Senior User Researcher, Overwatch | Irvine, CA

Activision Blizzard•Irvine, CA

13d•$92,920 - $171,814•Hybrid

About The Position

The concept of “Blizzard polish,” that is, the infinite care and loving detail put into every aspect of our games, is something we take seriously and pride ourselves on delivering to our players, which is a responsibility shared across the company. Blizzard’s Games User Research team is a close-knit group; we care about sharing knowledge, learning about players’ experiences, actionable findings, and succeeding together. We genuinely love what we do for a living and expect the same from everyone who joins us. If your career is ready for its next great challenge, get in touch and let’s get to work! Join the ranks of a legendary force of adventurers, demons, orcs, and scientists to help provide the context and humanity of "why" and "how" our players engage with our games. We are looking for a passionate and experienced Senior User Researcher to oversee and support the user research on Overwatch. You will give a voice to players from around the world by leading the effort of turning hard data into compelling stories, help craft the flow of our games/products, and be in the thick of team efforts to build great player experiences. This role is anticipated to be a hybrid work position based on site at our Irvine, CA campus, with some work on-site and some work-from-home. The Senior User Researcher will report to the Senior Manager overseeing Overwatch research, while also receiving support from Blizzard’s central research group.

Requirements

Graduate degree in psychology, human-computer interaction, human factors, or related field, or comparable working experience.
Minimum 5 years’ experience conducting user research in video games or interactive media.
Experience owning research for a shipped game or major product.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Strong organizational and analytical abilities.
Proven ability to turn research findings into actionable product improvements.
Adaptable self-starter with a passion for user testing and games.
Experience with FPS/TPS games or deep familiarity with Overwatch.
Skilled in designing and running qualitative and quantitative studies.
Proficient in survey design, statistics, and data visualization.
Able to select and adapt research methods for complex product needs.
Experience synthesizing data to inform product direction.

Nice To Haves

Experience mentoring or coaching other researchers.
Experience working in a live service game environment.
Experience conducting research across multiple platforms (console, PC, mobile).
Familiarity with data tools and scripting languages such as SQL, Python, or R.

Responsibilities

Lead user research efforts for Overwatch, managing the full research pipeline including study scoping, design, execution, analysis, and reporting.
Own the research roadmap for Overwatch, aligning long-term research plans with development milestones and production goals.
Serve as the primary research point of contact for the Overwatch development team, building strong, trust-based relationships with stakeholders across disciplines.
Deliver timely, actionable insights that shape design and development decisions throughout the product lifecycle.
Tailor research deliverables to product and business needs, advocating for players at every stage of development.
Support junior researchers by overseeing study design, reviewing plans and reports, and ensuring overall quality and consistency.
Manage the intake and triage of research requests from the Overwatch team, aligning efforts with studio priorities and capacity.
Mentor peers and contribute to the growth and quality of the research discipline at Blizzard.

Benefits

We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered!
Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including: Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance; 401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching; Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave; Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others; If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.
Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full-time employees and interns with the Company.
You can learn more by visiting https://www.benefitsforeveryworld.com/ .
In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $92,920.00 - $171,814.00 Annual.
These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations.
Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location.
Your Talent Professional can share this role’s range details for your local geography during the hiring process.
In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation.
Incentive compensation is not guaranteed.
While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable.