UX Researcher Intern

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Researcher Intern

Company: Auto Club Enterprises (AAA)

Location: Los Angeles, California, United States

Job Type: Part-Time

Category: User Experience Research & Design Operations

Date Posted: May 18, 2026

Experience Level: Internship (0-2 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This role focuses on executing qualitative and quantitative UX research studies to uncover user needs and align them with business objectives across digital platforms.

• The intern will gain hands-on experience in the full research lifecycle, from planning and execution to synthesis and reporting, leveraging cutting-edge AI tools.

• A key aspect involves collaborating with cross-functional teams, including Product, Design, Engineering, and Marketing, to inform user-centered design strategies.

• The position demands a strong analytical mindset, meticulous attention to detail, and the ability to translate complex data into actionable insights for product optimization.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is specifically an internship, implying a focus on learning and development under mentorship, rather than independent execution of complex projects. The "Hybrid" work arrangement requires proximity to Los Angeles offices, indicating in-person collaboration is expected for team meetings and core activities. The description emphasizes AI tools, suggesting a forward-thinking approach to research operations.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Partner with UX Researchers, stakeholders, and cross-functional teams to identify user needs, business goals, and strategic research opportunities for digital products.

• Collaborate on the design, planning, and execution of user research studies across websites, native mobile apps, and other digital channels.

• Conduct qualitative research using various methodologies such as usability testing, in-depth interviews, concept testing, and ethnographic studies.

• Employ quantitative research techniques and analytics tools to analyze KPIs, behavioral metrics, conversion funnels, and personalization strategies.

• Synthesize qualitative and quantitative findings into clear, actionable insights and strategic recommendations for product and design teams.

• Develop and deliver compelling UX research reports and presentations for diverse audiences, including technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Manage and organize research insights within knowledge repositories using platforms like Aurelius for future reference and strategic planning.

• Support UX Research Operations (ResOps) by assisting with participant recruitment, research governance, documentation, and process improvement initiatives.

• Actively learn and apply AI tools such as Gemini and Claude to enhance research scope, velocity, reach, and overall impact.

• Contribute to promoting user-centered design principles and research best practices across the organization through collaboration and communication.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities are extensive, covering a broad spectrum of UX research activities. For an intern, the emphasis will be on learning and supporting these activities under guidance, rather than full ownership. The mention of specific business lines (Insurance, Membership, Travel, etc.) indicates the diverse range of projects the intern may contribute to.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Demonstrated experience in delivering research artifacts for web, mobile, and/or software applications through academic projects or previous internships.

• Proven ability to utilize data (e.g., data analytics, A/B testing, user testing, heat mapping) to influence UX design decisions.

• Experience constructing interactive prototypes using tools such as Figma or Sketch.

Required Skills:

• Foundational understanding of user research methodologies, both qualitative and quantitative.

• Familiarity with data analysis principles and the ability to interpret behavioral metrics.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate research findings clearly and concisely.

• Proficient in prototyping tools like Figma or Sketch.

• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail for managing research data and documentation.

• Curiosity, empathy, and a passion for understanding user behavior and motivations.

Preferred Skills:

• Prior experience conducting user research and usability testing.

• Familiarity with specific analytics platforms such as Adobe Analytics, Tableau, or Quantum Metrics.

• Experience with A/B testing and personalization tools like Adobe Target.

• Knowledge of information architecture principles and UX writing best practices.

• Exposure to accessibility standards and conducting accessibility audits.

• Experience using AI tools for research augmentation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements suggest a candidate with theoretical knowledge and some practical application, likely gained through academic projects. The emphasis on "delivering research artifacts" implies a need for tangible outputs, even if from coursework. The "0-2 years" experience level aligns with typical internship qualifications, where foundational skills and a willingness to learn are prioritized.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A portfolio (or samples of work) showcasing project experience where you collaborated with mock business stakeholders and cross-functional teams.

• Examples demonstrating your process for defining user experiences and developing solutions.

• Showcase of research artifacts, such as study plans, participant scripts, research reports, and synthesized insights.

• Evidence of how data and user insights were used to influence design decisions or product strategy.

Process Documentation:

• The ability to document your research process, including planning, execution, analysis, and reporting phases.

• Examples of how you collaborated with design, product, or engineering teams to integrate research findings into product development workflows.

• Demonstrations of how you synthesized complex findings into clear, actionable recommendations for stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: For an intern, the portfolio is crucial for demonstrating potential and foundational understanding. It should highlight academic projects, personal projects, or any prior internship work that showcases research thinking, methodology application, and communication skills, rather than extensive professional experience. The focus should be on the process and learning demonstrated.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $30 per hour

Benefits:

• Paid internship experience providing valuable professional development.

• One-to-one mentoring from experienced UX Researchers.

• Hands-on experience with industry-standard UX research platforms and tools.

• Exposure to diverse lines of business within a large, established organization (Insurance, Membership, Travel, FinTech, etc.).

• Opportunity to work with cutting-edge AI tools in UX workflows.

• Potential for networking and building professional relationships within the AAA organization.

• Participation in a user-centered culture and contributing to impactful digital experiences.

Working Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week (standard full-time hours for an internship, though the job type is listed as Part-Time, this is likely referring to the internship duration rather than weekly hours).

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary is explicitly stated as $30/hour. Benefits are typical for an internship, focusing on learning, mentorship, and experience rather than traditional full-time employee benefits. The "Part-Time" employment type combined with "40 hours" is potentially contradictory; it likely means the role is temporary or project-based, fitting an internship structure, but the weekly commitment is full-time during the internship period.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Automotive Services, Insurance, Membership, Travel, Financial Services (FinTech). Auto Club Enterprises is part of the national AAA federation, a well-established and recognized brand.

Company Size: Large enterprise; Auto Club Enterprises has nearly 17,000 employees and serves over 18 million members across 24 states.

Founded: Auto Club Enterprises operates under the AAA brand, which was founded in 1900.

Team Structure:

• The UX Research team likely comprises experienced UX Researchers, a UX Research Lead, and potentially other UX professionals (Designers, Content Strategists).

• This intern will work closely with a dedicated UX Researcher for one-to-one mentoring and guidance.

• Collaboration is expected with Product Managers, UX Designers, Content Strategists, Engineering teams, and Analytics teams.

Methodology:

• The team employs a user-centered design methodology, prioritizing user needs and data-driven insights.

• They utilize a blend of qualitative and quantitative research techniques to inform product development and optimization.

• A strong emphasis is placed on leveraging analytics and AI tools to enhance research efficiency and impact.

• Collaboration and cross-functional alignment are key to their process for ensuring research insights are integrated effectively.

Company Website: https://careers.ace.aaa.com/us/en

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is described as valuing diversity, legendary service, and employee strength. For a UX Intern, this translates to an environment that likely encourages learning, collaboration, and a focus on member/user satisfaction. The scale of the organization offers exposure to complex, large-scale digital products.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is an entry-level internship role designed for individuals early in their UX research or related career path. It provides foundational exposure to professional UX research practices within a large corporate setting.

Reporting Structure: The intern will report to a UX Research Lead or a senior UX Researcher who will provide direct mentorship and supervision. They will also collaborate closely with various cross-functional teams.

Operations Impact: While an intern's direct impact may be limited by their experience level, their work will contribute to identifying user pain points and optimization opportunities that can lead to improved digital experiences. These improvements can directly affect member satisfaction, engagement, and conversion rates across AAA's diverse service offerings. The insights generated can influence strategic decisions for product development and enhancement.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Development: Deepen understanding and practical application of a wide array of qualitative and quantitative UX research methodologies. Gain proficiency in industry-standard research tools and AI augmentation techniques.

• Industry Exposure: Learn about UX research within the context of multiple large-scale business domains (insurance, travel, finance, etc.) at a reputable organization.

• Mentorship: Benefit from one-on-one guidance from experienced UX Researchers, receiving personalized feedback and career advice.

• Networking: Build professional connections with UX professionals, product managers, designers, and engineers within Auto Club Enterprises.

• Portfolio Enhancement: Develop tangible project examples and case studies to strengthen future job applications in UX research or related fields.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth analysis is tailored to an internship, focusing on learning, skill acquisition, and foundational career development rather than immediate advancement into senior roles. The "Operations Impact" is framed in terms of contribution to broader team goals.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is hybrid, requiring the intern to reside within driving distance of Los Angeles, CA. This suggests a professional office environment with dedicated workspaces for collaboration and individual work.

Office Location(s): Los Angeles, California. Specific office building details are not provided but are implied to be accessible for hybrid work.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace will likely support both individual focused work (data analysis, report writing) and collaborative activities (team meetings, brainstorming sessions, study moderation).

• Access to necessary technology, including computers, software licenses for research and design tools, and potentially specialized hardware for testing.

• Opportunities to interact with UX Researchers, Designers, and Product Managers, fostering a collaborative and user-centric atmosphere.

Work Schedule: The internship is listed as Part-Time but implies approximately 40 hours per week during the internship period. This would typically be a standard Monday-Friday work week, with flexibility potentially offered within business hours, aligning with team collaboration needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature is a critical factor, requiring local residency. The workspace description assumes a typical professional office setting conducive to both focused analysis and team interaction, common for UX roles.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Application review focusing on resume, academic background, and portfolio submission.

• Skills Assessment: Potential for a brief skills assessment or technical interview to gauge understanding of UX research principles and tools.

• Behavioral/Situational Interview: Questions assessing curiosity, problem-solving skills, collaboration ability, and passion for user research. This may involve discussing past projects or hypothetical scenarios.

• Portfolio Review: A dedicated session where the candidate presents selected projects from their portfolio, explaining their role, process, findings, and impact.

• Team/Manager Interview: Meeting with the UX Research Lead or hiring manager to assess cultural fit, learn about their mentorship style, and discuss internship expectations.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Select Projects: Choose 2-3 projects that best showcase your understanding of UX research methodologies, your problem-solving approach, and your ability to synthesize findings.

• Focus on Process: Clearly articulate your role in each project, the research questions you aimed to answer, the methods you employed, and your thought process.

• Highlight Insights & Impact: Demonstrate how you translated research data into actionable insights and how these insights could influence design or business decisions. Quantify impact where possible.

• Showcase Collaboration: If possible, provide examples of how you communicated with stakeholders or collaborated with team members throughout the project lifecycle.

• Prepare for Questions: Be ready to discuss challenges encountered, lessons learned, and how you would approach similar projects differently in the future.

• Tool Proficiency: Be prepared to discuss your experience with specific tools mentioned (Figma, Sketch, UserTesting, etc.).

Challenge Preparation:

• While not explicitly mentioned, be prepared for potential case study questions or scenarios where you might be asked to outline a research plan for a given problem.

• Practice articulating your UX research philosophy and what you hope to gain from the internship.

• Research Auto Club Enterprises and AAA’s digital presence to understand their services and potential user challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is inferred based on typical internship hiring practices for UX roles. The portfolio review is emphasized as a critical component, requiring candidates to actively demonstrate their understanding and practical application of UX research principles.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• UX Research Platforms: User Testing (explicitly mentioned), potentially others for participant recruitment and management.

• AI Tools: Gemini, Claude (explicitly mentioned for enhancing research scope, velocity, and impact).

• Prototyping Tools: Figma, Sketch (explicitly mentioned as required for constructing prototypes).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Adobe Analytics, Quantum Metrics (explicitly mentioned for quantitative research and digital experience analysis).

• Data Visualization: Tableau (explicitly mentioned for quantitative research and digital experience analysis).

• Personalization/Optimization: Adobe Target, Adobe AJO (mentioned in relation to use case testing and optimization initiatives).

• Customer Data Platform: Adobe CDP (mentioned in relation to use case testing).

CRM & Automation:

• Insight Management: Aurelius (explicitly mentioned for capturing, organizing, and maintaining research insights).

📝 Enhancement Note: The job description is rich with specific tool mentions, ranging from core UX research platforms and AI assistants to advanced analytics and CDP tools. Proficiency or familiarity with these, especially those explicitly listed as required or preferred, will be a significant advantage.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Curiosity & Empathy: A fundamental value driving the desire to understand user needs, thoughts, feelings, and wishes.

• Data-Driven Thinking: Utilizing both qualitative and quantitative data to inform decisions and optimize user experiences.

• Attention to Detail: Meticulousness in research execution, analysis, and reporting to ensure accuracy and actionable insights.

• Collaboration: Working effectively with cross-functional teams to integrate research findings and promote a user-centered approach.

• Continuous Learning: Embracing new tools, methodologies, and AI applications to enhance research capabilities and impact.

• User-Centricity: Placing the user at the heart of all design and product development processes.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Close collaboration with Product, UX Design, Content Strategy, Engineering, Analytics, and Marketing teams is essential.

• Mentorship-Driven: A culture where experienced professionals mentor junior team members and interns, fostering knowledge transfer.

• Insight Sharing: Regular communication of research findings and usability issues to relevant teams and leadership.

• Process Improvement: An openness to refining research operations and methodologies for greater efficiency and effectiveness.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values are derived from the descriptive language used in the job posting ("boundless curiosity and empathy," "data-driven thinking," "attention to detail"). The collaboration style is directly inferred from the responsibilities and team structure.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Synthesizing Diverse Data: Integrating insights from a wide array of qualitative and quantitative research methods, as well as analytics tools, into a cohesive narrative.

• Navigating Multiple Business Lines: Adapting research approaches to cater to the distinct needs and user bases of Insurance, Membership, Travel, FinTech, and other AAA services.

• Bridging Technical & Non-Technical Audiences: Effectively communicating complex research findings and their implications to diverse stakeholders with varying levels of technical understanding.

• Leveraging New Technologies: Quickly learning and applying AI tools (Gemini, Claude) and advanced analytics platforms (Adobe suite, Quantum Metrics) within research workflows.

• Managing Research Scope: Balancing the desire for thorough research with project timelines and resource constraints, especially in an internship capacity.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Methodology Mastery: Gaining practical experience across a broad spectrum of UX research techniques, from generative to evaluative, qualitative to quantitative.

• Tool Proficiency: Becoming adept with industry-leading UX research, analytics, and prototyping tools.

• AI in UX: Understanding how to integrate AI into UX research workflows to enhance efficiency and expand capabilities.

• Cross-Functional Understanding: Developing insights into how UX research informs product management, design, engineering, and marketing strategies.

• Professional Communication: Honing presentation and reporting skills to effectively convey research insights to various audiences.

• Mentorship: Receiving personalized guidance from seasoned UX professionals to accelerate learning and career development.

📝 Enhancement Note: Challenges are framed around the inherent complexities of UX research in a large organization and the specific tools/methodologies mentioned. Growth opportunities directly map to the learning objectives and responsibilities outlined in the job description.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you used data to influence a design decision. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on demonstrating data-driven thinking and impact.)

• "How would you approach researching the user needs for a new feature in AAA's travel booking app?" (Prepare a mini research plan, outlining methodologies, target users, and key questions.)

• "Imagine you found conflicting insights from qualitative usability testing and quantitative analytics data. How would you reconcile these findings?" (Demonstrate analytical thinking and problem-solving skills.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in UX research, and specifically in an internship with Auto Club Enterprises/AAA?" (Research AAA's mission, services, and recent digital initiatives.)

• "How do you stay updated on the latest trends and tools in UX research?" (Highlight your proactive learning approach.)

• "Describe your ideal team environment and how you contribute to a positive, collaborative culture." (Align with AAA's emphasis on diversity and teamwork.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: For each project, clearly state the problem, your role, the research questions, the methods used, key findings, and recommendations/impact.

• Storytelling: Weave a narrative that guides the interviewer through your thought process and problem-solving journey.

• Visuals: Use clear, concise visuals (screenshots, diagrams, key data points) to support your presentation. Avoid overwhelming slides.

• Tool Emphasis: Be prepared to discuss your experience with specific tools mentioned (Figma, Sketch, UserTesting, etc.) and how you leveraged them.

• Q&A Readiness: Anticipate questions about your methodology choices, challenges faced, and alternative approaches you considered.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation is tailored to the specific tools, methodologies, and company context mentioned, providing actionable advice for demonstrating relevant skills and cultural fit.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Researcher Intern position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Auto Club Enterprises careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features projects demonstrating your research process, data analysis skills, and experience with prototyping tools like Figma or Sketch. Tailor the selection to highlight aspects relevant to AAA's services (e.g., travel, insurance, membership).

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly articulate your academic background, relevant coursework, any prior internship experience, and specific skills in UX research methodologies, data analysis, and prototyping tools. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your understanding of UX research principles, your problem-solving approach, and your ability to collaborate. Prepare to present your portfolio confidently and answer behavioral questions related to curiosity, empathy, and data-driven decision-making.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Auto Club Enterprises and AAA's mission, values, and digital offerings. Understand their member base and the various services they provide to better tailor your responses and demonstrate your interest.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions based on the provided input. All details, especially regarding specific interview processes or detailed team structures, should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.