UX Research Lead - Data Product

Employment Type: Contract - 3 months Salary: Starting at $60/HR Location Type: [Not Specified]

Position Overview

We are seeking a proactive and experienced UX Research Lead to join our team for a strategic engagement focused on improving the usability and accessibility of a data product. In this role, you will lead qualitative research with a mix of expert and general audiences to inform future product decisions. You'll be responsible for executing and managing the entire research process—from stakeholder alignment and study design to execution, synthesis, and presentation of findings. This role requires strong experience working with complex data products, thoughtful stakeholder engagement, and confidence navigating the needs of specialized professional audiences alongside general audiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead research with a mix of professionals and general audiences to uncover their workflows, goals, and unmet needs.
• Design and conduct qualitative research, including 1:1 interviews, task-based usability testing, workflow observation, and concept testing.
• Understand how data-literate audiences work with complex information and datasets.
• Evaluate the user experience of dashboards and web data products, identifying barriers to comprehension, usability, and data accessibility.
• Synthesize results systematically and deliver clear, strategic recommendations to help evolve the product for both expert and non-expert users.
• Collaborate with internal and client teams to align on goals, drive insight adoption, and shape the roadmap.
• Own project timelines, manage recruitment, coordinate internal resourcing, and ensure research is delivered on time and on budget.
• Present research findings with clarity, executive presence, and persuasive storytelling.

Requirements

• 6+ years of experience conducting qualitative UX research, including in-depth interviews, usability testing, and workflow studies.
• Experience working on complex or data-heavy digital products, such as dashboards, data portals, or research tools.
• Demonstrated success conducting research with specialist professional audiences.
• Strong synthesis and communication skills—able to turn findings into frameworks, themes, and product opportunities.
• Experience running concept validation and usability studies for new or evolving features.
• Excellent client and stakeholder management skills, including experience leading engagements independently.
• Preferred but not required: Familiarity with climate, environmental, or economic datasets or platforms.
• Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Design, Cognitive Science, Journalism or a related field.

Compensation

Starting at $60/HR. This compensation range is indicative of the role. Compensation offered is on the basis of evaluation during the interview process, the candidate's range and depth of experience, business and market financials, and internal pay parity.

Company Information

Want to know more? Check us out at https://www.designit.com/. Just so you know, we don’t have a dress code, but we do have a strict no jerk policy. Designit is committed to ensuring that all candidates have an equal opportunity to be considered for employment. Please let us know if you need any reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process.