Job Description

Riot’s mission is to put players at the center of everything we do. As we expand research across game and product development, the need for high-quality moderation has grown.

The Global Research Operations (GRO) team exists to make research execution more scalable, secure, and impactful.

As a Moderator Contractor on the GRO team, you’ll support the execution of in-person and remote playtests by facilitating sessions, capturing detailed player feedback, and ensuring lab-based studies run smoothly. This is a contractor role designed to support both weekday and evening/weekend testing, with the goal of expanding research access to more diverse player audiences — including younger gamers who are more available outside standard work hours. This role reports into the Playtest Operations function of the GRO team.

Your work will directly enable researchers to focus on study design, insight generation, and partner alignment by offloading real-time facilitation and session management. You’ll collaborate with researchers, operations staff, and vendors to help ensure high-quality player experiences and trustworthy data collection.

This role involves a changing schedule. Work hours may differ from day to day, and weekend work could be required depending on business needs. Variable weekday hours with the possibility of weekend shifts are expected. Flexibility is essential.

Responsibilities:

• Facilitate in-person and remote usability studies, expert reviews, and playtest sessions
• Observe sessions, capture detailed notes, tag themes, and support topline development
• Moderate participant discussions using established research protocols and maintain neutral facilitation, ensuring conversations are unbiased and relevant
• Set up and manage session logistics (e.g., materials prep, tech checks, room configuration, player onboarding and debrief, post-lab clean-ups)
• Partner with researchers and ops teams to align on study goals, prep sessions, and troubleshoot in real time
• Support test asset setup and assist with reviews of test features or builds prior to session launch
• Work closely with the Playtest Operations team on scheduling, recruiting logistics, and execution of research studies to ensure projects run smoothly
• Work flexible schedules aligned to research needs – including evening and weekend sessions

Required Qualifications:

• 2+ years of professional experience in user research, playtest moderation, or focus group facilitation
• Familiarity with Riot’s games and players; able to engage empathetically with diverse player types
• Experience with survey software (e.g., Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, Decipher, Confirmit, etc.)
• Strong verbal communication skills and neutral facilitation style
• Detail-oriented and organized; able to manage logistics and note capture in fast-paced settings
• Availability to work time-shifted schedules, including some weekends or evenings
• Bachelor's degree in a related field

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience working in video game industry
• Familiarity with research tools and platforms (e.g., OBS, Notion, Qualtrics, Parsec, etc.)
• Experience assisting with light analysis (e.g., verbatim coding, theme tagging)
• Comfort working in a live production environment with technical tools and software
• Experience with game design fundamentals
• Experience with game development production cycle
• Experience running playtests or similar live-production research projects
• Experience with Parsec or similar remote testing tool

For this role, you'll find success through facilitation expertise, strong coordination skills, and collaboration that supports the research team. We will be looking at your past studies, experience, and your personal relationship with games. A passion for player empathy, operational excellence, and live testing environments will set you up for success.

Compensation: $40-45 per hour

Contract Period: 1 year

Per the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, the following core duties may create a basis for disqualifying candidates with relevant criminal histories: Safeguarding confidential and sensitive data while employed by us and while on assignment at a customer of ours Communication with others, including employees and third parties such as vendors, customers (including their employees), and/or players, including minors Accessing our or our customer’s assets, secure digital systems, and networks Ensuring a safe interactive environment for players, employees, and temporary workers These duties are directly related to essential operations, safety, trust, and compliance obligations within our organization and within the organization of any customer to whom you may be assigned while employed by us. Please note that job duties may evolve based on business needs and additional responsibilities may be assigned as necessary to maintain operational efficiency and security.

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