Research Director Virtual Client Computing

IDC is seeking a Research Director to join our established Virtual Client Computing research practice, focusing the technologies which enable companies to resource, secure, and manage virtual desktops and applications from which organizations create the digital employee experience.  This research is used by software vendors to establish or validate their strategic directions, by enterprises to enhance their workspace strategy, and by other analysts to understand how the workspace will evolve over time. 

This dynamic individual will work closely with analysts worldwide to understand the future of and intersections of automation, human behavior, security, and work.  Driving research in key areas such as desktop-as-a-service, digital employee experience, and support automation; this senior member of IDC’s systems software research team will be responsible for supporting ongoing research, market forecasts, custom consulting, and Go-To-Market services.

Why IDC?

IDC is the most respected global technology market research firm.  We are changing the way the world thinks about the impact of technology on business and society. Our people, data, and analytics create global technology insights that accelerate customer success.  IDC has been recognized for four consecutive years (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023) by the IIAR as the Analyst Firm of the Year which is one of the highest accolades for the technology market research industry.

Our collaborative, innovative and entrepreneurial culture is the perfect place for you to discover your future.

This position is based in IDG’s Needham, MA office. We will consider remote candidates from an approved US office location. We will consider remote approved Canadian locations (Alberta, British Columbia, and Nova Scotia) or in the Greater Toronto area. You must be in the office 1-2 days/week in Toronto if you are located in the Greater Toronto area.

Recruitment Fraud Notice: IDG/IDC/Foundry  would like to inform you that we conduct our formal communications via corporate email, our Applicant Tracking System iCIMS, LinkedIn messaging, or directly by phone. We do not use any other platform (including Telegram, WhatsApp, Signal, text, instant message, etc.) to communicate with prospective candidates. If you receive any communication outside of our formal communications channels, please ignore it and block the sender or caller. In addition, we do not ask candidates to provide sensitive personally identifiable information such as bank account or social security numbers. If you have been contacted by someone claiming to represent a job offer, please report it as potential job fraud to law enforcement.

• Collaborate with a worldwide team of analysts across several topics such as the future of work, end-point transformations, and driving an innovative vision for what virtual client computing technologies can become.
• Use that vision to predict shifts in global software revenues as enterprises worldwide enter the era of ambient, powerful AI enabled workspaces.
• Create research linking these shifts to practical, actionable advice for a diverse range of research consumers who need to know what’s going on, why it’s important, and what they should do next.
• Support marketing, business development, sales prospecting and support efforts with technology vendors and end user clients.
• Provide first-class customer support and advisory services. Our clients rely on us for timely and actionable insights and ongoing customer interaction is a top responsibility.
• The ideal Research Director candidate will also foster close relationships within the media and financial communities.
• It is expected that the Research Director will have opportunities to present IDC's market perspective at industry and client events and garner new business for IDC.
• This is a research, publishing, custom project, and data intensive role. Analysts will build, run and analyze vendors and products for IDC MarketScapes, market surveys, and market dynamics that are a foundation for spending guides and other IDC data products

• Bachelor's or equivalent work experience. A graduate degree is a plus.
• 10+ years' experience in IT Operations, particularly working with end-points, client virtualization solutions, and digital employee experience solutions
• Knowledge of virtual desktop infrastructure, unified endpoint management software, networking, desktop-as-a-service, application virtualization, infrastructure-as-code tools, and modern infrastructure automation trends
• Insights into hybrid work, security and resource management decision-making, FinOps, and the future of software-as-a-service-based workspaces
• Research and/or marketing professional with good knowledge of market analysis frameworks such as market sizing models, market segmentation and competitive intelligence
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to analyze, present and articulate complex data sets
• Good interpersonal and organizational skills and the capacity to work both independently and within a team

About IDC:  

International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications and consumer technology markets. IDC helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community make fact-based decisions on technology purchases and business strategy. More than 1,300 IDC analysts provide global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries worldwide. For 50 years, IDC has provided strategic insights to help our clients achieve their key business objectives. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world's leading technology media, research, and events company.

IDC US is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants and employees are considered for positions and are evaluated without regard to mental or physical disability, handicap, race, color, religion, gender, gender identity and expression, ancestry, national origin, age, genetic information, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status or other categories protected by law.

At IDC US, we are committed to fair and equitable pay practices. We pay our employees equitably for their work, commensurate with their individual skills and experience. Salary range and additional compensation, including discretionary bonuses and incentive pay, are determined by a rigorous review process. This process considers the experience, education, certifications, and skills required for the specific role, equity with similarly situated employees, as well as employer-verified US region-specific market data provided by an independent 3rd party partner. The expected total annual compensation, depending on location and experience, is between $145,000 and $165,000USD and is inclusive of base salary and variable compensation (if applicable).

IDC Canada is an equal-opportunity employer. It is the Company's policy to recruit and select applicants for employment solely based on their qualifications, with emphasis on selecting the best-qualified person for the job. Applicants must have a valid Canadian Social Insurance Number (SIN) card. Only qualified candidates will be contacted.

Compensation for IDC Canada will be determined based on current market data for CAD dollars