Principal UX Researcher - Product & Experience

Principal UX Researcher - Product & Experience

TEGNA Inc. serves local communities across the U.S. through trustworthy journalism, engaging content, and tools that help people navigate their daily lives. Through customized marketing solutions, we help businesses grow and thrive. With 64 television stations in 51 U.S. markets, TEGNA reaches approximately 100 million people every month across the web, mobile apps, streaming, and linear television.

We are seeking a highly experienced Principal UX Researcher to lead strategic research initiatives that drive product innovation and enhance user experience across our digital platforms. In this role, you will shape research strategy, mentor and guide research practices across the organization, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and turn insights into action to influence product direction at the highest level. The Principal UX Researcher is a key role that helps us understand and obsess over our users (both internal and external) their contexts, concerns, behaviors, needs and aspirations. In leading the practice of human-centered research, this role heavily informs the strategy and direction of TEGNA's digital ecosystem ensuring we put the needs of our end users front and center.

The Principal UX Researcher is the nexus between consumer centered business strategy and enabling Digital Products at scale. In this position, you will serve as both a visionary and a hands-on integrator and leader. Your exceptional talents drive insights and strategy that help shape the future of media, community, and connection. Understanding people and their critical needs, you advocate for the best outcomes across business and product teams. You have a proven record of conceptualizing, designing and delivering elegant and intuitive research solutions that directly impact the products, experiences, and platforms you are accountable for.

Key Responsibilities :

Strategic Leadership :

Lead UX research efforts for complex, high-impact initiatives across multiple products or business units. Develop long-term research roadmaps aligned with company goals.

Research Execution :

Design, plan, and conduct qualitative and quantitative research methods (e.g., ethnographic studies, usability testing, surveys, diary studies, field research, etc.) to deeply understand user behaviors, needs, and motivations.

Establish Research Guidelines :

Enable team of product and UX leaders through UX research tool kits, standards, guides.

Cross-functional Collaboration :

Partner closely with Product Management, Design, Engineering, Marketing, and Data Science teams to integrate research findings into product planning and decision-making.

Insight Communication :

Deliver compelling insights through reports, presentations, and storytelling that inspire product innovation and support executive-level decisions.

Mentorship & Guidance :

Mentor junior researchers and help establish best practices and research standards across the UX organization.

Vendor Management :

Contract with and manage required vendors and tools to enable UX research across the TEGNA digital ecosystem.

Thought Leadership :

Represent the UX discipline in strategic conversations, contribute to the UX research community, and advocate for a user-centered culture.

Requirements :

810 years of experience in UX research, human-centered design, or related fields.

Demonstrated experience leading research for complex, large-scale digital products.

Expertise in both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.

Proven ability to turn ambiguous questions into clear research plans.

Exceptional communication, storytelling, and collaboration skills.

Experience influencing executive stakeholders and cross-functional teams.

Master's or Ph.D. in Human-Computer Interaction, Cognitive Psychology, Anthropology, Sociology, or related field (preferred but not required).

Preferred Qualifications :

Experience working in agile, fast-paced product environments.

Deep knowledge of accessibility, inclusive design, or emerging technologies (e.g., AI / ML, AR / VR).

Background in consumer-driven domains.

Why Join Us?

Drive the user research strategy at a product and organizational level.

Collaborate with a world-class UX and Product team.

Make a tangible impact on the lives of millions of users.

Competitive salary, benefits, and opportunities for growth.

Pay Range : $150,000 - $175,000 USD

Benefits :

TEGNA offers comprehensive benefits designed to safeguard the physical, mental and financial health of our employees and their families. TEGNA offers two medical plan options for full and part-time employees through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, as well as access to dental and eye care coverage; fertility, surrogacy and adoption assistance; disability and life insurance.

Our 401(k) program offers full, part-time and temporary employees the opportunity to contribute 1% - 80% of their pay on a pre-tax basis to TEGNAs 401(k). Contributions made up to the first 4% of pay are eligible for a 100% match from the company and are 100% vested from day one.

Regardless of participation in TEGNA medical plans, ALL employees and their eligible family members receive nine free virtual doctors appointments with a physician through Teladoc, and 12 free annual therapy sessions with a licensed clinician through Spring Health.

TEGNA offers a generous Paid Time Off (PTO) benefit as well as nine paid holidays per year.

• Some jobs are covered by a collective bargaining agreement and thus some or all of the benefits described herein may not apply. For example, some newsroom bargaining unit employees receive health and retirement benefits under plans administered by the union.

EEO statement :

TEGNA Inc. is a proud equal opportunity employer. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, hiring and developing individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences to add to our collaborative culture. We value and consider applications from all qualified candidates without regard to actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, disability, medical condition, enrollment in college or vocational school, political affiliation, military or veteran status, citizenship status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law. TEGNA will reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with applicable law. If you are in need of an accommodation in order to submit your application, please email askhr@tegna.com.

Recruiting Fraud Alert :

To all candidates : your personal information and online safety are important to us. Only TEGNA Recruiters or Hiring Managers will reach out to you regarding consideration of your application or background. Communications with TEGNA employees will either come from a TEGNA email address with a domain of tegna.com or one of our affiliate station domains. Recruiters or Hiring Managers will never request payments, ask for financial account information or sensitive information such as social security numbers.