Job Description

This is an on-site role in Burlingame, CA.

Pay Rate: $60/hr - $80/hr

As a UX researcher on this team, you’ll have the opportunity to execute research to help build the most compelling avatar experiences for the program. Research is paramount to this organization’s success - foundational research is needed to identify the right user needs and people problems with avatars, and iterative, tactical research with testable prototypes is needed to provide impactful insights to the design and development teams. These Avatars are built for a wide spectrum of applications, including for VR and AR, and in this role, you are guaranteed to be pushing the boundaries of VR, AR, and avatars.

This role will require the successful candidate to split time equally between:

1. Managing two rolling research programs dedicated to understanding avatar user needs and evaluating newer concepts, features, and prototypes. The skill set required for this work significantly overlaps with that of a Research Program Manager. It will require the candidate to successfully work with internal and external stakeholders to execute these programs monthly.
2. Independently conducting end-to-end research about avatars. The successful candidate is expected to own the entire research process, from scoping research and study design to disseminating insights gained from research with stakeholders.

Job Responsibilities:

• Coordinate two rolling research programs that execute on a monthly cadence and lead all aspects of the programs end-to-end, including gathering research needs for each cycle
• Execute research studies end-to-end, both collaboratively and independently, to evaluate various features, concepts, and prototypes
• Lead a research project through all phases of the research lifecycle, including ideation, scoping of research and research questions, research review and approvals, recruitment, moderation, analysis, reporting, and contextualizing insights for stakeholders
• Collaborate closely with researchers, designers, PMs & engineers to identify, define and deliver meaningful impact for avatar products and features
• Work with stakeholders to influence product roadmaps and strategies based on research insights
• Manage research vendors to help augment the work of the research team
• Plan, design, ed and conduct in-person research experiments to evaluate various hardware and software prototypes in AR/VR

Skills:

• Strong qualitative research skills, especially with conducting in-depth interviews, focus groups, moderated prototype evaluation, thematic analysis of feedback, and generating clear narratives from user feedback
• Strong research program management skills, especially in overseeing and coordinating monthly rolling research programs
• Strong ability to work independently and manage one’s time
• Strong ability to work in a fast-moving environment and being able to balance multiple projects in parallel without missing deadlines
• Experience with autonomy and decision-making to balance demands and prioritization
• Quantitative data analysis and ability to triangulate data from quantitative and qualitative sources
• Verbal and written communication skills, problem-solving skills, and interpersonal skills.
• Experience with storytelling to get traction with various audience
• Strong moderating skills for conducting in-person experiments evaluating hardware and software prototypes.

Education/Experience:

• BA/BS in a human behavior-related field, such as human-computer interaction, psychology, sociology, communication, information science, media studies or computer science
• At least five years of industry UX Research experience working on a shipped product, conducting formative and evaluative research
• Experience with using VR/AR/MR devices and apps is desired but not mandatory
• Candidate must be available to work on-site at our Burlingame office in the San Francisco Bay Area

Client Description:

Based in Menlo Park, California, this top social media company builds technologies that help people connect. Their mission is to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together.

With a culture of constantly iterating, solving problems, and working together to connect people worldwide, it’s essential that their workforce reflects the diversity of the people they serve. Hiring people with different backgrounds and points of view helps make better decisions, build better products and create better experiences for everyone.

Working here, you’ll:

• Be part of their mission of community building
• Work on the most visible apps and services in the social media industry
• Work in an Agile environment, in constant iteration and problem-solving mode
• Have a hand in developing products that empower more than 3 billion people around the world to share ideas, offer support and make a difference

Why work with AQUENT? Check out our awesome benefits: https://aquent.com/find-work/talent-benefits

Aquent is an equal-opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.