About Canonical

Canonical is the leading provider of open source software and operating systems, powering global enterprise and technology markets with its flagship platform, Ubuntu. Ubuntu drives breakthrough initiatives in public cloud, data science, AI, engineering innovation, and IoT. Our customers include the world's top public cloud and silicon providers, as well as industry leaders across sectors. As a pioneer in global distributed collaboration, Canonical employs over 1200 colleagues in more than 75 countries, with very few office-based roles. Teams align on strategy and execution through in-person meetings two to four times yearly in exciting global locations. Founder-led, profitable, and growing, Canonical embodies the open source ethos while delivering enterprise-grade solutions.

Role Overview

We are seeking a Senior Design Researcher for our Design Team, focusing on User Science. This evolving discipline at Canonical expands beyond traditional UX research, integrating user needs end-to-end into development processes and quality standards company-wide. As a process pioneer, you'll advocate for user insights, foster collaborative research cultures, and innovate frameworks. Reporting to the User Science Manager, this fully remote role is based in the EMEA region, offering the flexibility of Canonical's remote-first culture established since 2004.

Key Responsibilities

Conducting User Research

Develop user insights in diverse formats, identifying and championing needs across product areas to ensure Ubuntu and Canonical products resonate with users.

Sharing Findings Effectively

Support teams with tailored research presentations and clear documentation systems, making complex data accessible and actionable.

Promoting Data-Informed Culture

Collaborate with process, product, and engineering teams to embed user research into decision-making flows, driving organizational change.

Building Research Scalability

Own research ops infrastructure, enhancing methodologies for accessibility, repeatability, and interoperability across the company.

Fostering Learning Culture

Contribute to User Science evolution through user-centered training, resource development, and outreach, building a company-wide research mindset.

Qualifications & Requirements

To succeed, you need an exceptional academic track record from high school and university, plus a Bachelor’s or Master’s in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Engineering, or a similar field—or a compelling alternative path. Deep expertise in qualitative and quantitative methods like user interviews, usability testing, A/B testing, surveys, and data analysis is essential, with exceptional depth in one area. Show strong technical curiosity aligned with open source culture, proficiency in visual or information design to make insights memorable, and a talent for storytelling that resonates with diverse audiences. Organizational skills to turn chaos into clarity, plus a robust portfolio demonstrating actionable insights influencing product design, strategy, or organizational change, are required.

Benefits & Perks

Canonical offers competitive base pay based on location, experience, and skills, with a philosophy ensuring global equity. Eligible roles include annual bonuses and incentives. All team members enjoy fully remote work, a $2,000 USD personal learning and development budget per year, and more location-specific benefits. Join a values-driven company with global collaboration opportunities and perks reflecting our remote-first ideals since 2004.

Career Growth

At Canonical, career progression is fueled by open source innovation and distributed teamwork. As User Science evolves, you'll pioneer processes, influence company-wide standards, and grow through hands-on projects, training budgets, and global meetups. With Ubuntu at the forefront of cloud, AI, and IoT, your research will shape enterprise technologies, offering paths to leadership in design, product, or research ops.

Why Join Canonical

Work on Ubuntu, the world's most widely used open source platform, in a profitable, growing company. Embrace remote work across 75+ countries, contribute to cutting-edge tech, and advocate for users in open source. Canonical's founder-led vision combines stability with innovation, providing equity-focused pay, learning resources, and a collaborative culture that values diverse insights.

Role FAQs

Is this role fully remote?

Yes, based remotely in EMEA with occasional global in-person team meetings.

What salary can I expect?

Competitive, estimated 85,000-130,000 EUR yearly based on EMEA tech rates, experience, and location.

Do I need open source experience?

Technical curiosity and alignment with open source culture are key; direct experience is a plus.

How does User Science differ from UX research?

It integrates user needs into all processes, emphasizing scalability, advocacy, and company-wide change.

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