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Senior Manager, User Research
Blizzard Entertainment
Irvine, CA, United States
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The concept of “Blizzard polish,” that is, the infinite care and loving detail put into every aspect of our games, is something we take seriously and pride ourselves on delivering to our players. We’re searching for like-minded folks with a passion for the player experience to help us continue to deliver unforgettable gaming experiences for years to come. Research at Blizzard is a close-knit team; we care about iteration, problem-solving and succeeding as a group. We genuinely love what we do for a living, and expect the same from everyone who joins us! If your career is ready for its next great challenge, get in touch and let’s get to work!
About the Job
Join the ranks of a legendary force of adventurers, demons, orcs, and scientists to help provide the context and humanity of "why" and "how" our players engage with our games.
We are looking for a passionate and experienced User Research Manager to carry out user testing on some of the world’s best-known franchises. You will give a voice to our players by turning hard data into compelling stories, help shape the flow of our games, and be in the thick of team efforts to build great player experiences.
Responsibilities
• Lead the central Game User Research team at Blizzard
• Oversee design and execution of user research activities
• Maintain the master research schedule for User Research activities in QA
• Evangelize User Research philosophy and teach methods
• Identify and drive process improvements for the discipline
• Provide coaching and mentoring to other User Researchers
• Coach the department on how to generate and formulate actionable feedback
• Liaise with Design, BI, Marketing, and Battle.net to collaborate and sync on test efforts
• Utilize and suggest telemetry to conduct detailed data analysis and recommendations
• Carry out research using a number of methods including, but not limited, to usability testing, UX, balance testing, focus groups, interviews, surveys, heuristic evaluations, card sorts, exploratory research, and field studies
• Provide summarized research directly to the development teams for discussion and future implementation
• Provide design suggestions based on observation, research, and expertise
• Orchestrate test strategy and design, for public and internal playtests
• Utilize and suggest telemetry to conduct detailed data analysis and recommendations
• Maintain detailed records of study details
• Upgrade and maintain lab equipment as necessary
Requirements
• Bachelor’s degree in psychology, human computer interaction, human factors, marketing, communications, market research, or related field
• Minimum 6 years experience usability or user experience testing video games OR 8 years working on websites or applications
• High aptitude for gameplay mechanics and theory crafting
• Excellent interpersonal communication (both written and verbal)
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills
• Extensive knowledge of data analytics tools such as Tableau Software, Google Analytics, Excel power pivot or similar
• Proven ability to translate research findings into actionable product improvements
• Adaptable and quick learner that enjoys tackling a large variety of problems
• Passion for user testing and video games
Pluses
• Master’s degree in related field
• Blizzard Entertainment player in one or more games