Senior User Experience Researcher, Education

Senior User Experience Researcher, Education

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative was founded by Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg in 2015 to help solve some of society's toughest challenges — from eradicating disease and improving education to addressing the needs of our local communities. Our mission is to build a more inclusive, just, and healthy future for everyone.

The Opportunity

Educators are already using AI-based tools in various ways—including generating lesson plans, creating classroom materials such as tests and assignments, and helping differentiate instruction for students. At CZI, we are inspired and excited about the possibilities and promise of AI to accelerate the availability of research-backed practices at scale. We are actively and thoughtfully exploring how to incorporate AI into products in close partnership with researchers, experts, and educators.

As a Senior User Experience Researcher on the AI for Developer Tools team, you will lead complex research initiatives around AI developer tools and their integration into our education technology platform. This role will shape our AI strategy through deep user understanding and help us create developer experiences that enable innovative educational applications.

What You'll Do

1. Design and lead our AI developer tools research strategy, conduct complex mixed-methods studies, and drive strategic decisions about our AI platform development.
2. Establish research frameworks and collaborate with AI engineers to translate technical capabilities into intuitive developer experiences.
3. Partner with senior leadership to align research initiatives with company strategy.
4. Translate complex technical capabilities into actionable insights for cross-functional teams, including AI researchers, ML engineers, and product managers.
5. Research and improve developer experiences, including familiarity with platforms like GitHub, API testing tools, and technical documentation systems.
6. Analyze complex datasets and technical specifications to derive meaningful user insights.
7. Mentor junior researchers and establish research frameworks in fast-paced, technical environments.

What You'll Bring

• 5+ years of progressive research experience with 3+ years at a senior/staff level leading complex research initiatives.
• Deep product development research expertise, particularly in technical domains and developer-focused products.
• Proven experience designing and executing mixed-methods research studies that drive strategic product decisions.
• Strong technical fluency with AI/ML concepts and understanding of developer workflows, tools, and implementation challenges.
• Experience working in 0-1 spaces with full-stack cross-functional teams, demonstrating agility to iterate quickly and pivot as needed.
• Passion for the intersection of AI and education technology, with commitment to creating accessible and ethical AI tools.
• Strong strategic thinking capabilities with experience in influencing product strategy and collaborating with senior leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with developer communities and understand their motivations, interests, and pain points.

Compensation

The Redwood City, CA base pay range for this role is $163,000.00 - $224,400.00. New hires are typically hired into the lower portion of the range, enabling employee growth in the range over time. Actual placement in range is based on job-related skills and experience, as evaluated throughout the interview process.

Work Mode

As we grow, we're excited to strengthen in-person connections and cultivate a collaborative, team-oriented environment. This role is a hybrid position requiring you to be onsite for at least 60% of the working month, approximately 3 days a week, with specific in-office days determined by the team's manager. The exact schedule will be at the hiring manager's discretion and communicated during the interview process.

Benefits for the Whole You

We're thankful to have an incredible team behind our work. To honor their commitment, we offer a wide range of benefits to support the people who make all we do possible.

• CZI provides a generous employer match on employee 401(k) contributions to support planning for the future.
• Annual benefit for employees that can be used most meaningfully for them and their families, such as housing, student loan repayment, childcare, commuter costs, or other life needs.
• CZI Life of Service Gifts are awarded to employees to "live the mission" and support the causes closest to them.
• Paid time off to volunteer at an organization of your choice.
• Funding for select family-forming benefits.
• Relocation support for employees who need assistance moving to the Bay Area.
• And more!