UX Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Researcher

Company: Warner Bros. Discovery

Location: New York, NY, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: User Experience Research / Product Analytics

Date Posted: 2026-05-13

Experience Level: Mid-Level

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Conduct end-to-end user research using mixed-methods (qualitative and quantitative) to uncover actionable insights that drive product strategy and development.

• Partner with Product Leads, Product Designers, and cross-functional teams to inform prioritization of product features and enhancements that optimize user engagement, conversion, and retention.

• Analyze and synthesize data from various sources, including analytics, surveys, and direct user feedback, to deliver clear, unbiased recommendations.

• Develop and execute comprehensive research plans, selecting appropriate methodologies to address critical business and user questions within a fast-paced environment.

• Foster strong relationships with stakeholders, translating business needs into research objectives and research findings into impactful product decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within a major media and entertainment conglomerate, Warner Bros. Discovery, specifically within their CNN division, suggesting a focus on digital news products and direct-to-consumer (D2C) platforms. The emphasis on mixed-methods research, D2C experience, and collaboration with product and design teams indicates a strategic role focused on understanding user behavior and attitudes to enhance digital product offerings.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and execute comprehensive research plans, selecting appropriate qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods approaches to address specific product and user experience questions.

• Conduct user research through various methodologies including, but not limited to, surveys, in-depth interviews, usability studies, diary studies, and ethnographic observations.

• Analyze and synthesize findings from user research, product analytics, survey results, and other data inputs to identify key user needs, pain points, and opportunities.

• Translate complex research data into clear, concise, and actionable recommendations for product features, enhancements, and strategic initiatives.

• Collaborate closely with Product Management, Product Design, Engineering, and other cross-functional teams to ensure research insights are integrated effectively into the product development lifecycle.

• Present research findings and recommendations to stakeholders at various levels, effectively communicating the impact on user engagement, conversion, and retention goals.

• Stay abreast of the latest UX research methodologies, tools, and industry best practices to continuously improve research processes and deliverables.

• Contribute to the broader Research & Analytics team's strategic initiatives, ensuring alignment of resources, methodologies, and business objectives.

• Screen and recruit research participants to ensure representative samples for studies.

• Document research processes, findings, and recommendations in a clear and organized manner for knowledge sharing and future reference.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for a researcher who can operate independently, manage the full research lifecycle, and influence product direction. The emphasis on D2C acquisition and conversion funnels, coupled with the fast-paced and collaborative environment, suggests a focus on driving tangible business outcomes through user-centric design.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Computer Interaction, Information Science, Psychology, Social Sciences, or a related field.

Experience:

• Minimum of 3 years of professional experience in User Experience (UX) Research, Research Analysis, or a similar role.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience conducting end-to-end UX research using a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods (e.g., interviews, usability testing, surveys, diary studies, ethnography).

• Demonstrated experience in direct-to-consumer (D2C) product research, with a focus on understanding and optimizing acquisition and conversion funnels.

• Proficiency in developing research plans, participant screening, test moderation, data analysis, and synthesis of findings.

• Strong capability in analyzing and interpreting user behavior data, product analytics, and survey results.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex research findings and strategic recommendations to diverse audiences, including executive stakeholders.

• Experience working collaboratively with cross-functional teams, particularly Product Management and Product Design, in a product development context.

• Proficient with standard office productivity software (e.g., MS Suite).

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in digital news media or a demonstrated strong interest in the news industry.

• Strong problem-solving aptitude and a natural curiosity to explore user behaviors and motivations.

• Experience with A/B testing and experimental design for product optimization.

• Familiarity with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics) and data visualization tools.

• Experience with remote research tools and platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "3+ years" with a caveat for internships/graduate work suggests that candidates with strong academic backgrounds and demonstrable research projects might be considered even if they haven't accumulated the full years of professional experience. The explicit mention of D2C acquisition and conversion funnels is a critical filter for candidates.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A curated portfolio showcasing a range of UX research projects, demonstrating mastery of mixed-methods research methodologies.

• Case studies that clearly articulate the research problem, your role, the methods used, key findings, and the impact of your research on product decisions and outcomes.

• Evidence of how you translated research insights into actionable recommendations that influenced product strategy, feature development, or user experience improvements.

• Examples of research plans, discussion guides, survey instruments, and synthesized reports that highlight your systematic approach.

Process Documentation:

• Ability to document research processes, from planning and recruitment to analysis and reporting, ensuring clarity and replicability.

• Experience in creating clear, concise, and impactful research reports and presentations tailored to different stakeholder audiences.

• Documentation of how research insights have led to measurable improvements in key UX metrics (e.g., engagement, conversion rates, task completion, user satisfaction).

• Evidence of establishing and maintaining research best practices within a team or organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a UX Researcher role, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to go beyond just showing the research conducted; it must demonstrate the researcher's ability to drive impact and influence product strategy through data-driven insights and clear communication. The emphasis on mixed-methods and D2C suggests a need for portfolios that highlight complex problem-solving and measurable business outcomes.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $77,000 - $143,000 per year.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Insurance coverage.

• Employee Wellness Program to support overall well-being.

• Life Insurance and Disability Insurance for financial security.

• Retirement Savings Plan (e.g., 401k) to support long-term financial goals.

• Paid Holidays, Sick Time, and Vacation for work-life balance.

• Potential for Annual Bonuses.

• Eligibility for Short-term and Long-term Incentives.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time work week, likely around 40 hours per week.

• The role requires collaboration across teams, suggesting a need for flexibility within standard business hours to accommodate different schedules and urgent research needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range of $77,000 - $143,000 is a broad spectrum, indicative of a mid-level to senior-mid-level UX Researcher, with placement within the range dependent on specific experience, skills, and interview performance. The inclusion of bonuses and incentives suggests a performance-driven compensation structure. The "Hybrid" work arrangement implies a need for some on-site presence, likely for collaborative meetings and in-person research sessions.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Media & Entertainment, Digital News, Technology. Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is a global leader in creating and distributing premium content across all genres and platforms. This specific role is likely within the CNN division, focusing on digital news products.

Company Size: Large Enterprise (over 10,000 employees). This scale means established processes, diverse teams, and significant resources, but also potential for bureaucracy and a need for clear communication to navigate.

Founded: Warner Bros. Discovery was formed in 2022 through the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc. CNN itself has a long history in news broadcasting. This blend of established legacy and recent consolidation suggests a dynamic environment balancing tradition with innovation.

Team Structure:

• The UX Researcher will be part of a larger Research & Analytics team, indicating a specialized function within product development.

• This team likely collaborates closely with Product Management, Product Design, Engineering, and Marketing departments.

Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making is a key pillar, leveraging both quantitative analytics and qualitative user insights.

• A focus on direct-to-consumer (D2C) products implies a strong emphasis on user acquisition, engagement, and retention metrics.

• Iterative product development and a growth mindset are likely encouraged, with research feeding directly into continuous improvement cycles.

Company Website: https://www.wbd.com/ and https://www.cnn.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the industry and company size, expect a professional, structured environment that values data-driven insights. The CNN context suggests a fast-paced news environment where research needs to be timely and impactful. Collaboration will be key across various legacy and newly integrated teams.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Mid-Level UX Researcher. This level typically involves owning research projects, contributing to strategic discussions, and mentoring junior researchers. The role requires a solid foundation in research methodologies and the ability to work with moderate supervision.

Reporting Structure: The UX Researcher will likely report to a Senior UX Researcher, UX Research Manager, or Director of Product Analytics/Research. They will collaborate extensively with Product Managers, Product Designers, and Data Analysts.

Operations Impact: This role directly impacts the user experience of digital products, influencing user engagement, conversion rates, and overall customer satisfaction. By providing critical user insights, the UX Researcher helps shape product strategy and prioritize features that drive business objectives for WBD's digital platforms, such as CNN.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Develop expertise in specific research areas like generative research, evaluative research, accessibility research, or quantitative analysis.

• Leadership: Progress to Senior UX Researcher, Lead UX Researcher, or UX Research Manager roles, taking on more complex projects and managing teams.

• Cross-functional Mobility: Transition into Product Management, Product Design, or Data Science roles by leveraging deep user understanding and analytical skills.

• Industry Exposure: Gain experience across different WBD brands and product types, deepening knowledge of the media and entertainment landscape.

• Skill Development: Access to internal training, external conferences, and workshops to enhance research techniques, analytical skills, and domain knowledge.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "3+ years" requirement and the broad salary range suggest this role offers a clear path for advancement. The emphasis on "growth mindset" and collaboration indicates opportunities for learning and development within a large organization.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid. This indicates a mix of remote work and in-office presence. The office is located at 30 Hudson Yards, New York, NY, a prominent modern office complex.

Office Location(s): 30 Hudson Yards, New York, NY, United States. This is a prime location in Manhattan, offering access to public transportation and a vibrant urban environment.

Workspace Context:

• The hybrid model allows for flexibility, balancing focused remote work with in-person collaboration, ideation sessions, and team building opportunities at the office.

• The office environment at 30 Hudson Yards is modern and likely equipped with collaborative spaces, meeting rooms, and the necessary technology to support hybrid work.

Work Schedule:

• Standard business hours (e.g., 9 AM - 5 PM ET) are typical, with flexibility often provided.

• Collaboration needs may require adjusting schedules for meetings with teams in different time zones or for conducting time-sensitive user research.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role, combined with a prestigious New York City address, suggests a professional environment that values work-life balance while maintaining strong team cohesion and in-person collaboration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or Recruiter call to assess basic qualifications, interest, and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Deeper dive into experience, skills, and role-specific understanding. May include behavioral questions.

• Portfolio Review: Presentation of selected case studies from your portfolio to demonstrate research process, methodologies, insights, and impact. This is a critical stage.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers, Product Designers, or other team members to assess collaboration style and ability to integrate research into product development.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader or department head to discuss strategic thinking and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Choose 3-4 projects that best showcase your mixed-methods expertise, D2C experience, and ability to drive impact.

• Structure Your Stories: For each project, clearly define the problem, your role and process, the methodologies used, key insights, actionable recommendations, and the actual or potential impact on business metrics (engagement, conversion, retention).

• Highlight Methodology: Explain why you chose specific methods for specific questions. Show your understanding of the strengths and limitations of each.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your research and recommendations.

• Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your decision-making process, how you handle conflicting data, and how you influence stakeholders.

Challenge Preparation:

• A take-home assignment or a live case study may be part of the process. This could involve critiquing an existing product's UX, proposing a research plan for a new feature, or analyzing a dataset.

• Practice articulating your thought process clearly and concisely. Focus on demonstrating your understanding of user-centered design principles and your ability to apply research methods effectively.

• Be ready to discuss how you would approach research in a fast-paced, news-driven environment like CNN's digital platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is the most crucial part of the application for a UX Researcher. Candidates should dedicate significant time to preparing compelling case studies that highlight their ability to deliver actionable insights and measurable business impact.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Usability Study Software: Tools like UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, or similar platforms for moderated and unmoderated usability testing.

• Survey Tools: Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, Google Forms, or specialized research platforms for designing and deploying surveys.

• Participant Recruitment & Management: Platforms like UserInterviews.com, Respondent.io, or internal panels.

• Collaboration & Documentation: MS Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides), Confluence, Miro, Figma.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics Platforms: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel for tracking user behavior and key metrics.

• Data Visualization Tools: Tableau, Power BI, Looker (potentially) for creating dashboards and reports.

• Statistical Software: SPSS, R, or Python libraries (e.g., SciPy, Statsmodels) for quantitative data analysis.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly managing CRM systems, understanding how user data is captured and managed within CRMs or CDPs (Customer Data Platforms) is beneficial.

• Familiarity with marketing automation tools can provide context on user journeys and engagement touchpoints.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency with a range of research tools is expected. The mention of "MS Suite" is a baseline, but experience with specialized UX research and analytics platforms is critical. Understanding how research data integrates with analytics platforms is also a plus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the user's needs and perspectives in all product decisions.

• Data-Driven Insights: Relying on rigorous research and analytics to inform strategy and measure impact, moving beyond intuition.

• Collaboration & Communication: Fostering strong partnerships across product, design, engineering, and business teams to ensure research is integrated effectively.

• Growth Mindset: Embracing continuous learning, experimentation, and adaptation in response to evolving user behaviors and market dynamics.

• Impact & Accountability: Focusing on delivering research that leads to measurable improvements in user experience and business outcomes, and taking ownership of research processes.

Collaboration Style:

• Partnership: Working as a true partner with Product Managers and Designers, providing insights that shape roadmaps and design decisions.

• Facilitation: Guiding teams through research processes, helping them understand user needs and data.

• Influence: Effectively communicating research findings to gain buy-in and drive action, even when challenging existing assumptions.

• Knowledge Sharing: Actively participating in team discussions, sharing learnings, and contributing to a culture of user understanding across the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: Warner Bros. Discovery's stated "Guiding Principles" likely influence team culture. For this role, expect a culture that values innovation, collaboration, and a strong sense of purpose in delivering compelling content and user experiences. The inclusion of "storytellers" and "dreamers" in their company description suggests an environment that appreciates creativity alongside rigorous analysis.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Pace of News: Adapting research methodologies and timelines to the fast-paced, often real-time demands of the digital news cycle.

• Data Volume & Complexity: Synthesizing insights from diverse data sources (qualitative research, web analytics, A/B tests, surveys) to create a cohesive understanding of user behavior.

• Cross-functional Alignment: Ensuring research insights are understood, prioritized, and acted upon by various stakeholders with potentially competing priorities.

• Measuring Long-Term Impact: Demonstrating the ROI of UX research, especially for foundational research that informs long-term strategy rather than immediate feature releases.

• Balancing Generative vs. Evaluative Research: Effectively allocating time and resources between exploring new opportunities and refining existing user experiences.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Methodologies: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specialized research techniques or quantitative analysis methods.

• Industry Trends: Staying ahead of evolving user expectations and technological advancements in digital media and news consumption.

• Mentorship: Learning from senior researchers and product leaders within a large, established organization.

• Cross-Brand Exposure: Gaining experience with different product types and user bases across WBD's diverse portfolio.

• Leadership Development: Potential pathways to manage research projects or mentor junior team members.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenge of operating within a news environment is significant. Candidates will need to demonstrate agility and the ability to deliver timely, actionable insights without sacrificing research rigor.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you used mixed-methods research to solve a complex product problem. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your systematic approach, methodology choice, and impact.)

• "How do you prioritize research requests when multiple stakeholders have urgent needs?" (Demonstrate your ability to manage stakeholder expectations and align research with business objectives.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about UX research at Warner Bros. Discovery, specifically within the CNN digital product space?" (Research WBD's mission, CNN's digital strategy, and recent product developments.)

• "How do you stay current with UX research trends and best practices?" (Showcase your commitment to continuous learning.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Tell a Story: Frame each case study as a narrative with a clear beginning (problem), middle (your process and insights), and end (solution and impact).

• Focus on Your Role: Clearly articulate your specific contributions, decision-making, and analytical contributions.

• Be Data-Informed: Weave in quantitative data and qualitative insights to support your conclusions. Highlight how you synthesized these.

• Emphasize Actionability: Show how your research translated into concrete recommendations and, ideally, measurable business outcomes.

• Prepare for Deep Dives: Be ready to answer detailed questions about your methodology, participant selection, data analysis techniques, and how you navigated challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating the ability to conduct rigorous research, translate complex findings into actionable insights, and effectively communicate with diverse stakeholders in a fast-paced media environment.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workday link: https://warnerbros.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/global/job/NY-New-York-30-Hudson-Yards/UX-Researcher_R000105128

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight keywords from the job description, especially "UX Researcher," "mixed-methods," "qualitative," "quantitative," "D2C," "conversion funnel," "usability studies," and "data analysis." Quantify achievements with metrics wherever possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 3-4 strong case studies that demonstrate your end-to-end research process, mixed-methods expertise, and impact. Ensure they showcase your ability to drive product decisions and business outcomes.

• Prepare for the Portfolio Presentation: Practice walking through your case studies, focusing on the problem, your approach, key insights, actionable recommendations, and measurable impact. Be ready for in-depth questions.

• Research WBD & CNN: Understand their mission, recent product launches/updates, and their position in the digital news landscape. This will help you tailor your responses and demonstrate genuine interest.

⚠️ 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.