The Freeman Company is building a consumer-grade digital shopping experience for trade show exhibitors, and the UX Research Manager plays a key role in turning user insight into practical improvements. In this hybrid Chicago-based position, you will plan, run, and synthesize UX research that connects online behavior to what exhibitors and customers experience before, during, and after live events.
You will lead research across a cross-functional product and design team, using a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods to guide product decisions, support validation, and measure impact on customer outcomes.
What you’ll do
- Plan, conduct, and analyze hands-on UX research for how exhibitors and customers use the digital experience at live events, using methods such as diary studies, moderated and unmoderated testing, intercept surveys, and prototype testing.
- Select the right research approach for each question by balancing speed, rigor, and business need, then translate results into clear, actionable recommendations for product and design partners.
- Moderate sessions and interviews, and develop screeners, discussion guides, test protocols, and prototypes.
- Conduct field research at live events, including on-site observation and exhibitor interviews, partnering with Exhibitor Services to connect digital improvements to the in-person experience.
- Lead UX research for a cross-functional product and design team by embedding research into discovery, design, and delivery.
- Prioritize the UX research roadmap based on business priorities, product roadmap, customer feedback, and stakeholder input.
- Act as the voice of the customer by combining quantitative analytics, secondary research, and qualitative findings into insights, personas, journey maps, and prioritized recommendations.
- Manage customer satisfaction metrics (OSAT, CSAT) and develop KPIs and measurement plans for new features, including task success and ease of use, partnering with development, design, analytics, and QA to evaluate outcomes after release.
- Establish UX research best practices, including study design standards, recruitment, data privacy, and a shared research repository.
- Coach and mentor researchers, designers, and product partners while staying hands-on in day-to-day research.
- Manage research tools, recruitment vendors, and budget, and coordinate with insights teams to align customer surveys.
- Present research findings to executive leaders using clear storytelling that supports evidence-based decisions and surfaces new opportunities.
What you bring
- Bachelor’s degree required in Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, Cognitive Science, Design, Business, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
- Master’s degree preferred.
- 5-8 years of UX research experience with hands-on end-to-end study execution and demonstrated ability to lead user research for digital products.
- Hands-on experience planning, conducting, and synthesizing qualitative and quantitative UX research (for example, usability testing, interviews, diary studies, surveys), with a portfolio showing research that influenced product decisions.
- Proficiency with UX research and prototyping tools, such as UserTesting, Qualtrics, Dovetail, Figma, or similar platforms.
- Ability to turn findings into deliverables including journey maps, personas, and design recommendations, and to partner with designers and engineers to drive action.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to understand and act on complex business needs.
- Demonstrated ability to apply behavioral psychology concepts to approach and design recommendations to address observed user challenges.
- Familiarity with ecommerce and data platforms or related digital commerce capabilities.
- Preferred: Experience in a B2C ecommerce environment and success using research insights to improve digital experiences and customer outcomes.
- Preferred: Experience with user research, analytics, and work management tools such as Qualtrics, UserTesting, Dovetail, Adobe Analytics, GA4, Jira, Confluence, or similar platforms.
Tools and technologies
- UserTesting
- Qualtrics
- Dovetail
- Figma
- Adobe Analytics
- GA4
- Jira
- Confluence
Compensation and benefits
- Salary range: USD 110,000 - 135,000 per year, based upon experience.
- Eligible for an annual bonus of up to 5% of base salary.
- Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Paid Parental Leave
- Life, Accident and Disability
- Retirement with Company Match
- Paid Time Off
Travel and work location
- Travel up to 25%.
- Hybrid schedule eligible, generally requiring in-office work 1-2 days per week.
- Ideal candidate will be based out of: Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Las Vegas, NV.
Diversity and inclusion
The Freeman Company is committed to diversity and inclusion and provides equal employment consideration regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, and other characteristics protected by federal, state, or local laws.
