User Experience Researcher

Xbox Research is a leader in driving gaming and entertainment experiences for customers worldwide. We create for players of all types across Console, PC, Web, Mobile, and beyond. Most importantly, we design for fun.

Are you curious about how people interact with games and technology?Do you excel in storytelling with data?As a U ser Experience (UX) researcher in Xbox Research, this opportunity will allow you to generate consumer insights to help drive the development of world-class entertainment games and experiences. You will be joining a unique, diverse team at Microsoft known for pioneering and institutionalizing the adaptation of psychological research methods to games and the entertainment industry.

Microsoft's mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.

Responsibilities:

In this position, you'll need to excel in understanding the needs, wants, and desires of our customers to help inform the content we create for Microsoft's entertainment platforms (including Microsoft 's Xbox ecosystem of devices , Windows, and future platforms).You will:

• Partner closely with design & development teamsto deeply understand and inform product goals and strategies

• Develop research plans that involve and engage your team andimpact business strategy, product design and quality

• Design and execute appropriate research activities to answer relevant design and/or business questions, leveraging and triangulating both qualitative and quantitative methods (observation, interviews, journals, ethnography, surveys, lab studies, instrumentation, etc.)

• Bring a wide range of both established and innovative research methods to your work and develop new methods where needed to evolve the desirability of our experiences

• Provide your design and development team partners with research context, perspective, and recommendations on what will make our products and services both useful and delightful

• Communicate research findings through persuasive, compelling written reports and group presentations

• Contribute your research and perspective through the entire product design cycle, from planning to implementation to post-release

• Partner with other researchers across a diverse team

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Human Factors Engineering, Computer Science, Technical Communications, Information Science, Information Architecture, User Experience Design, Behavioral Science, Social Sciences, or related field AND 2+ years User Experience Research experience
  • OR Master's Degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Human Factors Engineering, Computer Science, Technical Communications, Information Science, Information Architecture, User Experience Design, Behavioral Science, Social Sciences, or related field AND 1+ year(s) User Experience Research experience
  • OR equivalent experience
• Demonstrated experience designing and executing experimental research studies using established quantitative and/or qualitative methodological approaches ( e.g. interviewing, ethnography, field studies, questionnaire development and survey research, experiments, usability studies, contextual inquiry, instrumentation, biometrics, etc.).
• Proficient written and oral communication skills, persuasiveness, and the ability to make compelling group presentations

Preferred Qualifications:

• A graduate degree (master's or PhD) in behavioral or social sciences, such as psychology, neuroscience, human-computer interaction, human factors, sociology, anthropology or a related field , or equivalent industry experience
• Ability to distill complex ideas into succinct thought and impactful storytelling

• Ability to develop creative approaches to researching complex user experience problems

• A love of entertainment and any or all kinds of gaming (mobile/tablet, PC, console, board games, etc.)

• Experience conducting research with international audiences and contexts

• Fluency in both qualitative and quantitative methodologies

• Insight into game design principles highly desirable

• Experience studying new technology and understanding how it might fit into consumer's lives

UX Research IC3 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $98,300 - $193,200 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $127,200 - $208,800 per year.

Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay

Microsoft will accept applications for the role until October 17, 2024

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request via the Accommodation request form .

Benefits/perks listed below may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Microsoft and the country where you work.