UX Researcher II, Global Procurement Technology

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Researcher II, Global Procurement Technology

Company: Amazon

Location: Bellevue, Washington, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: User Experience (UX) Research & Design, Technology Operations

Date Posted: 2026-05-28

Experience Level: Mid-Level (3+ years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end UX research and design initiatives for Amazon's global procurement technology platforms, impacting billions of dollars in purchasing decisions.

• Drive innovation in user experience by heavily leveraging AI and emerging technologies to simplify complex procurement workflows and enhance user interaction with procurement systems.

• Conduct comprehensive user research, including generative discovery and evaluative testing, with a significant focus (75% of time) on understanding user interaction with AI systems.

• Translate research insights into tangible design solutions, including interaction concepts, prototypes, and design artifacts, contributing to intuitive and efficient procurement processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within Amazon's Global Procurement Organization, focusing on the technology that underpins massive purchasing operations. The emphasis on AI user experience and the blend of research (75%) and design (25%) indicates a mid-level to senior individual contributor role that requires a deep understanding of both user-centered methodologies and the practical application of design principles within a complex, scaled enterprise environment. The "II" in the title suggests a level of responsibility and autonomy beyond an entry-level position, demanding proven impact and leadership in research projects.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Strategic Research Planning & Execution: Design, plan, and execute comprehensive user research studies using a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods (e.g., usability testing, in-depth interviews, surveys, diary studies, A/B testing) to evaluate AI-driven features and inform product strategy for global procurement tools.

• User-Centric Design & Workflow Optimization: Conduct user journey mapping and define information architecture to simplify complex procurement workflows, ensuring intuitive navigation and seamless task completion for both internal Amazon teams and external suppliers.

• Insight Translation & Prototyping: Translate research findings into actionable design concepts, creating wireframes, interaction flows, and low-to-mid fidelity prototypes to effectively communicate proposed solutions to cross-functional stakeholders, including product managers and engineers.

• Performance Assessment & Iteration: Assess and optimize feature performance through rigorous research, A/B testing, and analysis of key performance indicators (KPIs), driving continuous improvement cycles for procurement technology solutions.

• AI User Experience Advocacy: Champion the customer perspective by clearly articulating pain points, identifying unmet needs, and advocating for user experiences that are transparent, explainable, and inclusive, particularly in scenarios where AI-driven decisions impact end-users.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with engineering, product management, and business stakeholders to translate ambiguous, large-scale problems into intuitive and effective user experiences that drive efficiency and innovation in procurement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong focus on the entire UX lifecycle, from discovery research to design implementation and performance optimization. The explicit mention of AI user experience and the need to simplify complex procurement workflows at Amazon's scale are critical operational areas. The breakdown of time allocation (75% research, 25% design) is a key differentiator, indicating that deep research expertise is paramount.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• A Master's degree in Human Factors, Human-Computer Interaction (HCDE), Cognitive Psychology, or a related field is strongly preferred.

Experience:

• Minimum of 3 years of proven success leading User Research projects with demonstrated impact on product development and user experience.

• Experience in conducting and applying research within a global context, understanding diverse user needs and cultural nuances.

Required Skills:

• End-to-End Research Expertise: Proficient in all aspects of user research, including study design, participant recruiting, moderation, data analysis (qualitative and quantitative), and comprehensive reporting.

• Research Methodologies: Demonstrated experience with lab-based user testing, remote testing, iterative prototype testing, survey design, and the ability to select and utilize multiple research methods within a single study.

• UX Design Fundamentals: Experience in delivering design solutions as a UX designer or interaction designer, including wireframing, interaction flows, and prototyping.

• Data Analysis & Interpretation: Ability to analyze quantitative data (including statistical analysis) and qualitative insights to derive actionable findings and inform design decisions.

• AI User Experience Understanding: Familiarity with researching and designing for AI-driven features, focusing on transparency, explainability, and user trust.

• Communication & Collaboration: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex research findings and design recommendations clearly to diverse stakeholders.

Preferred Skills:

• Advanced Analytics: Knowledge of advanced quantitative data analysis and statistical modeling techniques.

• Information Architecture & User Journey Mapping: Proven ability to map complex user journeys and define information architecture to enhance usability and efficiency.

• Prototyping Tools: Proficiency with industry-standard prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD) for creating low-to-mid fidelity prototypes.

• Procurement Technology Domain: Familiarity with procurement processes, systems, or enterprise technology environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "II" in the title implies a solid foundation of experience, and the 3+ years requirement is standard for mid-level roles. The emphasis on a Master's degree, while preferred, suggests that practical experience and a strong portfolio can substitute for advanced academic credentials. The inclusion of AI user experience research is a critical differentiator for this role, reflecting current industry trends and Amazon's focus on intelligent automation.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrated Impact: A portfolio showcasing past work experience with clear deliverables, highlighting projects where your research and design contributions led to measurable improvements in user experience, efficiency, or business outcomes.

• End-to-End Project Examples: Include case studies that illustrate the full research and design lifecycle, from initial problem definition and user discovery through to iterative testing and final design recommendations.

• Methodology Showcase: Present examples of study plans, detailed research reports, user personas, journey maps, wireframes, and prototypes that clearly articulate your thought process and applied methodologies.

• AI Research Integration: If possible, include examples of research conducted on AI-driven features or systems, demonstrating an understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities in this domain.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Evidence of analyzing and documenting complex workflows, identifying pain points, and designing optimized processes through user-centered design.

• Implementation & Automation: Examples of how your research and design work contributed to the implementation of new features or the automation of manual processes to improve efficiency.

• Measurement & Performance Analysis: Demonstrate how you've used research and data analysis to measure the performance of designs and iterate based on findings, with a focus on key metrics relevant to user satisfaction and task completion.

📝 Enhancement Note: For UX roles, particularly at a company like Amazon, a robust portfolio is non-negotiable. The emphasis here is on demonstrating a complete UX process and, crucially for this role, the ability to research and design for AI-powered systems. The expectation is to see tangible evidence of impact and a clear understanding of how research translates into actionable design and operational improvements.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Estimated Range: $130,100 - $176,000 USD annually.

Benefits:

• Financial Incentives:

  • Sign-on Payments
  • Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)

• Health & Wellness:

  • Comprehensive Health Insurance (Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription)
  • Basic Life & AD&D Insurance with option for Supplemental Life Plans
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
  • Mental Health Support & Medical Advice Line
  • Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

• Family & Personal Support:

  • Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage
  • Parental Leave

• Retirement & Time Off:

  • 401(k) Matching

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time work schedule, typically 40 hours per week.

• Amazon emphasizes work-life balance, offering flexibility in working hours to encourage personal fulfillment and professional success.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is specific to the Bellevue, Washington location and reflects a mid-level UX Researcher role at a major tech company. The extensive benefits package is typical for Amazon, emphasizing comprehensive coverage for health, financial well-being, and family support, which can be particularly attractive to operations professionals balancing demanding roles with personal lives. The note on flexibility in working hours is important for operations roles that often require dedicated focus.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: E-commerce, Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence, Retail Technology, Logistics. Amazon operates across a vast spectrum of industries, with Global Procurement Technology sitting at the intersection of technology, supply chain, and finance.

Company Size: Extremely Large (over 1 million employees globally). This scale means processes are robust, systems are complex, and the impact of any change is significant.

Founded: 1994. Amazon has a long history of innovation and a culture that encourages bold thinking and long-term vision.

Team Structure:

• Global Procurement Technology (GPT): This team is the dedicated technical and design arm for Amazon's Global Procurement Organization.

• AI Transformation Focus: The team is strategically driving Amazon's AI transformation within procurement, embedding machine learning, intelligent automation, and data-driven capabilities into all aspects of the procurement experience.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: GPT partners closely with various business teams across Amazon to modernize systems, simplify workflows, and deliver scalable, efficient procurement solutions. The UX Researcher will be embedded within or work very closely with these product and engineering teams.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: A core tenet at Amazon, heavily influencing research and design to ensure solutions are validated by data and metrics.

• Customer Obsession: All teams are driven by understanding and meeting customer needs, whether internal employees, suppliers, or end consumers.

• Bias for Action & Innovation: Encouraging rapid iteration, experimentation, and the pursuit of bold ideas to solve complex problems at scale.

• Operational Excellence: Focus on building scalable, efficient, and reliable systems that support Amazon's massive global operations.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Amazon's culture is known for its intensity, data-driven approach, and focus on long-term customer value. For operations roles, this translates to a need for rigorous analysis, process optimization, and a constant drive for efficiency. The Global Procurement Technology team specifically is at the forefront of applying advanced technologies like AI to core business functions, requiring adaptability and a forward-thinking mindset.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Mid-Level Individual Contributor (UX Researcher II). This level signifies a professional who can operate with significant autonomy, lead projects, and contribute strategic insights beyond basic execution. They are expected to mentor junior team members and influence product direction.

Reporting Structure: The UX Researcher will likely report to a UX Research Manager or Lead within the Global Procurement Technology team. They will work closely with Product Managers, Engineering Leads, and other UX Designers/Researchers.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of Amazon's global procurement operations. By improving the user experience of procurement tools, the researcher contributes to cost savings, faster purchasing cycles, better supplier relationships, and overall operational agility, which are critical for Amazon's scale.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization in AI UX: Deepen expertise in researching and designing for complex AI systems, a highly in-demand skill set within tech operations.

• Leadership in Research: Progress to Senior UX Researcher or Principal Researcher roles, leading larger, more complex research initiatives and mentoring teams.

• Product Strategy Influence: Grow into a role where you significantly influence the product roadmap and strategic direction of procurement technology at Amazon.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Opportunities to move into Product Management or related roles within Amazon's vast technology organization, leveraging deep user understanding.

• Domain Expertise: Develop specialized knowledge in procurement technology and enterprise software, becoming a subject matter expert within Amazon.

📝 Enhancement Note: Amazon offers extensive growth paths. For a UX Researcher in a technology operations context, the opportunities lie in deepening technical expertise (especially AI), taking on leadership responsibilities for research programs, and influencing strategic product decisions. The scale of Amazon means that mastery in a specific area can lead to significant career advancement.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site. This role is based in Amazon's Bellevue, Washington office, fostering in-person collaboration and access to office resources.

Office Location(s): Bellevue, Washington, United States. This location is a major tech hub with a significant Amazon presence.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: Amazon offices are designed to facilitate collaboration, with open spaces, meeting rooms, and shared work areas conducive to team interaction and brainstorming.

• Technology-Rich Environment: Access to state-of-the-art tools, hardware, and software necessary for UX research and design, including potentially specialized AI research tools.

• Dynamic Team Interaction: Regular opportunities to engage with diverse teams, including product managers, engineers, data scientists, and fellow UX professionals, promoting a rich exchange of ideas.

Work Schedule: While the role is full-time (approx. 40 hours/week), Amazon generally supports flexibility in working hours. This allows professionals to structure their days to optimize personal productivity and work-life balance, which is crucial for roles involving deep analytical and creative work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in Bellevue suggests a preference for direct collaboration, which is common for roles involving complex system design and stakeholder alignment. The "flexibility in working hours" is a key perk for operations professionals, allowing them to manage demanding workloads effectively.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter will likely review your application and resume, focusing on experience, skills, and portfolio relevance.

• Hiring Manager Screen: A brief call with the hiring manager to discuss your background, motivations, and fit for the role and team.

• Technical Interviews (Multiple Rounds):

  • Portfolio Presentation: You will be asked to present several case studies from your portfolio, detailing your research process, design decisions, impact, and learnings. Be prepared to discuss challenges and how you overcame them.
  • Research & Design Deep Dive: Questions will probe your understanding of research methodologies, your approach to designing for AI, how you handle ambiguity, and your problem-solving skills.
  • Behavioral & Cultural Fit: Questions assessing your collaboration style, how you handle feedback, your ability to work in an Agile environment, and your alignment with Amazon's Leadership Principles.

• Final Round: Potentially a final interview with senior leadership or a panel to ensure overall fit and strategic alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-4 projects that best showcase your end-to-end UX research and design capabilities, with a strong emphasis on projects involving complex systems, AI, or process optimization.

• Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the methodologies used, key insights, design solutions, the impact (quantified where possible), and your personal learnings.

• Highlight AI Focus: If you have relevant AI UX research examples, prioritize them. Explain how you approached understanding user trust, transparency, and explainability in AI systems.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data to demonstrate the success of your work (e.g., "improved task completion time by X%", "reduced error rates by Y%", "increased user satisfaction scores by Z points").

• Showcase Process: Clearly illustrate your research process, from planning and recruitment to analysis and reporting, and how it informed your design decisions.

Challenge Preparation:

• Anticipate Design/Research Challenges: Be prepared for hypothetical scenarios or small design/research tasks related to procurement technology or AI user experience.

• Think Aloud: For any problem-solving or design exercise, articulate your thought process clearly, explaining your assumptions, constraints, and decision-making logic.

• Understand Amazon's Leadership Principles: Familiarize yourself with Amazon's 16 Leadership Principles and prepare examples of how you've demonstrated them in your work (e.g., Customer Obsession, Bias for Action, Dive Deep, Invent and Simplify).

📝 Enhancement Note: Amazon's interview process is rigorous and often involves multiple rounds designed to assess a candidate's skills, experience, and cultural fit through their Leadership Principles. A strong, well-prepared portfolio presentation is critical for UX roles, as it provides tangible evidence of capabilities. The emphasis on AI and complex systems means candidates should be ready to discuss these specific challenges.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• User Research Platforms: Tools for remote usability testing, session recording, and participant management (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze).

• Prototyping & Design Tools: Industry-standard software for creating wireframes, interactive prototypes, and final design assets (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision).

• Collaboration & Documentation: Tools for team collaboration, project management, and documentation (e.g., Confluence, Jira, Asana, Microsoft Teams).

Analytics & Reporting:

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

• A/B Testing Platforms: Tools used to conduct and analyze A/B tests for feature optimization (e.g., Optimizely, internal Amazon tools).

• Visualization Tools: Platforms for creating dashboards and visualizing data insights (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, or internal Amazon equivalents).

CRM & Automation:

• While this role is primarily UX research and design, familiarity with the underlying systems is beneficial. Procurement technologies often integrate with or resemble aspects of:
  • CRM Systems: For managing supplier relationships (e.g., Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics).
  • ERP Systems: For core business processes (e.g., SAP, Oracle).
  • Procurement-Specific Software: Tools like Coupa, Jaggaer, or custom Amazon internal platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack for a UX Researcher at Amazon will heavily feature design and research tools. However, understanding the broader enterprise system landscape (CRM, ERP, procurement platforms) is crucial for context, especially when designing for internal tools that interact with these systems. Familiarity with data analysis and visualization tools is also key for demonstrating research impact.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Obsession: A relentless focus on understanding and meeting the needs of both internal users (procurement teams, engineers) and external suppliers.

• Invent and Simplify: A drive to innovate and create novel solutions, while simultaneously simplifying complex processes and user journeys.

• Dive Deep: A commitment to thorough analysis, data-driven decision-making, and understanding the underlying intricacies of procurement operations.

• Earn Trust: Building trust with users and stakeholders through transparency, reliability, and delivering on commitments.

• High Standards: A dedication to maintaining exceptionally high quality in research, design, and execution, reflecting Amazon's operational rigor.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Seamless collaboration with product managers, engineers, data scientists, and other UX professionals is essential. This involves active participation in team meetings, design critiques, and joint problem-solving sessions.

• Data-Informed Discussions: Debates and decisions are grounded in research data and impact metrics, fostering a rational and objective approach to product development.

• Feedback-Rich Environment: Openness to constructive feedback on research plans, designs, and deliverables, with an emphasis on continuous improvement.

• Agile Adaptability: A flexible and iterative approach to work, embracing change and adapting to evolving project requirements within an Agile framework.

📝 Enhancement Note: Amazon's culture is deeply embedded in its Leadership Principles. For operations and UX roles, these principles translate into a highly collaborative, data-driven, and customer-focused environment where innovation and efficiency are paramount. Understanding and demonstrating these values is critical for success.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scale and Complexity: Designing for Amazon's global procurement operations presents immense scale and complexity, requiring robust, scalable, and highly efficient solutions.

• AI Integration Nuances: Researching and designing for AI systems requires navigating user trust, explainability, bias mitigation, and evolving AI capabilities.

• Ambiguous Requirements: Translating vague, large-scale business problems into well-defined user experiences demands strong analytical and problem-framing skills.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Gaining consensus and driving adoption across diverse stakeholder groups with potentially competing priorities.

• Pace of Innovation: Keeping pace with Amazon's rapid development cycles and the fast-evolving landscape of AI and procurement technology.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized AI UX Training: Access to internal Amazon resources, workshops, and potentially external courses focused on AI ethics, explainable AI (XAI), and AI-specific UX research techniques.

• Industry Conferences & Networking: Opportunities to attend leading UX and AI conferences to stay abreast of the latest trends and network with peers.

• Mentorship Programs: Access to senior researchers and designers within Amazon for guidance and career development.

• Internal Mobility: Potential to transition into senior research roles, product management, or specialized AI strategy positions within Amazon.

• Procurement Domain Expertise: Deepen understanding of global procurement processes, supply chain technology, and financial operations, becoming an expert in a critical business function.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges inherent in this role are significant due to Amazon's scale and its pioneering efforts in AI. However, these challenges also present substantial opportunities for professional growth and skill development in highly sought-after areas of UX research and AI.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• AI UX Research Approach: "How would you approach researching user trust in an AI-powered procurement forecasting tool?" or "Describe your process for evaluating the explainability of AI-driven recommendations in a purchasing workflow."

  • Preparation: Research best practices for AI UX, focusing on transparency, explainability, and trust. Prepare case studies where you addressed similar challenges or demonstrate your thought process for tackling them.

• Complex Problem Solving: "Imagine a scenario where procurement teams are complaining about the complexity of a new system. How would you begin to diagnose the problem and what research methods would you employ?"

  • Preparation: Think about diagnostic frameworks, user journey mapping, stakeholder interviews, and data analysis techniques for uncovering root causes of complex issues.

• Impact Demonstration: "Describe a project where your research directly led to a significant improvement in user experience or business metrics. What was the impact, and how did you measure it?"

  • Preparation: Select a strong portfolio piece and prepare to articulate the problem, your solution, the metrics used, and the quantifiable results.

Company & Culture Questions:

• Amazon Leadership Principles: "Tell me about a time you had to 'Invent and Simplify' to solve a user problem." or "Describe a situation where you 'Earned Trust' with a difficult stakeholder."

  • Preparation: Prepare STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method examples for each of the 16 Leadership Principles.

• Agile Environment: "How do you balance thorough research with the need for rapid iteration in an Agile environment?"

  • Preparation: Discuss your experience with Agile methodologies and how you integrate research effectively within sprints and development cycles.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem statement, your specific role and responsibilities, the research questions, your methodology, key findings, design recommendations, the impact achieved (quantified), and your personal learnings.

• Visual Storytelling: Use clear, concise visuals (screenshots, wireframes, prototypes, charts) to support your narrative. Ensure your portfolio is easily navigable and visually appealing.

• Focus on Process & Impact: Emphasize how you conducted your research and why you made certain design decisions, and crucially, what was the outcome.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your methodology, the trade-offs you made, and how you would handle variations of the project.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interviewing at Amazon requires a deep understanding of their Leadership Principles and a structured, data-driven approach to answering questions. For this UX role, demonstrating expertise in AI research, complex problem-solving, and the ability to quantify impact through a well-presented portfolio is paramount.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Researcher II position at Amazon:

• Submit Your Application: Navigate to the Amazon Jobs portal and submit your resume and any requested supplementary materials.

• Tailor Your Resume: Ensure your resume highlights your 3+ years of experience in user research and design, specific skills in qualitative/quantitative methods, experience with AI UX, and any relevant domain knowledge. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate 3-4 high-impact case studies that showcase end-to-end UX research and design, with a focus on complex systems or AI. Ensure it's polished, easily accessible (e.g., a personal website or PDF), and ready for presentation.

• Research Amazon's Leadership Principles: Study all 16 principles and prepare specific, concise examples from your experience that demonstrate how you embody them.

• Practice Your Portfolio Presentation: Rehearse presenting your case studies, focusing on clear storytelling, quantifying impact, and articulating your research and design process. Be ready for detailed questions.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details, especially regarding specific interview questions and exact portfolio requirements, should be verified directly with the hiring organization during the application process.