Principal User Experience Researcher - AI Skilling
Microsoft
Principal User Experience Researcher - AI Skilling
San Francisco, California, United States
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Overview
Join us in shaping the future of learning. We’re building AI-powered skilling experiences that empower individuals and organizations to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
As a Principal User Experience Researcher (UXR), you’ll lead research strategy and execution for products that reach millions globally. Your insights will directly influence design and engineering decisions, ensuring our solutions are intuitive, impactful, and inclusive.
Why You’ll Love This Role
- Shape the future of AI-powered learning experiences.
- Work on products with global reach and real-world impact.
- Collaborate with world-class designers, engineers, and product leaders.
- Drive innovation in a space that transforms how people learn and grow.
We are seeking a world-class Principal User Experience Researcher with demonstrated ability to drive User Experience strategy and innovative experiences for our end users based on sound behavioral research. You partner effectively with your design and research team members as well as program management and software engineering to create end-to-end experiences from concept to ship. You have conducted User Research for a variety of products and services and you have experience in the development of tools for software development, data science and visualization. You are a influencer, collaborator, and communicator and you enjoy working as part of a growing collaborative User Experience Team, planning and building every day, trying new methodologies and contributing to building customer behavior knowledge and product direction as part of a highly technical and challenging new space.
Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more, and we’re dedicated to this mission across every aspect of our company. Our culture is centered on embracing a growth mindset and encouraging teams and leaders to bring their highly qualified contributions each day. Join us and help shape the future of the world.
In alignment with our Microsoft values, we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment for all employees to positively impact our culture every day.
Qualifications
Minimum 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.
- 6 + years of experience in user research, human-computer interaction, or related field.
- 6+ years of experience in leading strategic research initiatives for complex products or platforms.
- 6+ years of experience defining UX metrics and integrating insights into product development cycles.
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.
- Advanced degree (Master’s or Ph.D.) in Human-Computer Interaction, Cognitive Psychology, or related field.
- 10+ years of experience defining UX metrics and integrating insights into product development cycles.
- Experience with AI-driven products, learning platforms, or enterprise SaaS solutions.
- Familiarity with global skilling ecosystems and accessibility standards.
- Track record of building scalable research frameworks and mentoring research teams.
- Ability to translate industry trends into actionable insights for product innovation.
- Proven ability to lead strategic research initiatives for complex products or platforms.
- Experience in mixed-method research (qualitative and quantitative) and advanced analysis techniques.
- Proficient communication skills to influence cross-functional teams and executive stakeholders.
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 November 3, 2025.
Responsibilities
The Principal User Experience Researcher -AI Skilling is responsible for the following:
- Prioritize Research Needs
Identify critical customer problems and define research priorities that guide product strategy. - Lead Complex Research Programs
Apply advanced qualitative and quantitative methods; oversee end-to-end studies to deliver credible, high-impact insights. - Convert Insights into Product Decisions
Synthesize data into actionable recommendations that activate design and engineering alignment. - Establish Experience Metrics and Goals
Define user experience signals, criteria, and lifecycle measures to ensure success from awareness through retention. - Build Scalable Research Systems
Develop tools, templates, and participant recruitment strategies to enable consistent, high-quality research across teams.
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