Director, UX Research

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Director, UX Research

Company: NBCUniversal

Location: 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NEW YORK, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: User Experience Research / Consumer Insights

Date Posted: 2026-08-14

Experience Level: 10+ years

Remote Status: Hybrid (4 days in office required)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and execute user experience research initiatives for Peacock's product development, focusing on subscriber experiences and fandom-centered product strategies.

• Drive research roadmaps, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and informing strategic and tactical product decisions across the product lifecycle.

• Consult and advise cross-functional partners on research questions, selecting appropriate methodologies and tools to deliver actionable insights.

• Mentor and coach junior researchers, setting new standards for methodological rigor and research excellence within the team.

• Leverage AI-enabled tools to streamline workflows and enhance research efficiency, while also managing external research agencies for optimal resource allocation.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a "Principal" UX Researcher, indicating a senior individual contributor role with significant influence and responsibility for setting research standards and mentoring. The focus on "Commerce and Viewing Product" within Peacock suggests a direct impact on user acquisition, retention, and monetization strategies through research.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Consult with cross-functional partners (Product, Design, Analytics, Product Marketing) to identify critical research questions and recommend optimal research methodologies and tools.

• Own and execute a research roadmap that addresses key product initiatives, ensuring stakeholder needs are met and aligned with broader business objectives for Peacock.

• Conduct comprehensive research studies throughout the product lifecycle, utilizing a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods such as unmoderated prototype tests, lab studies, online interviews, observational tests, surveys, benchmark studies, and diary studies.

• Manage complex project schedules and timelines across multiple research initiatives simultaneously, ensuring on-time delivery of insights and recommendations.

• Establish and champion new standards for methodological rigor and research excellence within the Product Research and Consumer Insights team.

• Develop clear, concise, and actionable reports and memos that simplify complex findings, surface timely insights, and drive strategic product recommendations to leadership.

• Influence strategic and tactical product roadmaps by presenting compelling research findings and recommendations to cross-functional leadership teams.

• Mentor and coach other researchers on the team, fostering a collaborative and high-performing research environment.

• Explore and implement AI-enabled tools to streamline and scale repeatable research workflows, enhancing efficiency and impact.

• Manage the selection and performance of external research agencies, ensuring high-quality deliverables and effective resource utilization.

• Stay current with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in user experience research and consumer insights.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of hands-on research execution, strategic influence, and team leadership, characteristic of a senior-level operations-adjacent role focused on product development. The emphasis on "Commerce and Viewing Product" and "fandom-centered experiences" suggests a need to understand user behavior related to subscription management, content consumption, and community engagement within a media and entertainment context.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is listed, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in a related field such as Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Market Research, or a related discipline is highly recommended for a role of this seniority.

Experience: 10+ years of progressive experience in consumer product research or consumer insights, with a proven track record of influencing product strategy and business decisions.

Required Skills:

• Expertise in designing, executing, and analyzing a wide range of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies (e.g., in-depth interviews, surveys, prototype tests, card sorts, diary studies, focus groups, correlation analyses).

• Demonstrated success in using data and insights to influence business decisions and drive strategic product value through effective stakeholder engagement.

• Proven ability to balance ownership of multiple complex projects simultaneously while also leading broader strategic initiatives.

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to deeply analyze data, identify nuanced insights, and connect findings back to underlying research questions.

• Familiarity with behavioral data analytics and experience collaborating with data science and analytics teams.

• Experience adapting research methodologies for business measurement, reporting, and KPI tracking purposes.

• Adept at synthesizing insights across various research efforts and behavioral data sources to form a holistic understanding.

• Proven experience leading collaborative research efforts across diverse disciplines (Product, Design, Engineering, Marketing).

• Exceptional presentation, storytelling, and communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex findings simply and persuasively. Preferred Skills:

• A genuine passion for entertainment and media, with a deep curiosity about culture, trends, and their impact on product experiences.

• Expertise in qualitative and quantitative analysis, as well as advanced data visualization techniques.

• Experience thriving in a highly dynamic, matrixed organization, demonstrating adaptability and resilience.

• Comfortable working independently and proactively driving initiatives, while also collaborating effectively with leaders.

• Clear ability to exercise strong judgment and make sound decisions in ambiguous or rapidly evolving situations.

• Familiarity with emerging technologies and AI-enabled tools, with a pragmatic approach to applying them to streamline and improve research workflows and visualizations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirement of "10+ years" combined with "Principal" title and mentoring responsibilities suggests this role is for a highly seasoned researcher who can operate autonomously and guide others. The emphasis on influencing "strategic and tactical product roadmaps" and "business decisions" indicates the need for strong business acumen and stakeholder management skills, crucial for a senior operations-aligned role.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate a portfolio showcasing a range of research projects, highlighting the end-to-end research process from problem definition to actionable recommendations.

• Include case studies that clearly articulate the business problem, the research questions, the methodologies employed, and the resulting insights.

• Showcase how your research directly influenced product strategy, design decisions, or business outcomes, ideally with quantifiable results or impact.

• Provide examples of how you have synthesized findings from multiple research methods and data sources to build a comprehensive understanding. Process Documentation:

• Detail your approach to defining research objectives and questions in collaboration with stakeholders, ensuring alignment with product goals.

• Illustrate your process for selecting and executing appropriate research methodologies (qualitative and quantitative) based on project needs and constraints.

• Show how you document and communicate research findings, emphasizing clarity, actionability, and the ability to influence decision-makers.

• Provide examples of how you have leveraged insights to iterate on product designs or inform future product development initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: While not explicitly stated, a senior role like this, especially in a product-focused organization like Peacock, would expect a candidate to present a robust portfolio. The emphasis on influencing strategy and driving product decisions necessitates demonstrating a structured, impactful research process. This section is inferred based on industry best practices for senior UX research roles.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $175,000 - $200,000 USD per year. This range is competitive for a Principal-level UX Researcher in a major metropolitan area like New York, especially within a large media and entertainment company.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• 401(k) retirement savings plan.

• Paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays.

• Tuition reimbursement program for continued education.

• A variety of other discounts and perks offered by NBCUniversal.

Working Hours: This position is designated as hybrid, requiring the employee to work from the office a minimum of four days per week. While a standard 40-hour work week is typical, flexibility may be expected to meet project demands and deadlines, common in senior product-focused roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is specific and falls within the expected compensation for a senior-level UX Research role in New York City, considering the company's stature and the role's responsibilities. The inclusion of "bonus and long-term incentive eligible" suggests a total compensation package that can exceed the base salary.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Media and Entertainment, specifically focused on streaming services (Peacock). NBCUniversal is a global leader in creating and distributing world-class content across film, television, and streaming, with significant operations in theme parks and consumer products. This industry context implies a fast-paced, innovative, and audience-centric environment.

Company Size: NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation, indicating a large, established, and resource-rich organization. This scale offers opportunities for broad impact, access to extensive data, and collaboration with numerous departments, but also requires navigating complex organizational structures.

Founded: NBCUniversal has a long history through its various legacy companies, with a modern iteration formed through mergers and acquisitions. Its current structure as a subsidiary of Comcast (acquired in 2011) signifies a commitment to integrating and growing its media and entertainment properties.

Team Structure:

• The role sits within the Product Research and Consumer Insights team, reporting to the Senior Director of User Research and Consumer Insights.

• This team likely collaborates closely with Product Management, Design, Analytics, and Product Marketing teams focused on "Commerce and Viewing" for Peacock.

• The structure emphasizes cross-functional collaboration, where research insights are integral to informing product strategy and development across different business segments. Methodology:

• The team employs a mix of qualitative and quantitative research methods to understand user behavior, preferences, and pain points.

• Emphasis is placed on data-driven decision-making, integrating user research insights with behavioral data analytics to inform product roadmaps.

• The role involves setting standards for methodological rigor and leveraging AI-enabled tools to optimize research processes and workflows.

Company Website: www.nbcuniversal.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context highlights the significant scale and influence of NBCUniversal, particularly through its streaming service, Peacock. The "Business Segment: Media Group Functions" suggests this role is part of the core operational and strategic functions supporting the media and entertainment business.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a "Principal" level position, indicating a senior individual contributor role. It signifies a high degree of autonomy, expertise, and responsibility for shaping research strategy and execution. This level typically involves mentoring junior staff, leading complex initiatives, and acting as a subject matter expert within the organization.

Reporting Structure: The role reports directly to the Senior Director of User Research and Consumer Insights. This reporting line suggests access to senior leadership and the opportunity to influence higher-level strategic decisions. The collaboration with cross-functional partners across Product, Design, Analytics, and Product Marketing indicates a broad network of influence.

Operations Impact: The UX Research Director's work directly impacts the success of Peacock by informing product decisions related to subscriber experience, subscription management, and content engagement. By providing deep user understanding, this role influences the development of features and strategies that drive user acquisition, retention, satisfaction, and ultimately, revenue for the streaming service. The focus on "Commerce and Viewing" product areas underscores a direct link to monetization and business growth.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization & Leadership: Potential to deepen expertise in specific areas of user research (e.g., subscription models, content discovery, fandom engagement) or transition into a formal management role as the team expands.

• Strategic Influence: Opportunity to shape the long-term research agenda and contribute to high-level product strategy discussions, potentially leading to roles with broader strategic scope within NBCUniversal.

• Skill Development: Exposure to cutting-edge AI-enabled research tools, advanced analytics, and diverse research methodologies, fostering continuous learning and skill enhancement.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gaining in-depth experience working with various departments, which can open doors to roles in product management, consumer insights, or strategic planning within the media and entertainment industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Principal" title and the direct reporting line to a Senior Director suggest a significant growth trajectory. The role is designed for an individual who can not only execute research but also strategize, mentor, and drive significant product and business impact within a major media organization.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based in New York City at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, a prominent corporate headquarters. This implies a professional, corporate office environment.

Office Location(s): The primary location is 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10112. This location is centrally located and accessible within a major urban center, offering numerous transportation options.

Workspace Context:

• The environment is described as "hybrid," requiring a minimum of four days per week in the office. This suggests a collaborative workspace designed for in-person interaction, team meetings, and potentially lab-based research sessions.

• Expect access to standard corporate office amenities, technology, and potentially dedicated research facilities.

• The role involves close collaboration with cross-functional teams, indicating opportunities for frequent interaction and knowledge sharing with Product Managers, Designers, Analysts, and Marketers.

Work Schedule: While a standard 40-hour work week is implied, the hybrid nature and the demands of a fast-paced product development cycle may require flexibility. The company's policy is to require office presence a minimum of four days per week, with the right to change this policy at any time.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work arrangement with a significant in-office requirement points to a company culture that values in-person collaboration for strategic initiatives, team building, and knowledge transfer, which is common in senior roles within large, established corporations.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will likely review your resume and application, focusing on your 10+ years of experience and specific research methodologies.

• Portfolio Presentation: Expect to present a curated selection of your work to a panel, which may include the hiring manager, other researchers, and cross-functional partners (e.g., Product Managers, Designers). This will be a critical step to assess your research process, strategic thinking, and ability to articulate impact.

• Case Study/Challenge: You may be given a research challenge or case study to work on, either pre-interview or during an interview session, to assess your problem-solving skills, methodological approach, and ability to deliver actionable insights under pressure.

• Behavioral & Situational Interviews: Questions will focus on your experience managing complex projects, influencing stakeholders, mentoring others, and handling ambiguous situations. Prepare specific examples using the STAR method.

• Final Round: This may involve meeting with senior leadership to discuss strategic vision, leadership potential, and cultural fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-4 projects that best demonstrate your expertise across diverse methodologies, your ability to tackle complex problems, and your impact on business outcomes. Prioritize projects relevant to streaming, media, or subscription services if possible.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the business problem, your research objectives, the methods you chose and why, your key findings, and most importantly, the actionable recommendations you made and the impact they had. Quantify impact where possible.

• Showcase Process: Detail your research process, including how you collaborate with stakeholders, adapt methodologies, and synthesize findings from multiple data sources.

• Highlight Mentorship: If possible, include an example of how you mentored or guided other researchers.

• Prepare for Questions: Anticipate questions about your decision-making process, how you handle conflicting feedback, and how you measure the success of your research.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a case study, thoroughly research Peacock, its target audience, and its competitive landscape. Understand the business goals (e.g., subscriber growth, engagement, retention).

• Define the Problem: Practice framing research problems clearly and identifying key questions that would drive impactful insights for a streaming product.

• Methodological Agility: Be prepared to discuss and justify different research methods suitable for the given challenge, considering time and resource constraints.

• Actionable Insights: Focus on how you would translate research findings into concrete, actionable recommendations for product teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on portfolio review and case studies is standard for senior UX roles, especially in product-driven companies. This section provides actionable advice tailored to a "Director, UX Research" role, focusing on demonstrating strategic impact and methodological expertise.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• User Research Platforms: Proficiency with tools for unmoderated testing, surveys, and prototype analysis (e.g., UserTesting.com, Maze, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey).

• Collaboration & Project Management: Experience with tools like Jira, Confluence, Asana, or Trello for managing research roadmaps and communicating with cross-functional teams.

• AI-enabled Tools: Familiarity with emerging AI tools for research synthesis, transcription, analysis, or workflow automation.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Behavioral Data Analytics: Experience working with platforms like Adobe Analytics, Google Analytics, or Amplitude to understand user behavior patterns.

• Data Visualization Tools: Proficiency in tools like Tableau, Power BI, or Looker to create dashboards and communicate data insights effectively.

• Statistical Software: Familiarity with tools for statistical analysis if quantitative expertise is heavily leveraged (e.g., SPSS, R, Python libraries).

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a CRM role, understanding how user data is managed within CRM systems or customer data platforms (CDPs) can be beneficial for holistic insights.

• Experience with automation tools might be relevant for streamlining research processes or data collection.

📝 Enhancement Note: The mention of "AI-enabled tools" in the responsibilities suggests a forward-thinking approach to research. This section infers the types of tools a Principal UX Researcher would likely use to manage their workflow, analyze data, and collaborate effectively within a tech-forward company like NBCUniversal.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: A strong emphasis on using both qualitative and quantitative data to inform product strategy and development, ensuring that decisions are grounded in user needs and business objectives.

• User-Centricity: A core value of placing the user at the center of all product development efforts, striving to create intuitive, engaging, and valuable experiences.

• Collaboration & Cross-Functional Partnership: A culture that fosters strong working relationships across departments (Product, Design, Engineering, Marketing, Analytics) to ensure research insights are integrated seamlessly into the product lifecycle.

• Innovation & Curiosity: Encouraging a proactive and curious mindset to explore new research methodologies, emerging technologies (like AI), and cultural trends that can shape future product experiences.

• Impact & Actionability: A focus on delivering research that is not just insightful but also actionable, directly influencing product roadmaps and driving measurable business outcomes.

Collaboration Style:

• Consultative & Advisory: The role involves consulting with and advising cross-functional partners, acting as a trusted advisor on research matters.

• Proactive & Strategic: Expect a collaborative style that is proactive in identifying research opportunities and strategic in aligning research efforts with business goals.

• Mentorship & Knowledge Sharing: A culture that encourages sharing expertise and mentoring junior team members to elevate the overall research capability of the team.

• Agile & Iterative: Working within a dynamic product development environment that requires adaptability, quick iteration, and continuous feedback loops.

📝 Enhancement Note: These inferred values and collaboration styles are typical for senior roles within product development teams at large tech and media companies, emphasizing data, user focus, and cross-functional synergy.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Stakeholder Needs: Managing diverse research requests and priorities from multiple cross-functional partners while maintaining a cohesive and strategic research roadmap.

• Pace of Innovation: Keeping up with the rapid pace of change in the streaming industry and effectively researching emerging technologies and user behaviors.

• Data Synthesis Complexity: Integrating insights from various research studies, behavioral data, and market trends to create a unified, actionable narrative.

• Influencing Without Authority: Effectively influencing product strategy and roadmap decisions with senior leadership and cross-functional teams where direct authority may be limited.

• Scaling Research: Finding efficient ways to conduct high-quality research across a large and evolving product surface area, potentially leveraging AI and automation.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Research Techniques: Opportunity to explore and implement cutting-edge qualitative and quantitative research methods, including those leveraging AI.

• Industry Leadership: Potential to become a recognized expert in UX research for streaming media, presenting at conferences or contributing to industry publications.

• Cross-Functional Acumen: Deepening understanding of product management, analytics, and marketing strategies within the media and entertainment sector.

• Mentorship & Team Development: Developing leadership skills by mentoring junior researchers and contributing to the growth of the research function.

• Strategic Impact: Gaining experience in shaping high-level product strategy and contributing to the success of a major streaming service.

📝 Enhancement Note: Identifying potential challenges and growth opportunities helps candidates anticipate the demands of the role and visualize their career progression within NBCUniversal, aligning with the goal of providing actionable insights.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to influence a product roadmap with research insights. What was the situation, your approach, and the outcome?" (Focus on stakeholder management, strategic influence, and measurable impact.)

• "How do you prioritize research requests from multiple stakeholders with competing needs?" (Demonstrate your ability to manage a roadmap, negotiate priorities, and align research with business objectives.)

• "Walk us through a complex research project you led from start to finish. What were the key challenges, and how did you overcome them?" (Highlight your methodological rigor, problem-solving skills, and end-to-end process.)

• "How have you used AI or emerging technologies to improve your research process or outcomes?" (Showcase your forward-thinking approach and adaptability to new tools.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Peacock and its position in the streaming market?" (Research Peacock's content, target audience, competitive landscape, and recent news.)

• "How do you see user research contributing to building 'fandom-centered' streaming experiences?" (Connect your research philosophy to the company's specific goals.)

• "Describe your experience mentoring junior researchers. What is your approach to developing talent?" (Illustrate your leadership and team-building capabilities.)

• "How do you handle ambiguity in research projects or within a fast-paced organization?" (Demonstrate your ability to exercise judgment and drive forward progress.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Begin with a high-level overview of your portfolio and the types of problems you solve. For each case study, follow a clear narrative: Problem -> Research Questions -> Methodology -> Findings -> Recommendations -> Impact.

• Quantify Results: Wherever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the impact of your research (e.g., "increased conversion by X%", "reduced user errors by Y%", "informed a feature used by Z million users").

• Visual Storytelling: Use clear visuals (charts, graphs, user quotes, key screenshots) to support your narrative and make complex data easily understandable.

• Focus on 'Why': Be prepared to explain the rationale behind your methodological choices and how your insights led to specific strategic decisions.

• Engage Your Audience: Make it a conversation. Be prepared for questions and tailor your responses to the interviewer's background and interests.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides targeted preparation advice for a senior UX Research role, focusing on demonstrating strategic thinking, methodological expertise, and the ability to drive business impact, which are critical for success in the interview process.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Director, UX Research position:

• Submit your application through the NBCUniversal careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Carefully select 3-4 of your most impactful UX research projects that align with the responsibilities of this role, focusing on consumer products, streaming services, or subscription models. Ensure your portfolio clearly demonstrates your end-to-end research process, strategic influence, and measurable outcomes.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight your 10+ years of experience in consumer product research, expertise in diverse qualitative and quantitative methodologies, stakeholder management skills, and any experience with AI-enabled tools or the media/entertainment industry. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your research process, key learnings, and the impact of your work. Prepare specific examples using the STAR method for behavioral questions and research case studies for strategic challenges.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research NBCUniversal and Peacock. Understand their business objectives, target audience, competitive landscape, and recent product developments. Prepare thoughtful questions to demonstrate your engagement and strategic thinking.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.