Senior Researcher - Shopper & Fulfillment

Overview

Instacart’s Research team partners across Product, Design, Engineering, Data Science, Operations, and more to understand evolving behaviors in online grocery and translate insights into product strategy. We’re looking for a Senior Researcher to support our Shopper & Fulfillment organization—the group focused on powering the fulfillment of every grocery transaction, creating meaningful work and earnings for shoppers, and delivering with quality for customers.

In this role, you will own a research roadmap for high-impact initiatives across Shopper & Fulfillment. You’ll collaborate closely with cross-functional leaders, uncover opportunities through mixed-method research, and help drive measurable improvements to shopper experience, operational efficiency, and customer outcomes. This is a fast-paced, dynamic environment where you’ll roll up your sleeves, bring clarity to ambiguity, and influence decisions at scale. This role is open to remote candidates in the U.S. and includes periodic travel for field research.

About the Job

• Own and drive the research roadmap for Shopper & Fulfillment; partner with cross-functional leaders to align on priorities, timelines, and success criteria.
• Plan and execute mixed-method studies (generative, foundational, and evaluative) that inform product strategy, design decisions, and go-to-market plans.
• Synthesize insights into clear narratives and frameworks that translate into product requirements and measurable business outcomes.
• Lead and socialize foundational research programs whose findings scale across multiple teams, creating shared understanding and direction.
• Build strong relationships across Product, Design, Engineering, Data Science, Operations, Marketing, and Business Development to ensure insights drive decisions.
• Conduct field research in stores, warehouses, and delivery environments as needed; this role may require up to one week of travel per month to field sites.

About You

Minimum Qualifications

• 5+ years of applied user/UX/product research experience owning end-to-end studies (planning, execution, analysis, and socialization) in a technology, marketplace, logistics, or related context; willingness and ability to travel up to 25% for field work.
• Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Cognitive Science, HCI, Human Factors, Anthropology, Design, or a related field; or 4 additional years of directly related research experience in lieu of a degree.
• Proficiency with qualitative and quantitative methods, including (as applicable) contextual inquiry, in-depth interviewing, diary studies, usability testing, survey design and analysis, and mixed-method triangulation.
• Demonstrated experience defining multi-quarter research roadmaps, driving prioritization, and influencing product strategy with cross-functional partners (Product, Design, Engineering, Data Science).
• Ability to analyze product usage data and integrate findings with qualitative insights; proficiency with SQL, R, or Python for analysis, and a portfolio or case studies demonstrating 3+ impactful projects.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree (MA/MS/PhD) in a relevant field.
• Experience researching marketplace, fulfillment/logistics, gig economy, retail, or grocery domains.
• Track record leading foundational research programs that produce frameworks, journey maps, service blueprints, or mental models used across organizations.
• Experience with research operations, repositories, democratization/enablement, and mentoring peers or partners on research best practices.
• Comfort with experiment design and A/B testing concepts; strong workshop facilitation and storytelling skills in fast-paced, ambiguous environments.

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