Overview:

We are seeking a UX Researcher 2 to join our multi-disciplinary team of over 50 user researchers and planners working on a breadth of experiences across Microsoft 365 (M365). In this position, you’ll be part of the team responsible for leveraging AI and Microsoft Copilot to enhance the user experience of workflows that involve using multiple M365 applications. You will work closely with designers, product managers, and engineers to define and deliver innovative AI powered solutions that empower people and teams to work more effectively and efficiently. 

For this role, you will need to have a mixed methods research background, effective communication and storytelling skills, and the ability to drive product vision and strategy based on user and market insights. You will need to be innovative, challenging the status quo and inspiring new ideas. If you want to transform the way people work and create an impact on society, we would love to hear from you. 

You have a working knowledge of generative AI solutions and how they can improve both individual and group work. You have systems thinking skills, understanding how complex systems work and how they can be improved, to integrate AI within the existing M365 ecosystem to create a seamless, effective, and personalized user experience for both individuals and project teams.   

We’re looking for someone who wants to learn, grow, and embody new ways of working. If you embrace growth mindset, have a track record of delivering results both as an individual and with others, you light up collaborating with other researchers, planners, designers, product managers and engineers this is an awesome team to join.

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. 

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications:

• 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 2+ years User Experience Research experience and/or product development experience or related experience in research 
• 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 1+ years User Experience Research experience and/or product development experience or related experience in research 
• 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: 

• Hands-on research and/or product planning experience, with demonstrated skill in collecting and analyzing human behavioral data to improve plans and UX in a technology industry setting

• Experience impacting both product direction and detailed experience design including on products leveraging AI and large language models (LLMs) 

• 1+ years relevant domain experience within the technology sector 

• 1+ years experience in research methods impacting both product direction and detailed experience design. 

Responsibilities:

• Work across organizational boundaries and across disciplines with UX Designers, Planners, UX Researchers, Data Science, Program Managers, Marketers, and Engineers to ensure that we’re addressing the most critical business and technology objectives to meet the right user needs and opportunities, landing impact from your customer-focused knowledge. 
• Identify stakeholders across Microsoft and bring them along as you provide qualitative and quantitative customer feedback to influence product development from product strategy, to cross-platform coherence, to feature usability. 
• Tackle problems that require an understanding of complex technical constraints across multiple applications (M365 applications, operating system, web browser), platforms (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android) and devices (Desktop, Web, Mobile) while working to guide near and long-term investments.
• Understand complex systems by looking at the relationships and interactions between their parts, rather than just the individual parts themselves. 
• Demonstrate the ability to generate insights about how these systems impact the user experience of using the product across multiple dimensions. 
• Anticipate shifts in technical, business, and human contexts and their potential impact.
• Create research strategies and plans that leverage existing data and complement additional research that you need to execute.
• Derive insights from both qualitative and quantitative data. 
• Create clarity of purpose through scoping, alignment with stakeholders, and prioritization. Key to this accountability will be identifying opportunities for growth, gaps, and customer pain points, as well as potential customer delighters. 
• Define UX approaches, metrics, and work with others on research planning. 
• Innovate and develop new approaches to measure user’s experiences.

• Other: Embody our Culture and Values 

Benefits/perks listed below may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Microsoft and the country where you work.

• Industry leading healthcare
• Educational resources
• Discounts on products and services
• Savings and investments
• Maternity and paternity leave
• Generous time away
• Giving programs
• Opportunities to network and connect

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. 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.