Principal UX Researcher II

Paylocity is a cloud-based software company that creates customized HR solutions for small to mid-sized organizations. Our workplace enhances communication and enables employees to connect, collaborate, and create from anywhere. Our award-winning culture ensures everyone has a voice and feels truly welcome. Join Paylocity as we shape the future of technology and the workplace!

We give our employees what they need to succeed, including great benefits and perks! We offer medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and a 401(k) match, as well as perks that support you, your family, and your finances. And if it’s career development you desire, we provide that, too! At Paylocity, people matter most and have always been at the heart of our business.

Help Paylocity enhance communication and enable employees to connect, collaborate, and create from anywhere with a position in Product & Technology!

Want to develop the strategies and principles needed to deliver compelling software? Join our team and help us enhance our all-in-one software platform, elevate our one-of-a-kind technology, and improve the employee experience. 

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About this Job:

User Experience is the function that applies principles and techniques of discovery, research, design, and content strategy to define the experience a user has in a product.

As a Principal User Researcher, you will lead end-to-end user research initiatives, using appropriate qualitative and quantitative methodologies to help identify and solve wider challenges for the Paylocity user groups within Product organization. You will educate teams of UX Design, Product Management, Engineering, Sales, and Marketing to better understand customer needs, wants and motivations. You are a storyteller, have a diverse set of research skills, a driver of change, open to new possibilities, impact oriented, and a great culture fit. This role will report to the Sr. Director of UX Research. 

Responsibilities: 

• Expertly lead end-to-end user research studies; planning, recruitment, execution, analysis, and with deep knowledge of both quantitative and qualitative methodologies that drive strategic findings and actionable recommendations.  

• Understand business drivers and provide research consultation with expert business acumen and negotiation. 

• Drive research and evaluation of compelling product vision(s) and provide the proper data to position UX as leaders who understand the Paylocity customers’ base. 

• Develop user experience tools and frameworks (e.g., archetypes, journey maps, UX benchmarks). 

• Collaborate with other researchers across Paylocity to raise the bar for research and align best practices to shape and scale the research practice. 

• Advise partner teams and mentor UX team members on how to determine appropriate research methodologies to implement into their own research. 

• Influence partners to explore ambiguous spaces by translating user insights into strategic recommendations that create meaningful and usable solutions. 

• Structure, organize, and present the research insights throughout the organization to evangelize current and future user research for the business. 

• Demonstrate persuasive communication and storytelling through writing, presentations, and conversations that build consensus and persuade action based on findings among partners. 

• Prioritize roadmaps or product direction with actionable research that meets user needs, while educating and negotiating with others on how to research and measure outcomes for the right direction throughout the software life cycle. 

Required Experience:  

• Bachelor's degree in Human Computer Interaction (HCI) in Human Cognition, Interaction Design, Human Factors, Cognitive Psychology or related field degree, but Master's degree or PhD preferred, candidates with 10+ years of applied experience within the UX field within development setting considered.  

• 10+ years UX research and strategies in a software development setting 

• Must be able to tackle complex, high-level research in uncharted problem space. 

• Demonstrated measurable criteria for research impact on a product suite. 

• Has deep knowledge in mix methodologies, and expertise in quantitative data  

• Expert in design thinking and problem-solving facilitation for research exercises 

• Demonstrated influence on roadmaps, prioritization, or direction with research. 

• Expert communicator and persuasive storytelling to a range of stakeholders 

• Strong portfolio demonstrating previous work experience and deliverables, that illustrate how your research informed decision-making, showcasing deliverables, and your ability to translate user and business needs into impactful outcomes. 

Preferred Skills: 

• SaaS product research experience driving prioritization and innovation is a plus. 

• Experience with behavioral data-collection and correlation analysis  

• Expertise in research frameworks that drive prioritization of projects and products. 

Soft Skills: 

• Relentlessly curious about tech and market trends, able to adapt accordingly. 

• Unflinching in your desire to advocate for the best user experience possible. 

• Ability to build relationships in a highly collaborative environment. 

Paylocity is an equal-opportunity employer.  Paylocity is committed to the full inclusion of all individuals. We recruit, train, compensate, and promote regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law. At Paylocity, we believe diversity makes us better.  

This role can be performed from any office in the US. The pay range for this position is $145k - $210k/yr; however, base pay offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. This position is eligible for an annual bonus and restricted stock unit grant based on individual performance in addition to a full range of benefits outlined here. This information is provided per the relevant state and local pay transparency laws for the location in which this position will be performed. Base pay information is based on market location. Applicants should apply via www.paylocity.com/careers.