Senior Experience Researcher

About the role

Researchers at Thumbtack are embedded within product teams and serve as advocates for both customers and pros. As a Senior Experience Researcher, you'll shape research strategy for multiple product pods, including one focused on bringing a recent acquisition into the Thumbtack ecosystem — and connect that work to our broader Demand Growth strategy. You'll run mixed-methods studies end to end, but you'll also do more than answer questions: you'll help define what the pods should learn next, build the frameworks and measurement systems that guide decisions, and influence product strategy at the leadership level. This is an AI-forward practice — we expect you to use AI fluently across the research lifecycle, to build reusable AI tooling as needed, and to help define how AI-enabled research should evolve.

What you’ll do

• Research strategy & execution: Independently scope and run mixed-method studies end to end, and define your product area’s research agenda — identifying high-leverage questions before they're obvious.
• Connect to demand growth: Tie research to Thumbtack's broader demand growth strategy — surfacing how we can better drive customer demand and where the biggest opportunities and risks lie.
• Frameworks & measurement: Develop the frameworks, measurement systems, and mental models that guide decision-making as the acquisition integrates into Thumbtack.
• Work in ambiguity: Get up to speed quickly on an unfamiliar product, market, and user base; turn loose, high-stakes problem spaces into clear strategy and research plans.
• AI-accelerated research & tooling: Use AI fluently across the research lifecycle, and build reusable AI tooling (agents, workflows, automations, prototypes) that the broader team adopts. Help define how AI-enabled research operates in the pods, while critically evaluating outputs for accuracy and bias.
• Cross-functional partnership & influence: Partner with product, design, engineering, and data science — and influence lead/director-level decisions through insight.
• Synthesize & share insights: Turn complex data into compelling, exec-ready narratives that shape direction at all levels.

In order to be successful, you must bring

• 8+ years of applied research experience, with a track record of senior, independent impact and a degree in a behavioral or social science field (e.g., Human-Computer Interaction, Cognitive Science, Experimental Psychology, Anthropology, Sociology, Information Science, Economics) or equivalent practical experience; advanced degree preferred.
• Strong command of both qualitative and quantitative methods across product phases, with mixed-methods depth (interviews, surveys, usability and concept testing) and fluency in analysis choices (significance, sample sufficiency); proficient with research and analysis tools (e.g., Qualtrics, dscout; R, SPSS, or Python). SQL a plus.
• A track record of building frameworks, measurement systems, segmentations, or research programs that went beyond a single study.
• High, demonstrated AI fluency across the research lifecycle, paired with the judgment to evaluate outputs critically and apply them responsibly.
• Evidence of building reusable AI tooling — agents, automated workflows, or prototypes — that others adopted, and a point of view on how AI-enabled research should evolve. (You'll be asked to show your work.)
• Highly self-directed in ambiguity, with demonstrated influence on product strategy with senior (GPM/director-level) stakeholders and excellent communication, presentation, and storytelling skills.
• Nice to have: experience standing up or scaling research in a new or fast-changing area (0-to-1, integrations, or post-acquisition); experience researching AI-powered products; and knowledge of home services, marketplaces, or small business platforms.

Expected salary ranges

• For candidates living in San Francisco / Bay Area, San Jose, New York City, or Seattle metros, the expected salary range for the role is currently $187,900.00 - $243,100.00.
• For candidates living in Austin, TX or Washington DC metros or in California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, or Washington states, the expected salary range for the role is currently $169,200.00 - $218,900.00.
• For candidates living in all other US locations, the expected salary range for this role is currently $159,800.00 - $206,800.00.