Lead User Researcher – Product Insights

Upwork ($UPWK) is the world’s human and AI-powered work marketplace that connects businesses with highly skilled, AI-enabled independent talent from across the globe. From entrepreneurs to Fortune 100 enterprises, companies rely on Upwork’s trusted platform and its mindful AI companion, Uma, to find and hire expert talent, leverage AI-powered work solutions, and drive business transformation. With on-demand access to professionals spanning more than 10,000 skills across AI & machine learning, software development, sales & marketing, customer support, finance & accounting, and more, Upwork enables businesses of all sizes to scale, innovate, and build agile teams for the age of AI and beyond.

Upwork’s platform has facilitated more than $25 billion in economic opportunity for talent around the world. Learn more at Upwork.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X.

Are you passionate about using machine learning to drive meaningful change? As a Senior Applied Machine Learning Engineer at Upwork, you will leverage advanced machine learning techniques to deliver cutting-edge solutions that directly impact our global platform and user experience. You’ll work with large-scale data to solve complex problems, from improving search relevance to personalizing recommendations, and create a powerful, seamless experience for our users. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to the innovation at the world’s largest work marketplace, where your work will enable our community of freelancers and clients to connect and collaborate in impactful ways.

We’re looking for a Lead User Researcher to drive evidence-based decision-making through quantitative research that uncovers deep insights into user behavior, needs, and outcomes. This role is key to shaping Upwork's customer experiences and strategic direction by embedding measurable, actionable data across our product and business landscape. You’ll partner across Product, Data Science, and Design to ensure our decisions are rooted in statistically sound, customer-centric insights.

Responsibilities

• Design and lead robust quantitative studies (surveys, log data analysis, segmentation, conjoint) to uncover key insights that directly influence product direction and business strategy.
• Integrate quantitative and qualitative data into compelling narratives to guide cross-functional decision-making and shape strategic outcomes.
• Build and scale research frameworks such as user satisfaction metrics, trust indicators, and skill validation models, ensuring reusability and cross-team alignment.
• Collaborate closely with Product, Design, and Data Science to refine hypotheses, align on KPIs, and translate research into measurable outcomes.
• Champion research rigor and ethics by ensuring reproducibility, data quality, and responsible handling of user data.
  Provide mentorship on quantitative methods to raise the overall analytical bar of the Research & Insights team.

What it takes to catch our eye

• A proven track record of 5+ years leading quantitative user research with demonstrable impact on product and strategy.
• Expertise in survey methodology, experimental design, and statistical analysis, using platforms like Qualtrics and tools like Looker.
• Comfortable working with SQL or log data (preferred but not required).
• Experience crafting customer-centric metrics in marketplaces, reputation systems, or AI-augmented platforms.
• Clear, collaborative communicator able to work across time zones and functions with empathy and precision

Come change how the world works.

At Upwork, you’ll shape the future of work for a global, remote-first workforce, creating economic opportunities for professionals worldwide. While we have a physical office in Palo Alto, we currently hire full-time employees in 34 U.S. states, making it easier than ever to join our mission from wherever you call home.

Our culture is built on trust, risk-taking, customer focus, and excellence, all in service of our core mission: to create economic opportunities so people have better lives. We embrace authenticity and inclusion, encouraging everyone to bring their whole selves to work. Personal and professional growth is a priority here, supported through development programs, mentorship, and our Upwork Belonging Communities.

We’re proud to offer benefits that go beyond t