Principal User Researcher

Microsoft•Redmond, WA

About The Position

Microsoft is a company where passionate innovators come to collaborate, envision what can be and take their careers further. This is a world of more possibilities, more innovation, more openness, and the sky is the limit thinking in a cloud-enabled world. Microsoft’s Azure Data engineering team is leading the transformation of analytics in the world of data with products like databases, data integration, big data analytics, messaging & real-time analytics, and business intelligence. The products our portfolio include Microsoft Fabric, Azure SQL DB, Azure Cosmos DB, Azure PostgreSQL, Azure Data Factory, Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Service Bus, Azure Event Grid, and Power BI. Our mission is to build the data platform for the age of AI, powering a new class of data-first applications and driving a data culture. Within Azure Data, the messaging and real-time analytics team provides comprehensive solutions and a robust platform that enables users to ingest high granularity signals (real-time & observability) and complex data, converting those into a competitive advantage in real-time for both end users and modern applications. As a Principal User Researcher on the Azure Data Research team, you will leverage your expertise in the motivations, workflows, and habits of data professionals to inform the strategy, design, and growth of products and services across the data cloud suite. Our Research team takes a multi-method approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methods to identify emerging patterns of usage, uncover user insights, reveal unarticulated needs, and surface new product and service priorities. Familiarity with big data analysis is welcomed as a complement to these approaches. You will play a critical role in driving strategic research initiatives and collaborating closely with stakeholders across product, design, and engineering to ensure that research insights shape priorities and guide decision-making from day one. We approach product experience optimization as an important, ongoing, and rigorous practice. We do not just value differences or different perspectives. We seek them out and invite them in so we can tap into the collective power of everyone in the company. As a result, our customers are better served.

Requirements

Doctorate 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 3+ 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 4+ years User Experience Research experience OR 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 6+ years User Experience Research experience OR equivalent experience.
4+ years relevant domain experience within technology sector.
Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role.
These requirements include, but are not limited to the following specialized security screenings: Microsoft Cloud Background Check: - This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.

Nice To Haves

Doctorate 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 5+ 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 8+ years user experience research experience OR 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 10+ years user experience research experience OR equivalent experience.
4+ years relevant domain experience within technology sector.
4+ years experience in research methods impacting both product direction and detailed experience design.

Responsibilities

Lead collaboration with a high-performing UX Research team by bringing prior expertise across qualitative, survey, usability, and metrics-based research, while also partnering with big data experts to integrate behavioral data into research insights.
Own and foster relationships with PM and Design leadership across the Azure Data Organization, representing research at a strategic level and ensuring alignment with cross-functional priorities.
Own end-to-end research initiatives across qualitative and quantitative methods, leveraging prior experience to define the right approach (e.g., ethnographic explorations, usability studies, heuristic evaluations, interviews, contextual inquiry, surveys, user journey maps, and benchmarks) and representing research for your area with authority and independence.
Synthesize and communicate insights at scale by creating compelling narratives and delivering them directly to product leaders, influencing product growth directions and strategic decisions.
- Shape research programs by aligning to organization-wide priorities and success criteria, owning the design and execution of programs that meet the needs of the Azure Data organization and represent research at the highest levels. Embody our culture and values

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