Sr. Director, UX Research - AI

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Sr. Director, UX Research - AI

Company: ServiceNow

Location: Santa Clara, California, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: User Experience Research Operations

Date Posted: August 13, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and develop a high-performing UX research team focused on AI-driven product experiences, influencing strategy at the executive level.

• Drive strategic research initiatives and embed AI-native methodologies across the organization to ensure user-centric innovation.

• Champion an AI-native mindset and modern AI practices, including evaluation frameworks and prompt engineering, to shape the future of work.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, and Design leadership to define and prioritize research programs aligned with business objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is specifically focused on the intersection of User Experience Research and Artificial Intelligence, with a strong emphasis on Generative AI. The "Sr. Director" title indicates a senior leadership position responsible for managing managers and influencing organizational strategy, requiring significant strategic foresight and executive gravitas.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Build and develop a high-performing team of UX researchers and managers specializing in AI technologies, fostering a culture of innovation and user-centricity.

• Articulate a strong point of view on the role of UX research in shaping AI-driven products, championing this perspective with senior leaders across Product, Engineering, and Design.

• Drive strategic initiatives to shape research programs and strategies tailored to AI-driven product experiences, with a significant focus on Generative AI.

• Model and embed AI-native ways of working across the research organization, including modern evaluation methodologies, rapid prototyping with AI tools, and research-informed guardrails for generative AI experiences.

• Navigate a large, matrixed organization to build alignment and influence product direction at the VP and C-suite level, partnering cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, Design, and Marketing leadership.

• Partner with stakeholders to define and prioritize research initiatives that align with business objectives and user needs, ensuring research directly contributes to business outcomes.

• Mentor and develop a diverse team of researchers, ensuring high-quality execution of all aspects of user research throughout the product lifecycle, from ideation to launch and iteration.

• Communicate research findings effectively, translating complex insights into actionable recommendations for key decision-makers, and clearly rationalizing strategy and product solutions based on user-centered insights and data.

• Stay abreast of industry trends and emerging technologies in AI (especially Generative AI), continuously evolving research methodologies and approaches to maintain a competitive edge.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of people management, strategic leadership, and hands-on research direction. The emphasis on "AI-native ways of working" and "Generative AI" points to a need for cutting-edge expertise in this rapidly evolving field. Influencing "VP and C-suite level" indicates a high degree of strategic impact and executive communication proficiency required.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Advanced degree or equivalent experience in Human-Computer Interaction, Cognitive Psychology, Human Factors, Behavioral Sciences, or related fields.

Experience: 15+ years of research experience, with a minimum of 8 years managing and developing strong research managers. Extensive experience in UX research, particularly focused on AI technologies and their application in digital workflows.

Required Skills:

• Proven track record in leading research teams to deliver impactful insights that drive product experiences and innovation.

• AI-native orientation with demonstrated fluency in current AI/ML practices, including evaluation frameworks, responsible AI, and generative AI product development.

• Experience translating AI knowledge into effective research strategy.

• Solid organizational experience managing multiple teams and a passion for developing strong, diverse managers and team members.

• Strong executive presence and a clear point of view, capable of influencing product leaders and C-level stakeholders in complex, matrixed organizations through human-centered data and strategic storytelling.

• Expertise in user interface design, usability evaluation techniques, and statistical analysis within the context of AI-driven products. Preferred Skills:

• A thought leader in AI and up-to-date with the latest trends in Generative AI, acting as a strong ambassador for the team internally and externally.

• Exceptional leadership skills, inspiring global teams to deliver innovative solutions that anticipate and meet user needs.

• Experience in creating and executing new and innovative research programs, strategies, and approaches that help the team scale and have greater impact.

• Experience leading with a hybrid (in-office and remote), distributed, global team, and finding creative ways to bring the team together to drive collaboration, relationship building, and a strong culture.

• Proven success operating in large, matrixed enterprise organizations, with the ability to build coalitions, navigate ambiguity, and drive consensus across competing priorities.

• Deep alignment with ServiceNow's values – curiosity, collaboration, and a commitment to making work better for everyone – with a track record of embedding those values into team culture and decision-making.

• Passion for building a collaborative, high-trust culture that brings together varied perspectives and experiences to drive stronger outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize both deep technical expertise in AI and UX research, and strong leadership and strategic influencing capabilities. The "AI-native orientation" and "fluency in current AI/ML practices" are critical requirements, suggesting candidates must be current with rapid advancements in AI. The distinction between "Basic" and "Preferred" qualifications helps candidates prioritize their application materials.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrations of leading significant UX research programs that directly influenced AI product strategy and development.

• Case studies showcasing the application of AI-native research methodologies, including prompt engineering and evaluation frameworks for generative AI.

• Examples of building and scaling research teams, including mentorship of managers and individual contributors.

• Evidence of influencing executive-level decision-making through data-driven insights and strategic storytelling, particularly in complex, matrixed environments.

• Documentation of research initiatives that led to measurable improvements in user experience and product outcomes for AI-driven features. Process Documentation:

• Showcase experience in defining and refining research processes for AI-centric product development lifecycles.

• Detail methodologies for integrating human-in-the-loop workflows and responsible AI principles into research practices.

• Provide examples of how research insights were translated into actionable product requirements and design specifications for AI features.

• Illustrate the ability to adapt and evolve research methodologies to keep pace with emerging AI technologies and trends.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Sr. Director role, the portfolio should demonstrate not just execution but strategic leadership. Emphasis on scaling teams, influencing executive strategy, and navigating complex organizational structures is key. The "AI-native" aspect requires specific examples of research applied to modern AI practices.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $254,500 - $445,400 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Health plans, including flexible spending accounts.

• 401(k) Plan with company match.

• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP).

• Matching donations.

• Flexible time away plan.

• Family leave programs.

• Equity (when applicable).

• Variable/incentive compensation (potential for OTE for sales-related aspects, though this role is primarily research leadership).

Working Hours: 40 hours per week (standard full-time).

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is for the Santa Clara, California location and reflects a senior leadership role in the tech industry. Compensation is noted as variable based on qualifications, skill level, competencies, and work location. The inclusion of equity and variable compensation suggests a comprehensive executive compensation package.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Enterprise Software / Cloud Computing, with a strong focus on AI and Digital Transformation. ServiceNow is a leader in digital workflow automation, enabling businesses to modernize operations.

Company Size: ServiceNow is a large, global enterprise, employing over 1000 professionals within its Experience Team alone, and a significant overall workforce. This scale implies robust processes, established hierarchies, and opportunities for broad impact.

Founded: ServiceNow was founded by Fred Luddy, inspired by a moment of automating tedious tasks. This origin story emphasizes efficiency, innovation, and freeing people for more meaningful work. The company has since grown into a major player in the enterprise software market.

Team Structure:

• The UX Research & Insights (UXRI) Organization is part of a larger global Experience Team (EX) of over 1000 UX Professionals.

• This role leads a specific UX research team focused on AI-driven product experiences, likely managing several managers and individual contributors.

• The team operates within a complex, matrixed organization, requiring strong cross-functional collaboration with Product Management, Engineering, Design, and Marketing leadership. Methodology:

• ServiceNow emphasizes an AI-native culture and platform, integrating AI across various workflows.

• The company's approach to work is flexible, with defined "work personas" (flexible, remote, in-office) to accommodate different roles and employee needs.

• A strong focus on user-centricity and innovation is evident, driven by a commitment to making work smarter, faster, and better.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: ServiceNow's culture is built on innovation, customer focus, and leveraging technology (especially AI) to improve work. The company's size and matrixed structure are critical factors for candidates to consider, as they require strong navigation and influencing skills. The "AI control tower for business reinvention" slogan highlights their strategic direction.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Sr. Director, UX Research - AI. This is a senior leadership position responsible for a significant functional area within the larger UX organization. It involves managing managers, setting strategic direction for AI research, and influencing executive-level product decisions.

Reporting Structure: The role reports into a higher-level UX or Product leader within the Experience Team. The Sr. Director will manage a team of UX Research Managers and individual contributors, who in turn focus on specific product areas or AI initiatives.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is substantial, directly shaping how ServiceNow customers experience AI-driven products. By ensuring user-centricity and effectiveness in AI features, this role contributes to customer satisfaction, product adoption, competitive advantage, and ultimately, ServiceNow's revenue growth and market leadership in enterprise AI solutions.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to move into VP-level roles within UX Research or broader Product/Experience leadership as the organization continues to scale and innovate in AI.

• Strategic Influence: Opportunity to shape the overall UX research strategy for AI at a global enterprise level, setting industry best practices.

• Domain Expertise: Deepen expertise in Generative AI research and its application in enterprise software, becoming a recognized thought leader in the field.

• Mentorship & Development: Lead and mentor a diverse, high-caliber team, fostering their growth and contributing to the development of future leaders in UX research.

• Cross-functional Leadership: Expand influence and collaboration across various business units and product lines within ServiceNow.

📝 Enhancement Note: This is a highly strategic leadership role with significant opportunities for career advancement and impact. The growth trajectory is tied to ServiceNow's continued investment in AI and its commitment to user experience as a key differentiator.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: ServiceNow operates a hybrid work model, with a "Flexible" work persona for this role. This means employees are expected to work from the office some days and remotely on others, with the exact balance determined by team needs and role requirements.

Office Location(s): The primary office location listed is Santa Clara, California, specifically at 2225 Lawson Lane. ServiceNow also has numerous global offices, supporting its distributed workforce.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model encourages in-office collaboration, team building, and cross-functional interactions. The large UX organization (1000+ professionals) provides ample opportunities for knowledge sharing and networking.

• Tools & Technology: Employees will have access to ServiceNow's extensive technology stack, including advanced tools for research, design, collaboration, and AI development.

• Team Interaction: Regular team meetings, design sprints, and research reviews will facilitate interaction with researchers, designers, product managers, and engineers, both in-person and virtually.

Work Schedule: A standard 40-hour work week is expected, with flexibility to manage personal schedules around core collaboration hours and project deadlines. The hybrid nature allows for a balance between focused individual work and collaborative team engagement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Flexible" work persona indicates a modern approach to work, balancing in-office collaboration with remote flexibility. Candidates should be comfortable with this hybrid model and capable of fostering team cohesion across distributed and in-office team members.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR and potentially a senior UX leader will review applications and resumes, looking for alignment with experience requirements and AI/leadership focus.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the direct hiring manager to assess fit with the team, leadership style, and strategic vision for AI UX research.

• Team & Peer Interviews: Meetings with other UX leaders, research managers, and potentially senior designers/product managers to evaluate collaboration skills, technical depth, and cultural fit.

• Executive Presentation/Interview: A crucial stage involving a presentation of past work and strategic thinking, likely to VP-level stakeholders. This assesses executive presence, strategic articulation, and ability to influence high-level decisions. Expect this to heavily involve portfolio review.

• Final Round: May involve a final discussion with a senior executive or a comprehensive assessment of leadership capabilities.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for Impact: Select case studies that demonstrate leadership in AI UX research, team management, and strategic influence. Prioritize projects with significant business impact and clear outcomes.

• Highlight AI Expertise: Showcase specific examples of research applied to AI technologies, especially Generative AI. Detail your methodology, including prompt engineering, evaluation frameworks, and responsible AI considerations.

• Demonstrate Leadership: Include examples of how you've built, mentored, and scaled research teams, including managing managers. Show how you've influenced product strategy and executive decision-making.

• Structure for Clarity: Organize your portfolio logically. For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the research process, key insights, the solution, and the measurable impact. Use visuals where appropriate.

• Tell a Story: Frame your experience as a narrative of growth, impact, and strategic leadership in the evolving landscape of AI and user experience.

Challenge Preparation:

• Strategic Vision: Be prepared to discuss your vision for the future of AI UX research at ServiceNow and how you would lead the team to achieve it.

• AI Trends: Demonstrate a deep understanding of current and emerging AI trends, particularly in Generative AI, and how they impact user experience and enterprise software.

• Leadership Scenarios: Prepare for questions about managing challenging team dynamics, influencing senior stakeholders, driving consensus in a matrixed organization, and fostering a diverse and inclusive research culture.

• Portfolio Walkthrough: Practice presenting your most impactful projects concisely, focusing on strategic contributions, leadership, and measurable outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Sr. Director role, the interview process will heavily emphasize strategic thinking, leadership impact, and executive communication. The portfolio review is paramount, requiring candidates to demonstrate not just research execution but the ability to shape organizational strategy and lead teams effectively in the AI domain.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Research Platforms: Tools for survey creation, participant recruitment, usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze).

• Collaboration Suites: Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google Workspace for day-to-day communication and project collaboration.

• Project Management: Jira, Asana, Trello for tracking research projects and team progress.

• AI/ML Tools: Familiarity with platforms and tools used for AI development, experimentation, and evaluation. This may include cloud AI services (AWS, Azure, GCP), specific ML libraries, and tools for prompt engineering.

• Data Analysis & Visualization: Tools like Tableau, Power BI, Python (with libraries like Pandas, NumPy, SciPy), R, or specialized statistical software for analyzing research data and generating insights.

Analytics & Reporting:

• CRM/Customer Data Platforms: Understanding how UX research integrates with customer data to inform AI product development.

• Business Intelligence Tools: Ability to interpret and leverage BI dashboards for understanding product performance and user behavior trends.

CRM & Automation:

• ServiceNow Platform: Deep understanding of the ServiceNow platform itself is a significant advantage, as research will be focused on enhancing its AI capabilities.

• Workflow Automation Tools: Familiarity with how research insights drive automation improvements within enterprise workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency with a broad range of UX research tools is expected. Crucially, this role requires a strong understanding of AI/ML development environments and the ability to integrate UX research into the AI product development lifecycle, which may involve specialized tools for prompt engineering, model evaluation, and human-in-the-loop systems.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Curiosity: A deep drive to understand user needs, explore new AI technologies, and uncover insights that push the boundaries of what's possible.

• Collaboration: A commitment to working effectively across Product, Engineering, Design, and Marketing to drive unified strategies and deliver exceptional AI-powered experiences. This includes fostering strong relationships with executive stakeholders.

• Making Work Better: A core ServiceNow value focused on improving the employee experience and business processes through innovative technology, with AI playing a central role.

• User-Centricity: Placing the user at the heart of all product decisions, ensuring AI solutions are not only powerful but also intuitive, ethical, and beneficial.

• Innovation: Embracing new approaches, methodologies, and technologies, particularly in the rapidly evolving AI landscape, to create cutting-edge product experiences.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The role demands seamless collaboration with Product Management and Engineering to define AI roadmaps and research priorities. Close partnership with Design ensures research insights are translated into user-friendly interfaces.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasizing the use of robust research data and insights to guide strategic product decisions and influence stakeholders at all levels.

• Mentorship and Empowerment: Fostering a supportive environment where researchers are empowered to take ownership, develop their skills, and contribute to their full potential.

• Proactive Communication: Maintaining open and transparent communication channels with the team, peers, and senior leadership to ensure alignment and manage expectations.

📝 Enhancement Note: ServiceNow's stated values of curiosity, collaboration, and making work better are foundational. For this role, these translate into a proactive, user-focused, and highly collaborative approach to leading AI UX research within a large, dynamic organization.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Rapid Pace of AI Evolution: Keeping research methodologies and team expertise current with the fast-changing AI landscape, especially Generative AI.

• Navigating a Matrixed Organization: Influencing product direction and securing resources across multiple departments and priorities within a large enterprise.

• Scaling Research for AI: Developing scalable research processes and infrastructure to support the rapid development and deployment of AI features across a broad product portfolio.

• Defining and Measuring AI UX Success: Establishing clear metrics and frameworks to evaluate the effectiveness and user experience of complex AI-driven features.

• Fostering AI-Native Research Practices: Shifting traditional research approaches to effectively incorporate AI-specific considerations like prompt engineering, model bias, and human-in-the-loop workflows.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Thought Leadership: Opportunity to become a recognized expert and thought leader in AI UX research, both internally and externally, by driving innovation and publishing findings.

• Strategic Impact: Direct involvement in shaping the AI strategy of a major enterprise software company, impacting how millions of users interact with AI daily.

• Leadership Development: Advanced training and mentorship in executive leadership, strategic planning, and managing large, global teams.

• Cutting-Edge Technology: Working with state-of-the-art AI technologies and contributing to their ethical and effective integration into enterprise products.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Deepening understanding of AI/ML principles, product management, and engineering processes through close collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to a leadership role in a cutting-edge field within a large enterprise. The growth opportunities are significant, offering a chance to shape the future of AI in enterprise software and advance one's career at the highest levels.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your vision for how UX research can uniquely contribute to the success of Generative AI products at an enterprise scale." (Preparation: Focus on AI-native research methods, ethical considerations, and impact on business outcomes.)

• "How would you build and scale a high-performing UX research team focused on AI, especially when managing managers?" (Preparation: Discuss team structure, talent development, mentorship strategies, and scaling research operations.)

• "Walk us through a time you had to influence executive-level stakeholders on a complex product decision related to new technology. What was your strategy and the outcome?" (Preparation: Use the STAR method, highlighting executive presence, data-driven storytelling, and navigating ambiguity.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "How do ServiceNow's values of curiosity, collaboration, and making work better align with your leadership philosophy and approach to UX research?" (Preparation: Research ServiceNow's values thoroughly and connect them to specific examples from your experience.)

• "How would you foster a strong, inclusive, and collaborative research culture within a hybrid, distributed, global team?" (Preparation: Discuss strategies for virtual team building, asynchronous communication, and ensuring equitable participation.)

• "What are the key ethical considerations for UX research in AI, particularly Generative AI, and how would you ensure your team addresses them?" (Preparation: Be ready to discuss responsible AI, bias mitigation, data privacy, and user trust.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Executive Summary: Begin with a high-level overview of your leadership experience and key accomplishments related to AI and team building.

• Impact-Oriented Case Studies: Select 2-3 most impactful projects. For each:

  • Clearly state the business problem and your strategic objective.
  • Detail your leadership role and how you guided the research team.
  • Showcase specific AI research methodologies used (e.g., prompt engineering, AI evaluation frameworks).
  • Present key, actionable insights and the resulting product/strategy changes.
  • Quantify the impact (e.g., improved user satisfaction, increased adoption, efficiency gains).

• AI Fluency Demonstration: Be prepared to discuss your understanding of AI/ML concepts and how research informs their development.

• Q&A Readiness: Anticipate questions about your approach to challenges, leadership style, and future vision for AI UX research.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating not just research expertise but strategic leadership, AI fluency, and the ability to influence at the highest levels. The portfolio is your primary tool for showcasing this.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Sr. Director, UX Research - AI position:

• Submit your application through the ServiceNow careers portal via the provided job link.

• Curate Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight 15+ years of research experience and 8+ years of management experience, specifically emphasizing your work with AI technologies, Generative AI, and leading research teams. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Assemble a compelling portfolio that showcases your leadership in AI UX research, team management, and strategic influence. Include case studies with quantifiable results, focusing on AI-native methodologies.

• Research ServiceNow: Deeply understand ServiceNow's mission, products, company values, and their strategic direction in AI. Prepare to discuss how your experience aligns with their goals.

• Practice Your Presentation: Rehearse your portfolio presentation and prepare answers to common interview questions, focusing on leadership, AI strategy, and executive communication.

⚠️ 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.