User Experience Researcher

DonorsChoose makes it easy for anyone to help a teacher in need, moving us closer to a nation where students in every community have the tools and experiences they need for a great education.
Since 2000, more than 5 million people and partners have contributed $1 billion to support 2 million teacher requests for classroom resources and experiences. Projects range from art supplies to build the set for a school musical, to books and puzzles that affirm students' identities, to bird seed for an at-home science project. We proudly serve all US public schools, public charter schools, and Head Start centers, and we combat systemic inequity by driving a majority of donations to schools that have been historically underfunded due to economic and racial inequity.
DonorsChoose has been recognized as a best place to work by GOOD Magazine and the Nonprofit Times, while Fast Company named DonorsChoose one of the 50 Most Innovative Companies in the World—the first time a charity has made this list. Our dedicated team works from across the United States to bring classroom dreams to life.
About The TeamUX Research sits on the Product Team, doing important mission-driven work to help address educational inequity in US public schools. DonorsChoose is entering a significant phase of growth, and as complexity increases, we're working to scale up operations, enhance our product offerings, and possibly expand into new markets. As such, we are growing our research practice in order to participate in these initiatives. The UX Researcher will report to the Lead UX Researcher, joining our team of 4 product managers, 3 product designers, 1 researcher, and 1 research operations specialist to improve the on-site experience for teachers, donors, and partners, directly impacting the educational outcomes for students across the US.
Read How We Do Product and learn about our Product Principles on our team's blog. You can also read about how we've structured the research team in the past. 
About the RoleWe are looking for a UX researcher who is a curious collaborator with a deep knowledge of user research methods. Our ideal candidate blends rigor with a bias for action, has a passion for digital products, and is committed to addressing systemic inequities in education. 
UX Researchers at DonorsChoose play an integral role in shaping and enhancing features throughout the DonorsChoose ecosystem. We conduct research at every stage of product development, from initial discovery to refining solutions, covering planning, execution, analysis, and sharing results.
Working closely with designers, product managers, and engineers, you'll have significant influence on product decisions, impacting the lives of thousands of teachers, students, donors, corporate and foundation partners, and others. You'll be joining a small, supportive team and you'll play a huge role in our success as we work to create useful and usable experiences and improve education across the US. 
ResponsibilitiesIdentify opportunities to conduct impactful research Work with Lead UX Researcher and stakeholders across the organization to uncover research opportunities that will help teams make successful decisionsCollaborate with colleagues on the right questions to askAdvocate for research when it can be useful and coach folks on when a different tack is better suitedDesign approaches that get to the heart of a question Employ a breadth of methods, including in-depth interviews, usability testing, field studies, contextual inquiry, surveys, and more, designing approaches that address key research questions and drive projects forward Create research plans, discussion guides, surveys, and screenersWork with research operations to design sampling criteria and oversee recruitingCollaborate with designers and product managers to ensure prototypes and mock-ups are study-readyCollect and analyze data Moderate one-on-one interviews, usability tests, field studies, and other qualitative studiesAnalyze qualitative and quantitative data, using basic statistics when appropriate and a variety of qualitative analysis methods (e.g, thematic, content, mental model diagramming, etc.)Bring colleagues into the data collection, observation, and analysis process when advantageous and appropriateSocialize findings with teammates and other stakeholders Write reports, design slide decks, hold workshops, and lead debriefs, depending on the audience and specific-project needs, Work with designers, product managers, and other colleagues to understand business needs and translate research insights into recommendationsShepherd your research, ensuring that evidence-based insights are reflected in our product decisions Contribute to team operations Work with the Research Operations Specialist and Lead UX Researcher to suggest improvements to our processes, including participant recruitment, workflows, and knowledge managementHelp build out our new research insights repositoryEngage with the UX community Keep up-to-date with industry trends and emerging research methodologies in user experienceSeek opportunities to improve research processes and methodologiesTake advantage of professional development opportunities: attend conferences, write blog posts, or contribute to industry publications.QualificationsYou have 1-3 years of experience working on a tech product in a research role You have relevant knowledge in the fields of human-computer interaction, UX research, social sciences, or relatedYou have a deep understanding of qualitative research and analysis methodsYou have a basic understanding of statistics that you apply to designing surveys, sampling, analyzing data, and presenting resultsYou're a strong collaborator. You look for common goals, take steps to understand the perspectives of others, and jump in when you have something to contributeYou've developed an ethical compass and are mindful of the potential negative impacts that research may have on participants, your team, and yourself. You actively take measures to minimize these risks and ensure the well-being of all partiesYou balance risk, rigor, and resources when recommending approaches and timelinesYou embrace flexibility — you can take shifting priorities in stride and pivot when needed You can admit when you don't have an answer - we value knowing what we don't knowYou're organized, ensuring our practices and learnings are documented for current and future useYou can work independently but are not afraid to seek help when stuckYou have a growth mindset — you're excited to build internal and external networks from which to learn, and invest in your own knowledge so that you can improve and increase your impactExperience with business intelligence and research software is a plus: UserTesting, Qualtrics, R, Looker, etc. Conversational Spanish proficiency is not required, but is a plus.Compensation & BenefitsOur compensation philosophy ensures that we are both externally competitive with tech-forward nonprofits of a similar size and internally fair in our pay practices. The following ranges represent the target offer range given the scope and experience expectations for this role.
The hiring salary range for this role is $72,000-$80,000. We have a hiring salary range of $82,000-$90,000 for specific higher cost of labor locations, which include New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Boston, and Washington, D.C.Once employees are hired, everyone at DonorsChoose is eligible to receive annual performance-based raises as they grow in their role. We are open to a variety of experiences, and recognize that the person we hire may be less experienced or more senior than this job description as posted. If you don't check every box listed here, or you know you'd bring additional experience to the table, we hope you'll submit your application. 
In addition, we offer full-time staff 25 paid vacation days per year and 11 paid holidays, a rich employer-paid individual and family health plan, a matching 401(k) plan (up to 5% of base salary), annual professional development stipend, and casual and flexible work environment. To learn more about what it is like to work for DonorsChoose, visit our careers page.
Hybrid Workplace and Other DetailsIn this role, you'll have the option to work a flexible hybrid schedule in our NYC office, or to work fully remotely from CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, ME, MA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, OR, PA, RI, TX, VA, WA, WI.
Candidates who are not in the NYC area should expect to travel to our NYC office on an as-needed basis, about 4-6 times per year. All work-related travel expenses will be covered by the organization.
DonorsChoose participates in E-Verify. We will provide the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with information from each new employee's Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. 
DonorsChoose Core Values EQUITY
Combating systemic inequity is crucial to a brighter future for all. This reality fuels our ambitions and drives us to persevere. INGENUITY
Complex problems require innovative solutions. We dream big, get creative, roll up our sleeves, and take action. We believe the best products can change the world. HUMANITY
People are the heart of our team and the communities we serve. Our compassion informs our goals and how we work together to achieve them. 
INTEGRITY
We strive to do right. We're up-front about the facts. We boldly learn and grow from mistakes.
LEARNING
Education is the beating heart of our organization, inside and out. We're curious. We listen. We know we don't know everything. 
GRATITUDE
We begin and end with thanks. We take joy in our mission, our communities, and each other.
To ApplyPlease submit your resume and answer the application questions online. Since we're trying to get to know you through our hiring process, we ask that you please refrain from using AI writing tools to craft your response to our application questions. A cover letter is optional and may be addressed to Josh Rosenberg, Lead User Researcher.
A Final Note The DonorsChoose team works toward a nation where students in every community have the resources needed for an excellent education. To do this we hire and support a diverse team of the best and the brightest talent available. We are an organization increasingly representative of the varied races and ethnicities, genders and sexual orientations, religious and political beliefs, and abilities that comprise our nation. DonorsChoose focuses on attracting, retaining, and advancing diverse talent because it makes us more effective, high-performing, creative, and resilient.   If you are passionate about our mission, highly skilled in your field, and looking for a place where you can bring all of yourself to work, we want you.