Data is the new currency of the digital world, and Microsoft has products and services to help businesses and consumers get the most out of theirs. With the leading database in the world - SQL Server, and the quickly expanding cloud data platform and services, Microsoft has made an enormous bet on cloud-based platform components that companies will need to derive knowledge and insights from big data and analytics in the cloud. This drives digital transformation as the next wave of the technological evolution in business.  

  

Our team of UX researchers starts with a deep curiosity for people and for data. Bringing these together reflects how we have impact for helping data professionals get emotionally attached to the tools that help them achieve more. Creative impact at this scale opens an enormous opportunity for the right candidate. Come join us!  

  

As the Senior UX Researcher for Cloud Data you will be responsible for becoming an expert in the motivations, workflows, and habits of data professionals and bring that expertise to the strategy, design, and growth of the many products and services in the cloud data suite. The UX Research team takes a multi-methods approach combining expertise and creativity with both quantitative and qualitative methods combined with big data analysis to identify emerging patterns and usage, and uncover user insights, unarticulated needs, and new product/service priorities. 

  

The consumers of your insights will span engineering, design, marketing, and other stakeholders around the globe. Therefore, success in the role is dependent on synthesizing knowledge derived from different types of learning into coherent, credible, and easy to understand stories told primarily through visuals and numbers. You will execute studies, synthesize insights from existing data and studies, activate derived insights at the right time with the right audience, drive process to ensure stakeholders are making the right decisions about customers, and track the impact of your work. You will work on a large, high performing UX Research team where community of practice and learning from one another keeps everyone supported while working at a fast pace.  

  

During the first days on the job, you will get up to speed with the tools data professionals use while learning about the knowledge and information gaps stakeholders have. You will create a research plan to close these gaps so that our strategy has the right balance of customer, business, and user needs being addressed. As you execute on that plan you will build relationships with your key stakeholders and partner closely with them in a focused area of priority. As planning and execution of the strategy take place you will deliver the right information about our users at the right time so that we design, build, and measure solutions that are simple and make data professionals’ lives better.  

Responsibilities

Responsibilities 

Collaborate with a high-performing UX Research team with expertise in all types of research including qualitative, survey, usability, metrics, plus partnering with big data experts for analyses of behavioral data.  

Foster relationships with PM and design teams throughout the Data Organization so you stay close to our stakeholders and their challenges. 

Conduct a mixture of qualitative and quantitative research activities to inform product design, including but not limited to ethnographic explorations, usability studies, heuristic evaluations, interviews, contextual inquiry, surveys, user journey maps, benchmarks or any method that answers the most important research questions. 

Snap to organization-wide priorities and success criteria to design and execute on a research program that meets the organization’s needs.  

Qualifications

Qualifications 

7+ years of experience conducting UX research in technical domains. 

Ability to quickly and effectively analyze research data and present rich findings simply and clearly to influence product design and direction. 

Strong leadership skills to deliver projects and customer insights within and across product teams that resulted in robust product impact. 

Passion for learning new technologies and understanding the needs of users across a wide range of technical abilities. 

Ability to plan research against business needs. 

Excellent communication and project management skills. 

Experience conducting research globally and working with global stakeholders. 

Interest in leading and managing other researchers as the role may evolve quickly into a lead position.  

Preferred Qualifications: 

Demonstrated ability to impact and influence business decisions across boundaries, often in ambiguous situations.   

Proven storytelling and communication skills across leadership, engineering teams, designers, customers, and partners.   

Advanced degree in Social Science or Human-Computer Interaction with an undergraduate in a technical field. 

Recognized training and expertise in multiple research techniques.   

Knowledge of Microsoft’s customer privacy policies and tools. 

Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role. These requirements include, but are not limited to the following specialized security screenings: Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter. 

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Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances.  We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request via the Accommodation request form.