Senior User Researcher

Naughty Dog•Santa Monica, CA

2d•$135,000 - $168,000•Hybrid

About The Position

This is a hybrid position based at our studio in Santa Monica, CA. For nearly 40 years, Naughty Dog has been crafting best-selling, critically acclaimed games that constantly push the boundaries of narrative, gameplay, and technology. Naughty Dog recently released The Last of Us Part II Remastered as well as a current generation remake of The Last of Us Part I for the PS5. We’re also proud to say that The Last of Us Parts I and II are now available for the first time on PC. Currently, we’re busy at the Kennel working on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, and we’d love to find talented individuals to join us. Naughty Dog games have long been lauded for their evocative, character-driven stories and attention to detail. We are committed to innovation within our games and as such have curated some of the top creative and technically innovative minds in the industry. We welcome diverse candidates and believe that a broad range of cultural and life experiences contribute to the overall well-being and success of the studio and the titles we craft together. As part of this commitment to craft and excellence, we’re building out a new User Experience Research (UXR) department to ensure that we’re reaching the highest level of excellence in our players’ experience. We’re looking for an experienced, curious, and collaborative Senior User Researcher to help establish the foundation of the team, guide our research practices, and partner with developers across the studio and at PlayStation Studios to deliver world-class experiences.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in user research, UX research, or related fields within the games industry or interactive media.
Proven expertise in qualitative and/or quantitative research methods (e.g., usability studies, interviews, surveys, analytics interpretation).
Strong ability to translate complex data into clear, concise, and actionable insights.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with experience presenting findings to multi-disciplinary audiences.
Exceptional collaboration and influencing skills; able to work effectively with creative, technical, and production partners.
Solid leadership skills, able to help mentor more junior colleagues and advocate for the UR department
A deep curiosity about player psychology, motivation, and behavior.
High attention to detail, with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.
Passion for games and a solid understanding of the development process from pre-production through launch.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Cognitive Psychology, Interaction Design, or a related field.
Familiarity with narrative, single player game research and player experience evaluation.
Experience mentoring other researchers and/or building new research capabilities within a studio.
Familiarity with data visualization, statistical analysis, or UX telemetry tools.
Prior experience with AAA console or PC game development.
You’ve helped establish or scale a research function within a creative organization.
You’re excited to help shape how Naughty Dog understands and serves its players.
Experience with gameplay accessibility features
You bring a unique, interdisciplinary background or unconventional perspective that broadens how we think about games and players.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with developers from across the studio to understand research needs and create actionable study plans that align with development goals.
Design and execute research activities that support the creation and refinement of our games from usability testing to player experience evaluation.
Moderate playtests, interviews, and surveys, observe user sessions, analyze findings, and synthesize actionable insights for development teams.
Present findings clearly and persuasively to developers at all levels, fostering a deep understanding of player behavior, motivation, and experience.
Partner with the Production and Design departments to embed user research meaningfully within development pipelines.
Help evolve research methods, tools, and processes to support future Naughty Dog titles and the continued growth of our new UXR department.
Mentor junior researchers, supporting their professional growth and contributing to a collaborative, learning-focused environment.
Advocate for the voice of the player throughout the studio, ensuring that empathy, clarity, and data-informed creativity guide our decision-making.

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