UX Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Researcher

Company: Prosper

Location: San Francisco, CA

Job Type: Full-Time Employee

Category: User Experience Research / Product Operations

Date Posted: April 18, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead user research initiatives to uncover deep user insights, informing product strategy and driving meaningful product improvements within a leading fintech organization.

• Execute a comprehensive range of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, ensuring data-driven decision-making across product development lifecycles.

• Translate complex research findings into actionable recommendations and compelling narratives for diverse stakeholders, including executive leadership and cross-functional teams.

• Champion user-centered design principles throughout the organization, advocating for user needs in strategic planning and prioritization discussions to ensure product-market fit.

• Collaborate closely with product management, design, engineering, marketing, and analytics teams to integrate user insights and create cohesive, impactful user experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "UX Researcher," the responsibilities and emphasis on cross-functional collaboration, driving product improvements, and advocating for user needs within a business context suggest a strong connection to Product Operations and GTM strategy. The role requires not just research execution but also strategic thinking and influence, positioning it as a critical function supporting product-market alignment.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and execute a wide spectrum of research methodologies, including in-depth qualitative interviews, rigorous usability testing, contextual inquiries, user journey mapping, comprehensive surveys, and quantitative benchmarking studies to gather robust user insights.

• Develop and implement detailed research plans for complex, multi-faceted projects within a dynamic and fast-paced agile environment, ensuring timely and relevant data collection.

• Regularly present key research findings, strategic insights, and user advocacy points at high-visibility forums such as company Town Halls and All-Tech meetings, influencing organizational direction.

• Synthesize complex qualitative and quantitative data into clear, concise, and actionable insights, effectively communicating these findings and their strategic implications to diverse stakeholders across the organization.

• Foster strong, collaborative partnerships with product managers, designers, marketing specialists, and engineering teams to embed user insights throughout the entire product development lifecycle, from ideation to iteration.

• Proactively build and maintain a centralized research repository, ensuring that valuable insights are accessible, searchable, and actionable for the broader organization, thereby democratizing user understanding.

• Partner closely with data analytics teams to triangulate qualitative research findings with quantitative behavioral data, creating a holistic and comprehensive understanding of user needs, motivations, and pain points.

• Identify and champion proactive research opportunities that can significantly enhance product strategy, uncover unmet user needs, and drive competitive advantage in the fintech market.

• Act as a vocal advocate for user needs and perspectives in all strategic planning, product prioritization, and roadmap development discussions, ensuring that user-centricity remains paramount.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on presenting at Town Halls and All-Tech meetings, synthesizing findings into actionable insights for stakeholders, and partnering with analytics teams indicates a role that requires strong communication, strategic thinking, and data integration skills beyond typical UX research. This role is expected to influence product strategy and business decisions.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Statistics, Economics, Psychology, Anthropology, Cognitive Science, or a closely related field.

Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of dedicated UX Research experience, encompassing the full research lifecycle from planning and execution to insight synthesis and strategic recommendation.

• Alternatively, a Master's degree in a relevant field combined with 3+ years of progressive UX Research experience.

Required Skills:

• Mastery of diverse research methodologies, including qualitative interviews, usability testing, contextual inquiry, journey mapping, surveys, and quantitative benchmarking, with a keen understanding of when and how to apply them effectively.

• Proven ability to design and implement comprehensive research plans for complex, ambiguous problems in a fast-paced, iterative environment.

• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with a demonstrated ability to translate intricate research findings into compelling, data-backed stories and actionable recommendations for diverse audiences.

• Strong cross-functional partnership and collaboration skills, with the ability to build consensus and influence stakeholders across design, product, engineering, and marketing.

• Experience managing research operations, including participant recruitment, scheduling, and potentially utilizing self-serve recruitment platforms.

• Proficiency in working within agile development frameworks, adapting research approaches to support rapid iteration and continuous product improvement.

• Ability to effectively balance long-term strategic research initiatives with immediate tactical research needs to support ongoing product development.

Preferred Skills:

• Prior work experience within the financial services or fintech industry, demonstrating an understanding of the unique user needs and regulatory landscape.

• Hands-on experience with research repository tools such as Dovetail, for organizing and disseminating research insights.

• Familiarity with participant recruitment platforms and best practices for sourcing relevant user groups.

• Proficiency with analytics software, including but not limited to Heap, Posthog, or similar platforms, to complement qualitative findings with behavioral data.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 5+ years of experience (or 3+ with a Master's) positions this as a mid-to-senior level role. The preference for financial services experience and specific tool mentions like Dovetail, Heap, and Posthog are critical for candidates to highlight. The mention of "ResearchOps" and "self-serve recruitment" suggests a need for candidates who can contribute to operational efficiency within the research function.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 comprehensive UX research case studies that clearly demonstrate your end-to-end research process, from defining research objectives to delivering actionable insights and their subsequent impact.

• For each case study, clearly articulate the problem statement, the research questions, the methodologies employed, the research execution details, and the synthesized findings.

• Quantify the impact of your research whenever possible, detailing how your insights influenced product decisions, improved key user metrics (e.g., conversion rates, task completion, user satisfaction), or mitigated product risks.

• Include examples of how you have communicated research findings to diverse stakeholders, such as executive summaries, presentation decks, or interactive reports.

Process Documentation:

• Demonstrate experience in documenting research processes, including research plan templates, consent forms, interview scripts, and debriefing questionnaires.

• Provide examples of how you have contributed to or managed a research repository, showcasing your understanding of knowledge management and insight sharing.

• Illustrate your ability to adapt research methodologies to fit different product development stages and constraints, showcasing flexibility in process application.

• Show evidence of how you have integrated qualitative insights with quantitative data, potentially through shared dashboards or integrated reporting mechanisms.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a UX Researcher role, a robust portfolio is critical. The emphasis should be on demonstrating the impact of research, not just the execution. Candidates should prepare case studies that clearly show how their work led to tangible product improvements and business outcomes, ideally with quantifiable results. Demonstrating experience with ResearchOps and knowledge management is also a key differentiator.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $145,000 - $181,000 annually.

Explanation for Estimate: This range is based on industry benchmarks for experienced UX Researchers in San Francisco, CA, a high cost-of-living area, with a specific focus on the fintech sector. Prosper's stated salary range aligns with senior-level UX Researcher positions in major tech hubs, reflecting the required experience and the strategic nature of the role. Factors such as candidate experience, location within the Bay Area, and specific skill alignment will influence the final offer.

Benefits:

• Flexible Time Off: Encourages work-life balance and allows employees to take time off as needed.

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Includes medical, dental, and vision insurance plans to support employee well-being.

• Paid Parental Leave: Provides financial and job security for new parents.

• Wellness Benefits: A broad category that may include gym memberships, mental health resources, or wellness stipends.

• Udemy Access: Offers continuous learning and professional development opportunities through online courses.

• Childcare Assistance: Financial support or resources to help employees manage childcare responsibilities.

• Pet Insurance Discounts: Provides discounted rates on insurance for employees' pets.

• Legal Assistance: Access to legal services or discounted legal advice.

• Perkspot Discounts: Offers a wide range of discounts on various goods and services.

• Bonus Potential: In addition to base salary, employees are eligible for a bonus, reflecting performance-based incentives.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week. The hybrid work arrangement allows for flexibility in scheduling, balancing in-office collaboration with remote work, which is beneficial for focused research tasks and cross-functional alignment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is explicitly provided. The benefits package is quite comprehensive, including unique perks like Udemy access, childcare assistance, and pet insurance, which can be attractive selling points for candidates. The hybrid arrangement implies a need for strong self-management and communication skills to maintain productivity and collaboration.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Fintech (Financial Technology). Prosper operates in the peer-to-peer lending and personal finance sector, leveraging technology to democratize access to financial products like personal loans, home equity loans, and credit cards. This industry is characterized by rapid innovation, a strong focus on data security, regulatory compliance, and the imperative to build trust with users.

Company Size: Prosper is a mid-sized company, likely employing between 200-500 individuals based on typical industry structures for established fintechs. This size offers a balance: large enough to have structured processes and resources, yet small enough for individuals to make a significant impact and navigate across teams more easily.

Founded: 2005. With nearly two decades of history, Prosper is an established player in the fintech space, having pioneered peer-to-peer lending in the U.S. This longevity suggests a stable company with a proven business model, but also one that needs to remain agile and innovative to compete in the evolving financial landscape.

Team Structure:

• The UX Researcher will be part of the Product organization, working closely with Product Management, Design, and Engineering.

• The research function may be embedded within product teams or operate as a centralized shared service, depending on the exact structure. Collaboration with analytics teams is explicitly mentioned, indicating a strong data-informed culture.

Methodology:

• Data Analysis and Insights Methods: Prosper emphasizes a data-driven approach, combining qualitative user insights with quantitative metrics from analytics tools (Heap, Posthog) to form a holistic view of user behavior.

• Workflow Planning and Optimization Strategies: The company operates in an agile environment, necessitating research methodologies that can support rapid iteration and continuous improvement of products.

• Automation and Efficiency Practices: While not explicitly stated for this role, the fintech industry generally benefits from automation in processes to ensure scalability and efficiency, particularly in areas like data processing, reporting, and potentially elements of ResearchOps.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's founding in 2005 and its role as a pioneer in P2P lending provide a strong narrative of stability and innovation. The fintech industry context is crucial, implying a need for UX research that understands financial literacy, security concerns, and regulatory compliance. The hybrid work arrangement and collaborative team structure suggest a modern, adaptable workplace.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Senior UX Researcher. The required 5+ years of experience, the expectation to lead research initiatives, design comprehensive plans for complex projects, and present at high-level meetings all point to a senior contributor level. The "UX Researcher" title, combined with the influence on product strategy and cross-functional collaboration, also touches upon aspects of Product Operations, where researchers often bridge the gap between user needs and business objectives.

Reporting Structure: The UX Researcher likely reports to a UX Research Manager, Director of UX, or Head of Product. They will collaborate heavily with Product Managers, Designers, Engineers, and Data Analysts within specific product pods or squads. This structure allows for deep dives into product areas while maintaining broad organizational impact.

Operations Impact: The UX Researcher's impact is central to Prosper's mission of advancing financial well-being. By ensuring products are user-centered, intuitive, and address real needs, the researcher directly influences customer acquisition, retention, satisfaction, and ultimately, the company's revenue and market position. Their work informs product-market fit, feature prioritization, and the overall user experience, which are critical drivers of success in the competitive fintech landscape.

Growth Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specialized research methodologies, contribute to ResearchOps maturity, and potentially mentor junior researchers. There's also a chance to expand into product strategy consulting or user research leadership.

• Industry & Domain Specialization: Developing deep expertise in financial services and fintech user needs, regulations, and market dynamics, becoming a go-to subject matter expert within Prosper.

• Leadership Potential: With demonstrated impact and strategic influence, there's a clear path to senior leadership roles within UX Research, Product Management, or even cross-functional GTM roles that leverage deep user understanding.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior UX Researcher" designation implies a level of autonomy and strategic responsibility. The growth opportunities highlight the potential for career development beyond pure research, potentially into areas like product strategy, operations management, or leadership. The connection to Product Operations is reinforced by the impact on business outcomes and strategic planning.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Prosper operates a Hybrid work environment. This typically means employees are expected to spend a portion of their week in the San Francisco office, facilitating in-person collaboration, team building, and access to office resources, while also allowing for remote work days for focused tasks and flexibility.

Office Location(s): The primary office is located in San Francisco, CA. This location offers access to a vibrant tech ecosystem, talent pool, and public transportation. Specific details about office amenities, accessibility, and neighborhood context would be available during the interview process.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model is designed to foster both focused individual work and dynamic team collaboration, with office days likely dedicated to meetings, workshops, and brainstorming sessions.

• Operations Tools and Technology: Employees will have access to standard workplace technology, including robust internet connectivity, collaborative software platforms, and potentially specialized hardware for research activities (e.g., testing labs, recording equipment). The company also provides access to specific research and analytics tools mentioned in the requirements.

• Operations Team Interaction: Regular opportunities for interaction with the broader product, design, engineering, and analytics teams through planned meetings, informal check-ins, and cross-functional project work.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is 40 hours per week. The hybrid arrangement offers flexibility in managing work hours and location, allowing researchers to optimize their productivity for different types of tasks, such as deep analysis or collaborative sessions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the work environment is a key factor. Candidates should be comfortable with a mix of remote and in-office work and possess strong communication and organizational skills to thrive in such a setting. The San Francisco location places Prosper within a competitive talent market but also offers access to industry events and a rich professional network.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review your application and resume, looking for alignment with the core requirements and experience.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion focused on your background, experience, and specific examples of your UX research work, assessing your fit for the role and team.

• Portfolio Review & Presentation: You will likely be asked to present several key case studies from your portfolio, detailing your methodology, process, findings, and the impact of your research. This is a critical stage to demonstrate your strategic thinking and communication skills.

• Skills-Based Assessment/Case Study: A practical exercise or case study designed to evaluate your research planning, synthesis, and problem-solving abilities. This might involve analyzing a given scenario or designing a research plan.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with potential collaborators from design, product management, engineering, and analytics teams to assess your collaboration style and ability to integrate into the existing team dynamics.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader, focusing on strategic thinking, cultural fit, and long-term career aspirations.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 diverse case studies that showcase your breadth of experience (different methodologies, project types, industries if possible) and depth of impact.

• Focus on Impact and ROI: Clearly articulate the business problem, your research approach, the key insights, and most importantly, the tangible outcomes your research achieved (e.g., improved conversion rates by X%, reduced task completion time by Y%, informed a strategic pivot that saved Z development costs).

• Tell a Story: Structure each case study as a narrative with a clear beginning (problem), middle (process/discovery), and end (solution/impact).

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your methodology choices, how you handled challenges, and how you communicated your findings.

• Highlight Collaboration: Showcase instances where your research facilitated effective collaboration and decision-making among cross-functional teams.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Business Context: Research Prosper's products, target audience, and competitive landscape. Think about potential user challenges and opportunities within their fintech offerings.

• Practice Research Planning: Be ready to outline a research plan for a hypothetical product or feature, including defining objectives, selecting appropriate methods, identifying target participants, and outlining a timeline.

• Synthesize and Recommend: Practice synthesizing qualitative and quantitative data into actionable insights and formulating strategic recommendations.

• Communicate Clearly: Rehearse explaining complex concepts and research findings concisely and clearly, tailoring your message to different stakeholder perspectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a UX Researcher at this level is rigorous. Candidates must be prepared to present a strong portfolio that highlights measurable impact. The emphasis on cross-functional interviews suggests that collaboration and communication skills are as important as research expertise.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Research Repository Tools: Experience with platforms like Dovetail is preferred for organizing, synthesizing, and sharing research insights across the organization. Proficiency in managing and leveraging such tools is key.

• Participant Recruitment Platforms: Familiarity with tools and best practices for sourcing and recruiting research participants efficiently and ethically.

• Prototyping & Design Tools (Indirectly): While not a design role, understanding and potentially interacting with tools like Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD used by the design team can facilitate collaboration.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Quantitative Analytics Software: Proficiency with tools like Heap, Posthog, or similar product analytics platforms is preferred. This enables the researcher to combine qualitative insights with behavioral data for a comprehensive user understanding.

• Data Visualization Tools: Experience with tools like Tableau, Looker, or Power BI can be beneficial for analyzing and presenting quantitative data alongside qualitative findings.

• Survey Platforms: Expertise in using survey tools such as SurveyMonkey, Typeform, or Qualtrics for quantitative data collection.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems (Indirectly): While not directly managing a CRM, understanding how user data is captured and utilized within systems like Salesforce (if applicable) can provide context for user segmentation and behavior analysis.

• Collaboration & Project Management Tools: Proficiency with tools like Jira, Asana, or Trello for managing research projects and collaborating with agile teams.

• Communication Platforms: Expertise in using tools like Slack and Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides) for daily communication, documentation, and presentations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Dovetail, Heap, and Posthog are crucial keywords. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience with these or similar tools. The ability to integrate qualitative findings with quantitative data from analytics platforms is a significant requirement, highlighting the role's data-informed approach.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Diversity Expands Opportunities: Prosper values diverse perspectives and backgrounds, recognizing that they lead to broader understanding and better solutions. This translates to inclusive research practices and consideration of varied user segments.

• Collaboration Creates Better Solutions: The company emphasizes teamwork and cross-functional synergy. For a UX Researcher, this means actively engaging with other departments, sharing insights openly, and working together to solve problems.

• Curiosity Fuels Innovation: A culture that encourages asking questions, exploring new ideas, and continuous learning is vital. This aligns perfectly with the inquisitive nature of UX research.

• Integrity Defines All Our Relationships: Honesty, transparency, and ethical conduct are paramount, especially in the financial services industry. This applies to how research is conducted, how data is handled, and how findings are communicated.

• Excellence Leads to Longevity: A commitment to high standards in all aspects of work, driving quality outcomes and sustainable business growth. In research, this means rigorous methodology and impactful insights.

• Simplicity Guides Our User Experience: A focus on creating intuitive, user-friendly products. Research plays a key role in identifying areas for simplification and ensuring clarity in user interactions.

• Accountability at All Levels Drives Results: Taking ownership of tasks and outcomes. Researchers are expected to be accountable for the quality and impact of their work, driving results through user-centered insights.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Operations Integration: The UX Researcher is expected to be a key collaborator, seamlessly integrating research insights into the workflows of product, design, engineering, and marketing teams. This involves proactive communication and tailoring insights for different audiences.

• Process Review Culture: An environment where research methodologies and findings are openly discussed, critiqued constructively, and refined. Feedback loops are encouraged to improve both research processes and product outcomes.

• Knowledge Sharing Practices: A culture that promotes sharing of research insights, best practices, and learnings across the organization, likely facilitated by the research repository.

📝 Enhancement Note: Prosper's values are strongly aligned with a user-centric, collaborative, and ethical approach to product development. The emphasis on "Simplicity" in user experience is a key guiding principle that UX research will directly support. Candidates should be able to articulate how their work and approach embody these values.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Strategic and Tactical Research: Effectively managing competing demands between long-term strategic research initiatives and urgent, tactical research needs required to support rapid product iterations.

• Integrating Qualitative and Quantitative Data: Developing robust methods to synthesize and present findings from diverse data sources (interviews, surveys, analytics) into a cohesive and actionable narrative.

• Driving Organizational Change: Advocating for user needs and research insights in a way that influences product strategy and decision-making across various departments, potentially overcoming resistance to change.

• ResearchOps Efficiency: Contributing to the operational maturity of the research function, potentially managing parts of the research pipeline, participant recruitment, and knowledge management to improve efficiency and scalability.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Opportunities to gain deeper expertise in advanced research methodologies, learn new analytics tools, and contribute to the strategic development of ResearchOps at Prosper.

• Industry Conference and Certification Participation: Support for attending relevant UX research conferences (e.g., UXPA, CHI) and pursuing certifications to stay abreast of industry best practices and expand professional networks.

• Operations Mentorship and Leadership: Potential for mentorship from senior leaders within product or design, and opportunities to develop leadership skills by guiding research projects or mentoring junior team members as the research function grows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the dynamic nature of the role, requiring adaptability and strong problem-solving skills. The growth opportunities are well-defined, offering clear paths for professional development and career advancement within the operations and research domains.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex product problem you tackled with UX research. What was your approach, what were the key findings, and how did your research directly influence the product strategy and outcome?" (Focus on methodology, impact, and strategic thinking).

• "How do you prioritize research requests when multiple stakeholders have urgent needs? Describe a time you had to say 'no' or negotiate scope." (Assess prioritization, stakeholder management, and negotiation skills).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on your understanding of Prosper's mission and values, how would your UX research approach specifically contribute to advancing financial well-being for our users?" (Assess alignment with company mission and values).

• "Describe your experience working in an agile environment. How have you adapted your research process to support rapid iteration and continuous development?" (Evaluate adaptability and agile experience).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: For each case study, clearly define: The Business Problem/Opportunity, Your Research Questions, Your Methodology & Process, Key Findings, Actionable Recommendations, and The Impact/Outcome (quantified where possible).

• Visual Storytelling: Use visuals (e.g., user journey maps, personas, key quotes, redacted UI examples) to make your findings engaging and memorable.

• Focus on 'Why' and 'So What': Explain not just what you did and found, but why you chose certain methods and so what the implications are for the business and users.

• Be Ready for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your decision-making process, challenges encountered, and how you would handle similar situations in the future.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on showcasing a blend of research expertise, strategic thinking, collaborative capabilities, and a deep understanding of how research drives business value. Candidates should prepare concrete examples that align with Prosper's values and industry.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link on jobs.lever.co.

• Craft a targeted resume: Highlight your experience with diverse research methodologies, impact on product decisions, and relevant tools (Dovetail, Heap, Posthog). Quantify achievements whenever possible (e.g., "Improved user satisfaction by 15%," "Influenced product roadmap leading to a 10% increase in feature adoption").

• Curate a compelling portfolio: Select 3-5 strong UX research case studies that demonstrate your end-to-end process, ability to synthesize complex data, and tangible impact on product development and business outcomes. Ensure clear articulation of the problem, your approach, findings, recommendations, and results.

• Prepare your portfolio presentation: Practice presenting your case studies concisely and impactfully, focusing on the strategic value of your research and your collaborative approach. Be ready to discuss your methodology choices and answer in-depth questions.

• Research Prosper: Understand their mission, products, values, and recent news. Consider potential user challenges within their fintech offerings and how your research skills can address them. Tailor your application and interview responses to demonstrate this understanding and cultural fit.

⚠️ 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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