Qualitative UX Researcher
Role Overview:
On a three-month engagement, you will plan and conduct qualitative research to inform digital experiences across our US Group Benefits line of business. Working side-by-side with Design Strategists, Designers, Content Strategists, developers and product leaders, you will produce insights and recommendations that align our experiences with user needs and improve usability. Your work will inform everything from focused feature enhancements to broader product direction. Common tools for this team include usability testing, surveys, in-depth interviews, co-design sessions, ethnography, working sessions, and design sprints. We are also actively experimenting with how and where to use AI to support and streamline research efforts, and we encourage experimentation in this area.
This is a hands-on role built for a highly organized self-starter who is very comfortable with ambiguity. You will own studies end-to-end and work with minimal day-to-day oversight, turning ambiguous questions into clear, decision-ready insights.
We are a small but growing UX research discipline, encompassing both UX research and behavioral science, and you will have the chance to collaborate with our behavioral science and measurement team. Experience working with behavioral scientists and considering measurement as a routine part of UX Research is a plus.
Responsibilities:
As an experienced practitioner (5+ years), you will independently plan and conduct research studies on behalf of multiple teams delivering digital experiences for US Group Benefits. Your work will span generative and evaluative qualitative methods.
- Independently scope, plan, manage and track the execution of research studies from intake through readout, with minimal supervision.
- Design and run usability testing (moderated and unmoderated) and translate findings into concrete, prioritized recommendations that are rooted in an understanding of product business goals.
- Build and field surveys — including questionnaire design, sampling logic and analysis — to complement qualitative findings.
- Conduct generative qualitative research (in-depth interviews, contextual inquiry, ethnography, concept testing, workshops and co-design sessions) to uncover unmet needs and shape early experience direction.
- Partner with product managers/owners, product marketers and UX designers to intake new studies, aligning business needs with methods and approaches.
- Help prioritize and manage a backlog of studies, keeping your own research pipeline organized and stakeholders informed.
- Analyze raw data and derive insights and recommendations for teams across US Group Benefits.
- Socialize insights through clear research reports, engaging presentations, highlight reels and other outputs. Strong presentation skills are required.
- Uphold research ethics and ensure an inclusive approach to participant recruitment and participation.
Qualifications:
- Significant background in a field devoted to understanding human behavior (e.g., Anthropology, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology). Master’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) or a related field preferred.
- We also welcome candidates with equivalent depth of experience from adjacent disciplines — for example, a PhD in Anthropology, Sociology or a related social science — paired with relevant applied industry research experience.
- 5+ years of applied qualitative research experience, with demonstrated depth in usability testing, survey research and generative qualitative methods, and a proven ability to match the right methodology to the learning objective and timeline
- A track record of working independently and autonomously — a self-starter who owns their work, is highly organized, manages ambiguity with confidence, and can align teams around a research plan.
- Exceptional organization and the ability to juggle multiple concurrent studies while meeting deadlines on a compressed timeline.
- A strong understanding of product development cycles and the role of UX research on product teams.
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to connect with the priorities of cross-functional partners in product, tech, business and design.
- A demonstrated ability to create influential reporting and communication pieces.
- Proficiency with remote testing and research tools. Experience with UserTesting, Condens and Qualtrics is a plus.
- Experience conducting UX or user research for large companies, in B2B2C contexts, on agile product teams, and/or for insurance or financial-services companies is a plus.
Company profile:
With 153 years of experience, the MetLife companies are a leading innovator and a recognized leader in protection planning and retirement and savings solutions around the world. We have established a strong presence in more than 40 markets globally through organic growth, acquisitions, joint ventures and other partnerships. We are strengthening our global brand by extending core products and competencies to markets around the world – an important driver of growth for the enterprise.
Around the world, the MetLife companies offer life, accident and health insurance, retirement and savings products through agents, third-party distributors such as banks and brokers, and direct marketing channels. We work with families, corporations and governments to provide them with solutions that offer financial guarantees in their lives. Our name is recognized and trusted by tens of millions of customers worldwide, and do business with 96 of the top 100 FORTUNE 500® companies in the United States. We have the experience, global resources and vision to provide financial certainties for an uncertain world.
EM Marketing offers a wide array of benefits for employees that are classified as W2 employees or work over 30 hours a week. These benefits include several medical plan options, with a portion of the premiums being covered by EM Marketing. Additionally, there are several dental, vision, supplemental options, and a 401K plan.