User Experience Researcher

Aquent Talent; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 106,805 - 118,087; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Subsidized health, vision, and dental plans

Paid sick leave

Retirement plans with a match

Job summary

A leading talent agency in San Francisco seeks a Researcher/Ethnographer. You will create innovative web applications for retailers while leveraging ethnographic methodologies. The ideal candidate has over 7 years of experience in design solutions and a strong portfolio. This full-time, 12-month assignment offers competitive pay ranging from $77/hr to $85/hr.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of industry experience providing interaction design solutions for web and/or software applications.
• Strong online portfolio demonstrating relevant, user-centered design solutions.
• Expertise in deep in-home customer research.

Responsibilities

• Conceptualize and communicate interaction behaviors through design mockups.
• Collaborate with teams to define business requirements.
• Participate in usability testing to optimize feature performance.

Skills

Interaction design solutions

User-centered design principles

Ethnographic methodologies

Fluency in design tools

Exceptional writing skills

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in design, HCI

Tools

Figma

Creative Cloud (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator)

Sketch

Keynote

PowerPoint

Job description

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This range is provided by Aquent Talent. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Base pay range

$77.00/hr - $85.00/hr

Job Title: Researcher/Ethnographer

Pay Comments: W2

Minimum Pay (per hour): 77.53

Maximum Pay (per hour): 85.72

Hours: Full-time

Duration: Approx. 12 Month Assignment

Job Description:

We're partnering with a leading technology company that empowers retailers and manufacturers to seamlessly sell their products across various channels – from their own branded websites to in-store and over the phone. This organization leverages robust platform capabilities to provide unparalleled support, selection, and expertise, helping businesses thrive in a competitive market. We are seeking a visionary Ethnographer/Designer to join their team and revolutionize the way thousands of businesses manage their multichannel presence. Your innovative designs will directly shape the future of e-commerce, creating intuitive experiences that empower sellers and ultimately impact their success.

About the Role

As an Ethnographer, you will be at the forefront of creating innovative and intuitive web applications that empower retailers and manufacturers to manage their inventory, orders, and customer‑facing websites with ease. This role demands a deep passion for user advocacy, leveraging visitor data to inform recommendations and measure design solutions. You will play a critical role in optimizing the ability of thousands of businesses to manage their multichannel e‑commerce operations, significantly impacting their user experience and overall success.

Key Responsibilities

• Quickly and thoroughly conceptualize and communicate detailed interaction behaviors through process flows, wireframes, and visual design mockups.
• Collaborate closely with cross‑functional teams to define business and feature requirements, drawing insights from empirical online data, usability findings, market research, and proven user‑centered design (UCD) principles.
• Assess and optimize the performance of new and existing features by actively participating in usability testing and interpreting analytics data.
• Present design work to the user experience team, product team, and senior leadership for review and feedback.
• Contribute to the evolution of user interface design and development best practices and standards.
• Provide leadership and insight into e‑commerce trends, web application design, and user interface innovations.
• Plan, execute, and report on research findings and insights, including planning research sessions and defining requirements.
• Develop prototypes and conduct focus groups to gather qualitative feedback.
• Review quantitative responses and share insights with stakeholders, including designers and product managers.
• Facilitate concept development workshops based on new insights to drive innovation.

What You’ll Bring

• 7+ years of industry experience providing interaction design solutions for web and/or software applications.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in design, human‑computer interaction (HCI), or equivalent professional experience.
• Fluency in best practices for web‑based information architecture and design, coupled with strong knowledge of usability principles and techniques.
• Proven proficiency in a variety of design tools including Figma, Creative Cloud (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator), Sketch, Keynote, and PowerPoint.
• A strong online portfolio demonstrating past work experience and relevant, user‑centered design solutions is required.
• Demonstrated experience as both an Ethnographer and a Designer.
• Expertise in deep in‑home customer research and ethnographic methodologies.
• Exceptional writing skills to articulate research findings and design rationale effectively.

About Aquent Talent

Aquent Talent connects the best talent in marketing, creative, and design with the world's biggest brands.

Our eligible talent get access to amazing benefits like subsidized health, vision, and dental plans, paid sick leave, and retirement plans with a match. More information on our awesome benefits!

Aquent is an equal‑opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. We're about creating an inclusive environment—one where different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are valued, and everyone can contribute, grow their careers, and thrive.