[Hiring] Senior UX Researcher @Independence Pet Group

Role Description

Pet Place is seeking a Senior UX Researcher who will report to the Manager of User Experience. This role is essential in shaping product strategy through deep user insights and delivering intuitive, engaging, and user-centered digital experiences. This role is primarily research-focused, with an emphasis on driving product decisions through insights, while using design as a tool to communicate and validate ideas.

The Senior UX Researcher will lead end-to-end research initiatives, synthesize findings into actionable recommendations, and partner closely with product, design, and engineering to inform PetPlace’s growing suite of digital products.

Main Responsibilities

• Research Strategy & Execution: Plan and conduct generative and evaluative research (interviews, usability testing, surveys, field studies) aligned to product and business goals, using appropriate qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Insight Generation & Storytelling: Synthesize research findings into clear, actionable insights and deliver compelling artifacts (reports, presentations, journey maps) that drive decision-making.
• Product & Stakeholder Influence: Partner with product, design, and engineering to embed insights across the product lifecycle and influence decisions through strong storytelling and evidence-based recommendations.
• Research Operations & Impact Scaling: Contribute to research processes, repositories, and best practices to enable continuous discovery and increase the reach and impact of insights.
• Concepting & Validation: Translate insights into user flows, wireframes, or lightweight prototypes to communicate ideas and test hypotheses.
• Advocacy: Champion a user-centered mindset and promote research-driven decision-making across the organization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction, UX Design, Computer Science, Psychology, or a related field.
• 5+ years of professional experience in UX research or a related discipline.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating end-to-end research and measurable impact on product decisions.
• Experience combining qualitative and quantitative data to inform decisions.
• Ability to translate complex findings into clear, actionable insights.
• Experience owning research that influenced product direction or measurable business outcomes.
• Strong communication, storytelling, and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience with research tools such as Ballpark, Dig One Upsiide, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, etc.
• Working knowledge of analytics tools such as Google Analytics.
• Exposure to A/B testing and experimentation frameworks.
• Proficiency with research and prototyping tools such as Figma and Figjam.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Experience in e-commerce, pet services, or health-related digital platforms.
• Familiarity with accessibility and inclusive research practices.
• Experience working in Agile product environments.
• Exposure to SQL or collaboration with data/analytics teams.

Compensation

National base pay range: $112,522 - $140,653 per year. Chicago base pay range: $123,774 - $154,718 per year. This is the range we reasonably expect to pay at hire. Placement within the range depends on job-related factors such as experience, skills, and certifications. This position is not eligible for bonus or incentive pay. Base pay is one part of a total rewards package that includes the benefits listed below.

Benefits

• Comprehensive full medical, dental and vision Insurance.
• Basic Life Insurance at no cost to the employee.
• Company paid short-term and long-term disability.
• 12 weeks of 100% paid Parental Leave.
• Health Savings Account (HSA).
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA).
• Retirement savings plan.
• Personal Paid Time Off.
• Paid holidays and company-wide Wellness Day off.
• Paid time off to volunteer at nonprofit organizations.
• Pet friendly office environment.
• Commuter Benefits.
• Group Pet Insurance.
• On the job training and skills development.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).