Games User Researcher

THE COMPANY

Solsten is advancing the human experience by empowering companies to build deeply resonating and healthier human-centered digital experiences and products.

At the intersection of play, psychology, and AI, our suite of products give brands the ability to understand and meet their audiences’ experiential expectations at every step of their journey—ushering in a new era of technology that is better for people, and brilliant for businesses.

THE ROLE

We are seeking a highly skilled Games User Researcher to be an integral team member of the Player Research Team. In this role, you will provide expert guidance on user research methodologies, conduct studies, and deliver actionable insights to help improve player experiences across our wide catalog of game industry clients.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Research Execution: Plan, design, and conduct a variety of user research studies, including playtests, usability testing, focus groups, surveys, and ethnographic studies. Adapt methods to suit different project needs and constraints.
• Consulting Services: Offer expert advice on the design and implementation of user research strategies tailored to the specific needs of each project. Provide insights into the latest trends and best practices in games user research.
• Data Analysis: Analyze research data to identify player behavior patterns, usability issues, and areas for improvement. Use a variety of data analysis tools and techniques to provide comprehensive insights. (I.e. Descriptive statistics, linear regression, crosstab analysis, etc.)
• Survey Writing and Analysis: Design, write, and refine surveys to collect accurate, relevant data for research or business purposes.
• Reporting and Presentation: Prepare detailed reports and presentations summarizing research findings. Clearly communicate actionable recommendations to stakeholders, ensuring they are practical and aligned with project goals.
• Collaboration: Work closely with clients (game designers, developers, and other stakeholders) to ensure that research findings are integrated into the game development process. Offer ongoing support and advice throughout the project lifecycle.
• Player Personas: Leverage our proprietary psychographic audience insights data for recruiting and data analysis to help teams better understand and target their audience.
• Flexibility and Adaptability: Quickly understand and adapt to different company cultures, project needs, and development cycles. Be prepared to work on a variety of games and platforms, from mobile to console to VR/AR.
• Ethical Research Practices: Ensure all research activities adhere to ethical standards, particularly in terms of player privacy and data security.

YOUR BACKGROUND

• Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Psychology, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Cognitive Science, Anthropology, or a related field.
• Experience: 3+ years of experience in user or player research, with a proven track record of delivering insights that have positively impacted design and development.
  • Ideally, experience in games research
  • Ideally, experience working in a SaaS environment
• Technical Skills: Strong proficiency in various research methodologies, data analysis tools (e.g., SPSS, R, Excel), and usability testing software. Experience with game analytics tools is beneficial.
• Survey Skills: Strong understanding of survey methodologies, question types (e.g., multiple choice, Likert scale, open-ended), and best practices for minimizing bias.
  • Basic knowledge of statistics, including sample size calculation, margin of error, confidence intervals, and data weighting is helpful.
  • Expertise in writing clear, unbiased, and effective survey questions to gather meaningful data.
• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Ability to translate complex research findings into clear, actionable insights for diverse audiences.
• Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to quickly diagnose and address user experience issues.
• Industry Knowledge: Deep understanding of gaming culture, trends, and player behaviors. Familiarity with various gaming platforms and genres.
• Project Management: Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, with a strong emphasis on meeting deadlines and delivering high-quality results.
• Independence: Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while maintaining high standards of work quality.

HOW YOU STAND OUT

• Experience with PC/Console research.
• Previous experience in the gaming industry.
• Knowledge of agile development processes.

YOUR SOLSTEN EXPERIENCE

At the heart of Solsten is our people. We pride ourselves with the incredible team that makes up the company and are deeply humbled by each one of our employees. We have grown beyond measure and have amassed an incredible team of talented, passionate, and amazing individuals. It is our biggest priority to give all members of Solsten the space and motivation to WANT to journey on this career path with us and continue to be a part of our success. Here are some of the things our current employees appreciate:

• Competitive, location-based salary
• Flexible paid time off (unlimited with a minimum requirement of 25 days off)
• Annual Wellness & Experience bonus
• Work equipment: laptop and necessary peripherals
• A people-first culture with a major emphasis on experience
• A company that is invested in you, your ideas, and your growth
• An opportunity to join a quickly scaling startup

WHERE YOU WILL WORK

Our team is spread out across the world, with hubs in Berlin, and Minneapolis. We believe that having our team close to one another fosters better communication and productivity. This role requires you to be based in Minneapolis, MN, USA where you will have an exciting working environment.

OUR COMMITMENT

Solsten is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, genetics, disability, or age.