Lead UX Researcher

The Community You Will Join:

Research has been part of Airbnb from the beginning, ever since Paul Graham told the Airbnb founders, 'go to your users.' As designers, the founders embraced this advice and got on a plane to meet with Airbnb hosts that very weekend. Since those early days, the value of research has been baked into Airbnb’s product culture.

In this role, you’ll plan and execute research using the method(s) from your toolbox that best fits the research opportunity. You’ll triangulate findings with other data sources, build upon past learnings, and distill novel insights and actionable recommendations – both tactical and strategic.

The Difference You Will Make:

In this role, you’ll lead meaningful, mixed-method research to uncover insights about our global host community. You’ll design and execute studies, build upon existing knowledge, and deliver actionable, strategic recommendations that influence product direction and improve the host experience. Your work will help ensure Airbnb’s products truly reflect our hosts’ needs while raising the bar for excellence in design and research.

A Typical Day: 

• Conduct practical and impactful mixed-method research on our community of hosts.

• Lead our Host rapid research program, including conducting the research and partnering with vendors.

• Closely collaborate with other researchers and insights teams to tell holistic, impactful stories.

• Uncover insights about users by using thoughtful and innovative methods.

• Develop compelling narratives that showcase users’ needs, pain points, and key product opportunities.

• Partner and share insights with product teams, designers,  marketers, policy managers, and executives.

Your Expertise:

• Degree  in psychology, anthropology, cognitive science, human-computer interaction, or other relevant area of study, Masters preferred. 

• 8+ years working in research functions outside of academia

• 5+ years conducting UX research on digital products, using a variety of methods

• 5+ years designing and executing research across a variety of methods

• Organized and communicative project manager, creating projects and programs of research enabling smooth partner collaboration.

• Strength in synthesis, with a history of integrating insights from across methods, studies, and other data sources.  

• Excellent storyteller, making it easy (and enjoyable!) for your audience to quickly understand (and remember!) your insights

• Adept in both qualitative and quantitative research methods

Bonus

• Experience conducting research across both sides of a two-sided marketplace. And, forming insights that connect both sides’ needs.

• Experience partnering with a data scientist to integrate attitudinal and behavioral learnings

• Proficient with SQL for research sampling

• Innovative, interested in keeping up with and trying the newest tools for UX research (ex. AI)

Your Location:

This position is US - Remote Eligible. The role may include occasional work at an Airbnb office or attendance at offsites, as agreed to with your manager. Airbnb,Inc. can employ in states where we have registered entities. Currently, employees can not be located in: Alaska, Indiana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Delaware and Rhode Island. This list is continuously  evolving and being updated, please check back with us if the state you live in is on the exclusion list. If your position is employed by another Airbnb entity, your recruiter will inform you what states you are eligible to work from.