Rapid User Researcher

Role overview

Rapid User Researcher (Rolling UXR) at Notion (OSSUMS). You will run fast, high-signal research to improve Notion’s product experiences across Product, Design, and Engineering (EPD), including AI-powered workflows such as custom agents and chat.

This is a tactical, high-velocity role using a “many small studies” model: lightweight usability and concept tests on a steady cadence, turning findings into concrete product changes.

What you’ll achieve

• End-to-end tactical research: Scope, design, and execute quick-turn research across the product lifecycle.
• Rolling usability testing: Plan and moderate rapid usability tests on prototypes and in-product flows to find friction, comprehension gaps, and failure points; recommend and prototype practical fixes (including AI-assisted prototypes).
• Concept testing: Evaluate early ideas (e.g., storyboards, low/high-fidelity prototypes, new IA) to assess desirability, comprehension, and expected workflows before heavy build investment.
• Research pipeline ownership: Maintain an always-on motion by managing intake/prioritization, study cadence, participant recruitment, and consistent output formats.
• Communication: Provide crisp, actionable recommendations (severity, confidence, next steps) via async write-ups, clips, or working sessions.
• Business-minded impact: Tie insights to outcomes and follow through with teams to ensure improvements land.

Skills you’ll need

• Research craft: Independently run usability and/or concept tests end-to-end (scoping → protocol → moderation → synthesis → readout) while keeping scope tight and maintaining rigor.
• AI fluency: Hands-on curiosity about AI products; translate concepts (e.g., trust, usefulness, tone, safety, clarity) into research questions and observable behaviors.
• Pragmatism + speed: Ability to prioritize in fast-moving environments, handle ambiguity, and deliver quality research quickly with transparent limitations.
• Systems thinking: Ability to quickly understand complex systems (exact details not included in the excerpt).

Location & work pattern

• Can be based in San Francisco or New York City.
• Work from the office on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays (Anchor Days); collaboration is expected in person those days.