Researcher Intern (PhD)

As a Researcher intern in either LoL Insights, Player Platform or Central User Research, you will dive into ambiguous problem spaces, applying a variety of research methods in creative ways to support the design work around the user experience of the platform's services and the investments around our player behavior systems. Additionally, you will partner with other Insights and Research Rioters from the different game teams to improve our understanding of our player audience and to ensure our services are built to best serve each game's needs. You will report to a Strategic Advisory Manager.

The Insights discipline helps empower Rioters to be more data-informed. We're an interdisciplinary group of scientists, consultants, and strategists from all sorts of backgrounds who join together to represent and advocate for gamers around the world. We believe that illuminating the globally diverse experiences, behaviors, and needs of gamers is important to Riot living up to our player-focused mission. We're a group united by our love of games, science, and helping others succeed.

Responsibilities:

Advocate for players and provide strategic guidance about their wants, needs, and behaviors
Partner with designers and producers as part of a product team to produce insights and frameworks that'll inform the features, systems, and experiences
Provide strategic insights to test teams' assumptions and inform their actions
Construct and implement studies and surveys designed to answer product, business, development, and usability questions
Design and moderate labs, guiding participants through a set of tasks and prompting them for sincere, relevant feedback
Share your results with other Rioters in clear, illustrative presentations

Required Qualifications:

Enrolled in a graduate program in Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related discipline plus 2 years of relevant research experience (An advanced degree can account for 1 or more years of experience depending on degree)
Available to work full-time hours for 10-12 week at our Santa Monica Headquarters (subject to change based on COVID-19 restrictions)
Authorized to work in the U.S.
Experience in qualitative and quantitative research methods (e.g., playtesting, focus groups, maxdiff/conjoint, writing large scale surveys)
Hypothesis-driven experimentation skills with emphasis on qual/quant user research techniques and playtesting/labs.
Familiarity with translating business questions into research plans
Experience summarizing & socializing research results and distilling results into impactful recommendations for product leadership

Desired Qualifications:

Experience working on a product or with game teams, including designers, engineers, artists
Familiarity with basic statistical methods for data analysis (regressions, correlations, factor analyses)
Experience translating complex research insights into a cohesive story for cross-functional stakeholders

For this role, you'll find success through craft expertise, a collaborative spirit, and choices that focus on your fellow Rioters, who are the customers of your work.

Our Perks:

We offer medical, dental, and vision plans that cover you, your spouse/domestic partner, and children. Life insurance, parental leave, plus short-term and long-term disability coverage are also available. Riot will support your retirement benefits with a company match, and double down on your donations of time and money to non-profit charitable organizations. Balance between work and personal life is encouraged with open paid time off, and a play fund so you can broaden and deepen your personal relationship with games.

Applications Close January 6th 12:00pm PT

(Los Angeles, CA only) Hourly range between $51.06 USD

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It’s our policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and members of Riot Games, Inc. Riot Games makes reasonable accommodations for handicapped and disabled Rioters and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, handicap, veteran status, marital status, criminal history, or any other category protected by applicable federal and state law, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance relating to an applicant's criminal history (LAMC 189.00).