Research Manager

What you’ll be doing

• Managing a team of junior researchers who will be executing a series of evaluative research projects, primarily for a single client. 
• Supporting the growth and development of junior researchers at the company through coaching and mentoring.
• Participating in client meetings with Blink’s account management team as a subject matter expert. Scoping and proposing specific research projects that address client needs. 
• Leading multiple research projects concurrently with Blink researchers and project managers. 
• Providing input and substantive feedback to team members as they plan and moderate research studies and create insights and recommendations reports based on findings. Ensuring that project outcomes and deliverables meet Blink’s high-quality standards.
• Understanding client business goals while advocating for well-crafted and enjoyable user experiences.
• Providing input about project team resourcing and schedules, ensuring Blink teams are organized to serve client and project needs best.
• Working with the Research Leadership Team to grow and fine-tune the company’s evaluative UX research practice.
• Identifying opportunities to build awareness, credibility, and reputation through direct communication with potential clients and outward communication channels.
• Leading company initiatives on special topics of interest or new services.

What we are looking for

• 6+ years of experience designing and conducting evaluative UX research studies.
• Excellent consulting skills demonstrated by being proactive, thinking with the end in mind, aligning stakeholders, and seeking to understand divergent viewpoints. 
• Formal education in a relevant field such as human-centered design, cognitive psychology, information science, or equivalent hands-on experience to demonstrate an understanding of user research theory, methods, and practices.
• Expertise in various methods such as qualitative user interviews, concept evaluation, surveys, usability, UX benchmarking, hardware user research, etc. Ability to prescribe single or mixed research methods depending on research questions.
• Advanced quantitative research skills. Ability to prescribe appropriate statistical tests and mentor junior researchers on quantitative research methods. 
• Interest and excitement for emerging technologies such as mixed reality and AI.
• Excellent presentation, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to articulate the value of user experience research and design to clients and executives.
• Experience mentoring, managing, and/or leading other researchers.
• Proven ability to communicate recommended design solutions for observed UX and product issues.
• Working knowledge of technology constraints and capabilities.
• Experience collaborating with team members and stakeholders across different disciplines and areas of expertise (e.g., research, design, business, engineering)

Bonus if you have

• Demonstrated thought leadership through public speaking or writing.
• UX design, product development, or product management experience.
• Interest and ability to travel as the evaluative research program expands.
• Advanced degree (Masters or PhD).
If your experience looks a little different from what we’ve identified, and you think you can rock the role, we’d love to learn more about you. Please feel welcome to apply, including a cover letter that tells us why you would be a good match.