Research Operations Lead

Mercury•Portland, OR

2d•$170,400 - $236,700

About The Position

Mercury is hiring a Research Operations Lead to build and run its 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. This is a hands-on builder role focused primarily on operating and improving the program. The lead will define research processes and standards, own the customer research panel and day-to-day research operations, and advise teams on research practices. The role partners with Design, Product, and Marketing to ensure customer evidence informs decisions throughout the product lifecycle. It also owns research tools and vendor relationships, develops AI-enabled research workflows, pilots new ways to engage customers, and manages and coaches one direct report.

Requirements

At least 8 years of hands-on research operations experience.
A track record of building or scaling a research program with measurable impact.
1–2 years of people management experience.
Thought leadership in research operations.
Ability to thrive in ambiguity where the discipline is not fully established.
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 teams to conduct research autonomously.
Own the customer research panel end to end, including customer databases, outreach, and continuous recruitment.
Run day-to-day research operations, including scheduling, incentives, consent, privacy, and ethical safeguards.
Consult with teams on research best practices, including planning studies, selecting methods, and turning feedback into insights.
Partner with design managers, designers, and product managers to bring customer evidence into 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, budgets, and build-versus-buy decisions.
Build AI-enabled workflows to help teams prepare for customer conversations and synthesize feedback while maintaining standards for evidence, privacy, and human judgment.
Pilot new approaches to customer research, including rolling research programs and customer events such as research dinners.
Manage and coach one direct report, setting priorities and supporting their growth while remaining hands-on.