UX Research Scientist

At Meta Reality Labs (RL), we are inventing the future. We bring together a team of researchers, developers, & engineers to build the future of connection within virtual and augmented reality. You will be leveraging a background in human perception, cognition, motor control and movement (or related) to define, assess and enhance the form, function and dynamics of our hardware and software. You must be a data enthusiast, and creatively develop metrics for investigating novel challenges in a variety of areas, including sensors, displays, wearable device form factors, etc. You will break down ambiguous problems and master research methods, including but, not limited to, design of experiments, critical literature reviews, psychophysics & threshold detection, visual and cognitive attention paradigms, biomechanics & ergonomics, and safety research approaches.You will prove highly effective at driving insights into actionable product engineering & development outcomes and metrics and collaborate closely with cross functional partners to help shape critical product and technology decisions across the product design and development life cycle. You will work across multi-disciplinary hardware and software teams to push the boundaries of RL products while enhancing the value users get from these products. Ultimately, your expertise and ingenuity in research must do more than just contribute to knowledge and assessment - you must also be skilled at driving measurable impact on the user experience of our products.

• In Reality Labs, the focus areas of UX Research Scientists can vary from health & safety to visual perception to biomechanics & ergonomics. Regardless of the focus area, the primary responsibility is to develop frameworks that clearly define the trade space between user variables and technology variables, and to develop methodologies for investigating novel challenges.
• Develop ergonomic, perceptual, or psychological research studies by utilizing appropriate methods, which may include experimental design
• critical literature reviews
• psychophysical and attentional paradigms
• motion tracking and kinematics analysis
• behavioral analytics
• and relevant applied research approaches for ergonomics and user safety.
• Develop and track subjective and objective metrics for quality of performing fundamental AR/VR tasks across a variety of use contexts, such as inside the home, walking in public spaces, or driving.
• Investigate effects of human multisensory interactions, attention, and control dynamics on performance and safety of AR/VR tasks.
• Analyze rich and multidimensional data, develop descriptive and analytical models, and shape actionable insights from research findings.
• Effectively communicate outcomes and insights from studies
• support decision-making and specifications development for RL hardware and software products
• and drive measurable impact on the user experience.
• Create close partnerships with a variety of leadership, research and product stakeholders to ensure a broad understanding of the product needs and priorities while driving UX goals.

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, relevant technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
• PhD in Perceptual/Cognitive/Experimental Psychology, Cognitive Science, Kinesiology, Biomedical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Human-Computer Interaction or a closely related scientific or engineering field.
• Demonstrated scientific background in human perception, cognition, or motor control, with experience applying such knowledge in analyzing and interpreting relevant human behaviors associated with novel systems.
• 5+ years of experience in experimental design, behavioral analysis, literature review, and proficiency with inferential statistics.
• Proven track record of rigorous scientific research, including development of metrics and novel scientific approaches.
• Demonstrated track record of clear and concise communication, demonstrated experience translating technical concepts to drive understanding and buy-in from audiences, and proven experience of successfully building effective partnerships.
• Demonstrated experience in understanding humans' performance and limitations to directly influence product design.

• 2+ years of experience in conducting research for novel products headed to market.
• Experience in research for emerging consumer technologies, AR/VR/MR or wearable technology, or driver assistive technologies.
• Experience in research across the full product life-cycle.
• Experience evaluating product safety, quality or usability across realistic use contexts.
• Training and experience in both basic and applied research techniques, such as psychophysical judgment tasks, perception-response time paradigms, eye tracking, body motion tracking, postural stability measures, and human motor control and kinematics analysis.
• The right candidate will be an effective communicator, interested in understanding people, and curious about the evolving complex relationship between humans' sensorimotor and cognitive systems and the novel hardware and software technologies in development at RL