Overview

Growth Research at Microsoft has one job: get more people to try, adopt, and build a Copilot daily habit that enhances their work experience. We do this through understanding user behavior and cognitive biases, challenging assumptions, and re-evaluating which onboarding and upsell patterns are truly effective. Working in a new product area requires humility and experimentation – we then dig deep on the ideas that resonate.

This role as a Principal UX Researcher will proactively identify and prioritize research needs and potential problem areas that need to be researched; apply research methods for effective execution for a feature area, product line, brand, or franchise; and lead others to use sense-making/analysis to synthesize and distill data for a feature area, product line, brand, or franchise into actionable insights.This role will also share insights in order to activate design and engineering processes from insights for a feature area, product line, brand, or franchise across the division; lead research that identifies and clarifies who the customer is and the critical parts of their context; lead the data-driven formation of the solution and alignment; and oversee the application of experience check points.This role leverages the ability to assess user insights along funnel awareness, through adoption, and retention, a product or brand and addresses different parts of the funnel as appropriate; produce research-driven insights on industry/vertical trends; guide cross-disciplinary research efforts resulting in strong product outcomes; and lead efforts to provide effective tools and templates for product makers.Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond. 

Responsibilities

• Cross-Disciplinary Activation: The role leads cross-disciplinary initiatives to empower product makers with tools and templates for articulating assumptions as testable hypotheses and developing effective research guides. It oversees the use of customer correspondence templates and reference question libraries, while coaching stakeholders on applying user research to drive customer-centric outcomes. Responsibilities include developing and delivering user experience research curriculum, defining UX goals and metrics, and implementing instruments to measure user experience health. The position also manages recruitment for research programs, reviews data collection tools, organizes large-scale customer learning events, and enhances customer engagement content to foster learning and goodwill across product teams.
• Product Activation: Leads research-driven initiatives to inform product strategy and enhance user experience across product lines, brands, or franchises. Applies industry and customer insights to reduce uncertainty and assess technology risks, guiding iterative and collaborative research with cross-functional teams. Oversees experience checkpoints and user testing to ensure portfolio quality and drive continuous improvement. Synthesizes customer feedback from surveys, crash reports, and social media to evaluate product health. Develops target customer profiles, prioritizes key needs and journeys, and partners with product management, design, and engineering to align solutions with customer value. Uses mixed methods research to understand audience behavior across awareness, adoption, and retention funnels.
• Research Core Work: Leads cross-functional research initiatives to synthesize and distill quantitative and qualitative data into actionable insights that inform product, brand, or franchise strategy. Applies advanced statistical methods to support business decisions and integrates insights from adjacent product spaces for a holistic perspective. Communicates findings through compelling storytelling to influence design and engineering processes, ensuring alignment with stakeholder priorities. Defines and scopes research efforts across teams, proactively identifying problem areas and incorporating Diversity & Inclusion and accessibility principles. Drives innovative research programs that result in strong product outcomes and strategic investments.
• A portfolio review presentation is expected as part of the interview process for this role. Your presentation should showcase your work experience and demonstrate your research skills, along with your authentic interest for the space through compelling communication.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Doctorate in Human-Computer Interaction, Human Factors Engineering, Computer Science, Technical Communications, Information Science, Information Architecture, User Experience Design, Behavioral Science, Social Sciences, or related field AND 3+ years User Experience Research experience
  • OR Master's Degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Human Factors Engineering, Computer Science, Technical Communications, Information Science, Information Architecture, User Experience Design, Behavioral Science, Social Sciences, or related field AND 4+ years User Experience Research experience
  • OR Bachelor's Degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Human Factors Engineering, Computer Science, Technical Communications, Information Science, Information Architecture, User Experience Design, Behavioral Science, Social Sciences, or related field AND 6+ years User Experience Research experience
  • OR equivalent experience.
• Experience with UX research tools such as Usertesting, DScout, Qualtrics, etc. is required.
• Experience with quantitative and qualitative research skills is required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Doctorate in Human-Computer Interaction, Human Factors Engineering, Computer Science, Technical Communications, Information Science, Information Architecture, User Experience Design, Behavioral Science, Social Sciences, or related field AND 5+ years user experience research experience
  • OR Master's Degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Human Factors Engineering, Computer Science, Technical Communications, Information Science, Information Architecture, User Experience Design, Behavioral Science, Social Sciences, or related field AND 8+ years user experience research experience
  • OR Bachelor's Degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Human Factors Engineering, Computer Science, Technical Communications, Information Science, Information Architecture, User Experience Design, Behavioral Science, Social Sciences, or related field AND 10+ years user experience research experience
  • OR equivalent experience.
• 4+ years relevant domain experience within technology sector.
• 4+ years experience in research methods impacting both product direction and detailed experience design.

UX Research IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $139,900 - $274,800 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $188,000 - $304,200 per year.Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay Microsoft will accept applications for the role until September 27th, 2025.

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.

 

Benefits/perks listed below may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Microsoft and the country where you work.

 

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