Lead Researcher- Unannounced Title

Responsibilities

• Lead research initiatives to drive a deeper understanding of the player experience across game development and live operations
• Serve as a driving strategic partner to product leadership, identifying where research can inform design vision, roadmap priorities, and player experience strategy
• Own and drive the end-to-end user experience research function, from defining research strategy through execution, synthesis, and delivery of insights
• Collaborate with game development, strategy, and leadership teams to translate insights into KPIs, product decisions, and solutions to player experiencechallenges
• Design, execute, and present high-impact quantitative and qualitative user experience research studies in partnership with consumer insights, research operations, and cross-functional teams (e.g., Game Design, UX Design, Product Management, Production, Marketing, Data Analytics, etc.)
• Translate research findings into clear, actionable recommendations that influence design decisions and measurable outcomes
• As required, manage external research partners, ensuring cost-effective methods with clear objectives and timely, high-quality results
• Help define, evolve, and scale research methodologies, frameworks, and best practices across Scopely's Research & Insight's user research division
• Mentor and support other user researchers, contributing to the growth and maturity of the team's capabilities and impact

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required, preferably in Psychology, Human-Computer Interaction, Game Design, Social Science, or a related field; MBA, Master's, or PhD preferred
• 8+ years of experience conducting end-to-end user experience research in gaming at either a developer/publisher or research agency
• Strong expertise in mixed-method user experience research, with demonstrated ability to select and apply appropriate methodologies across various stages of production
• Proven track record of driving measurable product or player experience improvements through research insights from a variety of sources
• Experience supporting product strategy and roadmap decisions through research in complex, cross-functional environments
• Experience working with and managing external research vendors
• Strong interpersonal, analytical, and project management skills
• Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders and align cross-functional teams using evidence-based insights
• Experience scaling or improving research practices and tools within a team or organization
• Passion for gaming and a strong understanding of core loops and monetization of mobile/PC games
• High attention to detail, intellectual curiosity, and comfort tackling complex and ambiguous problem spaces
• Familiarity with online survey tools (e.g., Qualtrics, SurveyGizmo/Alchemer) and remote testing platforms (e.g., PlaytestCloud, UserTesting) is a plus
• Experience advanced AI analysis or analytics tools such as SPSS and SQL is a plus
• Candidates with experience in social play or midcore live-service games strongly preferred
• Quarterly travel for in-person research at our LA-based Lab required

Additional Information

Scopely is looking for a Lead Researcher to join our Research & Insights team to design and implement user research programs for a new Mobile/PC game in development. In addition to executing high-impact research, this role serves as a strategic collaboration for the product, driving the research roadmap for the product and influencing key design decisions. At Scopely, we care deeply about what we do and want to inspire play every day-whether in our work environments alongside our talented colleagues or through our deep connections with our communities of players. We are a global team of game lovers who develop, publish, and innovate in the mobile games industry, connecting millions of people around the world daily. We are looking for a best-in-class user experience researcher who embodies Scopely's Care Deeply, Iterate to Greatness, and Play to Win tenets-someone who takes ownership, moves with efficiency, and holds themselves to the highest standards. In this role, you will be expected to deliver actionable and transformative insights to your assigned product, while also helping to elevate the craft and maturity of research across the whole of Scopely's user research division. The ideal candidate has a passion for games, a strong foundation in mixed-method user experience research (e.g., surveys, usability playtests, IDIs, focus groups), and the ability to partner effectively with cross-functional stakeholders at all levels of the organization.

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