Senior User Researcher, Games New York, NY; Remote - USA

The New York Times Company; United States; Remote; USD 105,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player seeks a Senior User Researcher to lead impactful research projects for their Games division. This role emphasizes understanding user needs through diverse research methodologies, including interviews, surveys, and usability studies. The ideal candidate will excel at translating complex data into actionable insights that drive design and product decisions. Join a dynamic team dedicated to enhancing user experiences in digital gaming, where your contributions will play a vital role in shaping innovative solutions. If you are passionate about user research and collaboration, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience in user research and insights.
• Experience with mobile applications and app development projects.

Responsibilities

• Guide user-centered research for Games squads.
• Present findings and actionable recommendations to teams.
• Manage research projects to meet team goals.

Skills

User Research

Data Presentation

Collaboration

Qualitative Research Methods

Quantitative Research Methods

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, Anthropology, Sociology, or related field

Tools

User Feedback Tools

Surveys

Usability Testing Software

Job description

The mission of The New York Times is to seek the truth and help people understand the world. That means independent journalism is at the heart of all we do as a company. It’s why we have a world-renowned newsroom that sends journalists to report on the ground from nearly 160 countries. It’s why we focus deeply on how our readers will experience our journalism, from print to audio to a world-class digital and app destination. And it’s why our business strategy centers on making journalism so good that it’s worth paying for.

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 sciences—including Psychology, Anthropology, Sociology, and Behavioral Economics—we 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.
• 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.

Annual Base Pay Range: $105,000 - $115,000 USD

The New York Times Company is committed to being the world’s best source of independent, reliable and quality journalism. To do so, we embrace a diverse workforce that has a broad range of backgrounds and experiences across our ranks, at all levels of the organization. We encourage people from all backgrounds to apply.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate on the basis of an individual's sex, age, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage, religion, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation or affectional preference, gender identity and expression, disability, genetic trait or predisposition, carrier status, citizenship, veteran or military status and other personal characteristics protected by law. All applications will receive consideration for employment without regard to legally protected characteristics.