Research Data Analyst

As a Research Data Analyst at Sony Interactive Entertainment, you will support the User Research team within Naughty Dog, turning player telemetry, feedback, and research output into actionable insights. This hybrid role is based in Santa Monica, CA, where your analysis will help guide creative and production decisions across gameplay systems and features.

You will work at the intersection of quantitative measurement and player understanding, partnering with game analytics, engineering, design, and user research. The goal is to identify patterns in player behavior, clarify where friction occurs, and recommend opportunities that improve experiences over time.

What you’ll do

• Analyze gameplay telemetry, player feedback, and research findings to surface trends, friction points, and opportunities across systems and features.
• Turn complex datasets into clear insights and recommendations that inform design, prioritization, and development strategy.
• Build and maintain dashboards and reporting tools to communicate key metrics and progress over time using tools such as Tableau and Omni.
• Collaborate with Sony Game Analytics, Gameplay, Engineering, and Design to support telemetry design, event tracking, and data quality.
• Work with User Research to connect quantitative analysis with qualitative findings from studies and playtests.
• Participate in research initiatives to understand player behavior firsthand and identify new measurement opportunities.

What you bring

• 3–5 years of experience in data analysis, analytics, UX research support, or a related field.
• Experience working with telemetry data and game analytics workflows.
• Strong analytical and statistical skills, including experience with SQL, Python, R, MongoDB, or similar tools.
• Experience with analytics platforms such as Tableau, Looker, or similar platforms.
• A strong curiosity about player psychology, motivation, and behavior.
• High attention to detail, with ownership and accountability.
• Ability to present information clearly to top management and key stakeholders.
• A collaborative mindset and adaptability to changing video game production needs.

Technologies

• Tableau, Omni, SQL, Python, R, MongoDB, Looker

Benefits

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision

Preferred qualifications

• Advanced degree in Data Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Economics, Psychology, Human-Computer Interaction, Cognitive Science, or a related quantitative or research-focused field.
• Familiarity with narrative, single player game research and player experience evaluation.
• Solid understanding of probability, statistics, and applied mathematical reasoning.
• Ability to interpret technical and research materials and communicate findings clearly in reports and presentations.
• Strong technical curiosity and interest in how tools work under the hood.
• Prior experience with AAA console or PC game development.

Location: Santa Monica, CA (hybrid). Compensation: USD 51–64 per hour. Minimum experience: 3 years.