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In November 2025, we published The Universal ResearchOps Career Ladder, an industry-defining asset that’s already become a go-to reference for ResearchOps professionals, hirers, and managers worldwide.
But what was it like for ResearchOps practitioners before this resource existed? Caitlin Faughnan, the Senior UX ResearchOps Specialist at GitLab, caught up with Kate Towsey to discuss exactly that. She shared how misunderstandings about the role and scope of ResearchOps have impacted her career growth, and how she overcame them by advocating for a custom career ladder for ResearchOps in her organisation.
When Caitlin did this work, she didn't have an industry benchmark to refer to. Now, of course, we have The Universal ResearchOps Career Ladder to lead the way.
The Universal ResearchOps Career Ladder
Credits
The Universal ResearchOps Career Ladder was produced by Kate Towsey, with contributions from the following Cha Cha Club members: Wyatt Hayman, Saskia Liebenberg, Rodrigo Dalcin, Jared Forney, Lauren Galanter, Caitlin Faughan, Stephanie Marsh, Stephanie Kingston, Kalee Dankner, Leah Kandel, Jamie Williams, Jenna Lombardo, Christen Penny, Luana Cruz, Alma Krezla, Carolyn Morgan, Lydia Iana, and Rebecca Dennigan.
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