Manager, User Research - Games (Playtesting)

Netflix, Inc.; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 377,000 - 560,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Plans

401(k) Retirement Plan with employer match

Flexible time off

Mental Health support

Job summary

Netflix, Inc. seeks a Manager, User Experience Research in Los Angeles to lead and enhance user research operations. Responsibilities include defining playtesting strategies and managing user testing sessions. The ideal candidate should have 10+ years in games research and 4+ years in team leadership, emphasizing UX methodologies.

This position offers a competitive salary range of $377,000 to $560,000 and comprehensive benefits including health plans, a 401(k) with employer match, and flexible time off policies.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in games research building or scaling playtesting programs.
• 4+ years in leading teams specializing in UX research.
• Ability to influence across teams without authority.

Responsibilities

• Define and drive the playtesting strategy for Netflix Games.
• Serve as the primary contact for all playtesting needs.
• Manage research sessions including user testing and closed tests.

Skills

UX research methodologies

Team leadership

Cross-functional alignment

Data analysis

Communication skills

Tools

Player segmentation tools

Feedback tools

Data pipelines

Job description

At Netflix, our mission is to entertain the world. Together, we are writing the next episode – pushing the boundaries of storytelling, global fandom, and making the unimaginable a reality. Netflix Games is seeking a hands‑on and strategic‑thinking Manager, User Experience Research, to scale our user research capabilities to the next level.

You will be responsible for designing and implementing a playtesting framework to support our ambitious portfolio of games across cloud and mobile platforms. We’re looking for someone with ample experience leading UX researchers, influence with senior leadership, and experience working in a fast‑paced environment where dozens, if not hundreds, of new games and game updates are released annually. This is a rare opportunity to shape how we validate player experience and business outcomes, starting with scrappy, bespoke solutions and evolving into a scalable, repeatable system.

Responsibilities

• Define and drive the playtesting strategy for Netflix Games, from an initial scrappy phase through to a fully operational, scalable program that services a diverse slate of games.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for all playtesting needs – being in lockstep with Consumer Insights studio and product leads, and partnering closely with game partners, central production, and cross‑functional stakeholders.
• Maximize the usage of existing Netflix research tools where possible – build, buy, or borrow where new is needed.
• Stand up and manage research sessions, including moderated user testing, closed tests, and open betas for both cloud and mobile games.
• Build on and improve existing processes for participant recruitment, build distribution, player segmentation, feedback collection, and data reporting.
• Develop and maintain playtesting facilities (whether leveraging external facilities or building in‑house), ensuring environments meet the needs of diverse games and teams.
• Track and report on key metrics to demonstrate the impact on game quality and business outcomes.
• Combine large‑scale behavioral data with survey or session‑based attitudinal data to develop a comprehensive analysis of player response.
• Lead and mentor a small team of researchers, fostering a culture of continuous learning and high‑quality user research.
• Stay close to developer needs and be flexible with emergent needs throughout development.
• Partner closely with Consumer Insights to ensure UX findings are contextualized within broader market and audience insights.
• Work with cross‑functional teams to develop tools that enable scalable, secure, and effective playtesting.
• Stay current on industry trends and emerging technologies in playtesting and user research.

Requirements

• 10+ years in games research with a proven track record of building or scaling playtesting programs.
• 4+ years in leading teams of researchers who specialize in UX research methodologies.
• Demonstrated ability to own complex programs, influence without authority, and drive cross‑functional alignment.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity and good judgment in when to borrow and when to build from scratch.
• Familiarity with game build distribution, player segmentation, data pipelines, and feedback tools.
• Experience with games across various genres, audiences, and input methods (e.g., touch vs controller).
• Deep empathy for both players and developers; passionate about delivering high‑quality player experiences.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to synthesize complex requirements and present clear recommendations to stakeholders at all levels.
• Ability to frequently travel (primarily between Los Angeles and LosGatos) to meet with stakeholders.

Who you are

Your lifelong mission has been to understand people, their behaviors, attitudes, and motivators. You are comfortable putting a stake in the ground, even without all of the data you need. You actively seek answers to questions verging on the impossible. When something needs to get done, you are the first to roll up your sleeves. You make the connections no one else sees. You stand firm in the face of change and challenge. You read the Netflix culture memo and were energized. You are quick‑witted, straightforward, and succinct. You are equal parts strategic and operational. You care about the values and culture of your team.

Compensation

Generally, our compensation structure consists solely of an annual salary; we do not have bonuses. You choose each year how much of your compensation you want in salary versus stock options. The range for this role is $377,000.00 – $560,000.00.

Benefits

Netflix provides comprehensive benefits including Health Plans, Mental Health support, a 401(k) Retirement Plan with employer match, Stock Option Program, Disability Programs, Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts, Family‑forming benefits, Life and Serious Injury Benefits, and paid leave of absence programs. Full‑time hourly employees accrue 35 days annually for paid time off to be used for vacation, holidays, and sick paid time off. Full‑time salaried employees are immediately entitled to flexible time off.

Equal‑Opportunity Employer

We are an equal‑opportunity employer and celebrate diversity, recognizing that diversity builds stronger teams. We approach diversity and inclusion seriously and thoughtfully. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, ancestry, national origin, caste, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, age, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic makeup, marital status, or military service.