Director of Clinical Research

Eight Sleep; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity participation

Health, vision, and dental insurance

Job summary

Eight Sleep seeks a Director of Clinical Research to own the clinical research organization and serve as the scientific backbone for hardware, sensing, and AI/ML initiatives. You will lead a 10+ person team, manage studies end-to-end, and ensure data-backed product features and public communications.

Reporting to the VP of R&D, you will oversee protocol development, IRB submissions, data analysis, and publications while guiding budget, staffing, and cross-functional partnerships across Product,

Qualifications

• A PhD in physiology, neuroscience, sleep science, or a related field.
• 10+ years of human research experience, including at least 5 years at high-growth startups or consumer health / hardware technology companies.
• 5+ years of people management experience, with a track record of managing and developing teams, including hiring, compensation decisions, and formal performance management.
• Experience with biosensing devices or consumer health technology pursuing clinical validation.
• A strong record of peer-reviewed publications and experience serving as an author or Principal Investigator on IRB-approved clinical studies.
• Advanced statistical fluency — you can define statistical criteria, run power calculations, and dig into raw data directly alongside data scientists and biostatisticians.
• Experience managing cross-functional programs to launch new features and products spanning hardware validation, sensing, AI/ML, product, and marketing teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience writing for both scientific (white papers, publications) and consumer (blog posts, social, press) audiences.
• A hands-on, execution-oriented mindset, comfortable owning studies end-to-end in a fast-moving environment.

Responsibilities

• Own the clinical research & science organization — lead, mentor, and grow a team of 10+ spanning clinical operations, data engineering, and data science.
• Direct all human research studies supporting our Hardware, Sensing, and AI/ML teams, from protocol development & study ideation, to IRB submission, data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Uphold the company's scientific validation standard by applying rigorous statistical and testing criteria to evaluate hardware and algorithm performance before launch.
• Translate research into product features by partnering with Product, Growth, Design, and Engineering teams to develop science-backed features.
• Provide scientific input on marketing claims, press releases, and journalist articles by reviewing content for accuracy and data backing.
• Lead scientific communications — author and direct blog posts, white papers, publications, and represent Eight Sleep in media.
• Manage team growth and performance, including hiring, compensation, mentorship, and performance management processes.
• Drive new research exploration, identifying external collaborations and new sleep science areas relevant to the roadmap.
• Own budget and vendor management for clinical studies.

Skills

Leadership

Advanced statistical fluency

Clinical research

Cross-functional collaboration

Scientific communications

Mentorship & team development

Budget & vendor management

Power calculations

Data interpretation

Education

PhD in physiology, neuroscience, sleep science

10+ years of human research experience

5+ years of people management experience

Job description

JOIN THE SLEEP FITNESS MOVEMENT

At Eight Sleep, we're on a mission to fuel human potential through optimal sleep. As the world's first sleep fitness company, we're redefining what it means to be well-rested and building the most advanced hardware, software, and AI technology to make it possible. Our products power peak mental, physical, and emotional performance by transforming every night of sleep into a personalized, data-driven recovery experience. We are trusted by high performers, professional athletes, and health-conscious consumers in over 30 countries worldwide.

Recognized as one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies in 2019, 2022, 2023, 2026, and twice named to TIME's \"Best Inventions of the Year.\"

We operate like a high-performance team: fast, focused, and motivated by impact. We don't just ship; we iterate, refine, and obsess over the details that help our members sleep better and wake up stronger.

High Standards. No Apologies.

We operate with intensity because our mission demands it. At Eight Sleep, we bring the same mindset as the world's top performers: focused, relentless, and always pushing to be in the top 1% of our craft. Think Kobe Bryant's mamba mentality, applied to bold ideas, next-gen tech, and flawless execution. This isn't a 9-to-5. Our team is deeply committed, often putting in the extra effort — not because we're told to, but because we're invested.

We're here to build fast, push limits, and deliver without compromise. If you thrive under pressure and want to do the most meaningful work of your career, you'll feel right at home. If you're looking for something easier — this isn't it.

The Role

We're looking for a Director of Clinical Research who will own Eight Sleep's clinical research organization — the data collection and scientific backbone of the company. Reporting to the VP of R&D, you will lead a team of 10+ research associates, data scientists, and data engineers. You’ll serve as the company's senior physiological authority across every human research study that powers our hardware, sensing, and AI/ML teams.

You will also own program management across the full breadth of the clinical team's verticals — hardware studies, AI/ML development studies, and women’s sleep studies — while also acting as Eight Sleep's public-facing voice on the science of sleep, from peer-reviewed publications to press and podcast appearances. This is a hands-on leadership role: you'll be as comfortable defining statistical criteria and reviewing raw data as you are managing people, budgets, and cross-functional stakeholders.

What You'll Do

• Own the clinical research & science organization — lead, mentor, and grow a team of 10+ spanning clinical operations, data engineering, and data science




• Direct all human research studies supporting our Hardware, Sensing, and AI/ML teams, from protocol development & study ideation, to IRB submission, data collection, analysis, and reporting




• Uphold the company's scientific validation standard by applying rigorous statistical and testing criteria (e.g., MAE, TOST equivalence testing, Bland-Altman analysis) to evaluate hardware and algorithm performance before launch




• Translate research into product features by partnering with Product, Growth, Design, and Engineering teams to develop science-backed features such as Pregnancy Mode, Rapid Cooling Mode, and Jet Lag Mode




• Provide scientific input on marketing claims, press releases, and journalist articles by reviewing web, social, and app content for accuracy and ensuring every public-facing claim and document is backed by data




• Lead scientific communications — author and direct blog posts, white papers, and peer-reviewed publications, and represent Eight Sleep in press interviews, podcasts, and conference talks




• Manage team growth and performance, including hiring, compensation strategy, mentorship, and formal performance management processes




• Drive new research exploration, identifying and pursuing external collaborations and new areas of sleep science relevant to the company's roadmap




• Own budget and vendor management for clinical studies

What You Bring

• A PhD in physiology, neuroscience, sleep science, or a related field




• 10+ years of human research experience, including at least 5 years at high-growth startups or consumer health / hardware technology companies




• 5+ years of people management experience, with a track record of managing and developing teams, including hiring, compensation decisions, and formal performance management




• Experience with biosensing devices or consumer health technology pursuing clinical validation




• A strong record of peer-reviewed publications and experience serving as an author or Principal Investigator on IRB-approved clinical studies




• Advanced statistical fluency — you can define statistical criteria, run power calculations, and dig into raw data directly alongside data scientists and biostatisticians




• Experience managing cross-functional programs to launch new features and products spanning hardware validation, sensing, AI/ML, product, and marketing teams




• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience writing for both scientific (white papers, publications) and consumer (blog posts, social, press) audiences




• A hands-on, execution-oriented mindset, comfortable owning studies end-to-end in a fast-moving environment

Bonus Points

• Experience with women’s health initiatives




• Media training as a public-facing science spokesperson, with experience in press interviews, podcasts, and conference speaking engagements




• Experience supporting medical device regulatory studies

Why Join Eight Sleep?

Innovation in a culture of excellence. Our flagship product, the Pod, is beloved by hundreds of thousands of customers worldwide. You will be part of a team that continuously pushes the boundaries of technology in sleep fitness.

Immediate responsibility and accelerated career growth. From your first day, you'll take on substantial responsibilities that have a direct impact on our core business and product success. We are a small team that empowers you to own your projects and see the tangible effects of your efforts.

Work alongside other bright minds like you. At Eight Sleep, exceptional intelligence and a passion for breakthroughs are the norms.

Equity participation. We extend equity to every full-time team member, recognizing and rewarding your direct contributions to our success — including periodic equity refreshes based on performance.

Your own Pod. Every Eight Sleep employee receives the very product that defines our mission. You'll also get full access to health, vision, and dental insurance for you and your dependents, plus other perks.

Compensation

*Compensation is based on experience, qualifications, and market benchmarks for the respective location you will be based in (i.e. SF or Boston). Equity and performance-based incentives are a significant component of total compensation at Eight Sleep.

At Eight Sleep we continually celebrate the diverse community different individuals cultivate. As an equal opportunity employer, we stay true to our values by ensuring everyone feels they can flourish and grow. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status.