User Experience Researcher

Nelnet is a diversified and innovative company committed to enriching lives through the power of service as a student loan servicer, professional services company, consumer loan originator and servicer, payments processor, renewable energy solutions, and K-12 and higher education expert. For over 40 years, Nelnet has been serving its customers, associates, and communities.

The perks of working at Nelnet go beyond our benefits package. When you join the Nelnet team, you're part of a community invested in the success of each individual. That support comes through in our work, as we are united by our mission of creating opportunities for people where they live, learn, and work.

Are you driven to translate quantitative and qualitative user experience data into opportunities for customer experience innovation — and to build the AI tooling that lets a small research team do it faster and deeper?

Nelnet is seeking a curious, experienced User Experience Researcher to join our internal design team. Beyond running best-in-class research, this role owns and extends our agentic UX synthesis pipeline — tooling that drafts plans, synthesizes qualitative and quantitative data, and produces reports under the direction of an expert researcher who ensures every input and output is relevant, accurate, and free of bias. The AI accelerates the work; it doesn't replace the judgment.

As a UX researcher, you'll immerse yourself in a close-knit team to solve design challenges through data and analysis, turning what you find into a story stakeholders act on rather than just a report they read. You'll employ a wide range of research methodologies — including surveys, journey maps, interviews, and task-based usability tests — and know when to reach for each: distinguishing what you can observe (behavior) from what participants report (attitudes), and designing studies that don't blur the two. Our team works directly with stakeholders who oversee Nelnet's diverse range of internal and external products and services, with a focus on Nelnet's #1 value of creating exceptional customer experiences.

Salary for this role is: $100,000 + DOE

Nelnet believes in a hybrid work environment that accommodates both in-office and remote work. This model promotes a positive work-life balance and culture, enabling in-person collaboration when possible while also providing benefits associated with remote work. The standard hybrid work schedule includes 24 hours of in-office work each week, for associates that reside within 30 miles of an office. This is subject to change, based on manager discretion.

At this time, we are unable to consider external candidates that reside in these states: Alabama, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Work collaboratively within a cross-functional team, and with other analytical teams, to develop a holistic understanding of customers' needs, values, and experiences.

• Extract key experience, customer, and usability insights from large sets of quantitative experience data.

• Identify the best research approaches to get the right answers based on research questions, timing, and resources.

• Practice problem-finding — recognize when stakeholders don't yet know what they don't know, bring the right people together, and propose the research needed to close that gap before being asked.

• Own and extend our agentic UX synthesis pipeline — maintaining existing agents, building new ones, and identifying where research tasks can move to an AI-first or AI-assisted workflow, while personally validating that agent-generated inputs and outputs are relevant, accurate, and unbiased before they inform a decision.

• Turn research and synthesis work into reusable templates and standards that both people and agents can apply consistently.

• Work in accordance with the UX team's established methods, while also helping us grow and evolve those methods — bring your ideas.

• Transform raw scores into practical numbers and figures.

• Prepare clear research reports and synthesize findings into actionable insights and recommendations for stakeholders, using AI tooling to accelerate turnaround without sacrificing rigor.

• Translate research findings into implications for product roadmap and company priorities, helping stakeholders see not just what was found, but what it means for what comes next.

• Travel periodically to other Nelnet offices for team collaboration and to conduct on-site research.

EDUCATION:

Bachelor's degree in a user research-related discipline (human-computer interaction, cognitive science, human factors, psychology, etc.) or equivalent experience.

EXPERIENCE:

• Deep expertise in UX research methodologies for software/web-based products, with demonstrated impact on the products you've worked on and a track record of driving innovation and moving projects forward in ambiguous, not-yet-defined situations.

• Experience with a variety of UX research methods such as card sorts, usability testing, A/B testing, user interviews, surveys, diary studies, contextual observations, first click testing.

• Demonstrated experience incorporating AI to appropriately assist with research activities — building or maintaining agents, or automating parts of the research process to improve speed, depth, or quality, while knowing where human judgment must stay in the loop.

COMPETENCIES – SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE/ABILITIES:

• Distinguishes behavioral evidence from attitudinal/self-report data, and judges when a research task calls for a human vs. an AI agent.

• Experience critically evaluating how to integrate AI into research work — this may include using AI-powered tools, automating parts of the research process, or exploring where AI can responsibly strengthen research quality and speed.

• Thinks strategically about where automation can strengthen the team's research practice — and can turn that thinking into something built, not just proposed.

• Skilled at turning data into narrative — connecting findings to the "so what" for the business, not just reporting numbers and quotes.

• Outgoing and comfortable interviewing clients and stakeholders.

• Excellent written, verbal communication and presentation skills.

• Extremely organized and capable of juggling multiple projects at the same time.

• Desire to dig into complex problems and help solve those problems for our users.

• Eagerness to partner across business lines on shared tooling and research practices.

• Strong analytical skills with a proven ability to grasp, contextualize, apply, and synthesize research findings across multiple sources.

Portfolio Required: A portfolio showcasing relevant research work is required as part of the application.

This position requires work in support of the Company’s contract with the United States Department of Education (“ED”). As such, the United States Government requires that any applicant for this position must complete United States Government security clearance. Effective June 1, 2018, ED has informed Nelnet that security clearance applications for foreign nationals are not being accepted or processed. In light of this direction from ED, Nelnet will be unable to hire applicants without United States citizenship for such positions.

Our benefits package includes medical, dental, vision, HSA and FSA, generous earned time off, 401K/student loan repayment, life insurance & AD&D insurance, employee assistance program, employee stock purchase program, tuition reimbursement, performance-based incentive pay, short- and long-term disability, and a robust wellness program. Click here to learn more about our benefits: Benefits & Perks - Nelnet Inc.

Nelnet is committed to providing a welcoming and respectful workplace where all associates have the opportunity to succeed. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we ensure that all qualified applicants are considered for employment. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion/creed, national origin, gender, sex, marital status, age, disability, use of a guide dog or service animal, sexual orientation, military/veteran status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law. We value the unique contributions of every team member and believe that a positive work environment benefits everyone.  

Qualified individuals with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations in order to apply or compete for positions at Nelnet may request such accommodations by contacting Corporate Recruiting at 402-486-5725 or [email protected].

Nelnet is a Drug Free and Tobacco Free Workplace.

Use of Artificial Intelligence in Hiring

We may use automated or artificial intelligence enabled tools to assist with the initial review of applications, such as identifying relevant skills or experience. These tools are used to support human review and do not make hiring decisions. A recruiter reviews applications and determines which candidates move forward in the hiring process. For more information, see our Privacy Policy and Pre-Use Notice: Automated Tools in Hiring