Advanced Specialist, UX Designer at Pearson

United States

$120k - $160k

Advanced Specialist, UX Designer     Location: US, Remote    Role Overview:  Pearson Virtual Schools is seeking a Senior User Experience (UX) Researcher to lead end-to-end user research that shapes product strategy and improves customer experiences across Pearson’s AI-powered learning platforms. In this role, you’ll partner closely with Product Management, UX Design, Engineering, Data Analytics, and business stakeholders to identify learning goals, reduce uncertainty, and drive data-backed decisions through mixed-method research. You’ll design and execute studies, synthesize findings into clear insights and recommendations, and communicate them in compelling ways that influence product design, roadmap prioritization, and investment decisions. You’ll also help elevate research operations through strong rigor, thoughtful storytelling, and advocating for users while balancing business goals and delivery constraints We are looking for candidates who are excited to investigate challenging questions about the mindsets and behaviors of the various users using Pearson products. Candidates should be well-versed in best practices to avoid bias, experienced with a range of methods, and able to clearly communicate findings to stakeholders across the organization.  This is a primarily remote role, with occasional travel for in-person collaboration with colleagues and customers.  Responsibilities    * Demonstrates a strong understanding of human behavior and customer bias, using skilled interviewing techniques to uncover underlying needs and inform product decisions. * Work closely with customers to responsibly recruit educators, students, and parents, with sensitivity to consent, privacy, and trust. * Uses the latest AI tools to scale research efforts, streamline workflows, and synthesize insights across diverse data sources. * Partner with Product teams to define and maintain clear research agendas and roadmaps. Develop primary research questions and objectives aligned to business strategy, ensuring research addresses critical knowledge gaps. * Select appropriate qualitative and quantitative research methods, develop comprehensive research plans, execute high-quality studies, and maintain effective touchpoints with cross-functional partners throughout the process. * Apply expertise in human behavior and human factors to analyze and synthesize research data, producing clear, actionable insights that directly address research objectives. * Influence product strategy through research-driven insights, advocating for user-centered decisions and helping stakeholders understand the value and impact of research. * Presents research findings, recommendations, and solutions to senior leadership with clarity, confidence, and executive presence. * Conduct market research and competitive analysis to identify trends, gaps, and opportunities that shape product direction. * Ensure regulatory, compliance, and privacy considerations are factored into user recruitment and data collection. * Foster a culture of collaboration, shared ownership, and continuous improvement across teams.  * Other duties as assigned.  Requirements  * 5+ years' proven success leading user research projects with demonstrated impact.  * Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (HCI, Psychology, Human Factors, Social Sciences, etc.) or equivalent experience; Master’s preferred but not required. * Strong command of qualitative and quantitative methods; knows when to use what. * Work samples demonstrating experience and deliverables (e.g., research plans, reports, presentations, etc.). * Familiarity with common research/design tools (e.g., usertesting.com, survey platforms, testing tools, repositories, Figma) and strong organizational habits. * Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams in product development, including UX Design, Product Management, Engineering, and Analytics. * Good time management skills and extremely detail-oriented.  * Comfort working across multiple workstreams and able to adapt to changing priorities.  An ideal candidate will also have  * Experience working in the EdTech or Education fields.  * M.S. in Human Factors, HCDE, Statistics, or Cognitive Psychology.  * Experience working with Jira, Jira Product Discovery, Usertesting.com, Qualtrics, Google Analytics, and MixPanel. * Experience with accessibility and inclusive design practices.  * Experience working with Agile software development and Continuous Discovery.   Compensation at Pearson is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, and specific location. As required by the California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York State, New York City, Vermont, Washington State, and Washington DC laws, the pay range for this position is as follows:       The minimum full-time salary range is between $120,000 - $160,000.   This position is eligible to participate in an annual incentive program, and information on benefits offered is here [https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpearsonbenefitsus.com%2F&data=04%7C01%7Ctasha.scott%40pearson.com%7C2c256513c79f4679be7c08d9e7287ebb%7C8cc434d797d047d3b5c514fe0e33e34b%7C0%7C0%7C637794983376381246%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=t1YQPUL7BgoclUd7yE2i86QAirLf4z3z8OEWgr42q7c%3D&reserved=0].     Applications will be accepted through 7th April. This window may be extended depending on business needs.