Associate Director, Product Development Research

WHOOP; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

WHOOP is seeking an experienced product research leader to support development across hardware, wearables, algorithms, and sensors. You will manage a team of researchers responsible for end-to-end research for early-stage innovations, physical products and apparel, and algorithm development out of WHOOP Labs Boston.

The ideal candidate will have 5+ years in a research leadership role within a fast-paced technical environment, with 2+ years of direct people management.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in a research leadership role within a technical product environment.
• 2+ years of direct people management experience.
• Experience supporting research for consumer hardware, sensors, wearables, connected devices, or other physical products.
• Familiarity with physical product development processes, including early-stage prototyping, iterative testing, hardware development timelines, and/or feasibility explorations.
• Data-driven approach to strategic planning and measuring ROI.

Responsibilities

• Develop, manage and scale the human subjects research team with a focus on professional development and coaching at multiple levels of seniority.
• Champion research integrity and optimize data collection tools and team practices for fast-paced product innovation.
• Advocate for team needs to unlock high-volume, high-quality on-site research at WHOOP Labs Boston.
• Define and monitor KPIs to measure program effectiveness and progress toward goals.
• Collaborate with research leaders to build a strong culture and ensure effective collaboration between execution and operations teams.
• Partner with stakeholders across signal engineering, machine learning, hardware, apparel, and product to coach on working with HSR.

Skills

Research leadership

People management

Cross-functional collaboration

Data-driven decision making

Job description

At WHOOP, we're on a mission to unlock human performance. WHOOP empowers members to perform at a higher level through a deeper understanding of their bodies and daily lives.

We are looking for an experienced product research leader to support product development across WHOOP's hardware, wearables, algorithms, sensors, and advanced technology portfolio. You'll manage a team of research staff that own end-to-end research for early-stage innovation, physical products and apparel, and algorithm development out of WHOOP Labs Boston. You will also contribute to the broader WHOOP Labs research strategy, bringing your research expertise to the Human Subjects Research leadership team.

The ideal candidate brings experience leading researchers in a fast-paced technical product environment, with particular preference for experience supporting hardware, sensors, wearables, or other physical products through iterative development cycles. This position is in-person in Boston, MA 5 days per week with travel 2-3 times per year.

Responsibilities

• Develop, manage and scale the human subjects research team with an emphasis on professional development and coaching at multiple levels of seniority.
• Champion research integrity, including ensuring that data collection tools and team practices are optimized for the fast-paced, complex nature of product innovation work.
• Advocate for the needs of your team and their work to unlock high-volume, high-quality research on site at WHOOP Labs Boston.
• Define and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of program initiatives and track progress towards goals.
• Collaborate closely with other research leaders to build a strong culture across WHOOP Labs and ensure strong ways of working between research execution and operations teams.
• Partner with stakeholders across signal engineering, machine learning, hardware, apparel, and product to coach on working with HSR and facilitate effective collaboration between teams.
• Champion of culture of team trust, support, and communication, emphasizing the complexities of conducting public-facing, high-engagement activities.
• Partner with the Associate Director of Lab Operations and Associate Director of WHOOP Labs Doha to build the WHOOP Labs brand across the global organization.
• Reports to the Sr. Director of Human Subjects Research.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in a Research Manager, Research Lead, or similar human subjects research leadership role within a technical product development environment.
• 2+ years of direct people management experience, with a demonstrated ability to coach and develop researchers across disciplines and levels.
• Experience supporting research for consumer hardware, sensors, wearables, connected devices, or other physical products strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with physical product development processes, including early-stage prototyping, iterative testing, hardware development timelines, and/or feasibility explorations.
• Data-driven approach to strategic planning, comfortable reviewing metrics and identifying ways to measure research ROI and impact.
• Experience collaborating across multiple functions including engineering, privacy/legal, research, recruitment, and product.
• Passion for building a strong team culture and coaching future research leaders.
• Strong organizational, communication, and documentation skills.
• Passion for health, wellness, and WHOOP’s mission.

WHOOP is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in E-verify to determine employment eligibility. It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

The WHOOP compensation philosophy is designed to attract, motivate, and retain exceptional talent by offering competitive base salaries, meaningful equity, and consistent pay practices that reflect our mission and core values.

At WHOOP, we view total compensation as the combination of base salary, equity, and benefits, with equity serving as a key differentiator that aligns our employees with the long-term success of the company and allows every member of our corporate team to own part of WHOOP and share in the company’s long-term growth and success.

The U.S. base salary range for this full-time position is $140,000 - $180,000. Salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within each range, individual pay is based on factors such as job-related skills, experience, performance, and relevant education or training.

In addition to the base salary, the successful candidate will also receive benefits and a generous equity package.

These ranges may be modified in the future to reflect evolving market conditions and organizational needs. While most offers will typically fall toward the starting point of the range, total compensation will depend on the candidate's specific qualifications, expertise, and alignment with the role’s requirements.