User Experience Researcher

Must-haves 
- 6+ years of experience conducting UX research on Software Development projects
- Variety of Research Techniques (Usability tests , Surveys , A/B testing, Research studies, field visits, ethnography, interviews, benchmark studies, server logs and online experiments) and understanding when to use each practice
- Experience with User Research
- Ability to work with cross-functional teams (Designers, Product Managers, Engineers, etc.)
- Excellent communication skills
- Job Stability


 
Soft Skills: 
- Communication Skills (Working closely with UX, IT, Internal Stakeholders, and External Users) and Motivated to work
- Someone who can determine the right research method to solve a specific problem - This role is very analytical
- Team Player (Helping Each Other Out)
- Independent worker, solutions oriented
- This person can work 100% remote. They ideally want someone to work PST hours, but can work any time zone as long as they are generally flexible.



Plusses 
- Healthcare Insurance Experience


 
Day-to-Day 
A Healthcare Insurance client is looking for a Senior User Experience Researcher to join their organization. This role is a contract to hire and 100% remote. This person must work PST hours, but there is some flexibility to work their own schedule.

Responsible for developing and executing user research studies to complex problems to uncover insights. This role will take the lead supporting business and development teams as well as other user experience team members and work closely with the client. A strong understanding of user-centered design and user experience design principles will be critical to your success at Word and Brown.


Essential Functions: 
- Conduct independent research on multiple aspects of products and experiences.
- Collect and analyze user behavior through research studies, field visits, ethnography, surveys, benchmark studies, server logs and online experiments (A/B testing).
- Work with Designers, Product Managers, Engineers, and other stakeholders to prioritize research opportunities in a fast-paced, rapidly changing environment.
- Understand and incorporate complex technical and business requirements into research.
- Advocate research findings to diverse audiences through written reports and in-person presentations.
- Remain on top of industry trends, and evaluate innovative design approaches to develop internal innovation and engaging solutions
- Lead the research and evaluation of third-party tools to enhance processes and business results
- Work in an Agile (SCRUM) environment and participate in Sprint Planning, User Story Elaboration, Backlog Grooming, Story Estimation, Daily Scrum, UX Reviews, Work-in Progress Reviews, Sprint Reviews and Sprint Retrospectives.
- Define and validate key stakeholder goals, identify business requirements, and support the development of user stories, backlog grooming and user story estimation.
- Lead adoption of Agile culture and methodology by extended development teams and integrated UX research and usability testing into sprints.
- Manage multiple competing project priorities
- Develop user personas and scenarios to clarify results of user research and focus the team's design efforts on the needs of key user guidelines and centralize in the UX Wiki
- Lead and participate in training and onboarding new team members.
- Gain and foster understanding of target audiences' needs, tasks, and goals and translating them into insights for designers.
- Evangelize User Experience Research company-wide
- Mentor junior level researchers
- On-site or remote regular attendance and punctuality are essential functions of the job
- Performs other business tasks or functions as assigned
- Familiarity with enterprise level software development practices (Agile methodology, sprints, version control systems, issue tracking tools, local build environments).
- A strong portfolio, showing excellent user experience research background, and good communication skills is required
- Strong understanding of the strengths and shortcomings of different research methods, including when and how to apply them during the product development process.
- Experience in a variety of product spaces, applied research and/or academic settings.
- Proficiency in communicating user research findings with cross-functional partners to drive impact.


 
Educational Requirements: 
- High School Diploma or equivalent required.
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Cognitive Science, Statistics, Psychology, Anthropology, or related field.
- Eight to ten (8 10) years of experience conducting UX research on products and working with executive leadership (e.g., Director level and above).