Principal Researcher

Who we are

Typeform is a refreshingly different form builder. We help over 150,000 businesses collect the data they need with forms, surveys, and quizzes that people enjoy. Designed to look striking and feel effortless to fill out, Typeform drives 500 million responses every year—and integrates with essential tools like Slack, Zapier, and Hubspot.

About the Role 
We are seeking a highly experienced and visionary Principal Researcher to join our team. This strategic role involves driving advanced qualitative and quantitative research initiatives to inform and influence product development and user experience strategies. As a principal member of the team, this role does not include direct reports but requires significant collaboration with Research & Development (R&D) and Go-To-Market (GTM) teams. The ideal candidate will bring a robust portfolio of skills in user experience research, a strong analytical mindset, and the capability to guide product decisions at the highest levels.

Things you will do:

• Foundational and Generative Research

  • Lead foundational research initiatives to explore new markets or user groups, identifying opportunities and challenges for product innovation.
  • Conduct generative research to inspire and inform new product ideas and features, ensuring alignment with user needs and business goals.

• Advanced Qualitative Research

  • Develop and refine complex qualitative methodologies, such as use case taxonomy, user personas, journey mapping, and scenario planning to deeply understand user behaviors, needs, and motivations.
  • Lead in the creation and maintenance of detailed user archetypes and personas that help predict and track user behavior trends over product cycles.
  • Conduct in-depth user interviews and contextual inquiries to gather qualitative data and firsthand user feedback.
  • Design and execute comprehensive usability tests to validate product concepts and design decisions, iterating based on user feedback to enhance product usability.

• Tracking UX Metrics Over Time

  • Establish and manage a framework for tracking and analyzing key UX metrics to measure effectiveness and identify opportunities for improvement across product iterations.
  • Regularly report on the progress and insights derived from UX metrics to senior management and key stakeholders.

• Survey Design and Analysis

  • Design, deploy, and analyze user surveys to gather actionable data on user satisfaction, usability, and product acceptance.
  • Utilize advanced statistical tools and techniques to interpret survey data, providing strategic insights to guide product development.

• Research Democratization

  • Empower cross-functional teams by developing accessible research tools and processes, enabling them to conduct basic research tasks and interpret UX data effectively.
  • Facilitate training sessions and workshops to raise the overall research literacy of the organization, ensuring a user-centered approach in all product and service developments.

• Research Operations

  • Design and maintain an efficient intake process to handle requests for research from various departments, ensuring clear communication and alignment on objectives, timelines, and deliverables.
  • Develop a system for prioritizing research projects based on strategic value, resource availability, and potential impact, ensuring that critical projects align with business goals and timelines.
  • Create and implement a framework for documenting, storing, and sharing research findings across the company, enhancing accessibility and fostering a culture of informed decision-making.

• Collaboration with R&D and GTM Teams

  • Work closely with R&D teams (product managers, designers, and engineers) to integrate user research at every stage of the product development process, from ideation to launch.
  • Collaborate with Go-To-Market (GTM) teams, including marketing, sales, customer success, community, and education, to ensure that user insights influence promotional strategies and customer engagement approaches.

• Cross-Functional Leadership

  • Although not managing a team directly, lead through influence by guiding and mentoring teams in best practices for UX research.
  • Facilitate cross-departmental initiatives to ensure a seamless user experience that aligns with the company's strategic objectives.

• Continuous Learning and Innovation

  • Stay abreast of the latest trends