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UX Researcher

San Francisco, CA

ABOUT RETOOL

Nearly every company in the world runs on custom software: Gartner estimates that up to 50% of all code is written for internal use. This is the operational software for refunding orders, underwriting loans, onboarding employees, analyzing transactions, and providing customer support. But most companies don’t have adequate resources to properly invest in these tools, leading to a lot of old and clunky internal software or, even worse, users still stuck in manual and spreadsheet flows. 

At Retool, we’re on a mission to bring good software to everyone. We’re building a new type of development platform that combines the benefits of traditional software development with a drag-and-drop UI editor and AI, making it dramatically faster to build internal tools. We believe that the future of software development lies in abstracting away the tedious and repetitive tasks developers waste time on, while creating reusable components that act as a force multiplier for future developers and projects. The result is not just productivity, but good software by default. And that’s a mission worth striving for. 

Today, our customers span from small startups building their first operational tools to Fortune 500 companies building mission-critical apps for thousands of users across their business. Interested in joining us? Let us know! 

WHY WE’RE LOOKING FOR YOU:

As our first dedicated UX Researcher, you won’t just influence what we build—you’ll define how we build it. This is your chance to lay the foundation for a research practice at the heart of one of tech’s most transformative shifts: the fusion of developer tools and AI.

Retool is rapidly becoming the application layer for AI—where the power of models meets the flexibility of custom software. As this frontier evolves, so do the questions: What workflows will emerge? What pain points will persist—or be created anew? And how do we design tools that make complex AI capabilities feel intuitive, even delightful?

That’s where you come in. You’ll lead exploratory research into novel AI-human workflows, ground product decisions in deep user insight, and chart the path forward in a space where few maps exist. From untangling technical processes to revealing latent needs across diverse customer teams, your work will turn ambiguity into clarity—and clarity into action.

You’ll be joining a tight-knit, high-performing team of designers, engineers, and product thinkers who value curiosity, rigor, and a strong point of view. We’re not just solving for today—we’re reimagining how software gets built in the era of AI. Your research will light the way.

WHAT YOU'LL DO:

You’ll define and lead the research roadmap in close collaboration with product and design leadership, identifying the questions that matter most for shaping strategy and delivering impact. You’ll plan and conduct quantitative, qualitative, and generative research using a range of methods—interviews, usability testing, field studies, surveys, logs analysis—and synthesize findings through frameworks from HCI, behavioral science, and design thinking. By triangulating insights from across user research, product usage, support, and market signals, you’ll surface patterns that lead to actionable, meaningful change.

You’ll distill complex data into clear, compelling stories for teams across the org—from product and engineering peers to executive stakeholders. You’ll facilitate workshops, lead design sprints, and partner with cross-functional teams to ensure research doesn’t just inform the work—it accelerates it. As our foundational researcher, you’ll also play a key role in shaping our research practice: mentoring teammates, evolving our processes, and helping embed user-centered thinking across everything we do.

All the while, you’ll balance multiple projects with thoughtfulness and speed—ensuring that our team moves fast and moves smart. And most importantly, you’ll champion the voice of the user in every room, helping make research not just a function, but a force multiplier for product excellence at Retool.

 

THE SKILLSET YOU'LL BRING: 

  • 5+ years of experience in UX research, human-centered design, or a related field, ideally in B2B or technical product environments
  • Proven ability to independently lead and execute a wide range of research methods, both qualitative and quantitative
  • Strong synthesis and storytelling skills—you can distill ambiguity into clarity and make insights resonate with diverse audiences
  • Experience shaping product direction through early-stage generative research and iterative usability testing
  • Comfort working in ambiguous problem spaces and a bias toward action—you're as strategic as you are scrappy
  • Deep curiosity about how complex systems work, especially technical workflows or developer tools
  • Familiarity with interpretive frameworks from HCI, behavioral science, or design thinking
  • Excellent collaboration and communication skills—you know how to bring others into the process and rally teams around user insights
  • A track record of building research practices, mentoring others, or influencing org-wide research culture
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities, scope projects appropriately, and deliver high-quality work on time

For candidates based in San Francisco, the pay range(s) for this role is listed below and represents base salary range for non-commissionable roles or on-target earnings (OTE) for commissionable roles. This salary range may be inclusive of several career levels at Retool and will be narrowed during the interview process based on a number of factors such as (but not limited to), scope and responsibilities, the candidate’s experience and qualifications, and location. 

Additional compensation in the form(s) of equity, and/or commission/bonuses are dependent on the position offered. Retool provides a comprehensive benefit plan, including medical, dental, vision, and 401(k). Pay and benefits are subject to change at any time, consistent with the terms of any applicable compensation or benefit plans.

San Francisco

$164,600 - $251,900 USD

Retool offers generous benefits to all employees and hybrid work location. For more information, please visit the benefits and perks section of our careers page!

Retool is currently set up to employ all roles in the US and specific roles in the UK. To find roles that can be employed in the UK, please refer to our careers page and review the indicated locations.

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