Job Description

At Meta Reality Labs (RL), we are inventing the future. We bring together a driven team of researchers, developers, and engineers to build the future of connection within virtual and augmented reality.

As a UX Research Scientist at RL, you are expected to have breadth and depth of scientific background in one or more areas such as human perception, cognition, motor control and movement. You will be leveraging this background in service of defining, assessing and enhancing the form, function and dynamics of our hardware and software. You must have demonstrated proficiency in data analysis and interpretation, 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, which may include (but may not be limited to) design of experiments, critical literature reviews, psychophysics and threshold detection, visual and cognitive attention paradigms, biomechanics and ergonomics, and safety research approaches.

The ideal applicant will have experience communicating research findings to diverse stakeholders and a demonstrated interest in understanding human behavior, and curious about the evolving complex relationship between human sensorimotor/cognitive systems and the novel technologies in development at RL.

Although candidates should have hands-on experience conducting in-depth studies for industry application, we are looking for researchers who also have demonstrated experience in understanding humans' capabilities and limitations to directly influence product design. You will drive insights into actionable product engineering and development outcomes and metrics. You will 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 in research must extend beyond contributing to knowledge and assessment — you must also be skilled at driving measurable impact on the user experience of our products.

Responsibilities

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 user safety and comfort

• Develop and track subjective and objective metrics for quality of performing fundamental AR/Wearables/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/Wearables/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

Qualifications

PhD in Perceptual/Cognitive/Experimental Psychology or Neuroscience, Cognitive Science, Kinesiology, Human Factors, Biomechanics, 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
• Experience communicating research findings in writing and presentations to technical and non-technical stakeholders (e.g., research reports, design reviews), and experience collaborating with cross-functional partners to translate research into product decisions 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
• Demonstrated ability to integrate AI tools to optimize/redesign workflows and drive measurable impact (e.g., efficiency gains, quality improvements)
• Experience in research across the full product life-cycle
• Experience evaluating product safety, quality or usability across realistic use contexts
• Experience in research for emerging consumer technologies, AR/VR/MR or wearable technology, or driver assistive technologies
• 2+ years of experience in conducting research for novel products headed to market
• Demonstrated ongoing AI skill development (e.g., prompt/context engineering, agent orchestration) and staying current with emerging AI technologies
• Experience adhering to and implementing responsible, ethical AI practices (e.g., risk assessment, bias mitigation, quality and accuracy reviews)