Director, User Research
Copart · San Francisco · $230,000–$290,000 (stated in the posting)
Copart, Inc. a technology leader and the premier online vehicle auction platform globally, with over 200 facilities located across the world, Copart links vehicle sellers to more than 750,000 buyers in over 190 countries. We believe in providing an unmatched experience, every day and everywhere, driven by our people, processes, and technology.
Director, User Research
Location: San Francisco, CA (in office)
Reports to: Chief Innovation Officer
Classification: Full-Time
Travel: To operating locations, Dallas headquarters, and customers as needed
About Copart
Copart is a global leader in online vehicle auctions and automotive remarketing services. We serve Members across multiple countries through a culture built on integrity, ownership, innovation, operational excellence, and results.
The Opportunity
The Director, User Research, will lead the strategy and practice for understanding customer and user needs across Copart's digital products and experiences. This leader will establish a scalable research capability that brings the voice of the Member, seller, employee, and other users directly into product strategy, discovery, design, and prioritization. The role will ensure that product decisions are grounded in a deep understanding of user behaviors, motivations, pain points, and unmet needs.
This individual will partner closely with Product Management, Design, Engineering, Data, Operations, Marketing, and other business teams to translate research findings into actionable insights and measurable improvements.
What You Will Do
Set the User Research Strategy
- Introduce the User Research practice to Copart, defining and communicating the team’s vision, purpose and measurable outcomes.
- Build a deep understanding of user behaviors, motivations, pain points, and purchasing journeys through research, analytics, experimentation, and direct feedback.
- Identify the highest-value research opportunities based on product priorities, customer needs, business impact, and strategic importance.
- Ensure research is incorporated early in product strategy, discovery, concept development, and prioritization.
- Develop frameworks for transforming customer observations and feedback into actionable product opportunities.
Own the User Research Experience
- Lead and oversee research across the product lifecycle through development, launch, measurement, and continuous improvement.
- Develop customer journey maps, personas, behavioral insights, and other research frameworks that help teams understand their users.
- Identify patterns across research findings, customer feedback, product analytics, and operational insights.
Deliver and Optimize Products
- Apply appropriate research methodologies based on business questions, product maturity, and user population.
- Establish processes for research planning, participant recruitment, documentation, synthesis, and sharing.
- Ensure research practices are scalable, reliable, secure, accessible, and supportable.
- Translate research findings into clear insights, opportunities, and recommendations for Product and Business Leaders.
- Combine qualitative research with behavioral and product data to develop a more complete understanding of users.
- Partner with Data and Analytics teams to connect user sentiment and behavior to measurable product outcomes.
- Establish mechanisms for tracking recurring customer pain points and emerging needs over time.
- Evaluate the impact of product changes on customer experience and behavior.
Lead Across the Organization
- Communicate performance, decisions, risks, recommendations, and learnings clearly to senior leadership.
- Help teams translate research insights into clear product requirements and priorities.
- Lead, coach, and develop User Researchers and related customer insight professionals.
- Build a scalable process to enable a lean team to work across the org’s top priorities.
What You Bring
- 8+ years of experience in user research, UX research, customer insights, product management, or related disciplines, with significant experience supporting digital products.
- Experience leading research programs that have influenced product strategy and measurable customer or business outcomes.
- Demonstrated ability to synthesize complex research into clear, actionable recommendations.
- Experience partnering closely with Product Management, Engineering, Design, Data, Analytics, Operations, and other business stakeholders.
- Clear, influential communication and sound judgment with senior technical and business leaders.
- Ability to work from Copart’s San Francisco office and travel to operating locations, Dallas headquarters, and customers as needed.
How Success Will Be Measured
- A clear User Research strategy, operating model, and roadmap are established.
- Increase the use of customer and user insights in product strategy and prioritization.
- Create consistent research practices across the product organization while improving Product teams' access to research findings and existing customer knowledge.
- Enabling Product, Technology, Data, Operations, and business leadership to have a bigger and better impact on key customer outcomes and business objectives.
Pay $230,000 - $290,000 annually
At Copart, we are focused on harnessing the power of diversity, inclusion, and collaboration. By embracing diverse perspectives, we open doors to innovation and unleash the full potential of our team. We are dedicated to fostering a workplace where everyone feels appreciated, included, and inspired to grow and contribute meaningfully.
E-Verify Program Participant: Copart participates in the Department of Homeland Security U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' E-Verify program (For U.S. applicants and employees only). Please click below to learn more about the E-Verify program: