments, AI tool utilization, and practice-building initiatives. Use keywords from the job description.

  • Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 impactful UX research projects that demonstrate your skills in methodology selection, data synthesis, stakeholder collaboration, and driving product decisions. Explicitly detail your use of AI tools within these projects.

  • Prepare for Case Studies: Practice presenting your portfolio projects, focusing on clear storytelling, impact quantification, and articulating your strategic thinking. Be ready to discuss how you would approach building a UX Research practice.

  • Research Fundraise Up: Understand their mission, product, and values. Prepare thoughtful questions about the company, the team, and the future of UX Research at Fundraise Up.

⚠️ 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.

Application Requirements

The role requires proven experience in end-to-end UX research across B2B and B2C products with a high bar for methodological rigor. Candidates must be fluent in English and proficient in using AI tools to enhance research operations and synthesis.