Hybrid UX Research Lead — Strategy & Impact

Google South Africa; Durban; Hybrid; ZAR 800,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health and wellness

Generous paid time off

Retirement plan with company matching

Professional development stipend

Free meals and snacks

Employee assistance programs

Job summary

Google South Africa is seeking a User Experience Research Lead in Durban to spearhead strategic research that informs product design, improves user satisfaction, and drives data‑backed decisions across consumer and enterprise products.

Reporting to the Head of UX Research, you will collaborate with product managers, designers, engineers, and data scientists to uncover insights into user behavior and pain points, ensuring products are intuitive and accessible for South African users.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in HCI, Psychology, Cognitive Science, or related field.
• Five+ years of UX research experience.
• Experience leading research teams and delivering insights.
• Ability to translate research into product decisions.
• Strong knowledge of mixed-methods research.

Responsibilities

• Lead end‑to‑end qualitative and quantitative studies (ethnography, usability testing, surveys, diary studies).
• Translate findings into personas, journey maps, and design guidelines for roadmaps.
• Mentor and manage a small UX research team.
• Partner with product, design, and engineering teams to prioritize opportunities.
• Develop a centralized research repository for cross‑team knowledge sharing.
• Advise on inclusive design to meet accessibility standards for SA audiences.
• Present insights to senior leadership with compelling storytelling.

Skills

Mixed-methods research

Leadership

Communication

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in HCI/Psychology/CScience/Anthropology

Master’s or PhD desirable

Tools

UserTesting

Lookback

Optimal Workshop

SPSS

R

Job description

Google South Africa is seeking a User Experience Research Lead in Durban to spearhead strategic research that informs product design, improves user satisfaction, and drives data‑backed decisions across consumer and enterprise products.

Reporting to the Head of UX Research, you will collaborate with product managers, designers, engineers, and data scientists to uncover insights into user behavior and pain points, ensuring products are intuitive and accessible for South African users.