Our mission is to make sure employees get the credit they deserve for the skills training they already do. Many employers offer on-the-job training and now, with Craft, they can also provide a way for their employees to get college credit for that training.

Why are we focusing all our energy and expertise on this? Because with Craft, merit and effort -not money or connections - determine who gets ahead. We are re-seeding the American Dream through a more equitable approach to socioeconomic mobility by making sure that jobs are linked to skills that can be earned anywhere, rather than being limited to graduates from exclusive universities that few can access or afford

Our Core Values:

Focused & Creative: Putting our customers first and solving problems to bring Craft into existence is at the core of everything we are.
Excited & Ambitious: We are super pumped to help people earn credit/credentials as they work towards a better life! This won’t be easy, but the best things never are.
Succeeding Together: We must all work together to achieve our goals, or we all fail together. There are no silos at Craft and building something new is first and foremost a social exercise.
Learning & Evolving: Listen to the market (and each other), adapt creatively and ship quickly

About the Role

We are seeking a highly skilled and autonomous Lead UX Researcher to join our growing startup. This role is critical in shaping our product strategy through user centered research and insights. The ideal candidate will be comfortable working in a fast-paced, evolving environment and will play a key role in building our research processes from the ground up.

Key Responsibilities

Lead and conduct user research initiatives across various projects and product lines
Plan and execute research using diverse methodologies to understand user needs and use cases
Identify and address key research problems, synthesizing qualitative and quantitative data into actionable insights
Develop and manage a comprehensive research repository to organize and share findings
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to inform product decisions and strategy
Work closely with UX designers and product managers to iterate and test solutions
Communicate research findings to stakeholders through clear, digestible documentation
Translate insights into actionable recommendations to influence company strategy
Establish and refine research processes and methodologies as the company grows
Generate research initiatives aligned with business goals and user needs
Develop research strategies and roadmaps supporting product and business OKRs
Potentially mentor junior researchers and manage the expanding research team
Stay current with market trends, competitors, and research software (e.g., Datadog, Dovetail)
Identify data gaps and collaborate with the business to address them
Socialize UX research findings by sharing bit-size insights, UX watch parties / “lunch-and-learns,” or other methods to help our internal (non-customer facing) teammates get inspired, learn about the problem space, and build user empathy.

Desired Qualifications

Experience and Expertise

5+ years of experience in UX research, preferably in a fast-paced startup environment
Strong portfolio demonstrating impact of research on product decisions
Expertise in various research methodologies, both qualitative and quantitative
Experience in setting up and managing research repositories

Skills and Abilities

Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to distill complex information into clear, actionable insights
Strong project management skills and ability to juggle multiple priorities
Strategic thinking skills to connect research insights to broader business goals

Work Style and Mindset

Proven ability to work autonomously and drive research initiatives with minimal guidance
Self-starter mentality with the ability to identify research opportunities independently
Adaptability and comfort with ambiguity, imperfect information, and rapid iteration
Collaborative spirit and ability to work cross-functionally
Seeks ways to work and communicate transparently

What We Offer

Opportunity to shape the research function in a growing startup
Collaborative and innovative work environment
Competitive salary and benefits package
Professional development opportunities
Chance to make a significant impact on product strategy and user experience

If you're passionate about user research, thrive in autonomous roles, and are excited about building processes from the ground up, we want to hear from you. Join us in creating exceptional user experiences through insightful research!

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Lead UX Researcher

Funding the future starts with your big idea.