This job might no longer be available.

User Researcher (Contract)

We’re ArenaNet, a studio making online worlds infused with innovation, hand-crafted excellence, and creative passion. Our passion is broadly shared; gamers made Guild Wars 2 the fastest selling MMO game in the West with more than 3 million copies sold in its first 9 months, and players and press have consistently called it one of the best MMOs of all time.

Our studio is built on foundations of excellence with a focus on community. We constantly innovate, unlocking the true potential of online role-playing with game-changing titles like Guild Wars 2 and beyond. The status quo isn’t good enough for our dedicated worldwide community of players which is why we question the de facto industry conventions and demand more from ourselves as developers.

As a User Researcher at ArenaNet, you’ll be responsible for helping the studio understand what our players think, feel, and do. We’re looking for someone with a burning curiosity about our players and our games, someone who can go deep to find answers and bring back actionable insights.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work collaboratively with designers, producers, analysts, and engineers to understand business and design needs
• Stay actively engaged in our games and develop a deep understanding of game mechanics including gameplay and economy
• Execute usability studies, playtests, interviews and user surveys on our products
• Communicate findings through clear, accurate, and persuasive written reports and presentations
• Contribute research findings and perspectives throughout the entire game development cycle, from planning to post-release

QUALIFICATIONS

• BA or BS in behavioral or social sciences, such as psychology, human-computer interaction, or related field – MS or PhD a plus
• A passion for games and the gaming industry
• 2+ years of hands-on experience as a user researcher
• Experience with both quantitative and qualitative user research methods, including interviewing, usability, playtesting,
• Practical experience designing and executing human-subjects research projects
• Ability to effectively communicate with people at various levels of business and technical expertise, including the ability to simplify difficult technical concepts
• Demonstrated history of turning raw data into actionable insights

This is a 12-month on-site contract position at our studio in Bellevue, Washington.