UX Researcher Parttime 20 hours per week

Who We Are:

Solana is a high performance blockchain that can enable growing decentralized applications and systems to scale without sacrificing security. Solana Labs is the team that built the original protocol, and is building both the validator client and applications on top of the Solana blockchain; therefore the team is highly specialized, and we’re looking for talented people who are willing to jump right in and use their expertise to help us build the Solana ecosystem. If you’re looking to join a fast-paced, problem solving environment in the center of blockchain infrastructure, cryptocurrency, and decentralized applications, then read on.

Overview:

We are looking for a strategic and results-oriented User Experience Researcher who is passionate about blockchain innovation and is experienced with 0-to-1 product cycles. This role will be responsible for fueling innovation for web3 experiences by guiding the direction for the suite of products Solana Labs is building, as well as enabling internal stakeholders to understand web3 users and developers to build the future of crypto and web3. Importantly, through their insights, this researcher will also help define how best to bring web3 experiences to a non-web3 audience.

We are looking for a self-motivated researcher who thrives working in a fast-paced startup environment, with full autonomy and ownership. You are comfortable dealing with ambiguity, able to think through complex challenges, and are able to align cross-functional teams around your research in order to launch successful products. This will be the first formal user researcher we hire at Solana Labs, and an incredible opportunity to set the standard for research in Web3 for cutting edge concepts and ideas. Knowledge and past experience working on research for web3/crypto products are value-adds for this role.

Responsibilities:

• Act as primary point of contact for all team research needs—from large foundational and generative projects to evaluative, tactical, and investigative quick wins on multiple aspects of products and experiences
• Coordinate and conduct mixed-methods research, including interviews, usability testing, concept testing, surveys, fieldwork, and other methods as needed
• Lead the UX Research function for our product engineering group, working with designers, product managers, and engineers to prioritize research opportunities in a fast-paced, rapidly changing environment
• Provide thoughtful guidance and education to stakeholders to turn vague business needs and complex technical requirements into actionable research questions
• Craft research reports to clearly communicate your findings to diverse audiences and make impactful design and product recommendations for the team

Requirements:

• 5+ years of user or applied research experience, preferably with some experience in a large product area or multiple areas with many stakeholders
• Working knowledge and experience of general research principles (experimental design, bias, confounds, etc.) and UX research principles (usability testing, design thinking, etc.)
• Ability to dive into new verticals the team is looking into, and rapidly understand the context and nuances of each
• Easily communicates complex concepts, with ability to influence strategy and decision making
• Can successfully manage project prioritization and multiple stakeholder relationships independently
• Collaborative attitude, team mentality, and humility
• A learner’s mindset, seeing feedback as a chance to grow
• Excellent project management skills and the ability to manage multiple projects at once
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with strong opinions held loosely
• Interest in crypto or financial products

Nice to Have:

• 1+ years experience in blockchain, or a blockchain-adjacent company

Compensation: Hourly Rate of $50 - $150 USD per hour, for up to 20 hours of work per week for 6 months.