Principal User Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Principal User Researcher

Company: Gen Digital Inc.

Location: London, England, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: User Research / Product Research

Date Posted: July 22, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days in office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end user research strategy for Gen's strategically vital Partner organization, focusing on a B2B2C model.

• Establish foundational user research practices from scratch, defining user segments, mapping mental models, and identifying pain points for diverse partner channels.

• Drive product and platform decisions by bringing the voice of the end customer into a historically partner-centric organization.

• Synthesize complex findings into clear, actionable insights and recommendations for senior stakeholders, influencing product direction and business strategy.

• Act as a trusted advisor, coach, and mentor to peers and junior researchers, while contributing to the broader research culture at Gen.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a foundational position for user research within the Partner organization. The emphasis on "building the foundation from scratch" and "first researcher embedded here" indicates a significant opportunity for strategic impact and process definition. The B2B2C nature of the role requires a nuanced understanding of multiple user audiences (partners and end consumers) and their distinct needs.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and own the research strategy: Define research objectives, methodologies, and timelines for the Partner organization, addressing the transformation of the partner portal and configuration platform.

• Conduct end-to-end research: Execute generative discovery research to understand diverse end-user segments (telco, employee benefits, OEM, etc.) and their activation journeys, as well as evaluative research, including usability testing on partner CX and features.

• Champion the end-user voice: Advocate for end-consumer needs and mental models in product and platform decisions, balancing them with partner requirements and business goals.

• Synthesize and communicate insights: Translate complex research findings into clear, compelling narratives and actionable recommendations for product, design, engineering, and senior leadership, driving evidence-based decision-making.

• Build cross-functional relationships: Establish strong partnerships with senior stakeholders across Product, Design, Engineering, and Partner-facing teams, navigating competing priorities with diplomacy and confidence.

• Develop scalable research assets: Create reusable research frameworks, playbooks, and best practices to enhance the quality and consistency of research across the team.

• Coach and mentor: Provide guidance and support to peers and junior researchers, fostering their growth and contributing to a strong research community of practice.

• Leverage AI in research: Proactively apply AI tools to enhance research synthesis, analysis, and efficiency, and help the team and stakeholders adopt AI in their research practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic ownership, hands-on research execution, and leadership/mentorship. The emphasis on translating complexity into clarity and driving product vision through research underscores the strategic influence expected of a Principal-level researcher.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong academic background in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Information Science, or a related field is typically expected for Principal User Researcher roles, providing a theoretical foundation for research methodologies.

Experience: Proven track record in user research for digital products, with depth of impact being more critical than strict years of experience. Experience in environments with indirect customer relationships (B2B2C, platform, channel) is essential.

Required Skills:

• User Research Expertise: Deep understanding and practical application of a wide range of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies (generative, evaluative, usability testing, interviews, surveys, etc.).

• Research Strategy Development: Ability to define and own research strategy for complex, ambiguous product areas, aligning research efforts with business objectives.

• B2B2C / Platform Experience: Demonstrated experience working with multiple audiences simultaneously, understanding the distinct needs of direct customers (partners) and end-users.

• Stakeholder Management: Exceptional ability to build trust, influence senior leaders, manage competing priorities, and align diverse perspectives around user insights.

• Synthesis & Storytelling: Proficiency in synthesizing complex data into clear, compelling narratives that motivate action and drive product vision.

• Systems Thinking: Strategic mindset to connect detailed findings to the broader product vision and understand interconnectedness of channels, users, and touchpoints.

• Mentorship & Coaching: Experience guiding and developing peers and junior researchers, fostering team growth and knowledge sharing.

• AI Fluency: Proactive and advanced application of AI tools within user research processes for enhanced efficiency and insights.

Preferred Skills:

• Background in cybersecurity, fintech, telco, or complex consumer technology.

• Familiarity with service design methods (e.g., service blueprinting, ecosystem mapping).

• Experience contributing to or leading research community of practice initiatives.

• Proficiency in developing reusable research frameworks and playbooks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "depth of impact mattering more than years" suggests that candidates with significant, demonstrable achievements in driving product decisions through research will be highly valued, regardless of their exact tenure. The explicit mention of AI fluency positions this as a forward-thinking role.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrated Impact: Showcase case studies that clearly articulate how your research directly influenced product strategy, design decisions, and business outcomes, ideally within a B2B2C or platform context.

• End-to-End Research Process: Illustrate your ability to manage the entire research lifecycle, from framing ambiguous problems and defining research questions to executing methodologies and delivering actionable insights.

• Stakeholder Collaboration: Provide examples of how you successfully partnered with product managers, designers, engineers, and business stakeholders, navigating complex relationships and driving consensus.

• Methodological Breadth & Depth: Present examples of diverse research methods employed, highlighting your adaptability and ability to select the most appropriate approach for different research objectives.

• Scalability & Frameworks: Include evidence of creating reusable research assets, frameworks, or playbooks that have been adopted by teams to improve research consistency and efficiency.

• AI Integration: If possible, showcase how AI tools were integrated into your research process to enhance synthesis, analysis, or efficiency.

Process Documentation:

• Candidates should be prepared to discuss their approach to documenting research processes, including how they ensure research findings are translated into actionable design and product requirements.

• Emphasis on creating clear, concise documentation that is accessible and useful for cross-functional teams, particularly those new to working with research.

• Demonstrate how research insights are embedded into ongoing product development cycles and performance measurement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is crucial for demonstrating practical application of skills. The emphasis on impact, end-to-end process, and stakeholder collaboration suggests a need for detailed, results-oriented case studies. The role's foundational nature means showing how a candidate can build processes and frameworks is as important as showcasing existing ones.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Principal User Researcher role in London with 10+ years of experience, the estimated salary range is typically between £85,000 and £120,000 per annum. This range can vary based on the specific impact demonstrated by the candidate, their negotiation skills, and the final scope of responsibilities.

Benefits:

• Annual bonus scheme

• Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO) & flexible working hours

• Tuition reimbursement for job-related courses

• Sustainable home improvement bonus

• Learning & Development plan

• Private medical insurance (from day 1)

• Private dental insurance

• Group personal pension with company match (up to 6%)

• Life insurance (7x base salary)

• Group income protection (75% of base salary)

• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)

• Wellness reimbursement

• Adoption assistance

• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

• Opportunity to learn and work with industry leaders in Digital Security

• Chance to join a major global tech company listed on the S&P 500

Working Hours: While the standard workday is typically 8 hours, the company offers flexible working hours and unlimited PTO, allowing for a good work-life balance. The hybrid model requires 3 days in the London office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on industry benchmarks for Principal User Researchers in major tech hubs like London, considering the 10+ years of experience and the strategic nature of the role within a large, publicly traded company (S&P 500). The benefits package is comprehensive and indicative of a competitive offering for senior talent.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, specifically focused on Cybersecurity, Online Privacy, Identity Protection, and Financial Wellness. Gen Digital Inc. operates a portfolio of well-known consumer brands.

Company Size: Large. Gen Digital Inc. is a global company listed on the S&P 500, indicating a significant employee base and market presence.

Founded: Gen Digital Inc. was formed through the combination of various established companies, with a combined heritage rooted in financial empowerment and cyber safety. This implies a culture that values both innovation and established trust.

Team Structure:

• User Research Team: You will be embedded within the Partner organization but will work alongside a wider research team, suggesting opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing with other researchers.

• Reporting Structure: The role implies reporting to a senior leader within the Partner organization or potentially a Head of Research, with close collaboration with Product, Design, and Engineering leads.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: A key aspect of the role is building strong cross-functional relationships with senior stakeholders across product, design, engineering, and partner-facing teams.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decisions: The company emphasizes leveraging AI and user insights to move faster and deliver meaningful results, indicating a commitment to data-informed product development.

• Customer-Centricity: "Relentlessly customer driven" is a core value, highlighting the importance of understanding and serving user needs.

• Experimentation & Learning: Gen fosters "room for healthy debate, experimentation and continuous learning," suggesting an environment that encourages innovation and iteration.

• AI as a Teammate: The company actively seeks talent that sees AI as a collaborator, indicating a modern and forward-thinking approach to technology adoption.

Company Website: https://www.gendigital.com/us/en/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is described as "scrappy and relentlessly customer driven," valuing healthy debate, experimentation, and continuous learning. The emphasis on AI as a teammate suggests a progressive approach to technology. The hybrid work model aims to balance focused work with collaborative interaction.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Principal User Researcher. This is a senior individual contributor role, signifying leadership in research strategy, execution, and mentorship. It's a position focused on deep expertise, strategic impact, and influencing high-level decisions, rather than people management.

Reporting Structure: While primarily embedded within the Partner organization, the researcher will likely report to a senior research leader or a Director within the Partner team, with close collaboration and dotted-line reporting to Product and Design leadership. This structure allows for both specialized focus and broad organizational influence.

Operations Impact: The role has direct and significant impact on the Partner organization's transformation, including the development of a new partner portal and configuration platform. The research findings will directly shape how products are embedded, configured, and onboarded for both partners and end consumers, influencing user experience, adoption rates, and ultimately, revenue through partner channels.

Growth Opportunities:

• Strategic Leadership: Opportunity to define and build the user research practice for a critical, high-impact business area, setting the long-term research agenda.

• Cross-Functional Influence: Develop deep expertise in B2B2C models and gain significant influence across Product, Design, Engineering, and Partner Management functions.

• Mentorship & Community Building: Serve as a key voice in shaping the research culture at Gen, mentoring junior talent, and contributing to a strong research community of practice.

• Skill Specialization: Potential to deepen expertise in cybersecurity, fintech, or complex consumer technology ecosystems, and advance skills in service design and AI-driven research.

• Visibility: High visibility role with direct interaction with senior stakeholders, offering pathways to broader strategic initiatives within Gen Digital.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Principal" title indicates a senior individual contributor path, focusing on expertise and strategic impact. The opportunity to build research foundations from scratch offers significant scope for defining processes and influencing long-term strategy within a key business unit.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work environment, requiring 3 days per week in the London office. This model is designed to foster creative conversations, meaningful meetings, and relationship building, while retaining flexibility.

Office Location(s): London, United Kingdom. Specific office address details would typically be provided upon progression in the application process.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The office days are intended for face-to-face interaction, facilitating quick decision-making, brainstorming, and relationship building with cross-functional teams (Product, Design, Engineering).

• Operations Tools & Technology: As part of a major tech company, expect access to modern research tools, collaboration platforms, and potentially advanced AI-powered research assistants.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities to engage with the broader user research team, share insights, and collaborate on developing research best practices and frameworks.

Work Schedule: The company offers flexible working hours, complementing the hybrid model. While a standard 8-hour workday is implicit, the emphasis on flexibility allows for better work-life integration, which is beneficial for deep analytical and research work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model emphasizes the value the company places on in-person collaboration for strategic work, balanced with the flexibility needed for deep research tasks. This setup is common in tech companies aiming to capture the benefits of both remote and in-office work.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• CV Review: Initial screening by recruiter and hiring manager to assess role scope, delivered impact, and alignment with position requirements.

• Recruiter Call: An initial Zoom conversation to discuss background, motivations for joining Gen, and an overview of the interview process.

• Hiring Manager / Team Interview: Likely a deep dive into your research experience, strategic thinking, and approach to building research foundations. This may include scenario-based questions.

• Research/Design Team Interview: Focus on research methodologies, technical skills, collaboration style, and how you approach complex user problems. You may be asked to present a portfolio case study.

• Stakeholder Interview(s): Interviews with senior Product, Design, and potentially Engineering or Partner Management leaders to assess stakeholder management skills, strategic influence, and ability to translate insights into business impact.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a more senior leader to discuss culture fit, strategic vision, and leadership potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Impact: Select 2-3 strong case studies that demonstrate significant influence on product strategy and business outcomes, particularly in B2B2C or platform contexts. Quantify impact where possible (e.g., increased conversion, reduced support tickets, improved user satisfaction scores).

• Structure Your Stories: For each case study, clearly outline: The ambiguous problem you addressed, your research approach and methodologies, the key insights you uncovered, how you communicated these insights, the actions taken based on your research, and the resulting impact.

• Showcase Strategic Thinking: Highlight how you framed the research, connected findings to broader business goals, and anticipated future research needs.

• Demonstrate Collaboration: Explain how you partnered with cross-functional teams, managed stakeholder expectations, and navigated differing opinions.

• Prepare for Questions: Be ready to discuss your entire research process, your rationale for methodological choices, how you handled challenges, and how you’d approach building research from scratch in the Partner organization.

• Highlight AI Use: If applicable, be prepared to discuss how you utilized AI tools to enhance your research process.

Challenge Preparation:

• Expect a potential research challenge or case study, either presented beforehand or during an interview. This will likely involve a complex, ambiguous problem related to the Partner organization or its users.

• Focus on your approach: how you would frame the problem, what research questions you would ask, what methodologies you would employ, and how you would synthesize and present findings to stakeholders.

• Demonstrate your ability to bring clarity to ambiguity and present a structured, evidence-based plan.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes assessing strategic thinking, stakeholder management, and the ability to build research practices. A strong portfolio showcasing direct impact and a clear, structured approach to problem-solving will be critical.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Research Platforms: Proficiency with tools for qualitative data collection and analysis (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, Dovetail, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey).

• Collaboration Tools: Experience with tools facilitating cross-functional teamwork and communication (e.g., Jira, Confluence, Slack, Microsoft Teams).

• Prototyping/Design Tools: Familiarity with tools used by design and product teams to understand and test prototypes (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Analysis Software: Ability to work with data analysis tools to synthesize quantitative and qualitative findings, potentially including SQL for data extraction or advanced Excel/Google Sheets skills.

• Visualization Tools: Experience using tools like Tableau, Power BI, or Looker Studio to present research findings and KPIs visually.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct CRM role, understanding how user data flows from CRM systems (like Salesforce) and how research insights can inform CRM strategy or customer segmentation is beneficial.

• Familiarity with automation tools that might impact user journeys or partner configurations could be advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: While specific tools aren't listed, the role implies a need for proficiency in standard user research platforms, collaboration suites, and potentially data analysis/visualization tools. The mention of AI fluency suggests an openness to and capability with emerging AI-powered research assistants and analysis tools.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Driven: A core value at Gen, translating to a deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the end-user's needs and experiences.

• AI as a Teammate: Embracing AI as a tool to augment human capabilities, drive efficiency, and accelerate innovation in research and product development.

• Continuous Learning: A culture that supports experimentation, healthy debate, and ongoing skill development, encouraging individuals to stay ahead of industry trends.

• Collaboration & Respect: Emphasis on backing each other, respecting differences, and leveraging diverse perspectives as a competitive advantage.

• Impact & Results: Focus on delivering meaningful results and driving tangible business outcomes through data-informed strategies.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Actively works with Product, Design, and Engineering to integrate user insights into the product development lifecycle.

• Strategic Partnerships: Builds trust and rapport with senior stakeholders, acting as a strategic advisor rather than just a research vendor.

• Open Communication: Encourages healthy debate and clear communication, translating complex research findings into accessible language for diverse audiences.

• Mentorship & Knowledge Sharing: Fosters a collaborative environment where knowledge and best practices are shared, and team members support each other's growth.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture strongly emphasizes customer focus, innovation (especially with AI), continuous learning, and collaborative, respectful teamwork. The researcher is expected to be a proactive collaborator and a key influencer within this framework.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Building from Scratch: Establishing a user research practice in an area that hasn't had dedicated support requires defining processes, gaining buy-in, and demonstrating value from the ground up.

• Navigating Ambiguity: The role involves working in a fast-moving, high-stakes space with "high-ambiguity research," demanding strong problem-framing skills and the ability to create clarity.

• B2B2C Complexity: Balancing the needs and mental models of two distinct customer groups (partners and end consumers) requires sophisticated research design and synthesis.

• Influencing Stakeholders: Effectively communicating research findings and driving adoption of user-centric recommendations among senior stakeholders, some of whom may be new to research practices.

• Prioritization: Managing research across multiple partner products and user journeys while navigating competing business priorities requires strong strategic planning and negotiation skills.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Strategic Impact: Opportunity to shape the long-term research strategy for a critical business unit and build foundational processes.

• Domain Expertise: Deepen knowledge in cybersecurity, fintech, telco, or complex consumer technology environments.

• AI Research Advancement: Lead the integration and application of AI tools within user research, becoming a subject matter expert.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Develop strong influence and strategic partnership skills with senior leaders across various departments.

• Mentorship Programs: Formal and informal opportunities to mentor junior researchers and contribute to a thriving research community of practice.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge lies in establishing a research function in a new domain, requiring strong foundational skills and the ability to influence. Growth opportunities are significant, focusing on strategic leadership and specialized domain expertise.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to establish a user research function or significantly evolve an existing one. What were the key steps, challenges, and outcomes?" (Focus on your approach to building from scratch, stakeholder engagement, and demonstrating value.)

• "How would you approach understanding the diverse needs of end-users across multiple partner channels (telco, OEM, employer benefits) when they are not your direct customers?" (Highlight your B2B2C research strategies, user segmentation, and mapping techniques.)

• "Imagine you've uncovered a critical user pain point that conflicts with a key business priority for the Partner team. How would you present this to senior stakeholders and advocate for the user?" (Emphasize your communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills, using data and storytelling.)

• "How do you see AI augmenting the user research process, and what are some practical ways you've used or would use AI tools in your work?" (Be prepared to discuss specific AI applications for synthesis, analysis, or generative tasks.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Gen Digital and our mission to power Digital Freedom?" (Research Gen's brands, mission, and recent news.)

• "How do you align with our values of being customer-driven, embracing AI, and fostering continuous learning?" (Provide specific examples from your experience.)

• "Describe your ideal collaboration style with Product, Design, and Engineering teams, especially in a hybrid environment." (Showcase your ability to integrate research into the product development lifecycle.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Use a clear narrative arc for each case study: Problem -> Your Role -> Research Approach -> Key Insights -> Recommendations -> Impact/Outcome.

• Quantify Results: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the impact of your research (e.g., "This insight led to a 15% increase in conversion rates," or "Reduced user errors by 20%").

• Focus on Strategic Contribution: Highlight how your research informed product strategy and decision-making at a higher level, not just tactical design improvements.

• Demonstrate Problem Framing: Show your ability to translate vague business requests or ambiguous problems into well-defined research questions.

• Prepare for Questions: Anticipate questions about your methodology choices, how you handled conflicting stakeholder opinions, and how you would apply your experience to Gen's specific challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, foundational capability building, B2B2C expertise, and strong stakeholder influencing skills. A well-prepared portfolio presentation is key to showcasing impact and process.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Principal User Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight experience in B2B2C environments, establishing research practices, strategic research planning, and influencing senior stakeholders. Prepare 2-3 impactful case studies for your portfolio review, focusing on quantifiable results and end-to-end research processes.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your experience with diverse research methodologies, stakeholder management, and strategic contributions. Use keywords such as "User Research," "B2B2C," "Research Strategy," "Stakeholder Management," "Product Strategy," "AI in Research," and "Generative/Evaluative Research."

• Company & Role Research: Thoroughly research Gen Digital Inc., its brands (Norton, Avast, LifeLock, MoneyLion), its mission, and the specific challenges and opportunities within the Partner organization. Understand the B2B2C model and the significance of the partner portal transformation.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your experience with the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for behavioral questions. Prepare to discuss your approach to building research from scratch, handling ambiguity, and leveraging AI in research. Rehearse your portfolio presentation for clarity, impact, and strategic storytelling.

⚠️ 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.