Staff UX Researcher

About Okta:

Okta is The World’s Identity Company. We free everyone to safely use any technology— anywhere, on any device or app. Our Workforce and Customer Identity Clouds enable secure yet flexible access, authentication, and automation that transforms how people move through the digital world, putting Identity at the heart of business security and growth. 

At Okta, we celebrate a variety of perspectives and experiences. We are not looking for someone who checks every single box - we’re looking for lifelong learners and people who can make us better with their unique experiences. 

Join our team! We’re building a world where Identity belongs to you.

Position Description:

As our foundational Staff UX Researcher in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, you will lead and establish user research efforts locally, embedding UXR practices within our growing India-based cross-functional teams and taking ownership of high-impact research initiatives for a key Okta product area. This is a unique opportunity to promote and cultivate a user-centered culture, guiding local product, design, and engineering partners who are new to direct collaboration with UX research. You will work closely with these local teams daily, while also collaborating effectively with your global UXR colleagues and stakeholders. Your research will directly inform critical decisions, contributing to both the product's long-term vision and near-term development. You will be instrumental in establishing research operations in India, ensuring that foundational and evaluative insights are effectively leveraged to drive exceptional user experiences.

Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Work Mode: Hybrid (2-3 days Onsite per week)

Note: "This role requires in-person onboarding and travel to our Bengaluru, IN office during the first week of employment."

In this role, you’ll get to:

• Champion user-centered best practices and build strong, trusted relationships with product, design, and engineering leaders within our growing Bengaluru office
• Drive collaborative research initiatives with cross-functional teams and guide them in leveraging insights to inform decisions and foster a culture of curiosity
• Communicate complex insights clearly and persuasively to diverse audiences across all levels and time zones, ensuring seamless alignment within our global team
• Help define how our UX Research team best collaborates with and supports product development in the APAC region
• Establish and refine UX research processes, operational frameworks, and supporting tools tailored to the needs of the Bengaluru office, aligning with our global UX Research standards
• Build and manage key research operations, including leading APAC participant recruitment efforts and collaborating with our global UX Research Operations team to optimize our Dovetail research repository for local stakeholders
• Drive UX research enablement for local product designers, guiding them to effectively conduct evaluative research and ensuring foundational artifacts like personas are developed, maintained, and widely adopted
• Lead end-to-end research initiatives, expertly applying a flexible range of methodologies (generative and evaluative) to illuminate customer needs and deliver high-impact insights that drive product growth
• Share your expertise and insights with the global UX Research team, and play a pivotal role in building UX Research capacity within the Bengaluru office as the team grows
• Access global learning resources and collaborate with experienced researchers worldwide to continuously enhance your skills

You could be a fit if you have:

• Approximately 7-10+ years of dedicated UX Research experience, with a significant portion dedicated to leading complex research initiatives and driving product strategy
• Demonstrated ability to effectively introduce and integrate UX research into teams with limited prior exposure, clearly articulating its value and driving buy-in
• Experience thriving in a remote, globally distributed team environment, with a proven ability to manage asynchronous communication, maintain alignment across different time zones, and proactively build strong virtual working relationships
• Demonstrated ability to build rapport and influence stakeholders remotely, fostering a collaborative research environment across cultures
• A proactive and self-driven approach, with the ability to identify research opportunities, define project scope, and manage research end-to-end with minimal direct oversight in a new and evolving environment
• Proven ability to successfully project manage complex research initiatives, consistently delivering high-quality insights on time and within scope.
• Strong ability to plan, prioritize and organize effectively and independently
• Resourcefulness in navigating ambiguity and establishing new processes where needed
• Proven experience as an embedded UX Researcher with a track record of identifying and elevating user needs and driving the delivering of value to them
• Deep expertise and practical application of a wide range of research methodologies (e.g., usability studies, contextual inquiry, surveys, etc.), with a strong ability to select and adapt methods to diverse contexts
• Able to translate business problems into human-centered research questions, applying your technical understanding to inform company goals
• Proficiency in communicating user research findings with cross-functional partners to drive alignment and informed decisions
• Experience with products made for developers, administrators, or other technical audiences
• Handle multiple projects and tasks concurrently
• Strong decision making and problem solving capabilities while working with constraints 
• Skilled at tailoring research presentations for diverse internal audiences, including senior leadership
• Empathy for users and a passion for understanding technical experiences
• Experience working on security products is a plus
• Proven ability to guide collaborative sessions with cross-functional partners towards shared objectives
• A proactive and curious mindset with a dedication to continuous professional development, and a proven ability to contribute positively to the team's research culture and skill set

Education

• Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), or a related field, or equivalent demonstrable experience leading impactful user research initiatives

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