Job description
Who we are
Murmuration is a nonprofit organization that amplifies the power of civic engagement by providing data, digital tools, and research-driven insights to community-focused organizations so that together we can create an America where everyone can lead healthy, free, and dignified lives.
Every day, people are trying to shape our future for the better. Fighting for water that’s safe to drink. Schools that serve students equitably. Gun laws that make sense. And rallying people who care like we do. And yet too often the skillful organizers working to mobilize communities lack access to technology that could supercharge their efforts. Knocking on every door instead of knowing which will open most easily. And going up against outside interests that have half the heart, but twice the tools.
In communities across America, Murmuration’s partners are leveraging our data, tools, and insights to help thousands of organizers orchestrate millions of individual people to do big things together. Demand big things together. To create the world they want. Together.
About the Position
As a Staff User Researcher leading user research efforts for Murmuration’s SaaS platform, you’ll work with a talented team to develop and execute strategies that help our partners succeed.
You’ll contribute to building the most effective and intuitive platform for advocacy and political organizing. By ensuring that every product decision is grounded in evidence and empathy, you’ll make sure our partners have the insights and tools needed to drive impact in their communities.
You’ll join our team of Product Managers and Product Designers developing a family of products across web and mobile – all focused on helping our partners increase civic engagement and create a more equitable future, with greater opportunity for everyone.
Job Level: IC5
What You’ll Do
Hands-on User Research
- Conduct user research to identify and define pain points and validate proposed solutions;
- Lead complex research initiatives spanning multiple product areas that require advanced methodological expertise;
- Partner with development teams on critical user interviews and synthesis activities, modeling research best practices;
- Create clear, actionable deliverables that inform product strategy and decision-making; and
- Collaborate with product managers and product designers to develop research approaches for upcoming development initiatives that balance rigor with practical constraints.
User Research Program Leadership
- Develop and lead a comprehensive user research strategy that coordinates efforts across development teams, ensuring insights drive meaningful product improvements and organizational learning;
- Leverage qualitative, quantitative, and mixed research methods to develop research plans tailored to goals, opportunities, and constraints;
- Create frameworks, processes, and metrics to measure the impact of user research activities on product decisions and user outcomes;
- Collaborate with cross-functional partners (including support, data/analytics, and partner success and growth) to share insights and inform strategy and priorities across the organization and promote a shared, holistic view of user needs and behavior;
- Guide product teams in identifying strategic user research opportunities and selecting the most suitable methodologies;
- Develop and analyze user research program metrics to continuously improve our practice and demonstrate value; and
- Advocate for user needs across the organization, helping teams make evidence-based decisions.
Research Operations & Enablement
Establish and maintain standards for user research practice, ensuring quality and consistency across all user research activities;
Create and evolve playbooks, templates, scripts, and tools that enable product managers and product designers to conduct effective user research;
Build systems to coordinate user research activities across development teams and manage a shared participant recruitment pipeline and repository of notes and insights;
Develop and maintain a central repository of insights that makes findings accessible and actionable;
Coach product teams on user research planning, execution, and synthesis, helping them level up their skills and effectively integrate findings into their work;
Create processes for connecting related findings across conversations and initiatives, ensuring insights build on each other over time; and
Guide teams in documenting, synthesizing, and sharing user research learnings, ensuring that insights are accurate, accessible, relevant, and timely.
Bachelor’s degree (Note: Work experience can be substituted for degree requirements);
6+ years of experience planning and conducting user research in a software development context, including scoping studies, recruiting participants, and synthesizing insights into actionable recommendations;
Demonstrated success in applying and synthesizing results from a range of research methodologies (e.g., qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods);
Experience collaborating with Product Managers, Designers, Engineers, Product Marketing, Support, Partner Success Management, and/or Data Analysts to deliver impactful research outcomes;
Experience translating research findings into product recommendations that reflect an understanding of user behavior, business goals, and technical feasibility;
Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with a track record of building strong relationships across teams;
Strong project management and prioritization skills in a fast-paced environment;
Passion for civic engagement and commitment to equity; and
Portfolio or case studies showcasing impactful research projects from early exploration through product launch.
Nice to Haves
- Experience directly analyzing product usage data with tools like Pendo, or collaborating with analytics teams to combine qualitative and quantitative insights;
- Comfort working with stakeholders in politically or socially sensitive contexts (e.g., voter engagement, campaign outreach);
- Experience utilizing innovative, cutting-edge technology to expand and accelerate impact;
- Experience using or collaborating with users of design tools like Figma and Miro; and/or
- Basic knowledge of accessibility guidelines and inclusive design principles.
Talented User Researchers come from all walks of life and career. If you are passionate about civic engagement and technology, please apply, even if you do not check every box!
Location and Compensation
The Staff User Researcher role is a full-time, salaried position with a comprehensive benefits package (more detail below). It is based anywhere in the U.S. The starting salary range for this position is $120,000 - $150,000 and is commensurate with experience. This pay range reflects what the organization expects to offer for this position at the time of posting. In alignment with applicable laws, compensation will be determined based on the applicant’s skills, qualifications, experience, and the specific requirements of the role. Please note that the organization may adjust this pay range as needed.
Our Culture of Care
We work hard to create a culture of care to ensure that our staff are best equipped to lead happy, healthy, and balanced lives. To that end, we offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes:
- Health, vision, and dental insurance with 100% of premiums covered for you and qualifying family members;
- Retirement benefits with a 5% employer match;
- A flexible unlimited PTO plan;
- Generous paid parental leave;
- Pre-tax commuter benefits;
- A company laptop;
- A flexible remote work environment;
- A home office setup stipend for all new employees;
- Monthly reimbursement for remote work expenses;
- A yearly professional development fund;
- Mental health and wellness benefits through Calm and Better Help;
- Yearly in-person staff retreats; and
- A welcoming culture that celebrates diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
At Murmuration, we believe a vibrant, representative democracy depends on the inclusion of diverse voices, lived experiences, and perspectives. The best ideas don’t come from a single person or ideology — they emerge at the intersection of different backgrounds, identities, and viewpoints. We are proud of our commitment to building an organization and culture shaped by respect, empathy, and collaboration, where our team’s diversity fuels innovation, civic engagement, and meaningful change. We welcome new colleagues who will help us nurture this collective effort. Join us.
An Equal-Opportunity Employer with a Commitment to Diversity
Murmuration is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and as an organization committed to diversity and the perspective of all voices, we consider applicants equally of race, gender, color, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, disability, political affiliation and national origin. We reasonably accommodate staff members and/or applicants with disabilities, provided they are otherwise able to perform the essential functions of the job.
Note: Murmuration is two organizations working together to pursue our mission of amplifying the power of civic engagement: Murmuration Research Institute, a 501©(3) that conducts research to identify, design, and create the data, tools, and insights that build healthier and more equitable communities; and Murmuration, Inc., a 501©(4) that supports organizations working across the country on the nation’s most challenging issues with access to data, tools, and research that build healthier and more equitable communities.
