At PrizePicks, we are the fastest-growing sports company in North America, as recognized by Inc. 5000. As the leading platform for Daily Fantasy Sports, we cover a diverse range of sports leagues, including the NFL, NBA, and Esports titles like League of Legends and Counter-Strike. Our team of over 450 employees thrives in an inclusive culture that values individuals from diverse backgrounds, regardless of their level of sports fandom. Ready to reimagine the DFS industry together? 

The Insights team at PrizePicks drives research-backed decision-making to enable industry-leading customer-focused experiences. Our mission is to shape the future of sports and cultural prediction gaming through unmatched insight at the core of every strategic decision. We believe that by deeply understanding sports fans and mobile gamers, we will create innovative, engaging products that define the future of the fantasy sports and gaming category. 

As a Lead Researcher, you will take ownership of high-impact research initiatives that deliver actionable insights into player behavior and psychology. You will conduct a wide range of complex projects to help business teams understand and act on category-defining opportunities to win diverse audiences with our product. Your work will uncover the motivations, decision-making processes, and barriers that drive how our audience interacts with our games, providing insight that directly fuels gameplay engagement strategies, deeper player connection, and measurable business growth.

You’ll collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to turn research findings into actionable recommendations that guide key business decisions. Your expertise in consumer psychology and advanced research methodologies will ensure insights are both impactful and aligned with player needs. The ideal candidate has significant experience as an in-house researcher working closely with product innovation teams, and a personal relationship with sports and games. 

Reporting to the Director of Insights, you will play a critical role in advancing research capabilities and shaping the future of our product portfolio and market leadership.

What you’ll do:

• Lead impactful research initiatives to uncover behavioral drivers, player psychology, and decision-making processes to shape product and business strategies.
• Design and execute research studies using diverse methods (e.g., interviews, focus groups, surveys, behavioral data analysis) to generate actionable, proprietary and future-focused insights.
• Partner with analysts, designers, and other stakeholders to translate insight into frameworks and recommendations that guide the strategic direction of our games and digital experiences.
• Present and socialize findings through clear, impactful communication and foster strong relationships to directly influence decision-making at all levels of the organization.
• Surface and champion market-defining opportunities through in-app and game experiences tailored to customer needs, motivations, and evolving behaviors uncovered through your research.
• Mentor cross-functional teams and improve research infrastructure to elevate organizational research capabilities.

What you have:

• A bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Behavioral Science, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field (advanced degrees may substitute for some professional experience).
• At least 10 years of research experience, with at least 4 years as an in-house researcher in the gaming industry.
• Proven ability to design and execute research initiatives addressing product and business strategy challenges, with a track record of owning large-scale high-visibility projects independently.
• Masterful understanding of game design principles, product strategy, and how they intersect with consumer needs and behaviors.
• Experience collaborating with game and product development teams across the entire product lifecycle, from concept to live operations.
• Strong track record of connecting research to strategic business impact. 
• Expertise in qualitative and quantitative primary research methodology (e.g., interviews, focus groups, surveys, ethnography/netnography, behavioral analysis), with deep proficiency in at least one area.
• Familiarity with statistical techniques such as regressions, correlations, and factor analyses.
• Ability to synthesize complex findings into clear, actionable recommendations.

Where you’ll live:

• While we prefer candidates based in Atlanta, we are open to qualified applicants