PWDR Program leadership and enablement: Refine and scale our 'People Who Do Research' program. You will empower designers and product triads to conduct high-quality tactical UXR research (both qual and quant) by providing the playbooks, training, and mentorship necessary to maintain rigorous standards across the team.
AI strategy and research operations: Design, propose, and manage a research tech stack (including Dovetail) powered by responsible AI. You will implement automated workflows for recruiting, synthesis, and insight distribution, serving as the UXR 'Human-in-the-Loop' authority to ensure AI-generated outputs are grounded, ethical, and accurate.
Cross-product research, synthesis, and leadership: Act as the Design Leadership Team’s expert on customer and user profiles, end-to-end user journeys, and forward-looking research. You will synthesize insights that span multiple product surface areas to identify 'connective tissue,' strategic gaps, and opportunities that go beyond the scope of individual embedded researchers or designers on product teams.
Strategic advisory and methodological governance: Serve as a high-level internal consultant, guiding teams on the selection of lean vs. rigorous methodologies. You will lead or co-facilitate complex mixed-method studies when business needs require, providing the foundational frameworks (blueprints, journey maps) that keep teams aligned with the 'big picture.'
Support the design team with on-site research in schools, providing guidance and ethical scaffolding, and ensuring legal compliance. U.S. based travel up to 20%.

Requirements

Mastery of research methods and rigor: 12+ years of UX research experience in complex enterprise software or SaaS environments. You have a deep command of the craft that allows you to spot flaws in research design or AI-generated summaries.
Coaching skills: Proven experience in mentorship, coaching, or building 'Research Ops' programs. You find as much professional fulfillment in enabling others to do great as you do in conducting the research yourself.
Responsible AI fluency: Deep technical curiosity regarding GenAI and LLMs, with a practical understanding of their limitations. You know how to leverage AI for speed while acting as the ultimate guardrail for quality and ethics.
Operational architecture: A track record of building scalable systems, templates, and workflows that have successfully improved the velocity and quality of a design organization.
Design and product fluency: A sophisticated understanding of the product development lifecycle (PDLC) and software development lifecycle (SDLC), enabling you to integrate research checkpoints into the existing workflows of designers and engineers seamlessly.
Communication and influence: Exceptional communication skills and 'executive presence,' with the ability to convince cross-functional leaders of the value of democratized (yet governed) research.
Motivated by the Khan Academy mission “to provide a free world-class education for anyone, anywhere."
Proven cross-cultural competency skills demonstrating self-awareness, awareness of other, and the ability to adopt inclusive perspectives, attitudes, and behaviors to drive inclusion and belonging throughout the organization.

Benefits

Competitive salaries
Ample paid time off as needed – Your well-being is a priority
8 pre-scheduled Wellness Days in 2026 occurring on a Monday or a Friday for a 3-day weekend boost
Remote-first culture - that caters to your time zone, with open flexibility as needed, at times
Generous parental leave
An exceptional team that trusts you and gives you the freedom to do your best
The chance to put your talents towards a deeply meaningful mission and the opportunity to work on high-impact products that are already defining the future of education
Opportunities to connect through affinity, ally, and social groups
And we offer all those other typical benefits as well: 401(k) + 4% matching & comprehensive insurance, including medical, dental, vision, and life

Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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

Hard Skills & Tools

UX researchqualitative researchquantitative researchAI strategyresearch methodologiesoperational architecturescalable systemsproduct development lifecyclesoftware development lifecycleresearch design

Soft Skills

mentorshipcoachingcommunicationinfluencecross-cultural competencyself-awarenessinclusive perspectivesleadershipstrategic advisoryteam alignment