Principal Researcher - Agentforce Platform

To get the best candidate experience, please consider applying for a maximum of 3 roles within 12 months to ensure you are not duplicating efforts.Job CategoryUser ExperienceJob DetailsAbout SalesforceSalesforce is the #1 AI CRM, where humans with agents drive customer success together. Here, ambition meets action. Tech meets trust. And innovation isn’t a buzzword — it’s a way of life. The world of work as we know it is changing and we're looking for Trailblazers who are passionate about bettering business and the world through AI, driving innovation, and keeping Salesforce's core values at the heart of it all.Ready to level-up your career at the company leading workforce transformation in the agentic era? You’re in the right place! Agentforce is the future of AI, and you are the future of Salesforce.The Agentforce Experience team focuses on products and experiences that enable our customers to have seamless, streamlined, and scalable platforms that power their businesses. We support product strategy, user experience, and customer success across core infrastructure and services, data, integration, AI, and analytics to redefine the future of enterprise software and evolve the way we work.We are seeking a Principal Researcher who can distill complex problems into insights that inform product, design, development, and business decisions. The ideal candidate will have domain expertise in AI and data platforms — think unstructured data and metadata processing, AI guardrails and governance, Agent building and observability, and API management and integrations. This role will work cross-functionally across highly technical teams, helping to root strategy in action; manage collaborative efforts across multiple research initiatives; and focusing on customer value above all else. At bare minimum, we require familiarity with enterprise software, particularly “as-a-service,” and its evolving personas (Admins, Developers, Data Engineers, BI, IT, CIOs, CDOs). Experience with enterprise AI adoption, data solutions and integration capabilities, along with advanced competency across mixed research methods, will be a value add.Sound like you? Then you're someone we want to work with. Join our amazing team and you'll get to work with some of the best and brightest. You'll find startup-like scrum teams, consumer-style innovation, and the opportunity to deliver great experiences to millions of end-users. And, by the way, you’ll work for a company that has been named – 10 years running – in Fortune 100 Top Places to work.Your ImpactScope and drive full research initiatives, including planning, developing, and executing studies, managing stakeholders, triangulating data, and translating insights into actionsProactively partner with senior management across cross-functional teams, including product, design, engineering, and customer success to identify and advocate for product strategy rooted in data and customer insightsConduct strategic, generative, and evaluative research using the appropriate mix of research methods, from large-scale survey design to in-depth interviews Synthesize research findings into actionable insights by creating narratives to frame problems and highlight the business value of recommended solutions Work on fast-paced and oftentimes ambiguous projects and programs, requiring attention to detail and working within constrained timelines, by staying true to scope and focusing on end goals and outcomesContribute back to the broader Research & Insights organization through mentorship, cultivating and teaching craft and methodology, and facilitating deep collaboration across individuals and teamsMinimum Requirements10+ years of experience conducting research in product research, user research, or other technology contextsAdvanced understanding of research methods (qualitative and quantitative) and best practices, and familiarity with a broad range of user research toolsExcellent project management, communication, storytelling, and presentation skillsAdvanced understanding in survey methodologies and tools (i.e. MaxDiff, Conjoints, segmentation, advanced analytics, SPSS, R)Proven track record influencing product direction and strategy with actionable insightsAbility to plan, design, execute and communicate both strategic and tactical research engagementsAbility to structure and lead internal and external workshops and analyze the outcomes to provide insight for stakeholdersExperience working in cross-functional teams (e.g. customer success, solution architects, design, product management, engineering, marketing)University degree in a research- or business-focused discipline or in a field emphasizing human behavior (e.g., Psychology, Anthropology, HCI, Business, Research Methodology, Experimental Design, Design Research)Please provide 1-2 case studies of research projects you led. Please redact or anonymize any proprietary data, company names, or specific product features to comply with existing NDAs. We are most interested in your methodology, stakeholder management, and how your insights influenced product strategy.Unleash Your PotentialWhen you join Salesforce, you’ll be limitless in all areas of your life. Our benefits and resources support you to find balance and be your best, and our AI agents accelerate your impact so you can do your best. Together, we’ll bring the power of Agentforce to organizations of all sizes and deliver amazing experiences that customers love. Apply today to not only shape the future — but to redefine what’s possible — for yourself, for AI, and the world.AccommodationsIf you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or the recruiting process, please submit a request via this Accommodations Request Form.Please note that Salesforce uses artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help our recruiters assess and evaluate candidates’ resumes and qualifications throughout the recruiting process. Humans will always make any candidate selection and hiring decisions. Please see our Candidate Privacy Statement for more information about how we use your personal data and your rights, including with regard to use of AI tools and opt out options.Posting StatementSalesforce is an equal opportunity employer and maintains a policy of non-discrimination with all employees and applicants for employment. What does that mean exactly? It means that at Salesforce, we believe in equality for all. And we believe we can lead the path to equality in part by creating a workplace that’s inclusive, and free from discrimination. Know your rights: workplace discrimination is illegal. Any employee or potential employee will be assessed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications – without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, transgender status, age, disability, veteran or marital status, political viewpoint, or other classifications protected by law. This policy applies to current and prospective employees, no matter where they are in their Salesforce employment journey. It also applies to recruiting, hiring, job assignment, compensation, promotion, benefits, training, assessment of job performance, discipline, termination, and everything in between. Recruiting, hiring, and promotion decisions at Salesforce are fair and based on merit. The same goes for compensation, benefits, promotions, transfers, reduction in workforce, recall, training, and education.In the United States, compensation offered will be determined by factors such as location, job level, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Certain roles may be eligible for incentive compensation, equity, and benefits. Salesforce offers a variety of benefits to help you live well including: time off programs, medical, dental, vision, mental health support, paid parental leave, life and disability insurance, 401(k), and an employee stock purchasing program. More details about company benefits can be found at the following link: to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring, Salesforce will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.At Salesforce, we believe in equitable compensation practices that reflect the dynamic nature of labor markets across various regions. The typical base salary range for this position is $197,300 - $313,700 annually. In select cities within the San Francisco and New York City metropolitan area, the base salary range for this role is $237,700 - $344,700 annually. The range represents base salary only, and does not include company bonus, incentive for sales roles, equity or benefits, as applicable.SummaryLocation: Washington - Seattle; California - San FranciscoType: Full time