Ux Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Researcher

Company: TEKsystems

Location: Dearborn, Michigan, United States

Job Type: CONTRACTOR

Category: User Experience Research

Date Posted: 2026-07-24

Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years estimated)

Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days/week in office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Conduct in-depth qualitative research to understand user needs and pain points within the dealership and financial services (banking, loans) sectors.

• Perform usability testing and analyze behavioral data to identify areas for improvement in client offerings.

• Translate complex research findings into clear, actionable insights for stakeholders, focusing on simplifying information.

• Develop and update user personas and journey maps to reflect current user understanding and guide product development.

• Collaborate with business development managers and sales teams to gather insights and ensure alignment on user-centric strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is specifically focused on the financial services aspect of the automotive dealership space, requiring a researcher who can navigate both user experience principles and the intricacies of banking and loan products. The emphasis on simplifying complex findings suggests a need for strong communication and presentation skills, particularly in translating data into strategic recommendations.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and execute user research studies, including in-person and remote interviews with dealership staff, customers, business development managers, and sales teams.

• Conduct thorough usability testing sessions to evaluate the effectiveness and intuitiveness of current and proposed offerings.

• Analyze user behavior data and key metrics, such as Net Promoter Scores (NPS), to gauge customer satisfaction and identify trends.

• Synthesize qualitative and quantitative data to uncover user needs, motivations, and pain points related to banking and loan processes.

• Create and refine user personas and customer journey maps that accurately represent target users and their interactions with the client's financial products.

• Present research findings and recommendations to cross-functional teams and leadership in a clear, concise, and compelling manner.

• Contribute to the product development lifecycle by providing user-centric insights and advocating for user needs.

• Stay abreast of industry trends in UX research, financial services, and the automotive dealership sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the description mentions "analytics review" and "digging into analytics and behavior data tools," the primary emphasis is on qualitative research. The responsibilities lean heavily towards understanding the "why" behind user actions and simplifying those findings, rather than deep quantitative analysis.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Computer Science, Design, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. Experience:

• 2-5 years of experience in UX research, user research, or a similar role.

• Proven experience conducting qualitative research methodologies.

• Experience working with financial services or in the automotive industry is a strong plus. Required Skills:

• UX Research: Demonstrated expertise in planning, conducting, and analyzing user research studies.

• Qualitative Research: Proficiency in methods such as user interviews, contextual inquiry, diary studies, and ethnographic research.

• User Experience (UX): Strong understanding of UX principles and how to apply them to product design and improvement.

• User Research: Ability to recruit participants, design research protocols, and moderate research sessions effectively.

• Data Synthesis & Simplification: Proven ability to distill complex research data into simple, actionable insights.

• Persona & Journey Map Development: Experience creating and utilizing user personas and journey maps.

• Analytical Skills: Aptitude for reviewing and interpreting analytics and behavioral data.

• Communication & Presentation: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present findings to diverse audiences.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with specific behavior data tools and analytics platforms.

• Familiarity with banking and loan products within the automotive dealership context.

• Experience in remote user research methodologies.

• Knowledge of quantitative research methods.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "2-5 years" experience level is an inference based on the common progression for roles requiring the stated responsibilities and the emphasis on both foundational research skills and the ability to translate complex findings. The role requires a researcher who can operate semi-autonomously and deliver clear strategic value.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies: Showcase at least 2-3 detailed case studies demonstrating your end-to-end UX research process, from problem definition to actionable recommendations.

• Research Methodology: Clearly articulate the research methods used in each case study, explaining why specific approaches were chosen.

• Simplification of Findings: Include examples where you successfully translated complex research data into simple, easily understandable insights for stakeholders.

• Impact & Outcomes: Quantify the impact of your research where possible (e.g., improvements in user satisfaction, conversion rates, or usability metrics).

• Deliverables: Showcase examples of user personas, journey maps, and usability testing reports.

Process Documentation:

• Research Planning: Demonstrate your ability to create comprehensive research plans, including objectives, target participants, methodologies, and timelines.

• Data Analysis & Synthesis: Provide examples of how you analyze qualitative and quantitative data to identify key themes and insights.

• Reporting & Presentation: Include examples of well-structured research reports and engaging presentation decks tailored for different audiences (e.g., product managers, designers, executives).

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the emphasis on simplifying complex findings and updating personas/journey maps, a strong portfolio showcasing these specific skills will be crucial. The interviewer will likely want to see how candidates approach translating raw data into strategic, digestible information.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $55.00 - $60.00 per hour.

Benefits:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance

• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital insurance coverage

• 401(k) Retirement Plan with pre-tax and Roth post-tax contribution options

• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for employee and dependents)

• Short-term and long-term disability coverage

• Health Spending Account (HSA)

• Transportation benefits

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

• Paid Time Off (PTO), Vacation, or Sick Leave Working Hours:

• Standard 40 hours per week.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is provided directly in the job description. The benefits listed are typical for contract roles through TEKsystems, offering a comprehensive package. The "hybrid" work arrangement implies flexibility but requires in-office presence.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Staffing and IT Consulting Services (TEKsystems is a major player in this space, placing professionals in roles like this UX Researcher). The client they are placing this role for is in the financial services/automotive dealership sector.

Company Size: TEKsystems is a large global organization (80,000+ employees). The client company for this role is not specified but operates within the automotive dealership and financial services ecosystem.

Founded: TEKsystems was founded in 1983.

Team Structure:

• TEKsystems: Operates as a staffing and solutions provider, connecting talent with client organizations. This role is a direct placement by TEKsystems into one of their client's teams.

• Client Team: The UX Researcher will likely join a product development, design, or customer experience team within the client organization. This team will collaborate closely with product managers, designers, engineers, and business stakeholders in the financial services and dealership space. Reporting structure is likely to a UX Lead, Design Manager, or Product Manager.

Methodology:

• TEKsystems: Focuses on talent acquisition, workforce solutions, and IT services delivery.

• Client Team: Expected to employ agile methodologies, user-centered design principles, and data-driven decision-making for product improvement. Emphasis will be on iterative research, feedback loops, and translating qualitative insights into tangible product enhancements.

Company Website: https://careers.teksystems.com/us/en

📝 Enhancement Note: It's crucial to differentiate that TEKsystems is the staffing agency. The "company culture" and "team structure" described here refer to the client where the UX Researcher will be placed, as TEKsystems itself is a large service provider, not a direct product company for this role. The client's culture will be focused on improving financial offerings within the automotive dealership sector.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Mid-Level UX Researcher. This role requires a solid foundation in UX research methodologies and the ability to work independently on defined projects, with a focus on translating findings for strategic impact. It's not an entry-level position but also not yet senior leadership.

Reporting Structure:

• The researcher will report to a manager within the client organization's product, design, or customer experience department.

• They will likely collaborate closely with product managers, designers, engineers, business development managers, and sales teams. Operations Impact:

• The UX Researcher will directly influence the improvement of financial products and services offered by the client to automotive dealerships.

• Their insights will help shape product strategy, enhance user satisfaction, and potentially drive revenue growth by improving the effectiveness and appeal of banking and loan solutions.

• By simplifying complex findings, they enable better decision-making across various departments. Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in qualitative research, financial services UX, or specific analytical tools.

• Project Leadership: Potential to lead research initiatives for specific product features or areas.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gain experience working with diverse teams (product, engineering, sales, marketing) within the financial and automotive sectors.

• Advancement: Potential to move into Senior UX Researcher roles, UX Research Lead positions, or related product strategy roles within the client organization or through TEKsystems' network.

📝 Enhancement Note: As this is a contract role facilitated by TEKsystems, long-term career growth within the specific client company is dependent on conversion or future opportunities. However, the experience gained is highly valuable for future UX research roles. The "operations" context here refers to the operational improvement of financial products.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work arrangement. The role requires presence in the Dearborn, MI office 3 days per week, with the remaining 2 days being fully remote.

Office Location(s): Dearborn, Michigan.

Workspace Context:

• Collaboration: The in-office days are intended for collaborative work, team meetings, and direct interaction with colleagues and stakeholders. This allows for more dynamic brainstorming and feedback sessions.

• Tools & Technology: Access to standard office technology, collaboration software, and potentially specialized UX research tools as provided by the client.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities to engage with UX designers, product managers, and other team members to discuss research findings and product implications.

Work Schedule:

• Standard business hours, approximately 40 hours per week. The hybrid schedule allows for some flexibility in managing work-life balance while ensuring in-person collaboration when needed.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of this role is a key aspect, balancing the benefits of remote work with the necessity of in-person collaboration for a UX Researcher, especially when dealing with potentially sensitive financial product development and stakeholder alignment.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely conducted by TEKsystems to assess basic qualifications, experience, and fit for the contract role.

• Hiring Manager/Team Interview: A more in-depth interview with the client's hiring manager and potentially key team members (e.g., UX Lead, Product Manager). This will focus on research methodologies, problem-solving skills, and understanding of the dealership/financial space.

• Portfolio Review: A critical part of the interview process where candidates will present their UX research case studies. Focus will be on demonstrating research process, ability to simplify findings, and impact.

• Skills Assessment/Challenge: Potentially a small exercise or case study to assess your approach to a specific research problem or data interpretation.

• Final Interview: May involve a discussion with senior leadership to assess cultural fit and overall strategic thinking.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Prioritize Simplicity: Clearly articulate how you translated complex data into simple, actionable insights. Use visual aids effectively.

• Showcase Process: Walk through your end-to-end research process for each case study, explaining your rationale for methodology choices.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, highlight the positive outcomes of your research (e.g., improved user experience, informed product decisions, metric improvements).

• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize any experience in financial services, automotive, or qualitative research with a focus on user behavior and needs.

• Be Prepared: Practice presenting your portfolio concisely and engagingly, ready to answer detailed questions about your work.

Challenge Preparation:

• Analyze Data: Be ready to interpret sample user feedback, survey data, or analytics snippets.

• Problem-Solving: Prepare to discuss how you would approach a hypothetical research problem related to improving a dealership's banking or loan offering.

• Stakeholder Communication: Think about how you would communicate findings to different stakeholders (e.g., executives vs. designers).

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is paramount for this role. Candidates must demonstrate not just research skills but also the ability to make complex information digestible and impactful for business stakeholders.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• UX Research Platforms: Familiarity with tools for participant recruitment, scheduling, and remote moderation (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze).

• Qualitative Data Analysis Tools: Experience with tools that help organize, code, and synthesize qualitative data (e.g., Dovetail, NVivo, Condens).

• Collaboration & Prototyping: Proficiency in tools like Jira, Confluence, Miro, Figma, or similar for documentation, idea sharing, and working with design/product teams.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Behavioral Analytics Tools: Experience with tools like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or specialized product analytics platforms (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel) for reviewing user behavior data.

• Survey & Feedback Tools: Familiarity with platforms for collecting user feedback and satisfaction scores (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics, Typeform).

• Reporting & Dashboard Tools: Ability to use presentation software (PowerPoint, Google Slides) and potentially dashboard tools to visualize and communicate findings.

CRM & Automation:

• While not primary research tools, understanding of CRM systems (like Salesforce) and how customer data is managed can be beneficial for context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The description specifically mentions "digging into analytics and behavior data tools." While the role is qualitative-heavy, a researcher who can at least interpret basic behavioral data will have an advantage. The exact stack will depend on the client.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A strong commitment to understanding and advocating for the user's needs and experience.

• Data-Driven Decisions: Utilizing research insights and analytics to inform product strategy and development.

• Collaboration: Working effectively with cross-functional teams to achieve common goals.

• Simplicity & Clarity: The ability to distill complex information into clear, actionable takeaways.

• Continuous Improvement: A mindset focused on iterative refinement and ongoing optimization of products and processes.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The researcher will be expected to work closely with product managers, designers, engineers, business development, and sales teams, requiring strong interpersonal and communication skills.

• Feedback Exchange: An environment where constructive feedback is shared and incorporated into research and design processes.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture that encourages sharing research findings and insights across teams to foster a collective understanding of the user.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core value of "simplifying complex findings" is a recurring theme and should be a key consideration for candidates. This indicates a culture that values clear communication and actionable insights over raw data.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Bridging Qualitative and Quantitative: Balancing deep qualitative insights with the need to understand and leverage behavioral data.

• Simplifying Complexity: Consistently translating intricate user behaviors and financial product details into easily digestible information for diverse stakeholders.

• Navigating a Specific Niche: Gaining a deep understanding of the automotive dealership and financial services (banking, loans) landscape.

• Remote/Hybrid Dynamics: Effectively collaborating and conducting research in a hybrid work environment.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Domain Knowledge: Deepen understanding of financial products and the automotive dealership business model.

• Advanced Research Techniques: Opportunity to refine skills in various qualitative and potentially quantitative research methods.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Develop stronger relationships and communication strategies with product, engineering, and sales teams.

• Impactful Storytelling: Enhance abilities in presenting research findings in a way that drives strategic decisions and product adoption.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge will be translating complex financial product interactions and user behaviors within the dealership context into simple, actionable insights that can drive product improvements.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to simplify a complex research finding for a non-technical audience. What was your approach, and what was the outcome?"

• "How would you approach researching the usability of a new car loan application process for dealership customers?"

• "Given our focus on banking and loan offerings in the dealership space, what are the key user needs you would prioritize investigating?"

• "How do you balance qualitative insights with quantitative behavioral data in your research process?" Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working within the automotive dealership and financial services sector?"

• "How do you typically collaborate with product managers and designers?"

• "Describe your experience updating user personas and journey maps. What makes an effective persona/journey map?"

• "How do you ensure your research findings lead to tangible product improvements?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Simplification: Dedicate a portion of your presentation to a specific example where you made complex findings simple and actionable.

• Showcase Process Flow: Clearly map out your research process for 1-2 key case studies, highlighting your decision-making at each stage.

• Demonstrate Impact: Use metrics or specific examples to show how your research influenced product decisions or user experience.

• Engage Your Audience: Be prepared for interactive Q&A, demonstrating your ability to think on your feet and articulate your thought process.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to specifically address the "simplifying complex findings" requirement throughout their interviews and portfolio presentation. Demonstrating an understanding of the financial services and dealership context will also be beneficial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the TEKsystems careers portal.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your experience in qualitative UX research, usability testing, persona/journey map development, and any experience with financial services or the automotive industry. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate 2-3 strong case studies that showcase your research process, your ability to simplify complex findings, and the impact of your work. Ensure it's easily accessible (e.g., a personal website or PDF).

• Practice Your Presentation: Rehearse presenting your portfolio, focusing on clarity, conciseness, and highlighting your key strengths, especially the ability to simplify complex information.

• Research TEKsystems and the Industry: Understand TEKsystems' role as a staffing partner and familiarize yourself with current trends in UX research within the financial services and automotive dealership sectors.

⚠️ 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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