Staff UX Researcher (R2499)

Introduction to Shield AI

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology company whose mission is to protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems. In pursuit of this mission, Shield AI is building the world’s best AI pilot. Its AI pilot, Hivemind, has flown a fighter jet (F-16), a vertical takeoff and landing drone (V-BAT), and a quadcopter (Nova). The company has offices in San Diego, Dallas, Washington DC and abroad. Shield AI’s products and people are currently in the field actively supporting operations with the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. allies.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Staff UX Researcher role at Shield AI is a force multiplier for cross-functional teams focused on solving complex problems associated with command and control of autonomous Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). Supporting the creation and evolution of products that enable, empower and scale human operators, your work will result in direct mission impact while ensuring safe and successful mission planning, rehearsal, execution, and debrief.

In this business critical high-visibility role, reporting into the Head of Product Design and Research, you will plan and conduct mixed methods research, the results of which will drive design and product decisions on initiatives related to human-robot collaboration. You will work alongside engineers, product managers, technical directors, designers, and operators devoted to excellence, committed to collaboration, and focused on harnessing the power of AI to protect service members, first responders, and civilians.

An ideal candidate should have prior experience leading research efforts in the autonomy, gaming, or creative/engineering tooling spaces. They should aspire to be part of an industry-changing team developing autonomy for the defense space.

WHAT YOU'LL DO:

Determine, scope and plan qualitative and quantitative research methods, taking into account tactical and strategic contexts, goals, knowledge gaps and constraints.

Execute mixed methods research in support of product discovery and delivery activities, partnering closely with product managers, product designers, engineers, and other cross-functional partners.

Influence design direction and product strategy through stakeholder interviews, participatory design, early concept testing, formative and summative usability testing and post-launch research.

Communicate findings and make recommendations in a consumable and engaging way, connecting research insights to business outcomes.

Conduct secondary research, analyzing and synthesizing findings to generate insights with actionable recommendations.

Define and uphold a standard of excellence when it comes to research deliverables.

Propose new programs, processes and systems in support of continuous growth and evolution of the Research function.

Educate broader team members on research best practices and evangelize research methods and results throughout the organization.

Be the go-to subject matter expert of the product(s) within your remit.

Mentor other researchers and contribute to a culture of growth and collaboration.

Stay organized, manage time effectively and prioritize work between multiple projects and deadlines.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

A minimum of 7 years of user research experience, which includes foundational understanding of and experience with ethnographic, contextual inquiry, exploratory/generative research techniques, a solid understanding of evaluative research and a demonstrable knowledge of a variety research methodologies and approaches.

A minimum of 7 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 6 years and a Master’s degree; or 4 years with a PhD; or equivalent work experience.

A portfolio of work representing research that you’ve planned and conducted influencing design direction and product strategy as a result.

Ability to work efficiently, demonstrating bias for action in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment.

Excellent communication skills, with strong ability to synthesize and communicate ideas visually, verbally and in writing, across different audiences at varying levels of the organization.

Understanding of the full software development lifecycle.

A product-centric researcher. You think about the value of research in terms of product development and outcomes.

Curiosity for autonomy, robotics and core machine learning concepts ranging from simple, binary supervised learning to the state-of-the-art in reinforcement learning.

Experience creating repeatable, scalable research methods

Expert skills in Excel, PowerPoint and other relevant visual communication and data visualization tools.

BS/MS in Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, HCI, Cognitive Science, Social Science, Statistics or another relevant field.

#LI-AM1 #LD

Total package details:

Regular employee positions: Salary within range listed above + Bonus + Benefits + Equity

Temporary employee positions: Hourly within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)

*Interns/Military Fellows/Part-time not eligible for bonus, benefits or equity

Actual compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background check.

If you're interested in being part of our team, apply now!

Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.

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Staff UX Researcher (R2499)

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