UX Researcher

UX Researcher Mid-Senior

Business Area: CAPTG (Cox Automotive Europe)
Role Type: Permanent Full-time
Reports to: UX Team Lead
Location: Manchester / hybrid x 2 days per week

Role Overview

Shape the future of our platforms. Drive meaningful transformation. Make a real impact.
Are you excited by the idea of building products that power operational excellence, commercial 
performance, and next‑generation customer experiences? At CAPTG, we sit at the heart of major 
modernisation and growth initiatives designing and delivering the platforms that keep our business moving forward.

We are looking for an experienced UX Researcher to help evolve a suite of products that play a 
critical role across our ecosystem. 

Reporting to the UX Team Lead, you will deliver actionable insights using research and innovation 
frameworks and methodologies like Jobs-to-Be-Done (JTBD) and design thinking to understand 
the motivations, decision triggers, and success outcomes of our buyers, sellers, and partners. You will support the design and optimisation of our products and work closely with our Product, Design, Data and Operations teams.

This role will leverage AI-powered research tools and contribute to the development of AI-enabled experiences within a high-value, trust-driven marketplace that spans web, mobile, and assisted / offline channels.

You will be part of the wider UCD team, with regular in-person collaboration to support team 
alignment, stakeholder engagement, and field insight.

Working Pattern & Location

• Hybrid working with flexibility for remote work.
• Two days per week in the Manchester office for UCD Team Days (required) or Manheim 
Leeds office for stakeholder collaboration, workshops, or research activities.
• Additional occasional travel will be required for field research, user visits, or operational site 
engagement.

Key Responsibilities

Research Frameworks & Methodologies

• Conduct research using innovation frameworks and methodologies like Jobs to be Done 
(JTBD), design thinking for outcome discovery.
• Identify functional, emotional, and social jobs across the vehicle auction, and end-to-end 
vehicle services lifecycle as needed.
• Develop research artifacts to from job stories and desired outcome statements to job maps 
and opportunity areas and clearly defined customer journeys and UX.
• Support the UX Team Lead in embedding frameworks and methodologies like JTBD and 
design thinking into product and design workflows.
Omnichannel Experience Research
• Investigate user behaviour across digital and offline touchpoints, including web and mobile 
auction platforms, dealer and operational tools, customer support and assisted channels.
• Map end-to-end journeys across the buying and selling lifecycle.
• Identify friction in key stages such as valuation, listing, bidding, purchasing, payment, and 
fulfilment.

AI-Enabled Research

• Use AI tools to accelerate interview transcription and summarisation, insight clustering and 
theme identification, survey design and analysis, prototyping and feedback loops, etc.
• Support research and validation of AI-driven features e.g. pricing recommendations, search, 
automation.
• Evaluate user trust, understanding, and perceived value of AI experiences.
Mixed-Methods Research Execution
• Plan and deliver - qualitative interviews and contextual inquiry, usability testing (moderated 
and unmoderated), concept and prototype validation, surveys and quantitative analysis.
• Work with analytics and product teams to triangulate behavioural data with research insights.

Required Experience

Core UX Research

• 3–6 years’ experience in UX, Product, or Service Research.
• Strong qualitative research skills and experience running end-to-end studies.
• Experience applying research and innovation methodologies and frameworks.

AI Experience

• Practical use of AI tools to support research synthesis, analysis, or automation.
• Experience researching or validating AI-enabled product features.
• Understanding of user trust and ethical considerations in AI.

Domain Experience (Preferred)

• Experience with:
 Marketplaces, transactional platforms, or B2B products
 Two-sided ecosystems or high-value decision journeys
• Automotive, logistics, fintech, or operations experience is a plus.
Personal Attributes 
• Highly motivated self-starter who can help accelerate transformation and change
• Curiosity with desire to meet users in the field to truly understand their needs
• Confident in navigating ambiguity and uncovering clarity through structured research.
• Collaborative and open, with strong facilitation and storytelling skills.
• Analytical and AI-first thinker with a problem‑solving mindset anchored in user value.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong interviewing and facilitation skills
• Insight synthesis and storytelling
• Ability to connect user needs to business outcomes
• Stakeholder collaboration and influence
• Comfortable working in agile, cross-functional teams
• Familiarity with product analytics and experimentation concepts

Tools (Examples)

• Research: Dovetail, Condens, UserTesting, Optimal Workshop
• AI: GPT-based tools, automated transcription and synthesis
• Analytics: Amplitude, GA, Mixpanel (or similar)
• Collaboration: Miro, FigJam, Notion, Confluence