UX Researcher

You reduce a team's uncertainty about its users. That means choosing the right method for the question (a quick usability test vs. a multi-week discovery study), running it rigorously, and — crucially — communicating findings so they actually change what gets built. A lot of the craft is in asking non-leading questions and separating what users say from what they do.

Recruiting participants, running or analysing sessions, synthesising notes into themes, and presenting findings to designers and product managers. Strong researchers spend real effort on storytelling — a finding that nobody remembers changes nothing — and on building a shared, searchable library of past insights.

• Qualitative methods — interviewing, usability testing, thematic analysis.
• Some quantitative literacy — surveys done right, basic stats, reading product analytics.
• Synthesis and communication — turning messy notes into a clear, actionable narrative.
• Empathy paired with skepticism — care about users, but pressure-test your own conclusions.

Common origins are psychology, social science, design, market research, and customer support — all involve understanding people. Support and success roles are an underrated path: you already talk to users daily. Build a couple of end-to-end study write-ups (question → method → finding → recommendation) to show you can run the whole loop.