Lead UX Researcher, AI Generation Engine

About the Team

The SandboxAQ AI Generation Engine (SAIGE) team's mission is to accelerate SandboxAQ’s mission of “Deep Impact at Scale," with a focus on quantitative AI and rapid prototyping. More specifically, the SAIGE team aims to:  

• Build next-generation AI capabilities that establish SandboxAQ as the global pacesetter in quantitative AI.  
• Identify, incubate, prototype, and launch new AI products for high-potential and longer-term use cases, proving (or disproving) their viability as high-impact, highly profitable business lines.  
• Support internal AI teams and help build new AI applications and infrastructures across SandboxAQ’s business units.  

The SAIGE team operates on the following principles: Prototype with Velocity, Explore Boldly, Fail Smart, Learn Fast, Look Forward, and Share Knowledge. 

About the Role

This team's mission is to accelerate SandboxAQ’s mission of “Deep Impact at Scale," with a focus on quantitative AI and rapid prototyping. We build next-generation AI capabilities, identify and incubate new AI products for high-potential use cases, and support internal AI teams.  

As a Lead User Experience Researcher on this team, you will play a critical role in identifying customer needs and shaping the user experience of novel AI-driven products and prototypes. You will be responsible for designing and executing research strategies that provide actionable insights to guide product development, ensuring we build impactful and user-centered solutions. This role requires a seasoned researcher who can navigate ambiguity, work with emerging technologies, and is open to learning about new domains / industries.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and execute end-to-end user research projects, from defining research questions and methodologies to synthesizing findings and delivering impactful recommendations.
• Champion a deep understanding of user needs, pain points, and behaviors related to quantitative AI and its applications in new domains (e.g., finance, agriculture, nuclear fusion).  
• Partner closely with product managers, engineers, and business developers & strategists to identify research opportunities and embed user-centered thinking throughout the technology and product development lifecycle.
• Develop and implement a variety of research methods, including but not limited to user interviews, usability testing, surveys, contextual inquiries, and diary studies, adapting approaches for rapid prototyping and iterative development cycles.  
• Create research-fidelity prototypes for directional concept testing and feedback.
• Use and discover new AI tools to accelerate, broaden, and deepen research and discovery datapoints (quant & qual).
• Bring a strategic lens paired with tactical execution to help the team efficiently define, test, and iterate.
• Translate complex research findings into clear, actionable insights and compelling narratives that inform product strategy, design decisions, and feature prioritization.
• Contribute to the establishment of UXR best practices within this team and across SandboxAQ in partnership with the Head of Design & User Research
• Act as a key player in identifying and validating new high-potential and longer-term use cases for AI products. 
• Proactively scan the horizon for emerging UXR trends and methodologies relevant to AI and rapidly evolving tech landscapes.  
• Foster a culture of "Fail Smart, Learn Fast" by designing research that embraces experimentation and extracts valuable learnings from both successful and unsuccessful prototypes.  

About You

• +8 years of experience in User Experience Research, with a significant portion dedicated to complex software, enterprise solutions, or emerging technologies.
• Proven ability to independently plan, execute, and synthesize qualitative and quantitative research, delivering impactful insights that drive product decisions. 
• Excellent communication, storytelling, and presentation skills, with the ability to clearly articulate research findings and their implications to diverse audiences, including technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Know how to use current, relevant AI tools and methods in your own work.
• Experience working in fast-paced, agile environments and comfort with ambiguity and iteration.  
• Passion for understanding user needs and advocating for the user in product development.
• Experience in AI / ML space (e.g., agents, LLMs)

Nice-to-Haves

• Experience conducting research and/or product development in the following domains: life sciences, finance, drug discovery, energy, agriculture. 
• Significant UXR experience for AI-first products, including but not limited to LLM-based products and interfaces
• Experience establishing or scaling UXR practices within a team or organization.
• Experience in early stage design (Interaction, Service), contributing to or owning.
• Experience working with geographically distributed teams.
• Advanced degree (Masters or Ph.D.) in a relevant field.

The US base salary range for this full-time position is expected to be $204K - $286K per year. Our salary ranges are determined by role and level. Within the range, individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. This role may be eligible for annual discretionary bonuses and equity.