Manager, User Experience (UX) Research - Missoula

ABOUT onX

We’re a team of builders, adventurers, and risk takers using technology to help people confidently explore the outdoors. Driven by our mission to awaken the adventurer inside everyone, we build products that optimize every outdoor experience and inspire confidence to get out and go further.

We’re a high-growth tech company. The pace is fast, the work takes grit, and ambiguity is part of the job. As the world changes around us, we adapt - continuously evolving how we build, prioritize, and deliver.

Our business moves quickly, and there’s real opportunity to shape what we build next. Each of our verticals - Hunt, Offroad, Backcountry, and Fish - is at a different stage of maturity, which means the challenges you encounter and the impact you have will vary depending on where you sit and what the business needs most.

We operate with an experimentation mindset, continually iterating and improving how we solve problems. We expect our people to use the latest tooling, including AI, thoughtfully and responsibly, pairing human judgment with technology to increase quality, speed, and impact.

Our impact comes to life through the products we build, in the stories of our customers, and in our growing commitment to land stewardship and recreational access.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

onX is seeking a Manager, User Experience (UX) Research to help lead and evolve a growing research practice within a multi-product ecosystem. UX Research at onX is continuing to mature. As research becomes more distributed across Product and Design, we’re looking for a leader who can clarify where research should remain centralized, where it can be responsibly enabled, and how quality, ethics, and trust are maintained as the practice scales.

In this role, you will lead and develop a team of UX Researchers while helping define research standards, guardrails, and operating models that support a growing organization. You will explore thoughtful ways to integrate AI into research workflows to improve efficiency without compromising rigor. A key part of the role is supporting non-researchers in conducting appropriate evaluative research, ensuring that democratization does not come at the expense of quality. You will also work to strengthen how user insights inform product strategy, prioritization, and business decisions across the company.

You will partner closely with Product Management, Design, Engineering, Data, and Marketing to support confident, evidence-informed decision-making throughout onX. This role reports to the Head of UX Design & Research.

As an onX Manager, UX Research, your essential job duties and responsibilities will look like: 

Research Strategy & Impact

• Help define and evolve the UX Research strategy across onX’s product ecosystem, ensuring research is embedded throughout product development and informs meaningful product and business decisions.
• Translate complex customer and product questions (e.g., trust, safety, usability, reliability, offline performance) into clear research approaches and communicate insights, trade-offs, and implications to stakeholders.

Research Operations & Enablement

• Design and refine a scalable research operating model, including standards, guardrails, and quality expectations.
• Clarify which research should be led by UX Researchers and which can be enabled across Product and Design, providing toolkits, training, and coaching to support responsible research practices.
• Incorporate AI into research workflows where appropriate to improve efficiency while maintaining methodological rigor and sound judgment.

People Leadership & Craft

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of UX Researchers, maintaining a strong bar for craft, judgment, and real-world relevance.
• Contribute to hiring, resourcing, and performance management decisions aligned to business needs.
• Step into complex or high-impact research initiatives when needed, modeling strong research practice and ethical standards.

Cross-Functional Influence

• Partner closely with Product, Design, Engineering, Data, and senior stakeholders to strengthen trust in research and reduce friction caused by inconsistent research practices.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING

• Eight (8) or more years of experience conducting primary user research across the product lifecycle.
• Two (2) or more years of experience directly managing and developing UX Researchers.
• Experience building or maturing a UX Research function within a growing organization.
• Strong command of qualitative and mixed methods, with sound judgment about when to apply each.
• Demonstrated ability to connect research insights to product direction and business outcomes.
• Experience designing research enablement systems for non-researchers.
• Clear perspective on maintaining research quality in democratized environments.
• Experience incorporating AI into research workflows thoughtfully and practically.
• Comfort working in evolving environments with some ambiguity.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to influence without formal authority.
• A shared passion for and ability to demonstrate onX’s Company Values
• Permanent US work authorization is a condition of employment with onX. 
• This role requires submission of a portfolio or case studies that clearly demonstrate how research insights translated into measurable business outcomes.
• Must be available for travel to a corporate office in Montana quarterly.  

ADDED BONUSES

Though not required, we would be thrilled to consider candidates with any of the following:

• Experience in mobile-first and/or real-world, field-based environments is preferred.
• Experience building research operations (participant recruitment systems, tooling, vendor management).
• Experience in defining research quality standards in distributed organizations.
• Experience leading research in low- or no-connectivity environments.
• Experience developing measurement frameworks (e.g., usability benchmarks, NPS integration).
• Experience coaching PMs and Designers in evaluative research practices.

WHERE YOU CAN WORK

onX has created a thriving distributed workforce community across several US locations. This position can be performed from an onX corporate office, “Basecamp,” or “Connection Hub”.

• Corporate Offices: onX was founded in Montana with offices in Missoula and Bozeman. If you prefer to work in an office at least part of the time, this is a great option.
• Basecamps: onX’s Basecamps are established virtual workforce communities where a sizable number of distributed team members group for work, volunteering, socializing, and adventure. 
  • Our current Basecamps are located within a 90-mile radius of the following: Austin, TX; Denver, CO; Kalispell, MT; Minneapolis, MN; Portland, OR; Salt Lake City, UT; and Seattle, WA. 
• Connection Hubs: onX’s Connection Hub locations are smaller, emerging communities of distributed team members.
  • Our current Connection Hubs are located within a 60-mile radius of the following: Boise, ID; Charleston, SC; Charlotte, NC; Dallas/Fort Worth, TX; Phoenix, AZ; Richmond, VA; Spokane, WA; and Vermont.

HOW YOU’LL BE COMPENSATED

onX is committed to compensating all employees fairly and equitably for their contributions. For this position, applicants can expect to make between $153,000 to $180,000 upon hire. The pay range will vary based on experience, skills, certifications, and education among other factors as required in the job description. In addition, full-time onX employees are eligible for a grant of common share options with a vesting schedule and a potential annual bonus of 10% based on company performance.

WHAT WE’RE OFFERING YOU

• Competitive salaries, annual bonuses, equity, and opportunities for growth
• Comprehensive health benefits including a no-monthly-cost medical plan 
• Parental leave plan of 5 or 13 weeks fully paid
• 401k matching at 100% for the first 3% you save and 50% from 3-5%
• Company-wide outdoor adventures and amazing outdoor industry perks
• Annual “Get Out, Get Active” funds to fuel your active lifestyle in and outside of the gym
• Flexible time away package that includes PTO, STO, VTO, quiet weeks, and floating holidays

PERFORMANCE ESSENTIALS

In this role, success is driven by cognitive abilities such as concentration and problem-solving, essential for our computer-centric tasks. onX will explore reasonable accommodations to ensure that individuals with diverse abilities can fully engage in and contribute to the essential physical and mental functions of the job. If you need assistance or accommodation, please contact us at PC@onxmaps.com. 

Position open until filled. 

At onX, we believe that unique perspectives make us stronger. By bringing together people with different experiences, ideas, and viewpoints, we fuel innovation and move closer to our mission of awakening the adventurer in everyone. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and are committed to fairness not only in hiring, but also in development, compensation, and promotion. Our goal is to build an inclusive community where every team member can show up authentically and thrive. Together, we win as one team. Come join us!