Staff Researcher - Mixed Methods

Job Summary

What you need to know about the role: This is a Staff Experience Researcher role within PayPal’s EMEA Markets team, part of Global Customer Insights. You will lead mixed-methods customer research across EMEA, with a focus on Germany, to generate insights that improve customer experiences and guide decisions.

Essential Responsibilities

• Develop clear plans and priorities to gather insights and make data-driven decisions to meet team performance.
• Perform more complex analysis using highly specialized product knowledge and advanced business expertise.
• Lead functional projects and programs that enhance user experiences based on research findings.
• Design methodologies including user testing, surveys and data analysis to understand business needs and industry trends.
• Develop and implement research methodologies that optimize user testing and data collection processes.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of research practices and team efficiencies.

Minimum Qualifications

• 5+ years relevant experience and a Bachelor’s degree OR any equivalent combination of education and experience.

Additional Responsibilities & Preferred Qualifications

Your day-to-day:

• Design and lead end-to-end customer research programs – including concept testing, customer needs research, journey exploration, and competitive analysis – using a balanced mix of qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Conduct and manage qualitative research (in-depth interviews, focus groups, ethnographic studies) in English and/or German, and commission native-language research through local agencies where required.
• Synthesize insights from multiple data sources – survey, behavioral, diary studies, and market data – into clear, strategic narratives that inform product and business decisions.
• Partner with product, design, and regional leadership to prioritize research that addresses the highest-impact questions and localization risks across EMEA Tier 1 markets.
• Elevate mixed-methods research standards across the EMEA Markets team – establishing repeatable frameworks and contributing to PayPal's broader research community.

What do you need to bring

• 7+ years of experience in customer research, market research, or a related field, with proven ability to deliver strategic insights using both qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Strong qualitative research expertise – skilled in interview design, moderation, ethnographic methods, diary studies, and thematic analysis – paired with a solid quantitative foundation (surveys, statistical interpretation, behavioral data).
• Experience working with EMEA/Germany markets and a nuanced understanding of regional consumer behavior, cultural context, and localization requirements.
• Ability to synthesize across methodologies and data types, delivering integrated insights that balance rigor, speed, and strategic relevance.
• Exceptional stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence product, design, and business partners at all levels.

Preferred Qualifications

• Proficiency in German (professional level) and experience conducting or commissioning research in German.
• Familiarity with financial services, payments, or fintech customer landscapes in EMEA.
• Experience managing local research agencies and vendors in Germany and/or the UK.
• Knowledge of tools such as Qualtrics, dScout, Deceiver, UserTesting, or equivalent platforms.
• Experience contributing to research operations, templates, or team playbooks.
• English (professional level); German language proficiency (professional level) is a strong plus. Ideally additional language, such as French, Italian or Spanish.
• Experience presenting to VP-level stakeholders.

What sets this role apart

• Focus on market-level strategic insights – not purely UX research – with direct influence on regional growth strategy.
• High visibility with senior stakeholders across product, commercial, and regional leadership.
• Opportunity to define and lead the quantitative research capability for EMEA within a globally influential insights organization.
• Work at the intersection of customer understanding, competitive intelligence, and business strategy.

Benefits

At PayPal, we’re committed to building an equitable and inclusive global economy. We offer comprehensive, choice-based programs to support all aspects of personal wellbeing—physical, emotional, and financial—delivering meaningful value where it matters most. We strive to create a flexible, balanced work culture with a holistic approach to benefits, including generous paid time off, healthcare coverage for you and your family, and resources to create financial security and support mental health.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

PayPal provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. In addition, PayPal will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at