Senior UX Researcher

Company Background:

Upbound Group is the leading rent-to-own and lease-to-own retailer, dedicated to offering great products at affordable prices with flexible terms.

Our Brands:

• Rent-A-Center

• Acima

We’re on a mission to empower customers through innovative, accessible, and flexible financial solutions. At Upbound, we’re building a future where everyone has the opportunity to access the products and services they need—on their terms

Senior UX Researcher – Customer-Centered Innovation

Description:

We’re looking for a Senior UX Researcher to join our Product Design team and champion usercentered design practices across our digital platforms. In this in-office role, you’ll lead research initiatives that drive insights into customer behavior, product usability, and future innovation opportunities—helping shape products that meet the needs of our diverse users.

You’ll be embedded in a highly collaborative environment, working side-by-side with Product Designers, Strategists, Product Managers, and Engineers. This role sits at the core of our Double Diamond and Agile UX processes, ensuring that every product decision is informed by evidence and aligned with real user needs. This role will conduct research for multiple brands within the Upbound Portfolio as needed. The ideal candidate brings curiosity, rigor, and strategic thinking to everything they do—and is energized by continuous learning and complex problem solving.

Responsibilities:

• Lead research efforts throughout the product development lifecycle—Discovery through Delivery—using the Double Diamond framework.

• Plan and execute qualitative and quantitative research and usability studies, including moderated interviews, usability testing, SUS scoring, NPS scoring, attitudinal studies, surveys, and diary studies.

• Translate user insights into clear, actionable recommendations that shape strategy and execution.

• Drive adoption of UX best practices and help evolve our research toolkit, rituals and program.

• Collaborate within cross-functional “squads” consisting of Designers, Product Managers, Strategists, Architects, and Engineers.

• Create clear readouts of research that are “exec ready” with emphasis on actionable insights.

• Communicate findings clearly and persuasively across teams and senior stakeholders.

• Inform post-launch iterations through analytics, benchmarking, and continuous learning loops.

• Mentor and support product designers in growing their research skills and capabilities.

Minimum Experience & Qualifications:

• 5+ years of professional experience conducting UX research in product or service environments.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Sociology, or related field—or equivalent experience.

• Deep expertise in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.

• Expertise in developing and growing research programs. Experience working within Agile UX workflows and/or the Double Diamond model.

• Strong facilitation, storytelling, and communication skills; able to influence decisions and prioritize user needs

• Strong skills in design thinking, workshop facilitation and partnering with Product Managers and Product Designers in discovery phase.

• Experience with tools such as User Testing, User Zoom, Quantum Metrics, Qualtrics, Dovetail, Maze, Userberry, DScout, Figma (for collaboration), and others.

• Proven ability to manage multiple projects and thrive in a fast-paced, in-person environment.

Benefits:

• Competitive compensation package

• Comprehensive health benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision)

• 401(k), Paid time off

• Dynamic in-office environment with meaningful impact and room for growth

• Be part of a growing, strategically embedded Design team at the forefront of innovation in retail and financial technology