Senior Manager, UX Research (Innovation)

Why PlayStation?

PlayStation isn’t just the Best Place to Play — it’s also the Best Place to Work. Today, we’re recognized as a global leader in entertainment producing The PlayStation family of products and services including PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, PlayStation®VR, PlayStation®Plus, acclaimed PlayStation software titles from PlayStation Studios, and more.

PlayStation also strives to create an inclusive environment that empowers employees and embraces diversity. We welcome and encourage everyone who has a passion and curiosity for innovation, technology, and play to explore our open positions and join our growing global team.

The PlayStation brand falls under Sony Interactive Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation.

Senior Manager, UX Research (Innovation)

San Francisco/Los Angeles/San Diego

This is a fantastic opportunity to join the PlayStation Platform Experience Research Team. We are seeking an exceptional Senior Manager of UX Research to join our interdisciplinary team, part of the Platform Experience Group. You’ll join a unique team that is tasked to explore new ways to transform and diversify our business into new areas with a focus on new customers needing new solutions, while remaining true to PlayStation’s central mission. You will be responsible for leading the innovation research practice, driving the human-centered approaches to exploration, discovery, and invention. You let your passion shine by consistently advocating for user insights. You will be responsible for hiring, cultivating, and managing a team of dedicated and passionate innovation researchers. You are a diligent advocate of a user-centered approach to product innovation and acceleration. You provide valuable feedback to both peers, and managers and are a model to junior researchers.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in research, a keen interest in emerging technologies and trends, and a passion for fostering a culture of innovation. You are expert in strategic research (quantitative & qualitative), design research, concept research, and evaluative research.

Responsibilities:

• Lead, nurture, manage, and grow a Research Team dedicated to innovation.
• Supervise the team in the exploration and evaluation of new ideas, technologies, and trends relevant to the company's products and services.
• Participate in end-to-end research efforts, from user research, to concept validation, to usability testing of early concepts and top of the funnel ideas.
• Coordinate staffing, scheduling, budgeting, research processes, and policies.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including designers, developers, and product managers, to ensure alignment to and understanding of research insights.
• Analyze and synthesize quantitative and qualitative data to derive practical insights and recommendations toward innovative solutions.
• Assess the potential impact and viability of new technologies, products, or services, and present findings in a concise and compelling manner.
• Develop and/or implement research methodologies and strategies, from market and competitive analysis to trend forecasting, to inform decision-making and prioritize innovation initiatives.
• Foster a culture of open-mindedness, risk-taking, and continuous learning within the Innovation Research team, driving curiosity, creativity, and adaptability.
• Collaborate closely with peers from UX Research, Consumer Insights, Product Analytics, and Business Intelligence.
• Manage simultaneously multiple programs across the innovation portfolio, ensuring timely delivery.
• Act as a coach and mentor to all researchers. Push them toward innovative and creative thinking when approaching research challenges.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in a relevant field, such as Human-Computer Interaction, Human-Centered Design, Anthropology, Cognitive Science, or Psychology. PhD a plus.
• 8+ years of proven experience in UX Research, Product research, Design Research, or related fields.
• Proven track record of driving innovative solutions and delivering impactful results.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills, with the ability to make data-driven decisions.
• An outstanding knowledge of industry-standard UX research methods including ethnographic, evaluative methods, and quantitative research methods.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas and insights to diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, manage, and inspire an impactful team.
• An entrepreneurial approach and a passion for driving innovation in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.