User Researcher I
Interview Stages
| Stage | Interviewer | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Recruiter Screen | [Recruiter Name] | 30 min |
| Hiring Manager Screen | [Hiring Manager Name] | 45 min |
| Portfolio / Project Review | All Hiring Team | 60 min |
| Round 2: PM | [PM Interviewer] | 45 min |
| Round 2: Designer | [Designer Interviewer] | 45 min |
| Round 2: Engineer | [Engineering Interviewer] | 45 min |
| Final/Culture Round | Executive or Culture Team Member | 30 min |
Recruiter Screen
Focus Areas: Curiosity, Learning Mindset, Communication
- What part of UX research are you most excited to learn or improve?
- Tell me about a time you had to quickly learn something unfamiliar.
- How do you ask questions when you don't fully understand a product or process?
Hiring Manager Screen
Focus Areas: Foundations, Collaboration, Judgment
- Tell me about a time you ran or supported a user study — what was your role, and what did you learn?
- How do you decide what methods to use when you're new to the space or problem?
- What would you do if a teammate challenged your research plan or conclusions?
Portfolio / Project Review
Focus Areas: Method Familiarity, Clarity of Thought, Impact Awareness
- The candidate should walk through two research projects, even if they're from academic settings, internships, or personal work.
- They should explain their goals, process, and what changed as a result. Focus on how they collaborated, how they handled data, and how clearly they can explain their reasoning.
Round 2 Interviews
PM Interview
Focus Areas: Communication, Influence, Collaboration
- How do you help PMs think through what they want to learn from research?
- Tell me about a time you helped a team reframe a product idea or question.
- How do you communicate findings in a way that sticks with the team?
- What do you do when you don't feel confident about a recommendation?
Design Interview
Focus Areas: Collaboration, Insight Translation, UX Understanding
- Tell me about a time you worked closely with a designer — what was your role and impact?
- How do you make sure your findings are actionable for design?
- How do you approach user flows or prototypes during a study?
- What do you do when a designer wants to move fast and skip research?
Engineering Interview
Focus Areas: Technical Empathy, Systems Thinking, Flexibility
- How do you help engineers understand user problems they're solving for?
- Tell me about a time engineering constraints impacted what you could study — how did you adapt?
- How do you make sure insights are accessible to technical teammates?
- What's your approach to collaborating with engineers when writing a research plan?
Final/Culture Round
Focus Areas: Team Fit, Curiosity, Growth Potential
- What kind of research team or environment helps you thrive?
- Tell me about a time you weren't sure what to do — how did you figure it out?
- What excites you about building a research practice from the ground up?
- Where do you want to grow over the next year?