Microsoft

Principal UX Research Manager

Microsoft
onsite senior full-time USD $163,000 – $296,400 per year Mountain View
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First indexed 6 Mar 2026

Description

Summary

Microsoft are looking for a talented Principal UX Research Manager at their Mountain View office. This role sits at the heart of strategic decision-making, turning market data into actionable insights for a company that's revolutionising the technology industry. You'll work directly with leadership to shape the company's direction in the development of holistic customer experiences.

About the Role

As a Principal UX Research Manager, you will lead a team of UX Researchers creating clarity, generating energy and delivering results. You will understand the behaviors, motivations, needs, and aspirations of our customers to create a differentiated advantage in our ability to build relevant and impactful experiences for people across the world. You will drive product strategy through rigorous programs of multi-stage research executed to the highest standards. You will balance rigor with scrappiness and the ability to push with a fast-moving team. You will drive cross-team collaborations among all disciplines from early product stages to final implementations. You will guide teams in creative new directions and help set ambitious goals that stand out from the crowd. You will identify new opportunities and generate innovative ideas to improve our processes, culture, and influence our approach to research (e.g. mindsets, methodologies). You will lead research on highly visible products or set of business initiatives with notable risk and complexity. You will regularly influence at the highest levels of organizations. You will elevate the research craft of the team. You will elevate and accelerate the team’s adoption of the thoughtful application of AI to our workflows, including coding by team members. You will create an environment where people can do their best work and grow. You will embody our culture and values.

Accountabilities

  • Lead a team of UX Researchers creating clarity, generating energy and delivering results
  • Understand the behaviors, motivations, needs, and aspirations of our customers to create a differentiated advantage in our ability to build relevant and impactful experiences for people across the world
  • Drive product strategy through rigorous programs of multi-stage research executed to the highest standards
  • Balance rigor with scrappiness and the ability to push with a fast-moving team
  • Drive cross-team collaborations among all disciplines from early product stages to final implementations
  • Guide teams in creative new directions and help set ambitious goals that stand out from the crowd
  • Identify new opportunities and generate innovative ideas to improve our processes, culture, and influence our approach to research (e.g. mindsets, methodologies)
  • Lead research on highly visible products or set of business initiatives with notable risk and complexity
  • Regularly influence at the highest levels of organizations
  • Elevate the research craft of the team
  • Elevate and accelerate the team’s adoption of the thoughtful application of AI to our workflows, including coding by team members
  • Create an environment where people can do their best work and grow
  • Embody our culture and values

The Candidate we're looking for

Experience:

  • 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 5+ years user experience research experience and/or product development experience or related experience in research

Technical skills:

  • High level research skills across methods, qualitative and quantitative (i.e. a Mixed Methods researcher)
  • Excellent communication and presentation / storytelling skills, with the ability to energize and activate teams

Personal attributes:

  • Demonstrated championing of fundamentals of user experience, including accessibility and inclusive design
  • Experience with commonly used research tools, specifically AI-powered research tools

Benefits

  • Competitive salary
  • Comprehensive benefits package
  • Opportunities for professional growth and development
  • Collaborative and dynamic work environment
  • Recognition and rewards for outstanding performance
This listing is enriched and indexed by YubHub. To apply, use the employer's original posting: https://microsoft.ai/job/principal-ux-research-manager-2/