Lead UX Researcher Jobs
Lead UX Researcher jobs are open across technology, healthcare, financial services, and consumer products, at every level from senior individual contributor to staff and principal, with specializations in generative research, usability testing, and mixed-methods strategy. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Responsibilities
CapCut is an all-in-one video editing app that empowers creators to express themselves and transform videos into creative masterpieces. In addition to its basic features, such as video editing, text, stickers, filters, colors and music, CapCut offers free advanced features, including keyframe animation, smooth slow-motion effects, chroma key, Picture-in-Picture (PIP), and stabilization to help you capture and snip moments. The CapCut USDS team is a fully functional business team in the TikTok USDS Joint Venture. It provides support to all the CapCut family apps, including CapCut, Dreamina, Hypic and Pippit, in terms of technical solutions, including but not limited to -- reliability assurance, ML and algorithm customizations, quality assurance, data pipelines, metrics establishment, A/B tests -- which enable these apps to fully function in the US with complete compliance; daily operations and customer support to US-based users and creators; strategic planning and execution of: US user growth, marketing activities and user research.
- Serve as a key US research partner for the Capcut team
- Partner with both in-office and global stakeholders to define the research agenda, ensuring alignment between our vision and evolving customer needs
- Work closely with cross-functional leaders to deepen understanding. Leverage user insights to enhance stakeholders' knowledge and support well-informed strategic decisions through data-driven research findings.
- Manage end-to-end research activities and resources, synthesizing findings into impactful insights that empower stakeholders with practical guidance.
- Stay up-to-date on industry trends, best practices, and emerging methodologies, continually advancing the research process.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree or above in Psychology, Statistics, Sociology, Marketing Research, Human Computer Interaction, or other related fields
- Proficiency applying both qualitative and quantitative methods such as usability testing, focus groups, interviews, concept evaluation, diary studies, surveys, data analysis (SPSS, R or Python), A/B testing etc, with priority given to strong quantitative capabilities
- Self-driven, be able to work with cross-functional teams
- Strong written and oral communication skills to influence product partners and major decisions.
Preferred Qualifications
- Masters or PhD degree
- Direct experience in social media and creator economy, with a solid grasp of emerging trends, creator needs, and user behaviors
- 3+ years experience in user experience research, design research, or product research in the technology industry, preferably in consumer tech or content
About USDS
TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC is dedicated to the safety and security of millions of Americans who create, discover, and connect with what they love on the apps we operate. The Joint Venture has been established in compliance with the Executive Order signed by President Trump on September 25, 2025. Our foundation is a comprehensive data privacy and cybersecurity program we operate under defined safeguards to protect national security and secure U.S. user data, apps and the algorithm. We safeguard the U.S. content ecosystem, holding decision-making authority for trust and safety policies and moderation. USDS Joint Venture helps ensure Americans can continue to express their creativity, discover new hobbies and interests, and build thriving communities and businesses on a global scale.
On-site presence across teams allows the company to operate with greater speed, alignment, and agility — especially in areas like real-time decision-making, team development, and integrated execution. As such, the company is shifting from a hybrid work model to a fully in-person schedule up to 5 days a week.
Why Join Us
Inspiring creativity is at the core of TikTok's mission. Our innovative product is built to help people authentically express themselves, discover and connect – and our global, diverse teams make that possible. Together, we create value for our communities, inspire creativity and bring joy – a mission we work towards every day. We strive to do great things with great people. We lead with curiosity, humility, and a desire to make impact in a rapidly growing tech company. Every challenge is an opportunity to learn and innovate as one team. We're resilient and embrace challenges as they come. By constantly iterating and fostering an "Always Day 1" mindset, we achieve meaningful breakthroughs for ourselves, our company, and our users. When we create and grow together, the possibilities are limitless. Join us.
Diversity & Inclusion
TikTok is committed to creating an inclusive space where employees are valued for their skills, experiences, and unique perspectives. Our platform connects people from across the globe and so does our workplace. At TikTok, our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. To achieve that goal, we are committed to celebrating our diverse voices and to creating an environment that reflects the many communities we reach. We are passionate about this and hope you are too.
USDS Reasonable Accommodation
USDS is committed to providing reasonable accommodations in our recruitment processes for candidates with disabilities, pregnancy, sincerely held religious beliefs or other reasons protected by applicable laws. If you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation, please reach out to us at https://tinyurl.com/USDS-RA
Job Information
【For Pay Transparency】Compensation Description (Annually) The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $120249 - $211787 annually. Compensation may vary outside of this range depending on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies and experience, and location. Base pay is one part of the Total Package that is provided to compensate and recognize employees for their work, and this role may be eligible for additional discretionary bonuses/incentives, and restricted stock units.
Benefits may vary depending on the nature of employment and the country work location. Employees have day one access to medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) savings plan with company match, paid parental leave, short-term and long-term disability coverage, life insurance, wellbeing benefits, among others. Employees also receive 10 paid holidays per year, 10 paid sick days per year and 17 days of Paid Personal Time (prorated upon hire with increasing accruals by tenure).
The Company reserves the right to modify or change these benefits programs at any time, with or without notice.
For Los Angeles County (unincorporated) Candidates: Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. Our company believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship on the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment:
1. Interacting and occasionally having unsupervised contact with internal/external clients and/or colleagues;
2. Appropriately handling and managing confidential information including proprietary and trade secret information and access to information technology systems; and
3. Exercising sound judgment.
Responsibilities
CapCut is an all-in-one video editing app that empowers creators to express themselves and transform videos into creative masterpieces. In addition to its basic features, such as video editing, text, stickers, filters, colors and music, CapCut offers free advanced features, including keyframe animation, smooth slow-motion effects, chroma key, Picture-in-Picture (PIP), and stabilization to help you capture and snip moments. The CapCut USDS team is a fully functional business team in the TikTok USDS Joint Venture. It provides support to all the CapCut family apps, including CapCut, Dreamina, Hypic and Pippit, in terms of technical solutions, including but not limited to -- reliability assurance, ML and algorithm customizations, quality assurance, data pipelines, metrics establishment, A/B tests -- which enable these apps to fully function in the US with complete compliance; daily operations and customer support to US-based users and creators; strategic planning and execution of: US user growth, marketing activities and user research.
- Serve as a key US research partner for the Capcut team
- Partner with both in-office and global stakeholders to define the research agenda, ensuring alignment between our vision and evolving customer needs
- Work closely with cross-functional leaders to deepen understanding. Leverage user insights to enhance stakeholders' knowledge and support well-informed strategic decisions through data-driven research findings.
- Manage end-to-end research activities and resources, synthesizing findings into impactful insights that empower stakeholders with practical guidance.
- Stay up-to-date on industry trends, best practices, and emerging methodologies, continually advancing the research process.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree or above in Psychology, Statistics, Sociology, Marketing Research, Human Computer Interaction, or other related fields
- Proficiency applying both qualitative and quantitative methods such as usability testing, focus groups, interviews, concept evaluation, diary studies, surveys, data analysis (SPSS, R or Python), A/B testing etc, with priority given to strong quantitative capabilities
- Self-driven, be able to work with cross-functional teams
- Strong written and oral communication skills to influence product partners and major decisions.
Preferred Qualifications
- Masters or PhD degree
- Direct experience in social media and creator economy, with a solid grasp of emerging trends, creator needs, and user behaviors
- 3+ years experience in user experience research, design research, or product research in the technology industry, preferably in consumer tech or content
About USDS
TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC is dedicated to the safety and security of millions of Americans who create, discover, and connect with what they love on the apps we operate. The Joint Venture has been established in compliance with the Executive Order signed by President Trump on September 25, 2025. Our foundation is a comprehensive data privacy and cybersecurity program we operate under defined safeguards to protect national security and secure U.S. user data, apps and the algorithm. We safeguard the U.S. content ecosystem, holding decision-making authority for trust and safety policies and moderation. USDS Joint Venture helps ensure Americans can continue to express their creativity, discover new hobbies and interests, and build thriving communities and businesses on a global scale.
On-site presence across teams allows the company to operate with greater speed, alignment, and agility — especially in areas like real-time decision-making, team development, and integrated execution. As such, the company is shifting from a hybrid work model to a fully in-person schedule up to 5 days a week.
Why Join Us
Inspiring creativity is at the core of TikTok's mission. Our innovative product is built to help people authentically express themselves, discover and connect – and our global, diverse teams make that possible. Together, we create value for our communities, inspire creativity and bring joy – a mission we work towards every day. We strive to do great things with great people. We lead with curiosity, humility, and a desire to make impact in a rapidly growing tech company. Every challenge is an opportunity to learn and innovate as one team. We're resilient and embrace challenges as they come. By constantly iterating and fostering an "Always Day 1" mindset, we achieve meaningful breakthroughs for ourselves, our company, and our users. When we create and grow together, the possibilities are limitless. Join us.
Diversity & Inclusion
TikTok is committed to creating an inclusive space where employees are valued for their skills, experiences, and unique perspectives. Our platform connects people from across the globe and so does our workplace. At TikTok, our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. To achieve that goal, we are committed to celebrating our diverse voices and to creating an environment that reflects the many communities we reach. We are passionate about this and hope you are too.
USDS Reasonable Accommodation
USDS is committed to providing reasonable accommodations in our recruitment processes for candidates with disabilities, pregnancy, sincerely held religious beliefs or other reasons protected by applicable laws. If you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation, please reach out to us at https://tinyurl.com/USDS-RA
Job Information
【For Pay Transparency】Compensation Description (Annually) The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $120249 - $211787 annually. Compensation may vary outside of this range depending on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies and experience, and location. Base pay is one part of the Total Package that is provided to compensate and recognize employees for their work, and this role may be eligible for additional discretionary bonuses/incentives, and restricted stock units.
Benefits may vary depending on the nature of employment and the country work location. Employees have day one access to medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) savings plan with company match, paid parental leave, short-term and long-term disability coverage, life insurance, wellbeing benefits, among others. Employees also receive 10 paid holidays per year, 10 paid sick days per year and 17 days of Paid Personal Time (prorated upon hire with increasing accruals by tenure).
The Company reserves the right to modify or change these benefits programs at any time, with or without notice.
For Los Angeles County (unincorporated) Candidates: Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. Our company believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship on the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment:
1. Interacting and occasionally having unsupervised contact with internal/external clients and/or colleagues;
2. Appropriately handling and managing confidential information including proprietary and trade secret information and access to information technology systems; and
3. Exercising sound judgment.
Lead UX Researcher Jobs by Experience Level
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Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software12
- Retail2
- Staffing & Recruiting2
- Consumer Goods1
- Electronics & Hardware1
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in lead UX researcher jobs.
- 5 or more years of UX research experience with a portfolio of shipped product work
- Proficiency in both qualitative and quantitative research methods
- Experience with usability testing platforms and research repository tools
- Ability to lead and mentor junior or mid-level researchers on cross-functional teams
- Strong skills in translating research findings into actionable product recommendations
- Bachelor's or master's degree in human-computer interaction, psychology, cognitive science, or a related field
Tips for Your Lead UX Researcher Job Search
Show research impact, not just methods
Hiring managers for lead roles want to see how your research changed product decisions, not just what methods you used. For each case study in your portfolio, name the decision your findings influenced and the outcome that followed.
Tailor your portfolio to the team's maturity
A startup UX team and an enterprise research org need different things from a lead researcher. If the job posting emphasizes building research infrastructure, lead your portfolio with examples of ops work, tooling choices, or mentoring junior researchers.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists lead ux researcher openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Target postings that match your research specialty
Filter openings by the research methods named in the job description. A role that lists diary studies and longitudinal research as requirements is a different fit than one emphasizing rapid usability testing, even if both carry the same title.
Prepare a research critique for the interview
Many lead ux researcher interviews include a live research critique where you review a study design or a findings deck and give structured feedback. Practice articulating gaps in methodology, sampling, or synthesis before you walk into that stage.
Negotiate scope alongside compensation
At the lead level, the size of your research roadmap and your authority to prioritize studies matter as much as salary. Ask during final-round conversations how research requests are sourced, who sets the roadmap, and whether the lead has veto power on scope.
Lead UX Researcher Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most lead ux researchers?
The companies hiring the most lead ux researchers right now include Amazon, Meta, and Amazon Web Services, with the largest share of openings in California, New York, and Washington, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Technology companies and large healthcare organizations consistently account for the majority of lead-level research postings.
How many lead ux researcher jobs are remote?
About 71% of lead ux researcher openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting strong employer flexibility at the senior individual contributor level. Roles focused on generative research and strategic synthesis tend to be the most remote-friendly, while positions tied to in-person usability labs or embedded product team rituals more often require on-site presence.
How do you become a lead ux researcher?
Start by building a portfolio that shows end-to-end research ownership, not just task completion. Progress from executing studies under direction to leading your own research roadmap and presenting findings to product and design leadership. Develop fluency in both qualitative and quantitative methods, then actively seek opportunities to mentor others and influence product strategy. A lead title typically follows demonstrated scope ownership, stakeholder management, and cross-functional collaboration at scale.
Can you get hired as a lead ux researcher without direct lead experience?
Yes, if you can demonstrate that you have already operated at lead scope informally. Employers look for candidates who independently owned a research program, defined study priorities without being directed, or mentored teammates, even if your title was senior researcher. Frame your portfolio around decisions you influenced and teams you guided, and address the gap directly in your cover letter with concrete examples of that expanded scope.
What does the lead ux researcher interview process look like?
Most processes start with a recruiter or hiring manager screen focused on your background and research philosophy. That is followed by a portfolio presentation where you walk through two or three case studies in depth. Later rounds typically include a research critique or take-home exercise, a cross-functional panel with product managers and designers, and a final conversation with a research director or head of design. The whole process usually runs across multiple weeks.
Where can I find and apply to lead ux researcher jobs?
You can find and apply to lead ux researcher jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search the roles available, find the ones that match your experience and research specialty, and apply directly to each listing that fits.
See All 111+ Lead UX Researcher Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Lead UX Researcher Jobs