Qualitative Research Specialist

Hand Talk

Qualitative Research Specialist leading high-confidence qualitative research prioritizing ASL for AI-driven products at Hand Talk. Collaborating with Deaf users and stakeholders for accessibility insights.

Posted 6/24/2026full-timeRemote • 🇧🇷 BrazilMid-LevelSeniorWebsite

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead high-impact qualitative research—both discovery and evaluative—working with Deaf users and broader communication stakeholders, including interpreters, hearing participants, accessibility leaders, prospective customers, and organizational decision-makers as needed.
Partner with other researchers, linguists, and sign-language data analysts to evolve shared research language, participant-validated research instruments, and systems that connect qualitative insights to measurement and long-term learning.
Design and moderate qualitative studies that prioritize ASL, are culturally fluent, and reflect Deaf users’ experience, language access, communication context, and community expectations.
Evolve video-based research protocols, improving consent practices, privacy, storage, retention, accessibility, participant rights, and ethical handling of recordings.
Ensure research methods and materials are culturally and linguistically accessible, accurately interpreted, and aligned with participants’ understanding and the study objectives.
Own the qualitative components of longitudinal follow-up, including diary studies, qualitative drivers of CSAT, and participant narratives over time.
Partner with other researchers to link qualitative insights to survey design, behavioral signals, reporting, and long-term equivalence goals.
Help maintain a healthy ASL user panel in partnership with Research Operations, including defining recruitment inputs, engagement practices, session standards, communication norms, reciprocity, and overall participant experience quality.
Engage with interpreter communities and subject-matter experts as needed, including establishing guidelines for when direct ASL sessions are appropriate and when interpreters, Certified Deaf Interpreters (CDIs), or expert reviewers are required.
Synthesize research into clear, actionable insights that help teams understand what matters now, what to expect, and what requires further validation.
Maintain research practices that are respectful, transparent, accessible, and meaningful for participants.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Fluency in ASL and cultural humility.
Extensive qualitative research experience, including product and technology environments, and ideally experience in one or more of the following areas: accessibility, language, health, education, or community-centered contexts.
Bilingual in English and ASL, with proven ability to moderate research with Deaf participants.
Curiosity and enthusiasm for learning about AI, language technology, accessibility technology, and communication-access products. Prior experience with AI models is not required, but candidates should be excited about responsible innovation and comfortable with complexity.
Experience conducting research with Deaf communities, or equivalent depth of experience with other trust-sensitive, underrepresented, or culturally specific communities.
Strong qualitative study design skills across discovery, concept testing, usability research, evaluative research, and longitudinal qualitative methods.
Strong synthesis and storytelling skills, with the ability to translate complex qualitative inputs into frameworks, themes, recommendations, and clear decision guidance.
Experience conducting and managing video-based research.
Ability to work respectfully and effectively with Deaf users, hearing participants, interpreters, Certified Deaf Interpreters, subject-matter experts, community leaders, and cross-functional stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to partner with Product, AI, and Go-to-Market teams to shape research scope and activate insights.
Ability to partner with quantitative and mixed-methods researchers to connect qualitative findings to measurement, tracking, survey design, and long-term evidence building.
Good judgment on when qualitative findings are strong enough to inform decisions and when further validation is needed.
Comfort working in ambiguity and helping to create new research practices where no defined playbook exists.

Benefits

Comp & perks

CLT employment contract: formal employment with full labor rights from day one.
Caju Benefits Card (BRL 1,160.00): flexible balance for meals, groceries, home office, culture, and mobility.
Remote work — work from wherever you are!
SulAmérica health insurance plan.
SulAmérica dental plan.
SulAmérica life insurance.
Online medical consultations via Conexa Saúde (telemedicine).
Wellhub: resources to help you perform at your best.
Extended year-end break: enjoy the holidays with extra time off.
Birthday day off: a personal day in your birthday month.
Extended parental leave: support and time for growing your family.
Continuous professional development: access to platforms like LinkedIn Learning and an annual stipend for courses and training in your area.
University partnerships: support through discounts and giveaways.
Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) training: learn this important language for our community.
English Pass: English language learning to support your career growth.
Work equipment provided as part of your onboarding kit.

ATS Keywords

✓ Tailor your resume

Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills & Tools

qualitative researchASL fluencystudy designlongitudinal qualitative methodsvideo-based researchdata synthesisstorytellingmoderationaccessibility technologylanguage technology

Soft Skills

cultural humilitycuriosityenthusiasm for learninggood judgmenteffective communicationcollaborationrespectfulnessadaptabilityproblem-solvingstakeholder engagement

Certifications

Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI)