Mission Overview & Responsibilities
The mission of the Audience Insights Group is to help The Times grow by understanding our audience. As a dedicated group of researchers, we use a diverse range of tools, methods, and approaches spanning product, human-centered design, innovation, market, and UX research. Grounded in the principles of social sciencesโincluding Psychology, Anthropology, Sociology, and Behavioral Economicsโwe bring a diverse perspective to uncover insights that inform and inspire.
We are looking for a Senior User Researcher to lead essential research projects for The New York Times Games, reporting to the Games Research Director. This is a remote friendly position.
If you excel at identifying meaningful insights from research and know how to present, share, and activate this data in ways that empower teams, this role is for you. You value building enthusiasm and fostering collaboration with partners in design, product, and game design, inspiring creativity and driving informed decision-making.
Responsibilities
- Guide a user-centered research approach for specific Games squads, working with designers, product managers, developers, marketers, and other researchers.
- Work with project team members to frame-up questions and to develop research proposals for solving them, with guidance from the Research Director.
- Recommend, alongside the Games research team, the most appropriate methodologies for generating user insights, including participatory design, in-person and remote interviews, ethnographies, user-initiated feedback tools, card-sorting, surveys, and usability studies.
- Make the case for research when applicable to inform decisions.
- Present findings and research-backed, actionable recommendations to colleagues and senior management.
- Manage research projects across an emerging Games squad to meet team goals.
- Demonstrate support and understanding of our value of journalistic independence and a strong commitment to our mission to seek the truth and help people understand the world.
Basic Qualifications
- 4+ years of professional experience conducting research and providing insights in a relevant field.
- Experience conducting research and collaborating with teams on mobile applications or app development projects.
- Experience presenting findings and creating clear, professional written communications tailored to diverse audiences.
- Experience working in team environments, including responding to challenges, incorporating feedback, and adapting to evolving circumstances.
Preferred Qualifications
- Expertise in design, product, or user research.
- Familiarity with 0-1 research methods and processes.
- Familiarity with quantitative research methods.
- Experience researching digital games or gamified experiences.
