Within Microsoft’s Business Applications Platform (BAP), we are constantly pushing the boundaries of what an AI-first business application can be and delivering immediate impact to users and customers to transform their day-to-day work with AI. Our research studio plays a critical role in building immersive and meaningful experiences that address users’ jobs-to-be-done in our products.

How do we help our enterprise users build appropriate trust over time with our AI products and features? How do we support a wide range of users to easily get started and find value with tools that reimagine our typical business application experiences? As a Senior User Researcher, these are the kinds of research questions you may be pursuing in this role. You will be responsible for building and executing a foundational research program that helps address some of the toughest and most interesting AI UX and human-centered questions that cut across enterprise product spaces within BAP.

Our user research team’s mission is to advocate and ensure the best experiences for our users and customers by providing product and design teams with practical UX frameworks to uplift our Copilot experiences in BAP. We aim to lead to help BAP stay on top of cutting-edge AI user research trends – to propel teams to create seamless user experiences, exceed customer expectations, and transform the AI value for businesses

As a Senior User Researcher, you’ll co-drive with our research lead high priority projects aimed at AI UX and product innovation, to ensure that critical decisions are data-informed and tied to key learnings. You will connect complex data points into scalable, practical insights and actions for our product and design teams to leverage. You’ll work with a number of partner teams across our organization and Microsoft. In this role, you will conduct innovative generative and evaluative research to better understand and improve our user experiences across BAP products.

You will be a part of a high performing user research team where community of practice and learning from one another keeps everyone supported while working at a fast pace. In addition, you’ll be joining Microsoft’s larger community of researchers across the globe where we share best practices and celebrate our learning in annual conferences, publications, mentorship programs, and more. 

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. 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.

Responsibilities

• Co-develop an AI UX horizontal research programand positively impact product direction and experience. 

• Create AI UXframeworks and guidance, from informing early stages of product development to improvingthe UX in our products.

• Partner and provide just-in-time research to uplevel the knowledge for BAP researchers, designers, cross-functional stakeholders, and LT to make appropriate product designs

• Identify, evangelize, and pursue research opportunities that help BAP product team stay ahead of industry trends and customer needs.

• Create durable research insights that align with user-centered design principles.

• Monitor and measure the success of horizontal research workstreams, with an eye towards adapting and iterating on learnings over time.

• Amplify learnings within BAP, across Microsoft, and externally via presentations, conferences, workshops, publications, and more.

• Embody our Culture (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/about/corporate-values) and Values (https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/culture)

Qualifications

Required Q ualifications:

• 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 4+ 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 3+ years User Experience Research experienceo OR 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 1+ year(s) User Experience Research experienceo OR equivalent experience.

Other Requirements:

• 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.   

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in foundational research (e.g., in-depth interviews, user journey mapping, persona development, diary studies, longitudinal studies, field/remote studies), evaluative research (e.g., concept value testing, usability studies, prototype testing, heuristic evaluations), and synthesis experience (e.g., literature reviews, top insights summaries) with demonstrated product impact. Surveys, inferential statistical analysis, and research triangulation experiencesare a plus.

• Deep understanding of user research tools like Qualtrics, Dscout, and UserTesting.

• Collaboration skills across disciplines - Product Management, Data Science, Engineering, and Product Design. Enthusiasm to partner on key goals and evolve the program based on feedback.

• Communication, presentation, project management and process management skills.

• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment.

• Understanding of trends in generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), and experience researching AI adoption and use.

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

• Experience with business applications and enterprise product research.

UX Research IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $117,200 - $229,200 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 $153,600 - $250,200 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 July 12, 2024.

#BAPStudios #BAPJobs

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with applicable law, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations (https://careers.microsoft.com/v2/global/en/accessibility.html) .