Senior UX / Design Researcher 100% remote W2 92/hr

Senior UX / Design Researcher
Core Discipline: UX Research, Design Research, Usability Testing, Iteraction Design,  Qualitative Research

Tech Stack & Tools: Figma, FigJam, Claude AI, Google Sheets, Google Docs, UserTesting, HeyMarvin, Jira, VOC Data
Methodologies: Usability Audit, Contextual Inquiry, Observational Research, PQS Baseline Scoring, Task Completion Tiers, Friction Severity Scoring, Taxonomy Coding, User Journey Mapping

We are seeking a Senior UX / Design Researcher with 5+ years of experience to lead a systematic product quality and usability audit across 15 critical user workflows within a major enterprise SaaS ecosystem.

This role bridges user research and interaction design. The ideal candidate possesses an intense focus on micro-interactions, usability metrics, and friction reduction rather than foundational field ethnography or net-new visual design. You will observe real users navigating live environments, evaluate workflows end-to-end, capture quantitative friction scores, and map user insights directly to engineering and product backlogs.

Tech Stack & Tooling Requirements

• Figma / FigJam: Advanced proficiency in FigJam for visual user journey mapping, workflow capture, and cross-functional artifact sharing. (Note: UI design expertise in Figma proper is not required).
• Claude AI: Utilizing AI workflows to automate screenshot extraction and streamline qualitative documentation processes.
• Google Workspace (Docs & Sheets): Quantitative data logging, taxonomy coding, structured spreadsheet analysis, and findings tracking.
• Remote User Testing Platforms: Executing unmoderated and moderated sessions using platforms such as UserTesting and HeyMarvin.
• Jira & Customer Feedback Signals (VOC): Mapping qualitative friction logs to existing customer voice data and active developer backlogs.

Key Responsibilities & Deliverables

1. Evaluative Usability Audits & Session Moderation:
   • Moderating live observational research sessions, shadowing, and contextual inquiries across target user segments.
   • Measuring universal usability metrics, task completion tiers (Success, Failure, Disaster), and scoring friction severity on a 1–4 scale.
2. Centralized Findings Log & Data Synthesis:
   • Maintaining a standardized, database-driven Findings Log in Google Sheets categorized by Area, Friction Type, Root Cause, Participant Profile, and Severity.
   • Connecting qualitative findings to Jira backlogs, VOC feedback, and open product questions.
3. End-to-End Visual User Journey Maps:
   • Constructing visual journey maps in FigJam/Figma detailing user motivations, entry points, decision branches, friction moments, and reach/severity estimates across 15 core workflows.
4. Cross-Functional Communication:
   • Translating complex interaction usability findings into structured data for Product Managers, Designers, and Engineering leads.

Candidate Qualifications

• Experience: 5+ years of professional experience in UX/Design Research executing qualitative research, observational usability testing, and visual journey mapping.
• Design Background: Strong background or deep interest in interaction design, micro-interactions, interface details, and usability heuristics.
• Methodological Rigor: Demonstrated expertise in task-based usability metrics, taxonomy coding, and structured quantitative/qualitative data synthesis.
• Domain Experience: Experience evaluating complex enterprise SaaS software, multi-product ecosystems, or financial workflow tools.
• Facilitation: Strong cross-functional facilitation skills to align Product, Engineering, and Design stakeholders.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Design, Anthropology, or a related field.