Sr. Staff Qualitative Product Researcher, Ads

Pinterest is looking for a Sr. Staff Qualitative Researcher to lead research in our highest-priority ads areas. We are looking for a seasoned researcher who can embed in complex, ambiguous problem spaces, uncover the advertiser and Pinner needs that matter most, and turn them into a clear learning agenda. In this role you’ll bring deep qual and mixed methods experience (as needed) to design, execute and communicate strategic research to senior stakeholders in the Ads org and beyond. You’ll shape strategy by partnering with Product, Design, and Engineering and presenting insights and written POVs directly to senior leadership. You’ll also help us decide where sustained research investment is needed, set direction for large cross-team research efforts, and mentor other researchers to raise the bar for qualitative craft. In this role, you’ll have ownership of a broad problem space, autonomy to set and execute your research agenda, and real influence over the ads roadmap and the holistic Pinner experience.

What you’ll do:

• Lead high-impact qualitative research in our most strategic ads areas: Embed in one or two high-priority problem spaces and own the full research cycle from discovery through execution, delivery, and influence on product decisions.
• Uncover and represent complex advertiser and user problems: Identify the deep, ambiguous customer needs that cut across the ads product, and translate them into clear opportunities for the business.
• Shape the research agenda: Work with Product, Design, Engineering, Data Science, and quantitative UX Research to scope and prioritize the questions that matter most for the areas you support, and independently identify where research can have the greatest impact.
• Choose the right method for the question: Plan, field, and synthesize research using the full range of qualitative methods, and partner with Data Science and quantitative researchers on mixed-methods studies that combine depth with scale.
• Influence strategy and roadmap: Partner with PMs and Designers to deliver informed, actionable recommendations, and communicate insights directly to leadership to help shape product direction. Author written POVs and cross-study syntheses that connect findings into a bigger picture.
• Assess where sustained research investment is needed: Evaluate whether an area warrants a long-term research presence, and make the case to leadership for where to invest.
• Use AI to amplify your craft:. Bring creativity to how you apply AI tools to research workflows and to how you land learnings, making cross-functional collaboration faster and more effective.
• Provide vision and direction for large collaborative efforts: Lead cross-team research initiatives across the ads organization (and as needed across ads and consumer orgs), setting direction and aligning partners around a shared point of view.
• Mentor and raise the bar: Coach and develop other researchers, and elevate qualitative craft across the team.

What we’re looking for:

• Minimum 7 years of experience in qualitative or mixed-methods user research, with a track record of leading research at a staff or senior staff level in a product organization, ideally in ads, marketplaces, or B2B/B2C platforms.
• Deep expertise across the qualitative toolkit. Fluency in interviews, ethnography, diary studies, usability testing, concept testing, and other methods, with sound judgment about which approach best fits the question, timeline, and decision at hand.
• Experience in mixed-methods research. Demonstrated success partnering with Data Science and quantitative UX Research to combine qualitative depth with quantitative scale, and to triangulate findings across data sources.
• Demonstrated ability to influence product strategy and roadmap supported by strong storytelling and recommendations that can drive action
• Strong executive communication skills and comfort presenting insights, written POVs, and recommendations to senior leaders (Sr. Directors +) and cross-functional partners, and tailoring the message to the audience.
• Ability to thrive in ambiguity and take an unstructured, high-urgency problem space, define the right questions, and build a learning agenda with minimal direction.
• Strong strategic judgment and decision quality to assess where research will have the greatest impact, prioritize accordingly, and make a clear case for where sustained investment is (or isn’t) warranted.
• Proven ability to collaborate with PMs, Designers, Engineers, Data Scientists, and quantitative researchers, and to build trust and credibility across disciplines.
• Experience leading large, collaborative research efforts with proven ability to set vision and direction across teams, align stakeholders around a shared point of view, and drive complex initiatives to completion.
• Curiosity and creativity in using AI tools. Enthusiasm for applying AI to research workflows, from synthesis to storytelling, to work faster and land insights in more compelling ways. Working knowledge of standard AI based research tools and capabilities preferred.
• Familiarity with ads (preferred). Understanding of advertiser needs, ad ecosystems and challenges is a plus, though not required.
• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field, or equivalent experience.

In-Office Requirement Statement:

• We let the type of work you do guide the collaboration style. That means we're not always working in an office, but we continue to gather for key moments of collaboration and connection.
• This role will need to be in the office for in-person collaboration 1-2 times/quarter and therefore can be situated anywhere in the country. Preferred locations: SF Bay Area (with ability to travel to SF or Palo Alto office as needed), Seattle, New York

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