UX Research Assistant Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

This post presents detailed information on the UX research assistant job description, including the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities they commonly perform.

It also highlights the major requirements you may be expected to fulfill to be hired for the user experience research assistant role by most recruiters/employers.

What Does a UX Research Assistant Do?

A UX research assistant plays a crucial support role for user experience researchers and designers in ensuring that users have a positive experience.

They work under the guidance of a lead user experience researcher or UX manager, supporting both qualitative and quantitative studies to uncover user insights.

These roles exist at tech companies, design consultancies, advertising agencies, academic research groups and more primarily across metropolitan areas.

Typically, a Bachelor’s degree in a field like human-computer interaction, psychology, anthropology or information science is required, though internship experience may suffice.

The core duties in a user experience research assistant job description include participant recruiting, facilitating usability studies, and processing data; analyzing findings and creating deliverables to communicate recommendations.

Assistants also handle administration work like scheduling, incentives and research operations tracking.

Given the global nature of UX, some degree of multilingual ability or cultural awareness is valued to liaise with international users.

Well-rounded assistants have strengths in communication, project coordination, creative problem-solving and analytical thinking.

Research associations like the User Experience Professionals Association (UXPA) help set up standards in the field across various countries.

UX Research Assistant Job Description Example/Sample/Template

The UX research assistant job description consists of the following duties, tasks, and responsibilities:

• Collaborate with managers and lead researchers to define study objectives
• Engage in functional partnerships to brainstorm future research ideas
• Prepare recruiting briefs and surveys to identify suitable volunteers
• Coordinate study sessions across user groups
• Monitor studies and provide guidance to participants
• Develop discussion guides and prototypes for research purposes
• Arrange appropriate studios and technology for both in person and remote studies
• Document behaviors, feedback, observations through notes, photos and videos
• Identify significant patterns and insights from collected data
• Summarize findings through visual presentations
• Compile recommendations for product teams based on research outcomes
• Organize study related media within systems or databases
• Manage participant incentives and handle travel logistics if required
• Keep track of budgets and actual expenditure related to research activities
• Treat information with care regarding confidentiality
• Obtain consent forms from participants, before conducting studies
• Create a growth plan to continually enhance research expertise.

UX Research Assistant Job Description for Resume

If you have worked before as a UX research assistant or presently working in that role and are making a new resume or CV, then you can create a compelling Professional Experience for your resume by applying the sample user experience research assistant job description provided above.

You can highlight the major duties and responsibilities that you have carried out or are currently performing as a user experience research assistant in your resume’s Professional Experience by utilizing the ones in the above UX research assistant job description example.

This will show to the recruiter/employer that you have been successful performing the job of a user experience research assistant, which can greatly improve your chances of being hired for the new role that you are seeking, especially if it requires someone with some UX research assistant work experience.

UX Research Assistant Requirements: Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities for Career Success

To excel in the role of a UX research assistant, it is important to possess the following skills, abilities, and knowledge, which are also usually required by employers/recruiters when for the role:

• Familiarity with qualitative research methods
• Proficiency in creating surveys for recruiting purposes
• Developing moderator guides to ensure research sessions
• Conducting study interviews and surveys with sensitivity and tact
• Analyzing data to identify patterns. Gain insights into user behavior
• Effective written communication skills for creating documents and presentations
• Verbal communication skills to relate with participants and ability to facilitate sessions
• Basic visual/graphic design skills to create impactful presentations
• Managing relationships with stakeholders from teams involved in the research process
• Translating research findings into recommendations for improvement
• Familiarity with prototype testing tools and concept testing methodologies
• Ability to set up analytics systems and use moderation software/hardware effectively
• Operating equipment such as cameras, microphones, etc. when required
• Quick adaptability to learning platforms based on project needs
• Ability to process media formats for analysis purposes
• Aligning research key performance indicators (KPIs) with business goals
• Shaping plans for research studies. Defining criteria based on objectives
• Having a growth mindset is important, for expanding your skillset in user experience (UX)
• Possessing time and budget management abilities
• Being comfortable interacting with groups is crucial as well as being detail oriented and having strong organizational skills
• Can work both as an independent worker and a collaborator
• Being passionate about improving experiences is a trait.

Having the combination of knowledge and soft skills is vital for succeeding as a UX research assistant in various settings, such as corporate UX labs, consulting firms, startups, or nonprofits.

These abilities enable research assistants to support studies while gaining hands on experience that can propel their careers forward.

UX Research Assistants Salary

In 2022, user experience research assistants earned salary of $69,000 nationwide. However, the top 10% of earners made more than $121,000 per year while the bottom 10% earned $44,000.

California stood out as the highest paying state by a margin with user experience research assistants making an average of over $105,000.

Massachusetts and Washington followed closely behind with averages exceeding $83,000.

New York and Colorado completed the five states with the salaries in this field both averaging over $80,000 annually.

It’s evident that major technology hubs along the coasts offer job opportunities. Nonetheless, individual factors can still result in salary variations.

Those who secure positions at tech companies are likely to earn towards the end of the pay scale within their respective states.

When accounting for differences in living costs, these five states present considerable earning potential for professionals in user research.

Conclusion

A UX research assistant role is perfect for individuals who want to enter the field of user experience design and enhance their skills through hands on learning.

User experience research assistants have the opportunity to closely engage with end users, fostering deeper empathy and positively impacting user experiences.

As the demand for UX specialization continues accelerating globally, qualified UX research assistants can expect rewarding work experiences and ample career development opportunities.

They can move upwards over time to roles like lead UX researchers, UX managers, and heads of UX.

This post is useful to individuals interested in the UX research assistant career. They will be able to learn all they need to know about the duties and responsibilities they commonly perform, to decide if it’s the job they want to do.

It is also helpful to recruiters/employers in making a detailed job description for the UX research assistant role in their organizations for use in hiring competent individuals for the position.