Lead User Researcher

Position Overview

• Location Type: Remote
• Job Type: Full-time
• Salary: Not specified

Job Summary: Upwork is seeking a Lead UX Researcher to drive high-impact insights that shape how our platform connects clients and talent. This role will lead large-scale research efforts informing strategic product decisions and elevating the customer experience for millions of users. You’ll collaborate with Product, Design, Data Science, and Marketing to ensure every product we build is grounded in deep user understanding. Join us in revolutionizing search technology at Upwork and making a significant impact on our platform and users.

Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional research initiatives that shape the product strategy and user experience across critical journeys on the platform.
• Identify research opportunities in collaboration with stakeholders from Product, Design, Data Science, and Marketing, aligning work to key business goals.
• Design and execute mixed-method research using qualitative and quantitative approaches, including usability testing, interviews, and surveys.
• Translate research findings into clear, actionable insights that influence product roadmaps, backed by compelling narratives and visual storytelling.
• Serve as the voice of the customer across the product development lifecycle—from discovery through delivery and iteration.
• Present insights to teams and leadership in ways that inspire decisions and foster alignment.
• Mentor and support the development of junior researchers; help scale best practices across the research function.

Requirements

• Experience: 8+ years of hands-on experience conducting UX research in a fast-paced product or technology environment, with demonstrated leadership on strategic projects.
• Methodology: Expertise across qualitative and quantitative methods, with a strong ability to match the right approach to the right problem.
• Synthesis: Proven strength in synthesizing complex data into clear insights that guide product and design decisions.
• Communication: Excellent communication skills and experience delivering presentations that drive action across cross-functional teams.
• Artifacts: Experience producing foundational research artifacts like personas, journey maps, or ecosystem diagrams that support long-term product vision.

Company Information

Upwork is the world’s largest work marketplace, connecting businesses with highly skilled professionals worldwide. With professionals spanning 10,000+ skills, including AI and machine learning, software development, sales and marketing, customer support, finance and accounting, and more, Upwork empowers businesses of all sizes to scale, innovate, and build agile teams. Upwork’s AI-powered platform has facilitated over $20 billion in economic opportunity for professionals worldwide.

Application Instructions

• Not specified.

Come change how the world works.