Usability Researcher

Usability Researcher (Contract) at Microsoft

Please note that this is a contract role providing services to Microsoft through external staffing partners of Allegis Global Solutions. If you are selected for this role, you will be employed by AGS and will not be an employee of Microsoft.

Summary

This position offers an opportunity to deliver impactful research for complex, enterprise-grade products and services within a collaborative, cross-functional environment. Working alongside product management, design, engineering, and content teams, this role focuses on generating high-quality insights that shape product strategy, experience design, and execution. The position requires a researcher with strong mixed methods expertise, technical fluency, and the ability to navigate enterprise and IT environments effectively. Success in this role means translating complex user needs into actionable recommendations that drive both tactical improvements and strategic product decisions while maintaining research rigor within agile development cycles.

Job Responsibilities

• Plan and execute end-to-end UX research using qualitative and quantitative methods to inform product direction and experience design
• Conduct various research activities including interviews, usability testing, journey studies, surveys, diary studies, and Jobs to Be Done oriented research based on project needs
• Partner with Researchers, Product Managers, Engineers, Designers, and Content teams to shape hypotheses, research plans, and recommendations
• Translate complex findings into clear, actionable insights that influence product decisions at tactical and strategic levels
• Work effectively within agile product teams to support iterative development cycles
• Apply research rigor while adapting methodologies to time, technical, and organizational constraints
• Support stakeholder alignment by communicating insights through readouts, artifacts, and workshops
• Ensure research follows established research, privacy, and security best practices
• Participate in meetings with UX teams and stakeholders to discuss and review project needs and progress
• Analyze research results, generate insights and recommendations, and present findings to diverse stakeholder groups

Requirements

• Portfolio of work demonstrating experience creating user-centered design solutions (required for application)
• Familiarity with Jobs to Be Done framework and systems thinking (preferred)
• 8+ years of hands-on experience conducting UX research across qualitative and quantitative methods
• 5+ years of experience generating research plans
• 5+ years of experience driving usability studies and customer interviews
• 5+ years of experience conducting research for enterprise, IT, developer, or technically complex products
• Demonstrated experience working in cross-functional, fast-moving product environments
• Prior experience working as a vendor or contractor within large organizations (preferred)
• Experience researching cloud platforms, DevOps, infrastructure, or enterprise SaaS (preferred)
• Experience supporting strategic or foundational research in addition to evaluative usability work (preferred)
• Mixed methods research expertise with ability to triangulate insights across multiple data sources
• Proficiency with diverse research methodologies including usability studies, interviews, site visits, surveys, user modeling, and card sorting
• Technical fluency sufficient to collaborate with engineering teams and understand system-level concepts
• Strong ability to synthesize research findings into compelling, actionable recommendations
• Excellent communication and presentation skills for diverse stakeholder audiences
• Project management capabilities with ability to work within tight timelines
• Ability to collaborate effectively across multiple disciplines
• Basic working knowledge of Figma including ability to open files, navigate designs, and review prototypes
• Understanding of technical workflows and constraints in enterprise environments

Additional Details

Location: RemoteDuration: 4 monthsPay Range*: $56 - 63.50Weekly Schedule: 40 hoursJob Status: Non-ExemptApplication Deadline: Apply within 72 hours of the posting date to ensure consideration.

This Role Is Eligible For The Following Benefits

• Medical, dental & vision
• Hospital plans
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Company paid Basic Life and AD&D as well as voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Company paid short and long-term disability
• Health & Dependent Care Spending Accounts (HSA & DCFSA)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave(PTO, Allegis Group Paid Family Leave, Parental Leave

Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms.

Key skills/competency

• UX Research
• Qualitative Methods
• Quantitative Methods
• Usability Testing
• Journey Studies
• Surveys
• Jobs to Be Done
• Agile Development
• Enterprise Products
• Cross-functional Collaboration