UX Researcher

About Us

At Slingshot Aerospace we build mission-critical solutions to revolutionize the space and defense industries by making space operations smarter and safer through world-class data analytics and AI decision intelligence. We believe that truly understanding our users-how they think, what they need, and what gets in their way-is core to delivering exceptional products. We're a team of bold thinkers, technical innovators, and customer-centered collaborators. We're looking for a User Experience Researcher who shares our belief in user-centered design, cross-functional collaboration, and continuous learning to help shape the future of space operations technology.

What You'll Do

We're looking for a UX Researcher who thrives in complex problem spaces and cares deeply about creating seamless, effective, and meaningful experiences for users in high-stakes environments. In this role, you'll be a key advocate for the voice of the user-championing research-driven design decisions across multiple product teams.

Slingshot Aerospace cares deeply about our commitment to company values, mission, and purpose. The UX Researcher is an individual contributor responsible for uncovering user insights that shape product direction, improve usability, and inform strategy. This role combines qualitative and quantitative methods to understand user needs, behaviors, and motivations, delivering actionable insights that drive meaningful product outcomes.

Depending on level and scope, UX Researchers may focus on:

• Usability and Tactical Research - validating workflows and UI patterns
• Strategic and Generative Research - surfacing new opportunities and behavioral trends
• Research Ops and Enablement - building systems and frameworks for scalable research

At more senior levels, this role leads high-impact initiatives, contributes to product and business strategy, and advocates for research across the organization.

Responsibilities

Discovery & Study Design

• Take ownership of end-to-end research studies, including scoping, participant recruitment, methodology selection, facilitation, and analysis, across the full product lifecycle.
• Frame research questions that address product uncertainties and business goals in collaboration with product, design, engineering, and growth.
• Contribute to roadmap planning by surfacing user needs, pain points, and opportunity areas grounded in data.

Research Execution & Insight Generation

• Conduct mixed-methods research (e.g., interviews, usability tests, surveys, field studies, A/B testing, etc.) and synthesize findings into clear, actionable insights.
• Support product teams with rapid evaluative testing, continuous discovery practices, and post-launch learnings.
• Partner with data analysts and designers to triangulate findings and ensure insights reflect user behavior, attitudes, and context.

Influence & Integration

• Translate insights into frameworks, personas, journey maps, or recommendations that support product decisions and roadmap prioritization.
• Present findings clearly and persuasively to cross-functional teams, fostering a shared understanding of user needs.
• Build empathy through storytelling, facilitated workshops, and embedded collaboration with teams.

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Work closely with design, product, engineering, marketing, and customer success teams to ensure user insights are integrated into design and business processes.
• Collaborate with research peers to refine internal methodologies, templates, and best practices.
• Advocate for research and champion the voice of the user in key planning and product decisions, helping shape the culture of user-centered development.

What We're Looking For

Initiative & Work Ethic

• Self-starter who takes ownership and proactively identifies research opportunities that drive value for both users and the business.
• Strong project management and organizational skills; you follow through on commitments.
• Willingness to dive deep into complex, technical domains (e.g., space systems, defense operations, satellite tracking)
• Present and engaged with internal teams and external users, fostering trust and deep understanding.

Pre-Requisites

• Must be eligible to obtain or maintain US Government Security Clearance, preference given for active TS Clearance.

Minimum Requirements

• 3+ years of experience in UX research or a related field (e.g., design research, HCI, behavioral science, product design) with increasing scope and autonomy.
• Bachelor's degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, Sociology, Design, or a related field. Advanced degrees are a plus as is continued learning through research training, behavioral science certifications, or academic coursework.
• Experience planning and executing end-to-end studies across both generative and evaluative research methods.
• Proven ability to influence decisions through clear insights, storytelling, and data alignment.

Preferred Skills

• Stakeholder collaboration and influence
• Journey mapping, persona creation, and insight frameworks
• Tool proficiency (Figma, Dovetail, UserTesting, Miro, Lyssna, etc.)
• Research ops awareness (participant management, templates, tagging, documentation)
• Flexible in approach-can balance rigor with scrappiness depending on context
• Consistent learning mindset with strong awareness of UX trends, methods, and ethical research practices
• Communication skills: excellence in verbal and written communication to drive the most effective exchange with stakeholders, including customers, partners, and investors
• Business skills: acumen of business principles and decision making
• Strong understanding and experience with design thinking, human centered design and the product development process
• Domain experience in aerospace, geospatial tech, 3D visualization, or real-time decision tools is a plus

*These skills are guidelines, not hard and fast rules. You don't have to meet every qualification listed- if your skills are transferable and you meet the minimum requirements, we encourage you to apply.

Location: Remote, United States

Classification: Full-Time Exempt (professional exemption)

Compensation Range: 125,000 - 155,000 (USD)