Principal UX Researcher, Kiro

At Amazon, Kiro is transforming how developers build, deploy, and manage applications through AI-powered development tools. We're creating the future of software development by making it faster, smarter, and more intuitive. As part of the Developer AI Engineering (DAE) organization, the Kiro UX team is at the forefront of understanding developer needs and shaping products that empower millions of developers worldwide.

We're seeking a customer-obsessed Principal UX Researcher to join our Kiro UX team and lead research efforts for our web products. You'll uncover deep insights into developer workflows, pain points, and opportunities that will directly influence product strategy and design decisions. Your research will help us build developer experiences that are not just functional, but transformative—enabling developers to focus on what matters most: creating great software.

Key job responsibilities
As a Principal UX Researcher on the Kiro UX team, you will own the complete research lifecycle for our web products while driving strategic impact across the developer experience. You'll apply expertise across research methodologies to solve complex problems in the developer tools space, from understanding how developers interact with AI-assisted coding to optimizing workflows for cloud-native development.

You'll design and execute mixed-method research studies—including generative research to identify unmet needs, evaluative studies to validate concepts, and longitudinal research to understand adoption patterns. Working backward from developer needs, you'll identify opportunities to innovate and make evidence-based recommendations that shape product roadmaps.

You'll transform complex datasets into clear, actionable insights and communicate research impact to cross-functional partners through compelling reports and artifacts that resonate with audiences from engineers to senior leadership. Your research will influence how developers worldwide interact with Kiro's AI-powered development platform, shaping products that accelerate software development and improve productivity.

Basic Qualifications

- Experience in quantitative and qualitative research
- Expert in User-Centered Design methodologies, including need finding interviews, contextual inquiry, heuristic analyses, user testing, and iterative design cycles.
- Proven experience scoping and leading research programs.
- Experience in leading User Research projects with demonstrated impact
- Bachelor's degree in HCDE, Human Factors, Cognitive Psychology, or a related field
- Exceptional presentation, communication and collaboration skills

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in a technical field (software development, network development, IT, other related)

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.

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The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.

USA, WA, Seattle - 181,100.00 - 245,000.00 USD annually