[Hiring] Qualitative Research Specialist @Sorenson Communications

Role Description

As a Qualitative Research Specialist focused on Deaf Community Research, you will lead high-trust, ASL-first qualitative research for AI-powered sign language products. This role sits within the Insights function and helps the company deeply understand Deaf users, communication access needs, cultural context, product expectations, and trust signals across real-world experiences. Your work will help shape how the company defines effective communication, trusted interpretation experiences, accessibility quality, and meaningful AI-assisted communication outcomes in practice.

• Lead high-signal qualitative discovery and evaluative research with Deaf users and broader communication stakeholders.
• Partner with fellow researchers, linguists, and sign language data analysts to evolve shared research language and participant-validated survey instruments.
• Design and moderate ASL-first qualitative research that is culturally fluent and reflects Deaf user experience.
• Evolve video-based research protocols by improving practices for consent, privacy, storage, retention, and ethical handling of recordings.
• Ensure research methods and materials are culturally and linguistically accessible.
• Own qualitative components of longitudinal tracking, including diary studies and participant narratives over time.
• Partner with fellow researchers on connecting qualitative insights to survey design and reporting.
• Help maintain a healthy ASL user panel in partnership with Research Operations.
• Interface with interpreter and expert communities as needed.
• Synthesize research into clear, actionable insights.
• Maintain research practices that are respectful, transparent, accessible, and meaningful to participants.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's preferred in Psychology, Anthropology, Journalism, or other research-heavy fields.
• Focus on Pure Qualitative Research (literature, methodologies, human interactions).

Requirements

• 6 years of qualitative research experience, ideally in accessibility, language, healthcare, education, or community-centered contexts.
• Bilingual in English and ASL with proven ability to moderate research with Deaf participants.
• Experience conducting research with Deaf communities or equivalent depth with other trust-sensitive communities.
• Strong qualitative study design skills across various research methods.
• Strong synthesis and storytelling skills.
• Experience conducting and managing video-based research.
• Ability to work respectfully and effectively with diverse stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to partner with Product, AI, and GTM teams.
• Strong judgment about when qualitative findings are strong enough to guide decisions.
• Comfort working in ambiguity and helping create new research practices.

Benefits

• Access to highly confidential, sensitive information.
• Essential integrity to maintain information in strictest confidence.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit and/or stand at a desk and work with a computer for extended periods of time.
• Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard and mouse.
• Regular and predictable attendance required.