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Principal Product Design Researcher

Apply Now Apply Later Job ID 10111870 Location Glendale, California, United States / Santa Monica, California, United States / San Francisco, California, United States / New York, New York, United States / Seattle, Washington, United States Business Disney Entertainment & ESPN Technology Date posted Mar. 14, 2025

Job Summary:

About The Role & Team

On any given day at Disney Entertainment & ESPN Technology, we’re reimagining ways to create magical viewing experiences for the world’s most beloved stories while also transforming Disney’s media business for the future. Whether that’s evolving our streaming and digital products in new and immersive ways, powering worldwide advertising and distribution to maximize flexibility and efficiency, or delivering Disney’s unmatched entertainment and sports content, every day is a moment to make a difference to partners and to hundreds of millions of people around the world. 

We are looking for a Principal Product Design Researcher to join our Product Design team. In this role, you will develop a systematic approach to research, analyze human needs, motivations, and trends, and provide valuable insights to guide near-to-long-term strategic planning.


 

A few reasons why we believe you’d love working here:

  • Impact – We are shaping the future of Disney Entertainment. Our design and research drive innovation across our entire portfolio, from ESPN to Marvel and beyond, creating magical experiences for audiences worldwide.

  • Collaboration – Our team includes the industry's most talented designers, UX engineers, design operations experts, and leaders, all working together to push the boundaries of creativity and user experience.

  • Innovation – We pioneer groundbreaking products and techniques that redefine industry standards, transforming how audiences engage with sports, entertainment, and news.
     

What You Will Do

A Principal Product Design Researcher plays a critical role in leveraging research, data, and human-centered design methodologies to inform product strategy today and drive innovation tomorrow. This role focuses on identifying key user needs, guiding the development of data-driven, user-centric solutions and operationalizing key research practices. As part of a multidisciplinary design team, the role will collaborate with experts across design, UX, and data to create cutting-edge products that enhance user experiences and drive business impact.

Build our research POV: Build and sustain a program for collecting, synthesizing, and communicating  insights on human needs, motivations, and trends, to inform near and long term strategic efforts and programs. You operationalize key systems and processes to help benefit the broader business.

Conduct Qualitative & Quantitative Research: Conduct user interviews, surveys, market analysis, usability, and other research methods to gather deep insights into customer needs and behaviors. 

Communicate Insights & Data: Translate and present research findings, data, and recommendations in a clear, concise, and impactful manner to both designers, their partners and leadership. 

Accelerate Rapid Prototyping & Testing: Helping develop and test prototypes of new solutions to validate concepts and gather feedback quickly.
 

Required Qualifications & Skills

  • BA/BS or equivalent experience required

  • 10+ years of research or other relevant experience 

  • Have managed, lead, and inspired teams of researchers

  • Strong portfolio or set of case studies showcasing a range of projects demonstrating your research process, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
     

Preferred Qualifications

  • Have resource planned and staffed projects and groups based on the available skills to deliver excellent design solutions on time.

  • Possess a broad and comprehensive understanding of different systems, theories, and practices of design leadership.

  • Identified and set platform strategies, envisioned complex user interactions, and inspired teams to push the boundaries of what’s possible.

  • Can communicate complex concepts clearly and persuasively across different audiences and varying levels of the organization.
     


The hiring range for this position in Glendale/Santa Monica is $167,700 to $224,900 per year, in NYC or Seattle is $175,800 to $235,700 per year and in San Francisco is $183,700 to $246,400 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.

About Disney Entertainment & ESPN Technology:

Disney Entertainment and ESPN Technology (DE&E Technology) provides the technological backbone and product development for Disney’s two media business units, while helping to keep the company at the vanguard of innovation – enabling the Company to continuously leverage technology to enhance storytelling and creativity, while delivering scalability, flexibility, and efficiency for its businesses.

About The Walt Disney Company:

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise that includes three core business segments: Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Disney Experiences. From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to its preeminent name in the entertainment industry today, Disney proudly continues its legacy of creating world-class stories and experiences for every member of the family. Disney’s stories, characters and experiences reach consumers and guests from every corner of the globe. With operations in more than 40 countries, our employees and cast members work together to create entertainment experiences that are both universally and locally cherished.

This position is with Disney Streaming Technology LLC, which is part of a business we call Disney Entertainment & ESPN Technology.

Disney Streaming Technology LLC is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military or veteran status, medical condition, genetic information or disability, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state or local law. Disney champions a business environment where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a constantly evolving world.

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