Researcher - Rapid Research

Figma•San Francisco, CA

11d•$169,000 - $250,000•Remote

About The Position

Figma is growing its team of passionate creatives and builders on a mission to make design accessible to all. Figma’s platform helps teams bring ideas to life—whether you're brainstorming, creating a prototype, translating designs into code, or iterating with AI. From idea to product, Figma empowers teams to streamline workflows, move faster, and work together in real time from anywhere in the world. The Figma Research team is hiring an experienced researcher for its Rapid Research program. Researchers on this team are product builders who bring research expertise, working closely with designers, product managers, and engineers to clarify problems, test ideas, and recommend what to change—often in one- to two-week sprints. Researchers will rotate across product areas, ramp up quickly, and build relationships, energized by unfamiliar products and ambiguous problems and ready to take initiative. They bring strong opinions about what makes a great experience, grounded in user needs, spot connections across product areas, and combine deep qualitative and quantitative research expertise with a flexible, resourceful approach to moving quickly without sacrificing rigor. Beyond individual studies, they bring a clear point of view on what to build or change, tailor communication to their audience, and are willing to challenge assumptions and say the hard thing with care—asking for help when needed and offering it when others do.

Requirements

7+ years of experience in research at high-growth product organizations, UX/design agencies, or strategic consultancies focused on digital experiences
Proficiency in mixed methods research, including qualitative approaches such as interviews and quantitative approaches such as surveys and data analysis
Strong product judgment, with examples of specific recommendations you made and how they shaped the product, backed by strong communication and storytelling skills with a track record of securing executive buy-in
Experience ramping up quickly on new projects and delivering clear recommendations in one- to two-week research sprints, turning ambiguous problems into clear questions and a practical path forward
A scrappy, flexible approach, adapting to changing priorities and tight timelines while maintaining sound research methods, including active use of AI tools to improve speed, quality, or scale

Nice To Haves

Proficiency in designing and prototyping, ideally within the Figma suite of tools
Experience researching design tools, developer tools, creative software, or other products people use to build things
Experience in product design, product management, or engineering
Experience using product analytics alongside qualitative research to inform recommendations

Responsibilities

Scope and run focused research in quick sprints, using sound methods to answer the questions most likely to change a product decision
Turn findings into specific recommendations a designer or PM can act on, working through tradeoffs and helping the team put them into practice
Present product recommendations to cross-functional teams and senior leadership, telling the story behind the data, not just reporting insights
Rotate across product areas and teams as needed, building credibility and relationships quickly without being embedded long-term
Contribute beyond research studies by using our products, joining design reviews, and helping teams recognize when they have enough information to act
Bring clarity to ambiguous problems, challenge assumptions, and adjust the scope or approach as you learn
Experiment with tools, templates, and workflows to make research faster and sharper