Contract UX Researcher

YMCA of the Northern Sky; Washington (District of Columbia); Remote; USD 75,000 - 100,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading design agency is seeking a Contract UX Researcher to help shape user experience for top brands. The role involves conducting qualitative and quantitative research, analyzing data for actionable insights, and collaborating with designers and client teams. Must have over 3 years of experience in UX research and be fluent in English. This is a remote position available only to candidates in US time zones.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience conducting UX research in digital product design.
• Deep understanding of qualitative and quantitative research methods.
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills.

Responsibilities

• Identify research needs for new and existing projects.
• Conduct a wide range of qualitative and quantitative UX research methods.
• Analyze, synthesize, and summarize qualitative and quantitative data.

Skills

UX research

Qualitative research methods

Quantitative research methods

Communication skills

Analytical mindset

Job description

Overview

Remote (US time zone only). Clay is a global design agency building world-class digital products and brands. We work with companies like Slack, Google, Snapchat, Amazon, Coinbase, and many innovative startups. Our distributed team collaborates across Europe and the US to craft meaningful digital experiences with a strong focus on strategy, research, and design excellence.

We’re looking for a Contract UX Researcher to join our team on a project basis and help shape the user experience of products for some of the world’s leading brands. You’ll work closely with designers, strategists, and client teams to uncover insights that drive design decisions and ensure our solutions are grounded in a deep understanding of users.

Responsibilities

• Identify research needs for new and existing projects.
• Plan research activities and deliverables in collaboration with cross-functional teams.
• Conduct a wide range of qualitative and quantitative UX research methods, including (but not limited to) stakeholder interviews, user interviews, usability testing, persona development, customer journey mapping (CJM), and card sorting.
• Design interview scripts and usability test plans.
• Develop screeners and facilitate user recruitment for interviews, usability studies, and card sorting sessions.
• Execute user research remotely or in person.
• Analyze, synthesize, and summarize qualitative and quantitative data.
• Identify areas of misalignment and help solidify the product vision and successful outcomes for stakeholders.
• Identify user pain points, attitudes, and behaviors to support a more robust design process.
• Generate actionable insights to support design teams throughout the project lifecycle.
• Present research findings and recommendations to external stakeholders in a clear and engaging way.

Requirements

• 3+ years of experience conducting UX research in digital product design.
• Deep understanding of qualitative and quantitative research methods and when to apply each.
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills — ability to translate insights into compelling narratives that guide design.
• Experience collaborating with designers, PMs, and developers in a fast-paced, creative environment.
• Experience working with global clients or within design agencies.
• Understanding of UX design processes and product strategy.
• Strong analytical mindset and attention to detail.
• Self-starter comfortable managing research independently.
• Fluency in English (both written and spoken).
• Must be based in or available to work within US time zones.

Contract Details

• Remote position, US time zone only.
• Contract / project-based engagement with potential for future collaboration.