Principal Design Researcher

Summary

Join Twilio as a Principal Design Researcher on the Emerging Technology and Innovation (ETI) team and lead Horizon 3 innovation, shaping breakthrough product concepts for the next 3-5+ years. You will look beyond current products to imagine the future based on technological advances. Working with researchers, engineers, and product managers, you will take ideas from concept to prototype, de-risking concepts and driving experimentation. You will reimagine future customer experiences and identify opportunities for Twilio's growth. Success will be measured by your ability to validate opportunities shaping the next era of growth for Twilio and the broader technology ecosystem. This role is remote but not eligible for hire in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, CA, or surrounding areas.

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in design research, user research, or a related field—preferably with time spent in innovation or new product development environments
• Proven track record of leading ambiguous, zero-to-one research programs in fast-paced, high-growth tech companies
• Mastery of a wide array of research methods, from ethnography and contextual inquiry to co-creation workshops and rapid concept validation
• Experience with qualitative and quantitative data, and ability to easily switch between big-picture thinking and tactical execution
• Exceptional communication, storytelling, and influence skills—executive presence a must
• Passion for working on highly cross-functional teams and an entrepreneurial, “builder” mentality
• Bachelor’s or advanced degree in HCI, Design, Psychology, Anthropology, or a related discipline

Responsibilities

• Define & Lead Research: Lead end-to-end qualitative and quantitative design research across early-stage, exploratory projects; rigorously uncover customer needs, pain points, and emerging trends
• Strategy & Opportunity Framing: Provide thought leadership and frameworks that connect research findings to business and product strategy; help teams prioritize opportunities and guide decision-making
• Synthesize Insights and communicate effectively: Distill complex data into clear, actionable narratives and frameworks for senior executives, product managers, and engineers
• Drive Experimentation: Collaborate with Product and Design to rapidly test new hypotheses via concepts, prototypes, and MVPs
• Mentorship: Mentor and elevate best practices for design research across the Horizon 3 team and broader Twilio UX community
• Customer Advocacy: Represent the voice of the customer in every conversation. Inspire teams to build solutions that surprise and delight customers

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with AI ML technology and customer engagement platforms
• Experience working in trust, security, or fraud prevention
• Experience guiding innovation in a multi-sided platform environment
• Portfolio or case studies illustrating your impact on breakthrough product or business opportunities

Benefits

• Competitive pay
• Generous time off
• Ample parental and wellness leave
• Healthcare
• A retirement savings program
• Health care insurance
• 401(k) retirement account
• Paid sick time
• Paid personal time off
• Paid parental leave