ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

User Research Jobs in Hawaii (NOW HIRING)

Raft

Software Engineer (AI Focus)

Honolulu, HI · On-site

Responsibilities : • Lead full-stack feature development from ideation to production in close coordination with product managers, AI researchers, and mission stakeholders • Conduct user research ...

Cheez

Conduct user research, usability testing, and competitive analysis to inform product decisions and validate hypotheses * Collaborate with the marketing team to create go-to-market strategies ...

Cheez

Conduct user research, usability testing, and competitive analysis to inform product decisions and validate hypotheses * Collaborate with the marketing team to create go-to-market strategies ...

Cheez

Conduct user research, usability testing, and competitive analysis to inform product decisions and validate hypotheses * Collaborate with the marketing team to create go-to-market strategies ...

Cheez

Conduct user research, usability testing, and competitive analysis to inform product decisions and validate hypotheses * Collaborate with the marketing team to create go-to-market strategies ...

Cheez

Conduct user research, usability testing, and competitive analysis to inform product decisions and validate hypotheses * Collaborate with the marketing team to create go-to-market strategies ...

Cheez

Conduct user research, usability testing, and competitive analysis to inform product decisions and validate hypotheses * Collaborate with the marketing team to create go-to-market strategies ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsUser Research JobsUser Research Jobs in Hawaii

User Research information

See Hawaii salary details

$31.2K

$117.5K

$170.9K

How much do user research jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 8, 2026, the average yearly pay for user research in Hawaii is $117,508.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $69,600.00 and $160,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is user research?

User research is the process of understanding user behaviors, needs, and motivations through observation techniques, interviews, and other feedback methodologies. It helps product teams design better products by focusing on real user problems and preferences. User researchers gather and analyze data to inform the design and development process, ensuring that products are useful, usable, and valuable to the intended audience.

What is the difference between User Research vs User Experience Designer?

AspectUser ResearchUser Experience Designer
Primary FocusUnderstanding user needs, behaviors, and motivations through research methodsDesigning and improving the overall user experience, including interface and interaction design
Required SkillsQualitative and quantitative research, data analysis, user interviewsWireframing, prototyping, visual design, usability testing
Work EnvironmentResearch teams, UX departments, product teamsDesign teams, product teams, UX departments
Common UsageConducting user studies, surveys, interviewsCreating wireframes, prototypes, user flows

While both roles focus on improving user satisfaction, User Research primarily involves gathering insights about users, whereas User Experience Designers apply those insights to create and refine the overall user interface and experience.

How do user researchers typically collaborate with product and design teams during a project?

User researchers work closely with product managers and designers throughout all stages of a project. Early on, they help define research questions and identify user needs, often participating in brainstorming sessions. During the design phase, they conduct usability tests and share findings to inform design decisions. Regular communication, workshops, and presenting actionable insights ensure that research outcomes are directly integrated into product improvements. This collaborative process helps maintain a user-centered approach and fosters strong cross-functional teamwork.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a user researcher, and why are they important?

To thrive as a User Researcher, you need strong analytical skills, experience with qualitative and quantitative research methods, and a background in psychology, human-computer interaction, or a related field. Familiarity with tools like usability testing platforms, survey software (e.g., Qualtrics), and data analysis tools is typically required. Excellent communication, empathy, and collaboration skills help you effectively convey insights and advocate for user needs. These abilities ensure research findings drive informed design decisions and create user-centered products.

What is user research?

User research, sometimes referred to as user experience or UX research, aims to understand human needs, motivations, and behavior. In this field, you use a variety of task analysis, observation techniques, and other feedback methodologies to perform your research. You typically work on product design and testing of different elements to contribute to the development of products and services. You may use a variety of data sources at all levels of product development to help the user experience team ensure that a product is fun, intuitive, and accessible.

More about User Research jobs
What are popular job titles related to User Research jobs in Hawaii? For User Research jobs in Hawaii, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching User Research jobs in Hawaii look for? The top searched job categories for User Research jobs in Hawaii are:
What cities in Hawaii are hiring for User Research jobs? Cities in Hawaii with the most User Research job openings:
User Research jobs near you
Infographic showing various User Research job openings in Hawaii as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 85% Full Time, 11% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 10% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $117,508 per year, or $56.5 per hour.

Software Engineer (AI Focus)

Raft

Honolulu, HI • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 29 days ago

Job description

Job Summary:
Raft is a customer-obsessed small business focused on Distributed Data Systems and Complex Application Development. They are seeking a Software Engineer (AI Focus) to develop user-facing applications that leverage AI technologies for operational environments, working closely with product managers and AI researchers.
Responsibilities:
• Lead full-stack feature development from ideation to production in close coordination with product managers, AI researchers, and mission stakeholders
• Conduct user research and workflow analysis to identify inefficiencies and translate business requirements into AI-enabled technical solutions
• Build modern front-end applications using ReactJS, Tailwind, and component libraries integrated with LLM-based services (Claude, OpenAI, open-source models)
• Design and build backend APIs and microservices for scalable deployment and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG)
• Work with ML engineers to shape model prompts, feedback loops, and in-app integration based on user workflow requirements
• Support disconnected/air-gapped deployment patterns and ensure secure, testable, and maintainable code
• Collaborate with end users, developers, designers, and DevSecOps engineers to continuously improve AI-enabled workflow solutions
Qualifications:
Required:
• 3+ years of experience as a full stack engineer building modern web applications
• Strong proficiency in ReactJS and JavaScript/TypeScript ecosystem
• Experience building and consuming RESTful or GraphQL APIs
• Understanding of AI/ML concepts and experience integrating AI services into applications
• Strong communication skills with ability to conduct user interviews and translate business requirements into technical solutions
• A user-centered mindset with attention to accessibility, responsiveness, and clean design
• Familiarity with state management, routing, component-driven development
• Understanding of secure coding practices in sensitive or regulated environments
• Comfort working in fast-paced, iterative development cycles and on cross-functional teams
• Obtain Security+ certification within the first 90 days of employment with Raft
• Active Secret with the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance
Preferred:
• Experience working with AI/ML frameworks and libraries (TensorFlow, PyTorch, Hugging Face, OpenAI APIs)
• Knowledge of prompt engineering and LLM integration patterns
• Experience with Python for AI/ML workflows and data processing
• Experience with workflow analysis and process optimization methodologies
• Understanding of automation tools and workflow orchestration platforms
• Experience with cloud-native AI services (AWS Bedrock, Azure OpenAI, Google AI Platform)
• Ability to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies in existing workflows through user research and data analysis
• Knowledge of database design and optimization for AI-enabled applications
• Experience with process mapping, user journey analysis, and workflow optimization
• Knowledge of RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) architectures
• Experience with vector databases and semantic search technologies
• Experience with containerization and cloud-native deployment patterns
• Understanding of model fine-tuning and prompt optimization techniques
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines and collaborative development practices
Company:
Raft develops data integration, AI, and software platforms that support defense, national security, and government mission operations. Founded in 2018, the company is headquartered in Reston, USA, with a team of 201-500 employees. The company is currently Growth Stage.

Apply