UX Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Researcher

Company: TOPdesk

Location: Budapest, Hungary

Job Type: Full-time

Category: User Experience Research

Date Posted: 2026-09-16

Experience Level: 2-5 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and execute end-to-end qualitative and quantitative UX research studies to uncover user behaviors, needs, and pain points within product areas, including emerging AI-powered features.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers, UX Designers, and Engineers across international teams (Netherlands, Germany, Hungary) to integrate research findings into product strategy and development cycles.

• Contribute to and help mature the organization's shared research practice, focusing on process standardization, documentation, and the effective use of research tooling.

• Drive the continuous improvement of the research practice through involvement in ResearchOps, ensuring efficient participant recruitment, ethical data handling, and high-quality research output.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role emphasizes a blend of deep research execution and proactive contribution to the operational aspects of a UX research function (ResearchOps), indicating a need for candidates who can both conduct research and improve the research process itself. The mention of AI-powered features suggests a focus on innovation within the ITSM platform.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Plan, design, and conduct comprehensive UX research studies, employing a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods such as user interviews, usability tests, surveys, and ethnographic studies.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Product Management and UX Design, to define research questions, scope studies, and ensure research activities align with product goals and development timelines.

• Manage participant recruitment processes, including screening, scheduling, and obtaining informed consent, ensuring ethical research practices and data compliance.

• Analyze research data meticulously, synthesizing findings into clear, concise, and actionable insights that inform product decisions and design iterations.

• Present research findings effectively to diverse stakeholders, including product teams and leadership, using compelling narratives and data visualizations to drive understanding and adoption of recommendations.

• Maintain and organize research documentation, contributing to a centralized research repository to ensure knowledge sharing and accessibility across the organization.

• Actively participate in and contribute to ResearchOps initiatives, focusing on refining participant recruitment workflows, standardizing documentation templates (e.g., scripts, consent forms), and optimizing research tooling.

• Provide guidance and support for lightweight research activities conducted by Product Managers and Designers, ensuring adherence to best practices and quality standards.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a full-cycle UX research role, from planning and execution to analysis and reporting, with a significant emphasis on collaboration and contributing to the operational maturity of the research function. The direct mention of "ResearchOps" and "lightweight research support" indicates a need for candidates who are process-oriented and can empower others in research.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, Human Factors, Cognitive Science, Social Sciences, Anthropology, Design, or a closely related field.

• Equivalent practical research experience will also be considered. Experience:

• Minimum of 2 years of professional experience in UX research.

• Proven track record of successfully planning and conducting end-to-end UX research studies using a diverse range of qualitative and quantitative methods.

• Experience collaborating effectively with Product Managers and UX Designers throughout the product development lifecycle.

• Demonstrated ability to embed research practices within team workflows. Required Skills:

• Expertise in planning and executing qualitative and quantitative research studies end-to-end.

• Proficiency in selecting and applying appropriate research methods to address specific questions.

• Strong analytical skills for data synthesis and the generation of clear, actionable insights.

• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate findings succinctly to technical and non-technical audiences.

• Solid organizational abilities, with a focus on making research repeatable, well-documented, and accessible.

• Experience with AI tools for research support (e.g., transcription, synthesis), with a critical approach to verifying AI-generated outputs.

• Commitment to ethical research practices and compliant handling of participant data.

• Fluency in English (C1 level) for effective communication. Preferred Skills:

• Fluency (C1 level) in German or Dutch to facilitate effective collaboration in specific regional markets.

• Foundational UX research training or certification from recognized institutions like Nielsen Norman Group (NN/g), UXPA, or CPUX.

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize practical, hands-on experience in research execution and a strong understanding of research methodologies. The inclusion of "equivalent practical research experience" broadens the scope beyond formal education. The requirement for AI tool usage with a caveat for verification points to a forward-thinking approach to research efficiency.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a diverse range of UX research projects, demonstrating end-to-end study execution from planning and methodology selection to analysis and impact reporting.

• Include examples of both qualitative and quantitative research studies, highlighting your ability to choose the right method for the research question.

• Present case studies that clearly articulate the research problem, your approach, key findings, and the resulting product decisions or design changes.

• Demonstrate how your research insights have directly influenced product strategy, feature development, or user experience improvements, ideally with measurable outcomes.

• Provide evidence of your contribution to research documentation, process standardization, or the development of research templates. Process Documentation:

• Detail your experience in documenting research plans, methodologies, participant recruitment criteria, and research findings.

• Showcase examples of how you have contributed to or maintained research repositories, ensuring knowledge is organized and accessible.

• Illustrate your understanding of ResearchOps by providing examples of how you've helped streamline recruitment processes, developed templates (e.g., interview scripts, consent forms), or contributed to research tooling best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a "process portfolio" suggests that candidates should be prepared to demonstrate not just their research outcomes, but also their systematic approach to conducting research, documenting it, and contributing to the operational efficiency of the research function. This aligns with the ResearchOps responsibilities.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Monthly: HUF 930,000 - HUF 1,135,000 Benefits:

• Employment in a full-time capacity within an international software company.

• Opportunity to work on AI-powered features and next-generation ITSM platforms.

• Collaborative international work environment with teams in the Netherlands, Germany, and Hungary.

• Contribution to a shared, growing research practice and ResearchOps initiatives.

• Support for professional development and continuous learning in UX research.

• Potential for involvement in foundational UX research training or certification.

• Participation in a company with a global presence and established customer base. Working Hours:

• Standard full-time working hours, approximately 40 hours per week, with potential for flexibility depending on project needs and team collaboration schedules.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is specific to the Hungarian market for a UX Researcher role with 2-5 years of experience. The benefits listed are inferred from the job description's context of working for an international software company and the nature of the role.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software (Service Management, ITSM)

Company Size: 700 employees globally (as of the job posting)

Founded: TOPdesk was founded in 1993, establishing a long history in the service management software market.

Team Structure:

• The UX Researcher will be part of a UX team that includes other UX Researchers, UX Designers, and potentially UX Writers.

• This team collaborates closely with Product Managers and Engineering teams.

• The role involves working with colleagues based in the Netherlands, Germany, and Hungary, indicating a distributed and international team structure.

• The UX Researcher will contribute to a "shared research practice that spans the organization," suggesting a cross-departmental or company-wide approach to UX research. Methodology:

• The role is deeply embedded in product development, utilizing both generative research (discovery) to inform what to build and evaluative research (validation) to ensure it works effectively.

• A strong emphasis is placed on turning research findings into actionable decisions for product teams.

• The company supports the use of AI tools in research workflows, indicating an embrace of modern technological advancements.

• There is a focus on operationalizing research through ResearchOps, aiming for repeatable, well-documented, and efficient research processes.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: TOPdesk's long history in the service management sector suggests a stable yet innovative environment. The international presence and distributed teams highlight the importance of strong communication and collaboration skills. The focus on ResearchOps indicates a mature approach to scaling and standardizing UX research practices.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Mid-Level UX Researcher

This role is positioned for a professional with 2-5 years of dedicated UX research experience. It involves independent execution of research studies, significant collaboration with product teams, and a proactive contribution to the operational maturity of the research function. The scope includes both discovery and validation research across multiple product areas, including cutting-edge AI features.

Reporting Structure:

The UX Researcher will likely report into a Lead UX Researcher, Head of UX, or a Director of Product Management who oversees UX functions. They will collaborate closely with Product Managers and UX Designers, who may or may not be in their direct reporting line. The mention of a "shared research practice" suggests potential dotted-line reporting or strong community of practice involvement.

Operations Impact:

The UX Researcher's work directly impacts the success of TOPdesk's ITSM platforms by ensuring products are user-centered, meet genuine customer needs, and are intuitive to use. This includes influencing the direction of AI-powered features and validating their effectiveness. By turning research findings into actionable insights, the role contributes to better product-market fit, increased customer satisfaction, and potentially reduced development waste through informed decision-making.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific research methodologies or product areas (e.g., AI in ITSM).

• ResearchOps Leadership: Grow into a role focused on scaling and optimizing research operations, potentially leading ResearchOps initiatives.

• Mentorship: Mentor junior researchers or product team members in conducting lightweight research.

• Cross-functional Leadership: Take on more strategic research planning and influence product roadmaps at a higher level.

• International Exposure: Gain experience working with diverse user bases and teams across different countries.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a clear path for growth beyond just executing research, with significant opportunities in process improvement and strategic influence within the UX and product development domains. The focus on ResearchOps is a key differentiator for career development in this position.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The job is listed as "On-site" with primary locations in Delft, Netherlands, and Budapest, Hungary. This suggests a hybrid or office-centric work environment.

Office Location(s):

• Delft, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands

• Budapest, Hungary

• Potential for collaboration with teams in Germany. Workspace Context:

• The role involves close collaboration with UX Designers, Product Managers, and Engineers, suggesting a dynamic and interactive work environment within cross-functional product teams.

• The international nature of the teams implies reliance on digital collaboration tools for seamless communication and project management.

• As part of a larger software company, there will likely be access to modern office facilities and technology infrastructure necessary for research activities.

• The emphasis on a "shared research practice" indicates an environment that values knowledge sharing and community building among researchers. Work Schedule:

• Primarily full-time, approximately 40 hours per week.

• While "on-site," there may be some flexibility for remote work days or adjusted hours based on project needs and team agreements, common in modern tech companies. However, the core expectation is presence at the office location.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "On-site" designation, coupled with international team collaboration, suggests a structured work environment where in-person interaction is valued, especially within the Budapest office. This is typical for companies that emphasize team cohesion and spontaneous collaboration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or Recruiter will review applications, focusing on relevant experience, education, and language proficiency.

• Hiring Manager/Team Interview: A discussion with the hiring manager (likely a lead researcher or UX manager) and potentially other UX team members to assess research skills, methodology knowledge, and cultural fit. Expect questions about past projects and research approaches.

• Portfolio Presentation: A dedicated session where you present selected case studies from your portfolio. This is a critical stage to demonstrate your research process, analytical skills, and ability to translate findings into actionable insights. Be prepared to discuss your role, challenges, and impact.

• Practical Exercise/Case Study: You might be given a small research challenge or asked to critique a hypothetical product/feature from a research perspective. This assesses your problem-solving skills and research thinking under timed conditions.

• Cross-functional Team Interview: An opportunity to meet with Product Managers and Engineers to gauge your collaboration style and how well you can integrate research into their workflows.

• Final Interview/Offer: Discussion with senior leadership or HR for final evaluation and offer extension.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 projects that best showcase your end-to-end research capabilities, diverse methodologies, and impactful outcomes. Prioritize projects that align with TOPdesk's focus on ITSM and AI.

• Structure for Clarity: For each case study, clearly outline: the problem/objective, your research questions, methodology chosen (and why), your role and process, key findings, actionable recommendations, and the impact/outcomes.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics or specific examples to demonstrate the impact of your research on product decisions, user experience improvements, or business goals.

• Highlight ResearchOps Contributions: If applicable, include examples of how you've improved research processes, documentation, or tooling. This directly addresses the ResearchOps aspect of the role.

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

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Product: Familiarize yourself with TOPdesk's ITSM solutions and the broader landscape of service management software.

• AI in UX: Think about how AI is impacting user experiences in software and how you would research AI-powered features.

• Methodology Application: Be ready to discuss how you would approach a specific research problem using different methods and justify your choices.

• Stakeholder Communication: Practice articulating complex research findings in a concise and persuasive manner suitable for product managers and engineers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to thoroughly assess research expertise, collaboration skills, and process orientation. The portfolio presentation is a key component, so candidates must prepare compelling case studies that highlight both research execution and ResearchOps contributions.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Research Platforms: Tools for conducting usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback), participant recruitment (e.g., UserInterviews.com, Ethnio), and survey distribution (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Typeform, Qualtrics).

• AI Tools: Mentioned specifically for transcription (e.g., Otter.ai, Descript) and synthesis, with an emphasis on human oversight and verification.

• Collaboration Tools: Standard productivity suites (e.g., Microsoft 365, Google Workspace) for documentation and general tasks.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Analysis Software: Tools for qualitative data analysis (e.g., Dovetail, NVivo) and quantitative analysis (e.g., Excel, SPSS, R, Python for statistical analysis if applicable).

• Prototyping & Design Tools: Familiarity with tools used by designers (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD) is beneficial for understanding prototypes and design artifacts during evaluative research.

• Presentation Software: PowerPoint, Google Slides, or similar for presenting findings.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a CRM/Automation role, familiarity with how ITSM platforms function (which often have CRM-like elements for customer service) and how user feedback integrates into product development workflows is advantageous. Understanding how research feeds into product backlog and feature prioritization is key.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack emphasizes tools common in UX research, with a specific nod to AI-assisted research and the need for robust collaboration platforms given the distributed teams. Familiarity with design tools is a plus for effective collaboration.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A strong commitment to understanding and advocating for the user's needs and perspectives in all product development decisions.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Reliance on empirical research findings to inform strategy and guide product evolution, rather than solely on intuition or opinion.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: A culture that fosters close partnerships between researchers, designers, product managers, and engineers to achieve shared goals.

• Continuous Improvement: A proactive mindset towards refining research methodologies, processes, and tools to enhance efficiency and impact.

• Innovation: An openness to exploring new technologies like AI and integrating them into research practices and product offerings.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Researchers are expected to work closely with Product Management and UX Design, embedding themselves within product teams to provide timely insights.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture that encourages sharing research findings and best practices across the organization, facilitated by a shared research repository and community of practice.

• Feedback Loops: Openness to constructive feedback on research approaches and findings, contributing to a learning environment.

• Empowerment: Supporting other team members (PMs, Designers) in conducting lightweight research, fostering a broader research-informed culture.

📝 Enhancement Note: The cultural values emphasize a blend of user advocacy, data integrity, collaborative spirit, and a forward-thinking approach to research and technology. This suggests an environment where researchers are empowered to make a tangible impact and contribute to the company's growth and innovation.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Generative and Evaluative Research: Effectively managing research efforts across both discovery (what to build) and validation (does it work) phases to support the product lifecycle.

• Integrating Research into Agile Workflows: Ensuring research activities are seamlessly incorporated into fast-paced Agile development sprints without causing bottlenecks.

• Cross-Cultural Collaboration: Navigating communication and research nuances with international teams (Netherlands, Germany, Hungary) and diverse user bases.

• Scaling ResearchOps: Contributing to the development and refinement of ResearchOps processes to ensure efficiency and consistency as the company and research practice grow.

• Leveraging AI Responsibly: Effectively utilizing AI tools for research efficiency while maintaining research quality, ethical standards, and ownership of findings.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Methodologies: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specialized qualitative and quantitative research techniques.

• ResearchOps Expertise: Develop skills in process design, tooling management, and operational efficiency within a research context.

• AI in UX Research: Gain hands-on experience and insights into applying AI to research workflows.

• Product Strategy Influence: Grow in ability to translate research insights into strategic product recommendations and influence roadmaps.

• Industry Certifications: Potential to pursue foundational UX research training or certifications (e.g., NN/g, UXPA, CPUX).

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for a mid-level UX researcher in a growing, international tech company, particularly those embracing new technologies like AI. The growth opportunities are significant, focusing on both research craft and operational leadership.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex product challenge you tackled with UX research. What was your approach, what did you learn, and how did your findings influence the product?" (Focus on end-to-end process, methodology, and impact.)

• "How do you prioritize research requests when multiple stakeholders have competing needs?" (Assess prioritization skills and stakeholder management.)

• "Imagine we're developing a new AI feature for our ITSM platform. How would you approach researching its usability and user acceptance?" (Test your ability to apply research methods to AI-driven products and specific domains.)

• "What are your thoughts on ResearchOps? How have you contributed to improving research processes or documentation in your previous roles?" (Evaluate your understanding and practical experience with ResearchOps.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about TOPdesk and our ITSM solutions?" (Show genuine interest and understanding of the company's business.)

• "How do you ensure your research findings are actionable and understood by product managers and engineers?" (Assess your communication and collaboration skills.)

• "Describe a time you had to present research findings that contradicted a stakeholder's assumptions. How did you handle it?" (Evaluate your ability to deliver difficult feedback professionally and persuasively.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Tell a Story: For each case study, frame it as a narrative: the challenge, your journey through research, the discovery, and the resolution/impact.

• Visuals are Key: Use slides with clear visuals, charts, and key quotes from users. Avoid dense text.

• Focus on Your Role: Clearly articulate your specific contributions, especially if you worked in a team.

• Demonstrate Impact: Quantify outcomes where possible (e.g., "led to a 15% reduction in task completion time," "informed the prioritization of feature X").

• Practice Your Pitch: Rehearse your presentation to ensure it flows well, stays within the allotted time, and you can confidently answer questions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation advice is tailored to assess the specific requirements of the UX Researcher role, emphasizing research methodology, AI integration, ResearchOps contributions, and cross-functional collaboration. The portfolio presentation is highlighted as a crucial element.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on SmartRecruiters.

• Tailor your Resume: Highlight your 2+ years of UX research experience, specific methodologies used, and contributions to research operations or process improvement. Use keywords from the job description like "qualitative," "quantitative," "ResearchOps," and "AI tools."

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate 2-3 strong case studies showcasing end-to-end research projects, focusing on impact and your role. Be ready to present these clearly and concisely, demonstrating both research execution and process-oriented contributions.

• Research TOPdesk: Understand their ITSM solutions, target audience, and recent company news. Familiarize yourself with their product offerings to better tailor your application and interview responses.

• Practice Your Presentation: Rehearse your portfolio presentation and answers to common UX research interview questions, especially those related to working with product managers, engineers, and using AI tools.

⚠️ 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.