Games Researcher, Amazon Games

Amazon Games is looking for a Games Researcher to help us build exciting new mass market games with a multiplayer component. This role sits at the intersection of player insights, playtesting, and product development – and will work directly with designers, producers and technical leads to build great games that are fun and engaging for players of all experience levels. We think big and work with some of the biggest and most beloved global IP licenses. We are customer-obsessed and build our games with a focus on innovation and quality to nurture long-term relationships with our global customers and partners.The opportunity to shape how millions of players engage with games on Luna is significant—but it also requires navigating new territory. You should be comfortable operating in a space with high ambiguity, where speed, judgment, and a strong player instinct are as important as methodological rigor. In this role, you’ll lead thinking on how to best understand and represent the player—designing and running gameplay tests, identifying patterns in player behavior, and translating those into clear, actionable insights. You’ll also help define how and when we scale testing, partnering with external vendors to support larger titles while maintaining a high bar for quality and consistency.Key job responsibilities• Design and execute gameplay user research tests across development stages in partnership with gamedesigners—from early prototypes through pre-launch validation—using both lightweight, rapid playtests and more structured approaches to evaluate onboarding, controls, difficulty, and engagement loops.• Conduct comparative gameplay assessments across third-party titles and platforms to benchmark player experience and identify opportunities for differentiation.• Act as a connector between game experience and business goals—helping define target players, test objectives, success criteria, and participant sourcing strategies aligned to product and content priorities.• Apply a range of research and playtesting methods (e.g., usability testing, interviews, surveys, concept testing, closed and open playtests) and adapt level of rigor to the stage and scale of development.• Identify patterns in player behavior and feedback, and translate them into clear, actionable insights that inform product, design, and content decisions.• Partner with third-party playtesting and research vendors for larger-scale studies; define scope and ensure quality and consistency of outputs across internal and external testing.• Work closely with game developers, product managers, and business teams to influence game design and iteration decisions through player-centric insights.• Continuously improve and scale playtesting approaches to increase speed, efficiency, and impact.About the teamAmazon Luna is a cloud gaming service that makes it easy for anyone to play high-quality games on the devices they already own—including Fire TV and tablet devices, smartphones, tablets, web browsers, select smart televisions from LG and Samsung, and more--with no need to purchase new gaming consoles or equipment. Luna brings more than 50 games to Prime members at no additional cost, including GameNight, an evolving collection of more than 25 approachable, local multiplayer games designed to bring friends and family together in the living room. To play GameNight titles, simply scan a QR code on your TV and your smartphone becomes your controller. With simple and responsive touchscreen inputs and support for multiple local players, GameNight offers and easy and approachable way to play whether you’re an experienced gamer of a casual fan.Basic qualifications- Experience in Games Industry (supporting title Development, Release, or Live Ops)- Experience conducting sophisticated and creative analysis of complex data and translate the results into actionable deliverables, messages, and presentations- Experience working with cross-functional teams across business development, marketing, operations, product development, legal, etc.- 5+ years of experience in playtesting, game UX, user research, or related roles- Experience designing and running gameplay user research tests or user studies, including a mix of prototype testing, usability testing, surveys, and player feedback collection- Familiarity with core gameplay systems (onboarding, controls, progression, difficulty, engagement loops)Preferred qualification - Experience in third party vendor/research partner management contract negotiation- Experience in the games industry (studio, publisher, platform)- Background in casual, mobile or accessible game research- Comfort operating in a fast-moving, ambiguous environments with lightweight processesAmazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.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 .USA, WA, Seattle - 98,900.00 - 173,100.00 USD annually