# Staff Design Researcher

**Company:** [Twilio](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/twilio)
**Location:** Remote
**Role:** UX Research
**Salary:** $142k – $208k/yr
**Experience:** 7+ years
**Skills:** design research, User Research, ethnography, contextual inquiry, co-creation workshops, concept validation, qualitative research, quantitative research, AI/ML, hci, Storytelling, Prototyping
**Posted:** 2026-07-17

> Lead Horizon 3 design research for Twilio's Emerging Technology team, imagining and validating breakthrough AI/ML, quantum, and blockchain product concepts 3-5+ years out. Requires 5+ years in design research with zero-to-one innovation experience, strong synthesis and executive communication skills.

## Job Description

## Responsibilities
- Define & Lead Research: Lead end-to-end qualitative and quantitative design research across early-stage, exploratory projects; rigorously uncover customer needs, pain points, and emerging trends.
- Strategy & Opportunity Framing: Provide thought leadership and frameworks that connect research findings to business and product strategy; help teams prioritize opportunities and guide decision-making.
- Synthesize Insights and communicate effectively: Distill complex data into clear, actionable narratives and frameworks for senior executives, product managers, and engineers.
- Drive Experimentation: Collaborate with Product and Design to rapidly test new hypotheses via concepts, prototypes, and MVPs.
- Customer Advocacy: Represent the voice of the customer in every conversation. Inspire teams to build solutions that surprise and delight customers.

## Qualifications
**Required:**
- 5+ years of experience in design research, user research, or a related field—preferably with time spent in innovation or new product development environments.
- Proven track record of leading ambiguous, zero-to-one research programs in fast-paced, high-growth tech companies.
- Mastery of a wide array of research methods, from ethnography and contextual inquiry to co-creation workshops and rapid concept validation.
- Experience with qualitative and quantitative data, and ability to easily switch between big-picture thinking and tactical execution.
- Exceptional communication, storytelling, and influence skills—executive presence a must.
- Passion for working on highly cross-functional teams and an entrepreneurial, “builder” mentality.
- Bachelor’s or advanced degree in HCI, Design, Psychology, Anthropology, or a related discipline.

**Desired:**
- Experience working with AI/ML technology and customer engagement platforms.
- Experience working in trust, security, or fraud prevention.
- Experience guiding innovation in a multi-sided platform environment.
- Portfolio or case studies illustrating your impact on breakthrough product or business opportunities.

## Compensation
The estimated pay ranges for this role are as follows:
- Based in Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Vermont or Washington D.C.: $141520-$176900.
- Based in New York, New Jersey, Washington State, or California (outside of the San Francisco Bay area): $149840-$187300.
- Based in the San Francisco Bay area, California: $166400-$208000.

This role may be eligible to participate in Twilio’s equity plan and corporate bonus plan. All roles are generally eligible for the following benefits: health care insurance, 401(k) retirement account, paid sick time, paid personal time off, paid parental leave.

## Similar roles

- [Senior/Staff User Researcher, Core Product](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/c62cca86-dd51-4bfc-8161-58ded7d4b4a6) - Harvey - San Francisco, CA - $159k – $265k/yr
- [Staff Mixed Methods Researcher](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/540f9b31-f089-4c4d-a34f-69cba71a886f) - Abridge - San Francisco, CA - $217k – $255k/yr
- [Senior Design Researcher](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/8c81dd0b-3621-4317-b41d-0243300a0f45) - Hudl - Austin, TX - $112k – $187k/yr
- [Principal, Design Researcher](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/7fe17e6a-afd7-4716-800f-d8ec26b3cf29) - Twilio - Remote - $171k – $252k/yr
- [Senior User Researcher, Enterprise & Platform](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/3ea01968-98b7-4e62-86db-3291173d2726) - Glean - San Francisco, CA - $185k – $210k/yr

**Apply:** https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/4563038e-2280-45b0-83ab-58fbcc5c2ca7
**Canonical:** https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/4563038e-2280-45b0-83ab-58fbcc5c2ca7