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This is an exciting opportunity for a Lead User Researcher to join our team at Creative Assembly. This role will be based at our headquarters in Horsham, in the heart of West Sussex.

As a Lead User Researcher, you’ll report to the Head of User Research where you’ll help to define and refine UX Research processes for the studio. Your primary goals will be to help our development teams create world class games by providing reliable and actionable feedback on game usability and sentiment/experience, and to help lead the User Research team (currently 6 researchers in total).

You will conduct research on multiple genres of games, including Total War, a long running mixed turn-based and real-time strategy title, and HYENAS, our new FPS, plus others.

The goal of the User Research department is to provide developers with player feedback to help them improve our games. Examples of this include, but are not limited to, onboarding adjustments to help players learn core systems better, adjusting the UI for increased intuitiveness, gauging if we are delivering the intended core gaming experience, and increasing the accessibility of our games.

Flexible working at Creative Assembly includes hybrid, fully remote within country of employment for eligible roles, and in-studio. We recognise that there is no one-size-fits-all approach and empower our teams to define the working patterns which work best for them, which may mean different things for different teams and roles and at different times.

This role is hybrid based in our Horsham Studio. You will also be required to come into our UX labs to lead and conduct in-person studies . Further details can be discussed during the recruitment process.

Key Responsibilities

The Creative Assembly User Research department plans, executes, and delivers research studies and playtests across Creative Assembly’s multiple teams and projects, as well other SEGA studios, such as Amplitude, Relic, Searchlight, Sports Interactive, and Two Point Studios.

On a day-to-day basis, you will:

• Help plan and design a range of user research tests to support the design, development, and improvement of SEGA products, working with development teams, including but not limited to Production, Design, QA, Marketing, and Analytics
• Lead and conduct in-person studies and usability testing to discover problems with UI and system interactions, sentiment testing to gauge sentiment towards the games’ core experience
• Provide expert analysis to review the early presentation and interaction of game systems, as well as other methods like prototype testing, accessibility testing, etc
• Work with and guide other user researchers to improve and standardise research practices
• Help design best practices and define the long-term User Research roadmap for the department and be responsible for leading several of our long-term projects.

Knowledge, Skill, and Experience

Essential

• A strong background in Games User Research
• Previous experience leading or managing teams
• A passionate interest in video games, as well as a good understanding of video games, genres, and key video game concepts
• Strong verbal and written communication skills in order to work effectively with multiple different game teams and departments
• Ability to manage time effectively, meet deadlines, and adapt to changing priorities.

Desirable

• A degree in Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, or a related subject area, or equivalent industry experience.

About Creative Assembly

It’s an exciting time to be a part of our craft-led studio as we push boundaries, creating deep and detailed experiences that last.

Our teams are diverse from across the world, from trainees to industry veterans who constantly challenge us and make sure we are striving for the best within our games and our studio life. We are united through our shared values of Quality, Focus, Teamwork, Respect and Trust and we win awards for our culture and our people-centric approach, having won a Best Place to Work Award for six consecutive years. We invest in our people, the studio, and our projects. We are a company that’s secure and safe – you don’t need to worry about job security at CA.

We’ll give you the creative freedom, tools, support, and development to achieve your potential.

We have studio locations across Horsham, UK in Newcastle, UK and Sofia, Bulgaria. These include several bespoke state-of-the-art audio suites and a dedicated motion capture facility.

We offer many benefits to support you and your family including:

• Flexible working: hybrid, fully remote within country of employment for eligible roles, and in-studio working
  
• Work from Anywhere for a temporary period each year (restrictions apply such as VISAs)
  
• Enhanced holiday allowance, maternity and paternity breaks, flexibility with our core hours, and no-notice holidays
  
• Bespoke relocation package for you and your dependents, with support throughout the process from our dedicated Relocation Specialists
  
• Private medical and dental insurance, life insurance, permanent health insurance, critical illness cover and free health care screening
  
• Generous holiday allowance plus full studio closure over the Christmas and New Year period, and all UK Bank holidays
  
• Annual discretionary studio bonus
  
• Join our award-winning education and social responsibility programme; the Legacy Project, as an industry ambassador to mentor and educate others
  
• Defined career development pathways and personalised training support including SEGA Dev Day, internal masterclasses, prestigious creative workshops, on-site training with renowned specialists and global conference attendance
  
• Opportunity to join our Diversity and Inclusion Network – an employee-led group
  
• Season ticket travel loans and cycle to work scheme with free bike servicing and discounted car valet service on site
  
• Free games and merchandise plus access to our extensive games library
  
• Free breakfast in the studio every day - toast, bagels, pancakes, cereals, yoghurts, fresh fruit, smoothies, juices, milkshakes and more in our fully stocked kitchen
  
• Wellbeing support with an employee assistance programme and onsite confidential sessions
  
• In-studio heavily subsidised massage therapy
  
• Discounts for home technology, travel insurance, corporate gym membership, cinema tickets, holidays, trips out and Ikea vouchers, and many local businesses including estate agents
  
• Studio parties for you and your family; such as our Summer Festival, Christmas Party plus a separate Children’s Christmas Party. We also have Cinema days and wrap parties for game releases
  
• Studio community activities such as life drawing, creative writing, Pilates, Walking Challenges, Couch to 5k, basketball, game and movie evenings, board game club, 5-a-side football, CA Choir, Sword fighting (yes, sword fighting) and loads more.

Our studio sites have disabled access. We are an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief.