Staff UX Researcher

Staff UX Researcher

We’re looking to hire our first UX researcher during the most exciting time the company has seen. Our design org is small, nimble, research-literate, and excited to work with an expert in the field. Improving ease of use is the top company priority, and in this role you will play a key part in making that happen. We don't just value research—we want you to have a real seat at the table within the design org and help build the practice. You will report to the VP of Design, and focus primarily on generative, high-impact research that will help shape Heap’s design vision.

Heap is a company that genuinely values truth and reality. It’s built into everything we do and permeates every organization in the company, from rapid prototyping of our business strategy all the way down to validation of individual product decisions. You’ll find that every single person at Heap has both an appetite and deep appreciation for research.

What You'll Do

• Work collaboratively with Design and leadership to define and prioritize impactful research questions and translate these questions into effective research plans. You’ll choose the methods and processes that will lead to high-confidence insights.
• Build a strong understanding of the value our product delivers for our customers, what works, what doesn’t work, the whole thing.
• Develop and validate hypotheses using both qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Manage the research process end-to-end: from recruiting, to moderation, to synthesis, and socialization. You will be set up for success throughout.
• Synthesize research findings into compelling packages for various audiences.
• Maintain and socialize our internal research insights repository. We use Dovetail, but tooling is your call!
• Democratize research to other roles in design and product. We’re looking for your help putting the right systems in place to empower other roles with proper governance.
• As our first researcher, you will shape research practice and culture within the Design org, the future UX Research team, and the entire company. You get to define what research looks like at Heap.
• Build ties to the research community. As the first researcher at Heap, we encourage you to develop connections according to your interests.
• Do great research and enjoy fantastic collaboration with colleagues who truly value and support your work.

What We're Looking For

• 7+ years of research experience, including meaningful time as an in-house researcher at a comparable company. You've taken on complex workflows and systems, have worked across multiple product areas with many partners, and enjoy sharing your findings with a diverse audience. Experience in analytics is a plus!
• A proven track record of high-impact generative research projects. You are comfortable working on big, ambiguous problems and identifying concrete patterns and opportunities.
• Proficiency and experience in a wide variety of mixed methods. We are an insights company after all. We have access to a robust dataset and powerful tooling that you should be confident using to develop and validate hypotheses.
• Creative approaches for recruiting research participants.
• Fast and flexible. You manage your time effectively and are able to execute quickly. You know how to balance urgency with methodological rigor and adapt as needed for the situation. You can help us learn rapidly and hone in on a vision without sacrificing confidence.
• Pragmatic and analytical. Can ground your research priorities in the technical, product, and business needs of the company.
• Autonomous. You feel ownership over the product, take initiative, identify research opportunities, scope work effectively, and advocate to bring projects to life. You multitask and prioritize effectively. You have a history of going beyond the request.
• Collaborative and candid. You default to transparency and are at your best when working with others.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. You are clear and concise, and have a passion for working with many functions across the company.

People are what make Heap awesome. Regardless of age, education, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or any personal characteristics, we want everyone to feel welcome. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive equal opportunity workplace everyone can call home.

Heap has raised $205M in funding from NEA, Y Combinator, Menlo Ventures, SVAngel, Sam Altman, Garry Tan, Alexis Ohanian, Harj Taggar, Ram Shriram, and others. We offer plenty of awesome benefits, and we were named #1 on Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work (SMB). We'd love to hear from you!

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