Senior Staff Mixed Methods User Researcher, Mozilla
$152-238k
Salary range dependent on candidate location. Plus performance-based bonus plans
Internet software for people, not profit
Be an early applicant
Internet software for people, not profit
1001+ employees
Be an early applicant
$152-238k
Salary range dependent on candidate location. Plus performance-based bonus plans
1001+ employees
Company mission
To ensure the internet remains open and accessible.
Role
Who you are
- 8+ years of applied research work experience (or equivalent), including strategic research leadership in complex organizations, with at least 6 years in the tech/SaaS industry
- Extensive experience leading both evaluative and generative research across multiple phases of the product development lifecycle
- Demonstrated success operating in fast-paced, agile environments, adapting to shifting priorities while maintaining research impact
- Deep expertise in qualitative methods (e.g., interviews, concept testing, usability studies) and practical experience with quantitative approaches (e.g., survey design, data analysis)
- Exceptional judgment in setting research priorities at the program level, making trade-offs across multiple concurrent workstreams, and advising other researchers on method, scope, and strategic framing
- Deep, current knowledge of AI tools used in research workflows, with the expertise to evaluate their outputs critically, define organisational standards for their use, and guide the team in applying them responsibly and effectively
- Recognised as an internal expert in research methodology, with the ability to introduce novel approaches, advance the field, and advise others where standard methods fall short
- Collaborative and influential communicator, skilled at building partnerships with cross-functional teams and driving alignment through evidence-based insights
- Experienced in supporting iterative, user-centered product development, ensuring research continuously informs design and strategy
- Commitment to our values:
- Welcoming differences
- Being relationship-minded
- Practicing responsible participation
- Having grit
What the job involves
- The Firefox User Research team champions human-centered exploration of complex problems, using evidence, data, and insight to drive decision-making. We use mixed methods research to understand business needs and uncover user insights that inform product and design strategy
- In this role, you’ll serve as a research leader across the organisation, contributing to the strategic direction for how research is practised and coaching and mentoring the next generation of researchers. You will lead both evaluative and foundational studies in close partnership with product managers, designers, engineers, data scientists, and fellow researchers. You’ll apply qualitative and quantitative methods to understand users’ experiences, contexts, motivations, and behaviors, translating those findings into clear, actionable insights that shape roadmaps and strategies
- Lead the most complex, ambiguous, and highest-stakes research studies, setting the standard for research excellence and directly shaping product vision at the organisational level
- Drive user-centered decision-making at the executive level, influencing directors and VPs and ensuring user needs are embedded in the long-term product and business strategy
- Partner cross-functionally at a strategic level with product, design, engineering, data science, and marketing to identify high-impact research opportunities and align insights to business priorities
- Integrate diverse data sources — qualitative and quantitative research, behavioral data, and market intelligence — to build cohesive, evidence-based perspectives on user experience
- Leverage AI tools thoughtfully across the research workflow while applying critical review to ensure outputs are accurate
- Define standards for responsible AI use in research, establishing frameworks that the broader team adopts and that position Mozilla as a leader in ethical AI-assisted research practice
- Elevate the research practice by setting the methodological bar, identifying capability gaps across the team, and mentoring Staff researchers and below
Our take
Mozilla develops a range of free and open-source software, with its most familiar product being Firefox. Operated with a mission-driven, not0for-profit ethos, Mozilla champions online privacy, open standards and user-choice.
Beyond Firefox, Mozilla has focused on privacy forward offerings such as Mozilla VPN, which allows users to browse securely without being tracked. The company has also streamlined its product portfolio to concentrate on initiatives that align closely with its core mission, ensuring resources are dedicated to improving user experiences while fostering safer, more open digital environments.
Alongside this, its impact extends into the developer and tech community, having played a pivotal role in the creation of Rust, a systems programming language celebrated for its speed and efficiency. With a loyal user base, ongoing innovation, and a clear commitment to privacy and open-source principles, Mozilla remains an influential player in the technology landscape.
Freddie
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
12% employee growth in 12 months
Company
Funding (last 2 of 3 rounds)
Apr 2018
$1.2m
GRANT
Jan 2005
$0.3m
ANGEL
Total funding: $3.5m
Company benefits
- Health and wellness: Mozilla covers medical, dental and vision plan premiums at 100% for U.S. and Canadian employees. Our offerings give you the options you need to manage your health — and your family’s — the way you want.
- Mental health: Mental health is as important as our physical health. That’s why Mozilla’s health benefits include therapy and coaching sessions to make sure our people have access to the care they need.
- Time away: With all of life’s demands, time away from work to disconnect and recharge is essential. In addition to country-specific holidays (12 in the U.S. and Canada), vacation and sick time start accruing right away (specifics vary by country). Everyone also takes a pause together on quarterly all-company wellness days, plus you get to celebrate the most personal holiday of all: your birthday.
- Parental leave: While Mozilla’s parental leave policies vary globally, our U.S. and Canadian-based employees can look forward to 26 weeks of paid leave for childbearing parents and 12 weeks of paid leave for non-childbearing parents.
- Financial: Mozilla is a private company, so our compensation isn’t tied to stock options or equity plans. Instead, we offer generous, performance-based bonus plans to all regular employees to underscore that we share in our success as one team. As for retirement savings for US and Canadian employees, Mozilla contributes a percentage of your eligible base salary each year to the 401(k) Plan/RRSP (regardless of whether you contribute or not), with 100% vesting.
- Learning and development: We’re big believers in learning by doing, and we also want to invest in your education and development beyond your role. Every employee is eligible for an annual professional development budget. Mozillians can put it toward technical or management training, certifications, conferences and more.
- Help when you need it: Life is full of surprises; that’s why it’s important to be prepared. Mozilla provides Life/AD&D and Short and Long Term Disability insurance (offerings may vary by locale) to ensure that you and your family will have a safety net in place should you ever need it.
- Plus a bit more: A few other benefits include a quarterly wellbeing stipend (to use on those things just for you), an employee referral bonus, internet reimbursement if you’re remote, and a budget for office essentials to make working remotely ergonomically comfortable.
Company HQ
Rincon Hill, San Francisco, CA
Leadership
Laura Chambers
(CEO)Alongside serving as the CEO at Mozilla, Laura is an Executive Fellow at Harvard Business School. Previously, she was the CEO and PResident at Willow Innovation, Director at Patelco Credit Union, and General Manager of Core Hosts & Community at Airbnb.
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