Principal Researcher, Conversational AI & Channels
Humana, Columbia, SC, United States
Become a part of our caring community
Humana is seeking a Principal UX Researcher to lead research strategy for conversational experiences across voice (IVR), chat, and digital channels. You will operate within an omnichannel conversational ecosystem, partnering closely with product, engineering, CX, and contact center teams to inform strategy, platform evolution, and experience design across voice and digital channels.
This role focuses on complex, system-level problems, including AI-driven interactions, cross-channel journeys, and automation strategies, as well as the performance and optimization of conversational systems at scale (e.g., containment, deflection, and resolution).
What you will do
Define and lead research strategy for conversational experiences across channels (IVR, chat, mobile, web)
Scope and conduct research across ambiguous and complex problem spaces related to:
conversational AI behavior
automation opportunities
cross-channel experience breakdowns
channel-appropriate conversational strategies (e.g., what should be handled in voice vs chat vs digital)
Partner with product, UX, and engineering to inform:
conversational design decisions
platform capabilities (e.g., Dialogflow, Lex, Genesys)
AI-powered experience strategies
conversational architecture, including shared services and reusable components across channels
Analyze conversational data (e.g., transcripts, logs, metrics) to identify patterns, pain points, and opportunities
Define and track success metrics such as:
containment
task completion
intent accuracy
customer satisfaction
call deflection, session completion, and authentication success
Use data and experimentation to continuously optimize conversational performance across voice and digital experiences
Translate research findings into clear, actionable recommendations that influence product direction and business outcomes
Establish frameworks, best practices, and repeatable approaches for conversational UX research
Help define KPIs and evaluation models that connect user experience to operational and business outcomes
Who you are
You are comfortable working in highly ambiguous, emerging spaces such as AI and conversational systems
You think in systems, not just screens
You can connect user needs to technical constraints and business outcomes
You can influence decisions across multiple teams and levels of the organization
You bring clarity to complex problems and help teams move forward with confidence
You are comfortable engaging with technical partners to understand system behavior, constraints, and tradeoffs
What you bring
10+ years of research experience, including work on complex or system-level problems
Experience researching conversational or AI-driven systems (e.g., IVR, chatbots, virtual assistants)
Familiarity with language analysis tools using Python (NLTK, SpaCy)
Understanding of conversational concepts such as:
NLU, NLP and Generative AI
Strong understanding of IVR call flows, digital messaging experiences, and how conversational systems operate across channels
Experience working with or evaluating AI/LLM-driven experiences
Familiarity with LLM-powered conversational systems, including prompt behavior, guardrails, and fallback strategies
Ability to work with qualitative and quantitative data, including behavioral data or transcripts
Strong communication skills and ability to influence cross-functional teams
Demonstrated ability to drive measurable improvements tied to KPIs or OKRs
Demonstrating your experience A portfolio or case studies demonstrating:
how you approached complex or ambiguous research problems
how your research influenced product or strategy decisions
examples of work related to conversational systems, AI, or multi-channel experiences (if applicable)
We are particularly interested in
how you define problems in emerging spaces
how you evaluate system behavior (not just UI)
how your work improved outcomes (e.g., reduced friction, improved task success, increased automation effectiveness)
how your work informed system-level decisions such as automation strategy, channel routing, or AI vs human interaction design
Travel: While this is a remote position, occasional travel to Humana’s offices for training or meetings may be required.
Scheduled weekly hours 40 hours per week
Pay Range $150,000 – $206,300 per year
Description of Benefits Humana, Inc. and its affiliated subsidiaries (collectively, “Humana”) offers competitive benefits that support whole-person well-being. Associate benefits are designed to encourage personal wellness and smart healthcare decisions for you and your family while also knowing your life extends outside of work. Among our benefits, Humana provides medical, dental and vision benefits, 401(k) retirement savings plan, time off (including paid time off, company and personal holidays, volunteer time off, paid parental and caregiver leave), short-term and long-term disability, life insurance and many other opportunities.
About us Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) is a leading U.S. healthcare company. Through our Humana insurance services and our CenterWell healthcare services, we make it easier for the millions of people we serve to achieve their best health — delivering the care and service they need, when they need it. These efforts are leading to a better quality of life for people with Medicare and Medicaid, families, individuals, military service personnel, and communities at large. Learn more about what we offer at Humana.com and at CenterWell.com.
Equal Opportunity Employer It is the policy of Humana not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status. It is also the policy of Humana to take affirmative action, in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and VEVRAA, to employ and to advance in employment individuals with disability or protected veteran status, and to base all employment decisions only on valid job requirements. This policy shall apply to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, upgrading, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, recall, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation and selection for training, including apprenticeship, at all levels of employment.
Humana complies with all applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or religion. We also provide free language interpreter services. See our https://www.humana.com/legal/accessibility-resources?source=Humana_Website.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Humana is seeking a Principal UX Researcher to lead research strategy for conversational experiences across voice (IVR), chat, and digital channels. You will operate within an omnichannel conversational ecosystem, partnering closely with product, engineering, CX, and contact center teams to inform strategy, platform evolution, and experience design across voice and digital channels.
This role focuses on complex, system-level problems, including AI-driven interactions, cross-channel journeys, and automation strategies, as well as the performance and optimization of conversational systems at scale (e.g., containment, deflection, and resolution).
What you will do
Define and lead research strategy for conversational experiences across channels (IVR, chat, mobile, web)
Scope and conduct research across ambiguous and complex problem spaces related to:
conversational AI behavior
automation opportunities
cross-channel experience breakdowns
channel-appropriate conversational strategies (e.g., what should be handled in voice vs chat vs digital)
Partner with product, UX, and engineering to inform:
conversational design decisions
platform capabilities (e.g., Dialogflow, Lex, Genesys)
AI-powered experience strategies
conversational architecture, including shared services and reusable components across channels
Analyze conversational data (e.g., transcripts, logs, metrics) to identify patterns, pain points, and opportunities
Define and track success metrics such as:
containment
task completion
intent accuracy
customer satisfaction
call deflection, session completion, and authentication success
Use data and experimentation to continuously optimize conversational performance across voice and digital experiences
Translate research findings into clear, actionable recommendations that influence product direction and business outcomes
Establish frameworks, best practices, and repeatable approaches for conversational UX research
Help define KPIs and evaluation models that connect user experience to operational and business outcomes
Who you are
You are comfortable working in highly ambiguous, emerging spaces such as AI and conversational systems
You think in systems, not just screens
You can connect user needs to technical constraints and business outcomes
You can influence decisions across multiple teams and levels of the organization
You bring clarity to complex problems and help teams move forward with confidence
You are comfortable engaging with technical partners to understand system behavior, constraints, and tradeoffs
What you bring
10+ years of research experience, including work on complex or system-level problems
Experience researching conversational or AI-driven systems (e.g., IVR, chatbots, virtual assistants)
Familiarity with language analysis tools using Python (NLTK, SpaCy)
Understanding of conversational concepts such as:
NLU, NLP and Generative AI
Strong understanding of IVR call flows, digital messaging experiences, and how conversational systems operate across channels
Experience working with or evaluating AI/LLM-driven experiences
Familiarity with LLM-powered conversational systems, including prompt behavior, guardrails, and fallback strategies
Ability to work with qualitative and quantitative data, including behavioral data or transcripts
Strong communication skills and ability to influence cross-functional teams
Demonstrated ability to drive measurable improvements tied to KPIs or OKRs
Demonstrating your experience A portfolio or case studies demonstrating:
how you approached complex or ambiguous research problems
how your research influenced product or strategy decisions
examples of work related to conversational systems, AI, or multi-channel experiences (if applicable)
We are particularly interested in
how you define problems in emerging spaces
how you evaluate system behavior (not just UI)
how your work improved outcomes (e.g., reduced friction, improved task success, increased automation effectiveness)
how your work informed system-level decisions such as automation strategy, channel routing, or AI vs human interaction design
Travel: While this is a remote position, occasional travel to Humana’s offices for training or meetings may be required.
Scheduled weekly hours 40 hours per week
Pay Range $150,000 – $206,300 per year
Description of Benefits Humana, Inc. and its affiliated subsidiaries (collectively, “Humana”) offers competitive benefits that support whole-person well-being. Associate benefits are designed to encourage personal wellness and smart healthcare decisions for you and your family while also knowing your life extends outside of work. Among our benefits, Humana provides medical, dental and vision benefits, 401(k) retirement savings plan, time off (including paid time off, company and personal holidays, volunteer time off, paid parental and caregiver leave), short-term and long-term disability, life insurance and many other opportunities.
About us Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) is a leading U.S. healthcare company. Through our Humana insurance services and our CenterWell healthcare services, we make it easier for the millions of people we serve to achieve their best health — delivering the care and service they need, when they need it. These efforts are leading to a better quality of life for people with Medicare and Medicaid, families, individuals, military service personnel, and communities at large. Learn more about what we offer at Humana.com and at CenterWell.com.
Equal Opportunity Employer It is the policy of Humana not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status. It is also the policy of Humana to take affirmative action, in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and VEVRAA, to employ and to advance in employment individuals with disability or protected veteran status, and to base all employment decisions only on valid job requirements. This policy shall apply to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, upgrading, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, recall, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation and selection for training, including apprenticeship, at all levels of employment.
Humana complies with all applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or religion. We also provide free language interpreter services. See our https://www.humana.com/legal/accessibility-resources?source=Humana_Website.
#J-18808-Ljbffr