Qualitative Research Director & Moderator

About NRG

NRG is a leading global insights and strategy firm at the confluence of content, culture, and technology.  We stay ahead of what’s next, providing fresh insights to spark new ideas. We’re a trusted partner to our clients, working behind the scenes to bring imagination, depth, and clarity to their biggest challenges—in entertainment, technology, lifestyle, sports, and gaming.  Together, we create with confidence. 

We’re proud of our company’s values – these values guide us as we navigate sunny days, gray skies and everything in between:    

• Do what you love. With conviction. 

• Where discovery lives. And impact drives. 

• Celebrate difference. Cultivate belonging. 

• Big thinking. Collectively inspired. 

• Embrace the journey. Be human. 

The Opportunity

We are seeking a seasoned and strategic Director of Qualitative Research to lead a flagship workstream within our Devices & Services team. This role will have you serve as a primary lead for an ongoing, high-impact research program for one of the world’s most influential social media platforms, directly shaping how millions of users engage with and experience the product every day. This is the largest and highest-visibility qualitative track of the broader research program, directly impacting how our client optimizes the platform’s design, features, and content to create more engaging and user-centered experiences.  

You’ll lead complex qualitative research at scale, shaping study design, elevating methodological rigor, and delivering insights that influence product, design, and leadership decisions. The role requires senior-level craft expertise, exceptional judgment, and the ability to distill iterative learnings into strategic direction. As the consistent lead on this track, you will partner directly with cross-functional teams, including UXR, Design, and Product Management to translate user perspectives into concrete product action. 

Your Impact

• Lead the full lifecycle of a high-volume qualitative program, managing rolling design, advanced session moderation, rapid synthesis, and strategic reporting across ~30+ iterative rounds annually. 

• Develop rigorous research frameworks, crafting expert-level screeners and discussion guides, adapting approaches in real time, and surfacing patterns across iterative cycles. 

• Own the largest and most visible component of the client program, ensuring stability, continuity, and a consistently elevated standard of insight, polish, and reliability. 

• Lead in-person and remote research leveraging diverse qualitative methods such as interviews, diary studies, usability testing, focus groups, concept evaluations, journey mapping and more. 

• Conduct and oversee expert moderation—in-person and remote—creating an environment where users share deeply and authentically. 

• Synthesize complex signals into strategic guidance, turning fast-moving qualitative inputs into clear, actionable recommendations for product, design, and content decisions. 

• Manage multiple concurrent projects with efficiency and precision, ensuring all deliverables meet the highest standards of quality. Anticipates risks across multiple projects. 

• Serve as a senior strategic partner to client leadership, offering perspective, anticipating needs, and helping shape long-term research and product strategy. 

• Build strong cross-functional partnerships with Design, UXR, and PM stakeholders, ensuring insights translate directly into product opportunities and prioritization. 

• Provide leadership across the Devices & Services team, mentoring researchers, shaping qualitative and UX best practices, and elevating the craft across the wider group. 

• Collaborate with senior team members and provide oversight to junior team members in coordinating logistics with internal and external operations teams (programming, fieldwork, facilities, data processing), and partnering with these teams to drive projects forward on stringent timelines. 

• Model autonomy and sound judgment, navigating ambiguity, making senior-level decisions, and upholding excellence without heavy oversight. 

Who We're Looking For

• Experience – We’d love for you to have 7+ years of hands-on experience designing and conducting a range of qualitative methodologies and studies. 

• Your degree(s) – Ideally looking for a B.A./B.S. degree in areas such as Psychology, Anthropology, Information Science, UX Design, Computer Science, or a related field. 

• Moderation Mastery – Skilled in leading engaging user sessions that uncover meaningful insights. 

• UX Research Expertise: Expert at understanding user behaviors and conducting UX research. 

• Qualitative Rigor: Able to write screeners, manage recruitment, and craft thoughtful discussion guides. 

• Communication and storytelling – Strong writing skills where you can craft a story around data insights and clearly communicate key points in a succinct manner. You have great verbal communication skills as well and are highly skilled at presenting to groups and sharing your point of view. 

• Data driven – Expert at working with data to identify trends and insights, including both structured (i.e. data and hard numbers) and unstructured (i.e. interviews and qualitative) data. Advanced data visualization skills using tools such as Excel, PowerPoint, Google Docs and Slides. 

• Passion – An enthusiasm for research, data driven approaches, and strategic thinking. You enjoy staying up to date on social media trends, user behaviors, and platform design.  

• Client-centric – Proven experience nurturing and building relationships with clients, understanding their goals and ensuring we deliver on those and confidently providing strategic guidance to them.  

• Leadership – You can mentor and inspire junior team members. 

• Self-starter – Internally-motivated who continuously strives to get things done well, regardless of challenges encountered. 

• Expert multitasker – Successfully manages time and multiple competing priorities to ensure deadlines are always met. Staying organized is a must for managing projects! 

• Hawk-eyed attention to detail – Errors don’t get past you and you are always focused on ensuring high levels of quality control and reporting. 

• Great Team Member – Team player who is able to work collaboratively and harmoniously within a team and across teams. You will roll up your sleeves to help get the job done and no task is beneath you. You welcome feedback because you have a zest for learning and growing. 

Position Type

This is a full-time, exempt position. 

What We Offer

We embrace the current era of work and what it means to be a best-in-class employer. We understand the flexibility that is required to recruit and retain incredible talent, whether it’s empowering you to do your best work from the comfort of your home or supporting you if you need to take a mental health day for self-care and rest. Below is a unique blend of benefits tailored to meeting the ever-changing professional landscape.  

• Flexible/Remote work with optional usage of our great offices in Culver City and New York 

• Unlimited PTO, volunteer days and a generous number of recharge days including a full office closure during the week of Christmas and New Year’s  

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance Plans  

• 401K with company match 

• 12 weeks paid Parental Leave 

• Regular performance evaluations with opportunities for promotions and merit increases  

• Educational and training reimbursement plan and other training and professional development opportunities 

• Employee perks program (includes discounts on travel, hotels, cars, fitness, movie tickets and more) 

• Resources available for mental health, inclusive care and family building 

• NRGratitude – our company-wide employee recognition program 

• Regular team/company events and activities including annual summer and holiday parties 

• Pet friendly headquarters and pet insurance options  

Our Commitment

Diversity, equity, and inclusion is at the center of all our practices to ensure that NRG is a place where people from all identities and backgrounds can thrive. NRG is committed to recruiting and retaining diverse talent by supporting their growth through learning programs, internal mobility, affinity group participation and leadership development. Our differences make us a stronger workforce and enhance our creativity and innovation. We are proud to be an inclusive workplace for all and are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state, federal, or local law.   

Compensation

In order to comply with equal pay and salary transparency laws in various locations, we believe the target range of base compensation in all locations within the United States for this role is $100,000-$120,000. Actual compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, and location.