Staff User Researcher

Summary

Join Ethos as a Staff User Researcher and establish the research function, defining processes and methods for a growing team. Lead strategic research initiatives across complex user journeys, including agent tools and customer applications. Dive deep into complex workflows and decision-making contexts, building scalable research frameworks for continuous discovery and feedback. Lead mixed-method research efforts, synthesizing findings from various data sources to identify product opportunities. Communicate research insights effectively to stakeholders and shape product strategy. Mentor future researchers and designers, fostering an insight-driven product culture. Innovate with research tools and technologies to enhance efficiency and impact. This is a foundational role for a high-impact space.

Requirements

• Extensive experience: 7+ years in user research, preferably in complex product ecosystems (e.g., B2B SaaS, financial services, or enterprise tools)
• Quantitative and qualitative depth: Expert in designing, executing, and analyzing research studies using a range of methods—surveys, user testing, interviews, behavioral analytics, experimental design, etc
• Clear communicator: Skilled at transforming data and research into compelling, concise stories that influence product and business decisions
• Strategic presence: Demonstrated ability to influence leadership, guide priorities, and connect user experience to measurable business impact
• Systems thinker: Comfortable with cross-platform journeys, multi-user systems, and building frameworks to support broad insight generation
• Builder mindset: You enjoy ambiguity and see opportunity in starting from scratch; you’re proactive, highly autonomous, and thrive when laying foundations
• Collaborative operator: Experience partnering with product, engineering, design, sales, operations, and data teams in fast-paced environments

Responsibilities

• Establish the research function at Ethos: Define processes, methods, and research operations for a growing design and research team
• Own and drive strategic research initiatives: Lead research across complex user journeys and systems—including agent tools, quoting flows, application pipelines, and customer onboarding
• Dive deep into complexity: Understand and simplify multi-step workflows, decision-making contexts, compliance constraints, and multi-user systems
• Build scalable research frameworks: Develop systems for continuous discovery, satisfaction measurement, longitudinal tracking, and feedback loops across our customer and agent experiences
• Lead mixed-method research efforts: Design and execute both qualitative and quantitative studies using advanced methodologies (e.g., survey science, behavioral data analysis, experiment design)
• Synthesize across data sources: Combine research findings with usage data, operational metrics, and market insights to tell compelling stories and identify clear product opportunities
• Communicate with clarity and influence: Deliver high-impact narratives and visualizations that resonate with technical and non-technical stakeholders, including executives
• Shape product strategy: Translate insights into roadmap recommendations, influence prioritization, and advocate for user-centered thinking at all levels of the company
• Mentor and scale: Guide and support future researchers and designers, and help build a strong, insight-driven product culture
• Innovate with tools and tech: Leverage AI-enabled research tools or custom frameworks to accelerate learning and improve research efficiency and impact

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in life insurance, fintech, or regulated industries
• Advanced academic background (e.g., PhD or MS in HCI, Behavioral Science, Psychology, Economics, or related)
• Expertise in advanced research techniques like conjoint analysis, choice modeling, or predictive modeling