Lead UX Researcher

Cox Automotive Inc.; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 135,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible vacation with pay

Seven paid holidays per year

Up to 160 hours wellness leave

Job summary

Cox Automotive Inc. in Atlanta seeks a Lead User Researcher to set research strategies across multiple product domains and guide long-term direction. You will build portfolio roadmaps, coordinate cross-team programs, and ensure high-quality, ethical research practices.

You will mentor senior researchers, apply agentic AI to create repeatable insight pipelines, and collaborate with Research Operations on governance, panels, and tooling decisions. Travel may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field with 6 years' experience; or a master's with 4 years; or a Ph.D. with 1 year; or 10 years in a related field.
• Proven success leading large, multi-team research programs.
• Deep command of ethnography, journey mapping, concept testing, and synthesis.
• Ability to architect insight frameworks, research operations models, and standards.
• Strong influence skills; trusted advisor to Directors, VPs, and senior leadership.
• Excellent cross-functional leadership and facilitation skills.
• Strong understanding of product strategy and business-level decision frameworks.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complexity and ambiguity at scale.
• Ability to coach and elevate the performance of multiple senior researchers.
• Expertise in data-backed storytelling and strategic communication.
• Familiarity with analytics, experimentation, and modeling workflows.
• Use of general purpose LLM tools to analyze and synthesize user behavior, identify patterns, and prioritize opportunities.
• Use AI to accelerate discovery, experimentation, development, and recommend improvements throughout the product design process.
• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred
• 6-10 years applied research experience

Responsibilities

• Define portfolio level research strategies with measurable success criteria.
• Lead multiteam, multimethod research programs across product lines and identify cross domain insights that influence long-term product direction.
• Develop advanced personas, journey architectures, and ecosystem maps.
• Supervise development of personas, journey architectures, ecosystem maps, and opportunity landscapes used across teams.
• Apply advanced agentic AI to develop repeatable insight pipelines and quality controls.
• Partner with Research Operations on governance, research frameworks, panel strategy, vendor selection, and tooling decisions.
• Facilitate alignment workshops with senior product and UX leaders using collaborative tools (e.g., Miro, Mural)
• Provide expert guidance on method selection for ambiguous or high-risk projects.
• Mentor Senior Researchers and serve as a method-of-record reviewer.
• Oversee repository consistency and long-term insight durability.
• Influence roadmaps by communicating evidence backed opportunity areas.
• Develop capacity plans and guide resource allocation across research programs.
• Champion ethical research practices and participant safety.

Skills

Leadership

Ethnography

Journey mapping

Synthesis

Influence skills

Facilitation

Mentoring

Data storytelling

AI tools

LLM analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree + 6 years

Master's degree + 4 years

PhD + 1 year

10 years experience

Tools

Miro

Mural

LLM tooling

Job description

As aLead User Researcher, you will set research strategies and guide programs across multiple products or portfolio areas. You will demonstrate advanced to emerging mastery across major UXR competencies and serve as a research leader within CAI. You will develop portfolio level research roadmaps, coordinate multiteam initiatives, and shape long-term product direction. You will establish standards, drive methodological consistency, and partner with Research Ops to enable scalable, high-quality research processes. You will also apply advanced agentic AI techniques to build repeatable insight systems, automate synthesis, and support long-term insight durability.

Position Responsibilities

• Define portfolio level research strategies with measurable success criteria.
• Lead multiteam, multimethod research programs across product lines and identify cross domain insights that influence long-term product direction.
• Develop advanced personas, journey architectures, and ecosystem maps.
• Supervise development of personas, journey architectures, ecosystem maps, and opportunity landscapes used across teams.
• Apply advanced agentic AI to develop repeatable insight pipelines and quality controls.
• Partner with Research Operations on governance, research frameworks, panel strategy, vendor selection, and tooling decisions.
• Facilitate alignment workshops with senior product and UX leaders using collaborative tools (e.g., Miro, Mural)
• Provide expert guidance on method selection for ambiguous or high-risk projects.
• Mentor Senior Researchers and serve as a method-of-record reviewer.
• Oversee repository consistency and long-term insight durability.
• Influence roadmaps by communicating evidence backed opportunity areas.
• Develop capacity plans and guide resource allocation across research programs.
• Champion ethical research practices and participant safety.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in and 6 years' experience in a related field. The right candidate could also have a different combination, such as a master's degree and 4 years' experience; a Ph.D. and 1 year of experience; or 10 years' experience in a related field
• Proven success leading large, multi-team research programs
• Deep command of ethnography, journey mapping, concept testing, and synthesis
• Ability to architect insight frameworks, research operations models, and standards
• Strong influence skills; trusted advisor to Directors, VPs, and senior leadership
• Excellent cross-functional leadership and facilitation skills
• Strong understanding of product strategy and business-level decision frameworks
• Demonstrated ability to manage complexity and ambiguity at scale
• Ability to coach and elevate the performance of multiple senior researchers
• Expertise in data-backed storytelling and strategic communication
• Familiarity with analytics, experimentation, and modeling workflows
• Use of general purpose LLM tools to analyze and synthesize user behavior, identify patterns, and prioritize opportunities
• Use AI to accelerate discovery, experimentation, development, and recommend improvements throughout the product design process
• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred
• 6-10 years applied research experience

Additional Information

• May require frequent cross-site travel for portfolio alignment and fieldwork.

USD 134,900.00 - 224,900.00 per year

Compensation

Compensation includes a base salary in the range of $134,900.00 - $224,900.00. The base salary may vary within the anticipated base pay range based on factors such as the ultimate location of the position and the selected candidate's knowledge, skills, and abilities. Position may be eligible for additional compensation that may include an incentive program.

Benefits

• The Company offers eligible employees the flexibility to take as much vacation with pay as they deem consistent with their duties, the company's needs, and its obligations; seven paid holidays throughout the calendar year; and up to 160 hours of paid wellness annually for their own wellness or that of family members.
• Employees are also eligible for additional paid time off in the form of bereavement leave, time off to vote, jury duty leave, volunteer time off, military leave, and parental leave.

Applicants must currently be authorized to work in the United States for any employer without current or future sponsorship.

EOE, including disability/vets