Back to jobs
New

Lead User Experience Researcher

Mesa, Arizona, United States

The Company 

Versaterm is a global public safety solutions company helping agencies transform how they serve their communities. Since 1977, we’ve been building an ecosystem of intuitive tools designed for public safety agencies, forensic labs, court systems, schools and other institutions. Through purposeful integrations and a selective growth strategy, we focus on improving workflows to help our customers achieve more efficient operations, better service and more just outcomes.

Our teams are driven by innovation, expertise and an unwavering commitment to customer success. As we continue to grow and expand our ecosystem, you’ll have the opportunity to contribute to solutions that enhance community safety and transform the future of public safety technology. If you’re passionate about making a meaningful difference, we’d love to hear from you.

The Role

We are seeking a Lead User Experience Researcher to drive research strategy and insights across our public safety product ecosystem. The Lead User Experience Researcher will lead the planning, execution, and synthesis of user research to ensure our products deeply align with the needs of first responders and agency personnel. You will also partner closely with Product Designers, Product Managers, Engineers, and SMEs to uncover user pain points, inform product direction, and shape intuitive, effective user experiences across multiple product lines.

What You Do

  • Lead the development of research strategy, methodologies, and study plans that support product and experience goals.
  • Conduct a wide range of research activities including interviews, contextual inquiry, ride-alongs, surveys, usability testing, diary studies, and field observations.
  • Synthesize qualitative and quantitative findings into clear, actionable insights that shape product strategy, requirements, and design decisions.
  • Partner with Product Designers to support early concept exploration, user journey mapping, and experience validation.
  • Collaborate with Product Managers to prioritize research needs and integrate insights into roadmaps and product planning.
  • Build strong relationships with public safety agencies to support ongoing field research and longitudinal studies.
  • Present research findings to cross-functional teams, executives, and stakeholders with clarity and persuasive storytelling.
  • Develop, manage, and scale research operations including participant recruitment, protocols, ethical practices, and data management.
  • Establish and promote best practices for user research across the organization.
  • Mentor junior and mid-level researchers, providing guidance on methodologies, synthesis techniques, and communication skills.
  • Contribute to the continuous improvement of research processes, tools, and documentation.

What You Bring

Required Qualifications:

  • 6–10+ years of experience conducting UX research for digital products, with at least 2–3 years in a senior or lead capacity.
  • Deep experience with a broad range of qualitative and quantitative research methods.
  • Proven ability to translate complex research findings into clear insights and strategic product recommendations.
  • Strong understanding of user-centered design, interaction patterns, and usability principles.
  • Experience conducting field research or working with complex, real-world workflows.
  • Excellent storytelling, presentation, and communication skills.
  • Ability to work collaboratively with product, design, engineering, and executive teams.
  • Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to independently lead large research initiatives.
  • Familiarity with accessibility standards and inclusive research practices.

Asset Qualifications:

  • Experience in public safety, healthcare, transportation, or other mission-critical environments.
  • Experience supporting design system research, pattern validation, or cross-product strategy.
  • Ability to run mixed-methods studies and triangulate insights across data sources.
  • Experience training others in research methods and championing research maturity across an organization.
  • Background in human-computer interaction, cognitive psychology, anthropology, or a related field.

Note: Due to the nature of our work with public safety agencies, this position requires compliance with the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Security Policy. Candidates must successfully pass a comprehensive, fingerprint-based background check. Please note that specific customer contracts may impose additional security verification requirements. Obtaining and maintaining all required security clearances is a condition of employment. For more information on CJIS security requirements, please visit the FBI's CJIS Security Policy Resource Center. 

Equal Opportunity 

Versaterm is committed to building and supporting inclusion, diversity, and equity, and sustaining a barrier-free environment. Accommodations are available, on request, throughout all aspects of the selection process. These principles apply to the terms and conditions of employment at Versaterm. For detailed information on our accessibility policies, please contact info@versaterm.com. 

Create a Job Alert

Interested in building your career at Versaterm? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email.

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Select...
Select...
Select...

U.S. Standard Demographic Questions

We invite applicants to share their demographic background. If you choose to complete this survey, your responses may be used to identify areas of improvement in our hiring process.
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Versaterm’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.