Senior UX Mixed Method Researcher (NetSec)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Mixed Method Researcher (NetSec)
Company: Palo Alto Networks
Location: Santa Clara, California, United States
Job Type: Full-time
Category: User Experience Research / Product Design Operations
Date Posted: December 24, 2025
Experience Level: 5-10 Years
Remote Status: Hybrid (Minimum 3 days in office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive user-centered product decisions through rigorous qualitative and quantitative UX research within the Network Security (NetSec) platform.
• Lead mixed-methods research initiatives to uncover deep user insights, inform product strategy, and improve complex enterprise user experiences.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Design, Product Management, and Engineering teams to translate research findings into actionable product improvements and strategic guidance.
• Scale usability testing capabilities and establish repeatable research operations processes to foster a culture of continuous discovery across product teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within the NetSec Platform team, indicating a focus on the core security product offerings. The emphasis on "complex enterprise environments" and "high-stakes security workflows" suggests a need for researchers who can navigate intricate B2B product landscapes and understand the critical nature of cybersecurity solutions. The "Senior" title implies leading research initiatives, mentoring junior researchers, and influencing product strategy at a higher level.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end mixed-methods UX research projects, from planning and participant recruitment to data analysis and insight synthesis, for the NetSec platform.
• Conduct in-depth qualitative research, including user interviews, usability testing sessions, and contextual inquiries, to understand user behaviors, pain points, and needs within complex security workflows.
• Leverage quantitative data sources such as telemetry, product analytics (Pendo), surveys (Qualtrics), and A/B test results to validate qualitative findings and identify patterns in user interaction.
• Translate complex research findings into clear, concise, and actionable recommendations for product managers, designers, and engineering teams, ensuring user insights directly inform product roadmaps and design decisions.
• Develop and maintain research infrastructure, including participant recruitment strategies, screener refinement, and the establishment of research repositories, to enable efficient and scalable research operations.
• Design and deliver practical toolkits and hands-on training sessions to elevate the usability research capabilities of non-researchers (designers, PMs) across the organization, fostering a more user-centric product development culture.
• Champion user advocacy by presenting research findings and insights to diverse stakeholders, including senior leadership (SVPs), ensuring user needs are understood and prioritized.
• Contribute to the strategic direction of the UX research practice by identifying opportunities for process improvement, methodology enhancement, and the adoption of new research tools and techniques.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibility to "Level up the entire org's usability muscles" and "Scale usability testing across non-researchers" is a critical aspect of this senior role, indicating a significant focus on building research enablement and a user-research-aware culture, not just executing individual studies. This requires strong communication, training, and process design skills.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience:

• 4-6+ years of professional experience specifically in UX research, with a proven track record of applying both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to complex product challenges.
• Demonstrated experience conducting research within enterprise software environments, particularly in B2B or highly technical domains like cybersecurity.

Required Skills:

• Deep technical proficiency with Pendo is mandatory, including hands-on experience with its Analytics, Guides, CSAT, and Session Replay features for user behavior analysis.
• Expertise in a broad range of qualitative research methods, including user interviews, usability testing (moderated and unmoderated), ethnographic studies, and heuristic evaluations.
• Strong quantitative research skills, including survey design and analysis (familiarity with Qualtrics is a plus), A/B testing, and analysis of product telemetry and usage data.
• Ability to effectively synthesize data from multiple sources (qualitative insights, quantitative metrics, product data) into cohesive, actionable narratives and strategic recommendations.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to articulate complex findings clearly and persuasively to diverse audiences, including senior executives.
• Experience in designing and implementing research programs or toolkits that enable non-researchers to conduct lightweight, effective user research.
• Familiarity with Tableau for data visualization and analysis is highly desired.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with research operations, including participant recruitment strategies, building and managing research repositories, and developing repeatable research processes.
• Familiarity with AI-powered experiences and research challenges related to their design and usability.
• Experience in mentoring junior researchers or leading research initiatives within a larger team.
• Understanding of cybersecurity concepts and the user experience challenges within the NetSec domain.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit requirement for "deep technical proficiency with Pendo" is a critical filter for candidates. This suggests Pendo is a foundational tool for understanding user behavior and product adoption within Palo Alto Networks' NetSec products. Familiarity with Qualtrics and Tableau further reinforces the need for strong quantitative data analysis and reporting capabilities.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A portfolio demonstrating a strong command of mixed-methods UX research, showcasing end-to-end project execution from research design to actionable insights and impact.
• Case studies that highlight your ability to blend qualitative user stories with quantitative data to drive product decisions and demonstrate measurable improvements in user experience or product adoption.
• Examples of how you have translated complex user problems into clear, actionable recommendations for design and product teams, with evidence of the impact of those recommendations.
• Documentation of research processes you have designed or improved, particularly those that scale research efforts or enhance collaboration across teams.
• Evidence of experience with enterprise-level product research, detailing the unique challenges and considerations involved in researching complex B2B systems.

Process Documentation:

• Showcase proficiency in documenting research plans, methodologies, participant recruitment criteria, and analysis frameworks.
• Include examples of how you have created repeatable research processes, toolkits, or training materials to enable others in conducting user research.
• Demonstrate your ability to document and communicate research findings clearly, including the use of data visualization and storytelling techniques to highlight key insights and their implications.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior UX Researcher, the portfolio should go beyond just showcasing studies. It needs to demonstrate leadership in research strategy, process improvement, and the ability to scale research impact across an organization. The emphasis on "translating insights into clear decisions" and "building practical toolkits" suggests a need for portfolio pieces that illustrate these capabilities.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Estimated Range: $151,000 - $180,000 per year (Base Salary)
• Note: This range is based on the provided compensation disclosure and is for non-sales roles. The actual compensation may also include restricted stock units and a bonus, depending on individual qualifications, experience, and work location.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Retirement savings plan (e.g., 401k) with company match.
• Paid time off (PTO), including vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
• Stock options or restricted stock units (RSUs) as part of the compensation package.
• Annual bonus and potential for performance-based incentives.
• Professional development opportunities, including training, conferences, and tuition reimbursement.
• Employee assistance program (EAP) for mental health and well-being support.
• Opportunities for career growth and advancement within a leading cybersecurity company.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time workweek, typically around 40 hours.
• The role is hybrid, requiring a minimum of three days per week in the Santa Clara office, with flexibility for the remaining days. This structure aims to balance in-person collaboration with individual focused work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is specific and forms the basis for this section. The benefits are inferred based on typical offerings for senior-level technical roles at large, established tech companies like Palo Alto Networks, especially those with a public compensation disclosure. The hybrid work arrangement is a key detail that needs to be clearly communicated.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Cybersecurity and Network Security. Palo Alto Networks is a leader in providing next-generation cybersecurity solutions, protecting organizations from cyber threats and enabling secure digital transformation. Company Size: Large Enterprise (typically 10,000+ employees, based on general knowledge of Palo Alto Networks). This size indicates a structured organization with established processes, significant resources, and opportunities for specialization. Founded: 2005. This founding date suggests a mature company that has evolved with the cybersecurity landscape, offering a blend of established stability and ongoing innovation.

Team Structure:

• The role is within the Network Security (NetSec) Platform team, part of the broader Product Design organization.
• This team likely consists of UX Designers, Product Managers, UX Researchers, and Engineering leads focused on the core security product suite.
• Collaboration is expected to be close with designers and PMs, with indirect influence and support provided to engineering teams.
• The Senior UX Researcher will likely report to a UX Research Manager or Director, and will work autonomously on research projects while also contributing to the overall research strategy and enablement efforts.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: A strong emphasis on using both qualitative and quantitative data to inform product strategy and design.
• User-Centered Design: A commitment to understanding and prioritizing user needs, behaviors, and pain points throughout the product development lifecycle.
• Agile & Iterative Development: Likely operates within agile frameworks, requiring research to be integrated iteratively into development sprints and ongoing product evolution.
• Scalability & Efficiency: Focus on building repeatable processes and enabling others to conduct research, aiming for efficient yet rigorous user insights.
• Collaboration & Cross-Functional Partnership: Emphasis on working closely with various departments to ensure research insights are understood and acted upon.

Company Website: https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company description highlights a commitment to collaboration and in-person work. This is crucial context for the hybrid nature of the role and suggests that on-site days are valued for fostering strong team relationships and enabling real-time problem-solving.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior UX Researcher. This level signifies a significant degree of autonomy, ownership over research projects, and the ability to influence product direction. It implies a transition from individual contributor execution to strategic leadership within the research domain. Reporting Structure: The role operates within the Product Design organization, likely reporting to a UX Research Manager or Director. Collaboration is key with Product Managers and UX Designers on the NetSec Platform team. Operations Impact: As a Senior UX Researcher, the impact is direct: shaping intuitive and scalable user experiences for complex enterprise security products. This directly influences user adoption, satisfaction, efficiency of security operations for customers, and ultimately, the competitive positioning and revenue of Palo Alto Networks' core offerings. By scaling research capabilities, the impact extends to enabling more user-centric product development across multiple teams.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership & Mentorship: Opportunities to mentor junior researchers, lead research initiatives, and potentially manage a small team of researchers as the organization grows.
• Specialization: Deepen expertise in cybersecurity UX research, AI-driven product research, or advanced quantitative analysis techniques.
• Strategic Influence: Progress to a Principal or Lead UX Researcher role, taking on more strategic research planning and influencing product-wide user experience strategies.
• Cross-Functional Mobility: Potential to move into Product Management or UX Design leadership roles, leveraging deep user understanding.
• Professional Development: Access to industry conferences, training programs, and certifications to enhance skills in UX research, data analysis, and related fields.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title and the emphasis on scaling research capabilities suggest a clear path for growth into leadership roles, either as a research individual contributor expert or by transitioning into management. The specific domain of cybersecurity also offers significant long-term career potential.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Palo Alto Networks emphasizes a collaborative, in-person work environment, with a hybrid model for most teams. This suggests a modern office space designed to facilitate teamwork, brainstorming, and relationship building. Office Location(s): Santa Clara, California. This location is in the heart of Silicon Valley, offering access to a vibrant tech ecosystem and talent pool. Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The office will likely feature ample meeting rooms, breakout areas, and open spaces designed for team collaboration and spontaneous interactions.
• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to standard office technology, high-speed internet, and potentially specialized research equipment or software licenses to support UX research activities. The role specifically requires proficiency in Pendo, Qualtrics, and potentially Tableau, indicating these tools are readily available or supported.
• Team Interaction: The hybrid model, with a minimum of three days in the office, is designed to maximize in-person interaction for critical team activities, fostering a strong sense of camaraderie and shared purpose.

Work Schedule:

• Standard 40-hour workweek.
• Hybrid arrangement requires a minimum of three days per week in the Santa Clara office. This structure allows for focused work at home and collaborative, team-oriented activities in the office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of "collaboration thrives in person" and the "minimum requirement of three days per week on site" are key indicators of the company's stance on work environment. This is not a fully remote role and requires a commitment to being physically present for a significant portion of the week.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review applications and conduct a brief phone screen to assess initial fit, experience, and salary expectations.
• Portfolio Review: Candidates will be asked to present their portfolio, showcasing 2-3 key research projects. This is a critical step where the depth of research methodology, ability to synthesize insights, and impact of work will be evaluated.
• Hiring Manager Interview: A more in-depth discussion with the hiring manager focusing on specific research experience, problem-solving skills, and alignment with team needs.
• Team/Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with designers, product managers, and potentially engineers to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and ability to integrate research into the product development process.
• Research Leadership Interview: A final interview, possibly with a Director or VP of UX, to discuss strategic thinking, research operations vision, and leadership potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 projects that best showcase your mixed-methods expertise, your leadership in tackling complex enterprise problems, and your ability to drive measurable impact.
• Focus on Process & Impact: For each project, clearly articulate the research problem, your methodology (how you blended qual and quant), your role, the key insights, the product decisions made based on your work, and the resulting outcomes or impact. Use metrics where possible.
• Highlight Pendo Proficiency: If possible, include a project where you significantly leveraged Pendo data (Analytics, Guides, Session Replay) to inform your research or recommendations.
• Demonstrate Communication Skills: Present your portfolio clearly, concisely, and engagingly. Be prepared to discuss your thought process, challenges encountered, and how you adapted your approach.
• Showcase Enablement: Include an example of how you've helped scale research or trained others, if applicable, as this is a key responsibility for this role.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for a potential "take-home" assignment or a live case study exercise that simulates a real-world research problem within the NetSec domain.
• Focus on demonstrating your ability to quickly understand a problem, outline a research approach (including mixed methods), identify key questions, and articulate how you would derive actionable insights.
• Practice presenting your approach and potential findings concisely, emphasizing how you would collaborate with product and design teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "leading research," "scaling usability capabilities," and "building practical toolkits" suggests that interviewers will be looking for evidence of proactive initiative and strategic thinking, not just execution. Portfolio presentations should highlight these aspects.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Pendo: Mandatory and core for user analytics, in-app guides, CSAT surveys, and session replay analysis. Deep proficiency is essential.
• Qualtrics: Highly desired for survey design, distribution, and advanced data analysis for user feedback and market research.
• Tableau: Highly desired for data visualization, creating dashboards, and presenting quantitative findings to stakeholders.
• User Interview Platforms: Tools for participant recruitment and scheduling (e.g., UserTesting.com, Respondent.io, or internal systems).
• Collaboration Tools: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Confluence, Jira for team communication, project management, and documentation.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics Platforms: Pendo is central; other internal or external tools may be used for deeper data analysis.
• Data Visualization Tools: Tableau is preferred; experience with others like Looker or Power BI could be transferable.
• Survey Platforms: Qualtrics is preferred; experience with SurveyMonkey or Google Forms for lighter tasks.

CRM & Automation:

• While not primary for UX Research, understanding how CRM data (e.g., Salesforce) or customer support data (e.g., Zendesk) can inform research is beneficial. Experience with integrating research insights into product development workflows managed via tools like Jira is also valuable.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Pendo, Qualtrics, and Tableau as required or highly desired tools is critical. Candidates must highlight their experience with these specific platforms to be considered competitive.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A fundamental belief that understanding and advocating for the user is paramount to building successful products. Decisions are guided by user needs and behaviors.
• Data-Driven Excellence: A commitment to using both qualitative and quantitative data rigorously to uncover insights, validate hypotheses, and measure impact.
• Collaboration & Transparency: Open communication and close partnership with Design, Product Management, and Engineering are essential. Insights are shared freely to foster collective understanding.
• Impact & Ownership: A drive to not just conduct research, but to ensure it leads to tangible product improvements and business outcomes. Taking ownership of research initiatives from start to finish.
• Continuous Learning & Improvement: A culture that encourages experimentation, learning from both successes and failures, and a proactive approach to developing new skills and refining methodologies.

Collaboration Style:

• Integrated Partnership: Researchers work as embedded members of product teams, fostering deep understanding and trust.
• Proactive Engagement: Researchers are expected to proactively identify research opportunities and engage with stakeholders, rather than waiting for requests.
• Feedback-Oriented: An environment that encourages constructive feedback on research plans, findings, and methodologies, promoting mutual learning.
• Knowledge Sharing: A commitment to sharing research insights widely through presentations, documentation, and discussions to build collective user empathy across the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "collaboration thrives in person" and the hybrid work model suggests a culture that values both focused individual work and robust in-person team synergy. The company's mission in cybersecurity also implies a culture of high stakes, precision, and problem-solving.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complexity of Enterprise Security Workflows: Navigating and researching highly complex, technical, and often high-stakes workflows within the cybersecurity domain requires deep domain understanding and rigorous methodologies.
• Balancing Rigor with Speed: The need to deliver timely insights in a fast-paced product development environment while maintaining research integrity and depth.
• Scaling Research Impact: Effectively enabling non-researchers to conduct lightweight, effective research without diluting quality or user empathy.
• Data Integration: Synthesizing insights from diverse data sources (qualitative, Pendo analytics, surveys, telemetry) into a cohesive and actionable narrative.
• Influencing Senior Stakeholders: Communicating complex research findings and advocating for user needs effectively to senior leadership (SVPs and beyond) to drive strategic decisions.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Domain Expertise: Develop specialized knowledge in cybersecurity UX, understanding the unique challenges and user needs in this critical industry.
• Advanced Methodologies: Opportunities to refine expertise in mixed-methods research, behavioral analytics, AI-driven product research, and quantitative analysis.
• Research Operations & Enablement: Gain experience in building scalable research programs, developing training materials, and establishing best practices for research ops.
• Leadership Development: Grow into a leadership role, mentoring others, leading strategic research initiatives, and influencing product strategy at a higher level.
• Industry Engagement: Attend relevant industry conferences and potentially contribute to the UX research community through speaking or writing.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the need for a researcher who is not only skilled in methodology but also strategic, adaptable, and capable of navigating complex organizational and technical landscapes. The growth opportunities are directly tied to addressing these challenges and leveraging the unique environment of a leading cybersecurity firm.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Research Design for Complex Flows: "Describe how you would approach researching a new AI-powered feature designed to automate threat detection for enterprise security analysts. What mixed-methods approach would you take, and why?" (Focus on demonstrating your ability to break down complex problems, select appropriate methods, and consider user context.)
• Translating Insights to Action: "Imagine your research reveals a significant usability issue in a core NetSec workflow. How would you communicate this to product and design teams, and what steps would you take to ensure it gets prioritized and addressed?" (Highlight your ability to influence, advocate for users, and drive product decisions.)
• Scaling Research: "This role involves scaling usability testing across non-researchers. How would you design a toolkit or training program to empower designers and PMs to conduct effective, lightweight user interviews or usability tests?" (Showcase your process design, enablement, and mentorship skills.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in cybersecurity and Palo Alto Networks specifically?" (Demonstrate understanding of the company's mission and your passion for the domain.)
• "How do you approach collaboration with product managers and engineers, especially in a hybrid work environment?" (Highlight your teamwork, communication, and adaptability to work models.)
• "How do you measure the impact of your UX research?" (Prepare to discuss metrics, ROI, and how your work contributes to business goals.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly define the problem, your specific role and methodology, the key insights derived from your mixed-methods approach, the resulting product recommendations, and the tangible impact or outcomes.
• Quantify Where Possible: Use data points, metrics, and user feedback quotes to illustrate the significance of your findings and the impact of your work.
• Highlight Pendo/Qualtrics/Tableau Use: Explicitly mention how you utilized these tools in your projects, especially Pendo, to demonstrate your technical proficiency.
• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about your methodology choices, challenges faced, how you handled conflicting data, and how you collaborated with teams.
• Showcase Your "Why": Articulate your passion for user advocacy and how you contribute to building better, more user-centric products.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's emphasis on mixed methods, Pendo proficiency, and scaling research, interview preparation should strongly focus on these areas. Candidates should be ready to articulate their strategic thinking behind research plans and how they enable others.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Mixed Method Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on SmartRecruiters.
• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your resume and portfolio are tailored to highlight your 4-6+ years of UX research experience, with specific emphasis on mixed-methods expertise, Pendo proficiency, and experience in enterprise environments.
• Resume Optimization: Strategically incorporate keywords from the job description (e.g., "UX Research," "Mixed Methods," "Pendo," "Qualitative," "Quantitative," "Enterprise," "Research Operations," "Usability Testing") to ensure ATS compatibility. Quantify achievements where possible.
• Interview Preparation: Thoroughly prepare for each stage of the interview process, focusing on your portfolio presentation, behavioral questions, and scenario-based strategy questions related to research design and enablement. Practice articulating your thought process and impact.
• Company Research: Deeply research Palo Alto Networks' mission, products (especially within NetSec), and company culture. Understand their commitment to cybersecurity and the importance of user experience in this domain.

⚠️ 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.

---