Principal Researcher, Research & Insights

Principal Researcher, Research & Insights

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Salesforce 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.

We’re Salesforce, the Customer Company, inspiring the future of business with AI + Data + CRM. Leading with our core values, we help companies across every industry blaze new trails and connect with customers in a whole new way. And, we empower you to be a Trailblazer, too — driving your performance and career growth, charting new paths, and improving the state of the world.

If you believe in business as the greatest platform for change and in companies doing well and doing good – you’ve come to the right place.

We are seeking a Principal Researcher to support Data 360, our best‑in‑class Data Platform that is the foundation of our innovative CRM and AI platform experiences. This role will shape the next generation of intelligent data platform capabilities and tackle complex challenges that our customers face with unlocking the value of data.

The researcher will distill complex problems into insights that inform product, design, development and business decisions. The ideal candidate will have domain expertise in data platforms and one or more related topics such as data management, governance, integration, data modeling, analytics, Customer Data Platforms, or unstructured data processing. Candidates should also have some experience and understanding of Generative AI and related technologies.

This role will work cross‑functionally across highly technical teams, helping to root strategy in action; manage collaborative efforts across multiple research initiatives; and focus 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 data solutions and AI adoption, along with advanced competency across mixed research methods, will be a value add.

• Scope and drive full research initiatives, including planning, developing, and executing studies, managing stakeholders, triangulating data, and translating insights into actions
• Proactively 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 insights
• Conduct 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 oft‑entimes ambiguous projects and programs, requiring attention to detail and working within constrained timelines, by staying true to scope and focusing on end goals and outcomes
• Contribute to our broader Research & Insights organization through mentorship, cultivating and teaching craft and methodology, and facilitating deep collaboration across individuals and teams

Please include a portfolio of 1‑2 research projects with details of your direct contributions with your application.

• 8‑10+ years of experience conducting research in product research, user research, market research, or other technology contexts
• Advanced understanding of research methods (qualitative and quantitative) and best practices, and familiarity with a broad range of user research tools
• Advanced understanding in…