Director, UX Research & Strategy (Automotive)

Location: Novi, Michigan, USA; hybrid schedule with most office-based roles onsite three days a week. Up to 20% domestic and international travel.

Salary: $161,250–$236,500 annually, with other compensation potentially available depending on the position.

Company

hirify.global develops integrated automotive, lifestyle, and digital transformation technology platforms, including in-vehicle audio, infotainment, safety, connectivity, and other connected experiences.

What you will do

• Own UX Research & Strategy and set the consumer-led experience vision and research agenda across the automotive portfolio.
• Translate consumer needs, market and technology trends, OEM brand intent, vehicle segments, and automotive constraints into opportunity spaces, experience principles, UX targets, and measurable success criteria.
• Define future experiences across cockpit, audio, connectivity, and driver assistance in and beyond the car.
• Orchestrate evidence-based validation of desirability, usability, trust, and relevance with consumers and OEMs.
• Connect research and competitive benchmarking with concepts, demonstrators, customer engagements, product definitions, and portfolio roadmaps.
• Establish scalable research methods, experience frameworks, quality standards, and a high-performing UX Research and Strategy organization.

Requirements

• Leadership experience in UX Research, UX Strategy, Human-Centered Design, Product Strategy, or a related discipline, with a record of influencing product and portfolio decisions.
• Experience translating human needs, market signals, technology shifts, and business priorities into differentiated experiences across hardware, software, AI, multimodal interaction, and connected services.
• Deep expertise in mixed-method UX research, behavioral research, human factors, strategic foresight, concept validation, and usability evaluation.
• Practical experience in automotive UX research and strategy, including work with global automotive OEMs and alignment of user experience with brand, vehicle segments, and product-development constraints.
• Strong communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to create clarity in ambiguity and align senior stakeholders across a global organization.
• Practical experience in Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, Human Factors, Design, Engineering, Business, Strategy, or a related discipline.
• Ability to work in a complex, ambiguous, and dynamic environment.
• Successful completion of a background investigation and drug screen is required as a post-offer condition of employment.

Nice to have

• Experience in mobility, consumer electronics, digital ecosystems, or other complex connected-product environments.
• Experience with AI-enabled products, ecosystem platforms, or cross-product experience orchestration.
• PhD in Human-Computer Interaction, Cognitive Psychology, Human Factors, Behavioral Science, or a related discipline.

Culture & Benefits

• Hybrid work environment balancing flexibility with in-person collaboration.
• Employee discounts on hirify.global and Samsung products, including JBL, hirify.global/Kardon, and AKG.
• Learning and development through hirify.global University programs, plus tuition reimbursement.
• Wellness benefits, campus fitness center and cafeteria where available.
• Benefits may include paid vacation and holidays, paid sick leave, volunteer leave, paid bonding and caregiver leave, medical, dental and vision plans, fertility and adoption assistance, HSA/FSA, retirement savings with employer match, disability coverage, and life insurance.
• Inclusive environment supporting professional and personal development.