Staff User Experience Researcher, Foundations and Enablement

Staff User Experience Researcher, Foundations and Enablement Mountain View, CA / Remote (Continental US + Hawaii + Canada Only)

ABOUT KHAN ACADEMY

Khan Academy is a nonprofit with the mission to deliver a free, world-class education to anyone, anywhere. Our proven learning platform offers free, high-quality supplemental learning content and practice that cover Pre‑K - 12th grade and early college core academic subjects, focusing on math and science. We have over 181 million registered learners globally and are committed to improving learning outcomes for students worldwide, focusing on learners in historically under‑resourced communities.

OUR COMMUNITY

Our students, teachers, and parents come from all walks of life, and so do we. Our team includes people from academia, traditional/non‑traditional education, big tech companies, and tiny startups. We hire great people from diverse backgrounds and experiences because it makes our company stronger. We value diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as necessary to achieve our mission and impact the communities we serve. We know that transforming education starts in‑house with learning about ourselves and our colleagues. We strive to be world‑class in investing in our people and commit to developing you as a professional.

THE ROLE

We’re looking for a Staff UX Researcher to join our Design team. The heart of this role is not just conducting research, but building the high‑performance engine that powers user understanding across our entire product. You will be the architect of our "People Who Do Research" (PWDR) program, empowering our Design team to conduct their own tactical research while you provide the methodological rigor, technical guardrails, and strategic oversight. We are looking for an expert who can lead our transition into AI‑enhanced research operations—acting as the essential "Human‑in‑the‑Loop" to ensure that as we accelerate our workflows, our insights remain grounded, ethical, and highly actionable. You will play a vital role in scaling our impact, serving as a coach and consultant to product teams as they navigate the complexities of U.S. school districts. By building the playbooks and knowledge systems that turn raw data into institutional wisdom, you will help us fulfill the mission of the organization: to provide a free, world‑class education to anyone, anywhere.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

PWDR Program leadership and enablement: Refine and scale our "People Who Do Research" program. Empower designers and product triads to conduct high‑quality tactical UXR research (both qual and quant) by providing playbooks, training, and mentorship necessary to maintain rigorous standards across the team. AI strategy and research operations: Design, propose, and manage a research tech stack (including Dovetail) powered by responsible AI. Implement automated workflows for recruiting, synthesis, and insight distribution, serving as the UXR "Human‑in‑the‑Loop" authority to ensure AI‑generated outputs are grounded, ethical, and accurate. Cross‑product research, synthesis, and leadership: Act as the Design Leadership Team’s expert on customer and user profiles, end‑to‑end user journeys, and forward‑looking research. Synthesize insights that span multiple product surface areas to identify "connective tissue," strategic gaps, and opportunities that go beyond the scope of individual embedded researchers or designers on product teams. Strategic advisory and methodological governance: Serve as a high‑level internal consultant, guiding teams on the selection of lean vs. rigorous methodologies. Lead or co‑facilitate complex mixed‑method studies when business needs require, providing foundational frameworks (blueprints, journey maps) that keep teams aligned with the "big picture." Support the design team with on‑site research in schools , providing guidance and ethical scaffolding, and ensuring legal compliance. U.S. based travel up to 20%. Responsibilities may change as business and team needs evolve.

WHAT YOU BRING

Mastery of research methods and rigor: 12+ years of UX research experience in complex enterprise software or SaaS environments. Deep command of the craft that allows spotting flaws in research design or AI‑generated summaries. Coaching skills: Proven experience in mentorship, coaching, or building "Research Ops" programs. Ability to enable others while conducting research. Responsible AI fluency: Deep technical curiosity regarding GenAI and LLMs, practical understanding of limitations, and ability to leverage AI for speed while acting as the ultimate guardrail for quality and ethics. Operational architecture: Track record of building scalable systems, templates, and workflows that improve velocity and quality of a design organization. Design and product fluency: Sophisticated understanding of the product development lifecycle (PDLC) and software development lifecycle (SDLC), enabling integration of research checkpoints into existing workflows of designers and engineers. Communication and influence: Exceptional communication skills and "executive presence," convincing cross‑functional leaders of the value of democratized (yet governed) research. Motivated by the Khan Academy mission "to provide a free world‑class education for anyone, anywhere." Proven cross‑cultural competency skills demonstrating self‑awareness, awareness of others, and inclusive behaviors to drive inclusion and belonging throughout the organization.

QUEL I VALUE • QUALITAS

Introspective, mature, low‑ego, and emotionally intelligent. Growth mindset, willingness to learn and teach others. Proactively seek people and info needed to move work forward and unblock yourself. High comfort level working within a strong top‑down product vision led by our CEO, Sal Khan. Able to balance immediate tactical needs with scouting ahead for what’s next. Comfortable with ever‑shifting priorities and ambiguous situations, like in a startup. Willing to roll sleeves up and pitch in when a project goes off‑script. Excited about education and engaging learning experiences, deeply curious about how and why people learn. NOTE: Submitting a portfolio with your application is required. We're looking for a portfolio that highlights the parts of your background and experience that are relevant to the job description. Applications without a portfolio link or attachment will not be considered.

PERKS AND BENEFITS

Ample paid time off as needed – Your well‑being is a priority. 8 pre‑scheduled Wellness Days in 2026 occurring on a Monday or a Friday for a 3‑day weekend boost. Remote‑first culture – that caters to your time zone with open flexibility as needed. Generous parental leave. An exceptional team that trusts you and gives you the freedom to do your best. The chance to put your talents toward a deeply meaningful mission and work on high‑impact products shaping education. Opportunities to connect through affinity, ally, and social groups. All typical benefits: 401(k) + 4% matching & comprehensive insurance, including medical, dental, vision, and life. At Khan Academy we are committed to fair and equitable compensation practices, the well‑being of our employees, and our community. This belief is why we have built out a robust Total Rewards package that includes competitive base salaries, and extensive benefits and perks to support physical, mental, and financial well‑being. The compensation band for this role is $152,908 - $172,022 USD annually for candidates based in the United States and $206,626 - $232,455 CAD annually for candidates based in Canada. The pay range for this position is a general guideline only. The salary offered will depend on internal pay equity and the candidate’s relevant skills, experience, qualifications, and job market data. We deeply understand and empathize with our users. We leverage user insights, research, and experience to build content, products, services, and experiences that our users trust and love. Our success is defined by the success of our learners and educators. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, or Veteran status. We value diversity, equity, and inclusion, and we encourage candidates from historically underrepresented groups to apply. As part of this commitment, Khan Academy will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations for the hiring process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact View email address on click.appcast.io. #J-18808-Ljbffr Khan Academy