Lead Researcher, Research & Insights

Salesforce•New York, NY

About The Position

Research & Insights (R&I) is a strategic partner to product management, engineering, User Experience (UX), and go-to-market teams across Salesforce. We are passionate about understanding and solving our customers’ issues, using data-driven insights to create experiences that delight. We balance big-picture thinking with detailed craft, collaborating along the way with product managers, designers, engineers, content writers, marketers, sales, strategy and operations. Together, we shape the future of Salesforce for the benefit of millions of end users. The Marketing Cloud Research & Insights team focuses on equipping Cloud leaders with data about customer needs and experiences in distinct product pillars including: AI-fueled capabilities, omni-channel management, personalization, and feature adoption. We are seeking a Lead Researcher who can distill complex problems into insights that inform product, design, development, and business decisions. You are a self-driven, impact-oriented researcher with experience in Research Community Management and strong quantitative data organization skills. You are a nimble leader who balances the deployment of complex, end-to-end research initiatives alongside rapid community research interventions. You have expertise at relationship-building, the maintenance of cross- functional coalitions, and the creation of communities (research panels) that support product feedback. You have expertise in survey research, qualitative inquiry, statistical analysis, and community management to generate actionable insights that drive business decisions. Ideally, you have a deep understanding of research methodologies, data analytics, and participant engagement strategies for hard-to-reach populations. You distill complex problems into insights that inform design, development, and business decisions. You’re passionate about technology, and have deep empathy for technology users and their everyday struggles and challenges. You are unwavering in your desire to provide the best experiences for users. You eagerly use new research methods to get at the heart of the issue, and you have expertise with the ‘tried and true’ ones. You are excited to leverage existing research at Salesforce to weave together actionable insights to share with cross-functional teams. You seamlessly switch between research craft, collaboration, and operational excellence.

Requirements

7+ years of experience conducting hands-on research in user experience, product design, or technology contexts; at least 2 years of experience working in a large matrixed organization
Ability to plan, design, and execute foundational, generative, and evaluative research engagements
Strong understanding of research methods (qualitative and quantitative) and best practices, and familiarity with a broad range of established and emerging user research tools
Experience working in cross-functional teams (e.g. design, product management, engineering)
Excellent teamwork and collaboration skills
Excellent project management, communication, and presentation skills
Ability to work with a globally dispersed team (including some management and stakeholders based in India)
University degree in a research- or business-focused discipline or in a field emphasizing human behavior (e.g., Psychology, Anthropology, HCI, Business, Research Methodology, Experimental Design, Design Research)

Nice To Haves

Prior experience in Research Community development and management
Comfort building data libraries and dashboards
Previous research experience in enterprise SaaS and/or technology, bonus for familiarity with Marketing personas/use cases
Ability to structure and lead internal and external workshops or design studios and analyze the outcomes to provide insight for stakeholders
Comfort with basic and advanced statistical methods and concepts, and experience working with behavioral signals data.
Comfort translating qualitative learnings into quantifiable metrics, automate collection, and track them across millions of users to influence product strategy at scale.

Responsibilities

Research Community Development & Management
Establish, grow, and manage multiple diverse research communities, ensuring high engagement and representation of key customer segments.
Develop recruitment strategies to maintain a high-quality participant pool for quantitative and qualitative research.
Implement best practices for community management, including moderation, communication, and retention strategies.
Work on fast-paced projects, requiring attention to detail and working within constrained timelines.
In-Depth Research & Analysis
Execute rapid research in collaboration with cross-functional teams
Translate fuzzy, qualitative insights into quantifiable, trackable metrics that teams can align around by solving the challenge of measuring what matters.
Ability to design, distribute, and analyze surveys using advanced survey methodologies and tools or advise vendors to execute
Apply statistical techniques to interpret survey data, ensuring reliability and validity of findings.
Use data visualization tools to present research findings in a clear and actionable format.
Scope and drive research projects that inform product strategy, design, and development, in collaboration with cross-functional stakeholders.
Conduct generative and evaluative research using a mixture of research methods (surveys, unmoderated testing, interviews, moderated concept testing, etc.)
Synthesize research findings into actionable insights, creating narratives to frame problems and highlight the business value of recommended solutions
Manage research timelines, budgets, and deliverables while maintaining data integrity and ethical research standards.
Cross-Functional Collaboration & Insights Generation
Partner with UX researchers, data scientists, product managers, and marketing teams to align research activities with business goals.
Socialize insights with cross-functional stakeholders to influence their decision-making
Partner fully with product owners, designers, engineers, and other researchers to provide the best possible experience for our users and customers.