Staff UX Researcher

Turo•San Francisco, CA

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

This is one of the highest-leverage quantitative research roles in the marketplace space right now. This role stands out due to its greenfield scope, allowing the researcher to co-create the quantitative research roadmap. It involves pricing research at marketplace scale, a rare and technically rich problem space spanning guest behavior, host decision-making, and competitive dynamics. The role offers a strategic seat at the table, with the CEO being a strong advocate for research, and researchers regularly invited into cross-functional leadership groups. The team is close-knit and has a strong reputation as a high-performing, collaborative team across the organization. AI tools are used on the team's terms, with the team defining its own practice. Research at Turo is a strategic function, embedded within the product and design organization, playing a core role in identifying and de-risking opportunities that will define the company's next chapter. The team has earned a strong external reputation, with members speaking at industry events and their guest segmentation work nominated for an award. Turo is reinventing rental to unlock independence for all, with hundreds of thousands of vehicles listed by a vast network of local hosts across multiple countries. By removing the hassles and rigidity of the traditional rental experience, Turo lets customers choose the exact vehicle they want, pick it up where they want, and keep it for as long as they need.

Requirements

8+ years of professional research experience, with at least 4 years of quantitative UX research on consumer software across multiple surfaces (Desktop, Mobile Web, iOS, Android).
A strong portfolio of quantitative studies that demonstrably shaped product strategy and roadmap decisions — not just informed them.
Deep expertise in experimental design, survey methodology, statistical analysis, and behavioral data analysis.
Proficiency in R, Python, and/or SQL; experience analyzing large datasets and surfacing actionable patterns.
Experience with pricing research methods (conjoint, van Westendorp, willingness-to-pay, elasticity modeling) a core skill for this role, not a bonus.
Experience conducting research on a two-sided marketplace, platform, or peer-to-peer product.
Experience partnering with Data Engineering or Analytics teams on instrumentation, logging, or pipeline work.
Demonstrated fluency with AI-assisted research tools and a considered point of view on their appropriate use.
Exceptional storytelling skills, able to translate quantitative complexity into narratives that land with PMs, data scientists, and executive audiences alike.
Strong stakeholder management, including the ability to push back with confidence and redirect scope when priorities demand it.
A primary identity as a quantitative researcher, with comfort flexing into qualitative methods when the question calls for it.
Bachelor’s degree required in a relevant field.

Nice To Haves

Masters or PhD in Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, Data Science, Statistics, Behavioral Economics, or a related field.
Experience in transportation, travel, mobility, or marketplace/growth-focused product teams.
Familiarity with causal inference methods (diff-in-diff, regression discontinuity, propensity score matching).
A history of mentoring other researchers on quantitative methods.

Responsibilities

Lead quantitative research across product, design, marketing, and strategy functions.
Shape product roadmap decisions and strategically de-risk investments before they’re made.
Translate complex findings into narratives that move product, design, business, and leadership audiences.
Mentor the research team and help define the future of quantitative practice at Turo.
Lead quantitative research across pricing and marketplace domains, including guest willingness-to-pay, price elasticity, value perception, and host pricing behavior and decision-making.
Partner with product management, design, data, marketing, and strategy on research that informs product roadmaps, product development, and growth strategies.
Shape product roadmap decisions by bringing quantitative evidence to bear on prioritization, sequencing, and strategic bets and by de-risking investments before they are made.
Design and execute large-scale studies: surveys, conjoint analyses, experiments, A/B tests, and behavioral data analyses.
Partner with Data Engineering and Analytics to establish pipelines, instrumentation, and logging infrastructure that supports research at scale.
Translate complex quantitative findings into compelling narratives that drive alignment across product, design, business, and leadership audiences.
Leverage AI-assisted tools to accelerate research velocity and help establish team standards for when and how to trust AI-generated outputs.
Mentor other researchers on quantitative methods, experimental design, and statistical rigor, and contribute to team playbooks and infrastructure.
Flex into qualitative methods (i.e. interviews, usability studies, or mixed-methods triangulation, etc.) when the question calls for it.

Benefits

Competitive salary, equity, benefits, and perks for all full-time employees
Employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance (Country specific)
Retirement employer match
Learning & Development stipend to invest in your professional development
Turo host matching program
Turo travel credit
Cell phone and internet stipend
Paid time off to relax and recharge
Paid holidays, volunteer time off, and parental leave
In-office lunch, office snacks, and fun activities (for in-office full-time or hybrid employees)