Lead UX Researcher - (Onsite in Springfield, MO)

The Lead UX Researcher will lead strategic research initiatives to uncover insights into customer behaviors and inform product strategy. This role involves collaboration with cross-functional teams to ensure research findings are actionable and integrated into product roadmaps.

Responsibilities

• Lead Strategic Research and Deliver Actionable Insights: Spearhead planning, execution, and delivery of advanced research programs that align with business strategy and user needs.
• Define, scope, and lead large-scale mixed-method research projects (qualitative and quantitative) to uncover deep insights into customer behaviors, motivations, and pain points.
• Translate complex research findings into clear, actionable recommendations that directly inform product strategy and enterprise initiatives.
• Champion frameworks such as journey maps, experience models, behavioral segmentation, and UX metrics to connect insights across multiple initiatives.
• Ensure research deliverables adhere to high standards of rigor, accessibility, and business relevance.
• Monitor and apply emerging research methodologies and tools to enhance practice and customer understanding.
• Drive Collaboration, Communication, and Research Influence: Institutionalize user-centered decision-making across product lifecycles through storytelling and evidence-based recommendations.
• Partner closely with stakeholders to frame business problems and align research strategies with organizational objectives.
• Collaborate with design, product, engineering, and analytics teams to ensure insights are embedded into roadmaps and solutions.
• Oversee and delegate work to other researchers, setting priorities, scopes, and quality standards for research deliverables.
• Mentor junior and mid-level researchers, fostering professional growth, methodological expertise, and impact.
• Present research insights and domain-level strategies to senior stakeholders and executive audiences.
• Independently scope and deliver high-impact research projects across multiple initiatives within the domain with minimal direction.
• Build strong working relationships with other customer insights and analytics teams to ensure consistency and cross-pollination of findings.
• Strengthen and Develop Research Operations and Frameworks: Lead the evolution and governance of shared research frameworks, repositories, and systems that scale across teams.
• Drive continuous refinement of research processes and team standards to improve rigor, repeatability, and accessibility.
• Ensure data, documentation, and insight repositories are maintained and accessible.
• Vet and manage outside research vendors or contractors as needed to scale capacity or access specialized expertise.
• Advance Personal and Professional Expertise and Team Growth: Maintain a proactive personal development plan aligned to emerging research methodologies, leadership skills, and technology.
• Lead learning initiatives within the Digital Experience team, sharing expertise and fostering a culture of curiosity and innovation.
• Support community-building and cross-functional education in user research.
• Provide coaching and developmental feedback to researchers, monitoring quality of project work and adherence to standards and practices.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in a related field such as Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Cognitive Science, Anthropology, Information Science, Market Research, or Design.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree.
• Advanced degree such as a Ph.D. in a relevant field is a plus but not required or equivalent relevant professional experience.
• Professional certifications such as Certified User Experience Researcher (CUER) from UXPA, Certified Professional in User Experience (CPUX) from UXQB, or Nielsen Norman Group UX Research Certification (preferred).
• Other UX research or specialized training programs (e.g., advanced qualitative/quantitative methods, data science, or behavioral research bootcamps) (preferred).
• 7+ years of applied UX research experience in product or service development, with increasing responsibility and leadership on complex, cross-functional initiatives.

Key Skills

• Advanced proficiency in qualitative and quantitative research methods, including ethnography, contextual inquiry, surveys, usability testing, and statistical analysis.
• Strong ability to synthesize insights into compelling narratives that influence strategy, product roadmaps, and design direction.
• Proven ability to set research vision within a domain and oversee multiple concurrent initiatives with measurable impact.
• Advanced proficiency with research frameworks and tools (e.g., UserTesting, dscout, Qualtrics, Looker/Tableau, Figma for collaboration).
• Skilled in mixed-method approaches and triangulating insights across qualitative, quantitative, and behavioral data sources.
• Fluent understanding of modern UX design processes and practices, enabling effective collaboration with designers and translation of insights into experience improvements.
• Demonstrated ability to shape product strategy and business outcomes through evidence-based recommendations.
• Strong leadership, delegation, and mentoring skills across a team of researchers, with the ability to guide designers in applying evidence to their work.
• Advanced experience operating within agile and fast-paced product development environments.

Benefits

• Enjoy discounts on retail merchandise, our restaurants, world-class resorts and conservation attractions!
• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Health Savings Account
• Flexible Spending Account
• Voluntary benefits
• 401k Retirement Savings
• Paid holidays
• Paid vacation
• Paid sick time
• Bass Pro Cares Fund
• And more!