Research Operations Lead

Mercury•San Francisco, NY

About The Position

Mercury is seeking a hands-on Research Operations Lead to build and run its customer research program as the company scales. Research at Mercury is democratized: designers and product managers speak directly with customers, while Research Operations creates the systems that make this work fast, high quality, and ethical. The role will define research processes and standards, operate and improve the program, and help teams use customer evidence in product decisions. It also includes managing and coaching one direct report while remaining actively involved in the work. Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services are provided through Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Members FDIC. The total rewards package includes base salary, equity (stock options/RSUs), and benefits. New-hire offers consider experience, expertise, geographic location, and internal pay equity. Target new-hire base salary ranges are $189,400–$236,700 USD for employees in New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, or the San Francisco Bay Area; $170,400–$213,000 USD for US employees elsewhere; and $179,000–$223,700 CAD for Canadian employees in any location.

Requirements

At least 8 years of hands-on research operations experience.
A track record of building or scaling a research operations program with measurable impact.
1–2 years of people management experience.
Thought leadership in research operations.
Ability to thrive in ambiguity when the discipline is not fully defined.
Ability to coach non-researchers and build their judgment and confidence.
Use of AI in daily work and curiosity about what is genuinely useful.
Clear communication with practitioners and senior stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

Qualitative research experience.
Quantitative fluency.
Familiarity with fintech.

Responsibilities

Define research processes, standards, and ways of working that enable Product, Design, and Marketing to conduct research autonomously.
Own the customer research panel end to end, including customer databases, outreach, and ongoing recruitment.
Run research operations, including scheduling, incentives, consent, and privacy and ethical guardrails.
Advise teams on research best practices, including study planning, method selection, and turning feedback into insights.
Partner with design managers, designers, and product managers so customer evidence informs decisions from early discovery through post-launch usability and funnel analysis.
Own the research tool stack, including Dovetail, Maze, and Rally, as well as vendor relationships, budget, and build-versus-buy decisions.
Build AI-enabled workflows to help teams prepare for customer conversations and synthesize feedback while maintaining high standards for evidence, privacy, and human judgment.
Pilot new approaches to customer research, such as rolling research programs and customer events like research dinners.
Manage and coach one direct report, setting priorities and supporting their growth while remaining hands-on.