Research Program Manager, Distributed Research

Mass Digital Health; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

WHOOP in Boston is hiring a Research Program Manager for decentralized research initiatives. You will lead the intake and prioritization of data collection efforts, connecting researchers and technical teams to ensure efficient execution.

The ideal candidate has extensive program management experience, strong analytical skills, and a passion for WHOOP's mission to improve health and performance. Responsibilities include managing program roadmap and operational processes to support scalable and compliant research.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in a Program Management or Project Management role.
• Experience managing intake, prioritization, and execution across multiple stakeholders.
• Proven ability to translate ambiguous requests into clear action plans.
• Strong commitment to leveraging AI tools in day-to-day tasks.
• Familiarity with building and scaling operational processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead the intake and prioritization for decentralized data collection initiatives.
• Serve as the operational hub connecting researchers, stakeholders, and technical teams.
• Own and manage the program roadmap for data collection initiatives.
• Build and maintain scalable intake workflows and operational processes.
• Ensure planning incorporates compliance timelines, including IRB review.

Skills

Program Management

Data-driven decision making

Agile methodologies

Stakeholder management

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Tools

Jira

Job description

Requirements

• 3+ years of experience in a Program Management or Project Management role, preferably within a research, technical product, data, or operations-focused environment
• Demonstrated experience managing intake, prioritization, roadmap planning, and execution across multiple stakeholders and competing priorities
• Proven ability to translate ambiguous or evolving requests into clearly defined scope, timelines, and actionable execution plans
• Experience building and scaling operational processes, workflows, and SOPs in fast-paced, evolving environments
• Familiarity with Agile methodologies and project management tools such as Jira or similar workflow management systems
• Comfort working closely with technical teams and managing dependencies involving internal tooling, data systems, or operational infrastructure
• Strong analytical, operational, and data-driven decision-making skills
• Excellent communication, organizational, and stakeholder management skills with the ability to drive alignment across cross-functional teams
• Experience supporting human subjects research, decentralized research operations, or data collection infrastructure is a plus
• Passion for health, wellness, and WHOOP’s mission to unlock human performance and healthspan
• Strong commitment to embracing and leveraging AI tools in day-to-day tasks, ensuring AI‑assisted work aligns with the same high‑quality standards as personal contributions
• Interested in the role, but don’t meet every qualification? We encourage you to still apply!

What the job involves

• WHOOP is hiring a Research Program Manager, Distributed Research to lead the intake, prioritization, and execution planning for decentralized and raw data collection initiatives within WHOOP Labs
• In this role, you will serve as the operational hub connecting researchers, stakeholders, and technical teams to ensure data collection efforts are strategically scoped, appropriately prioritized, and executed efficiently
• You will play a critical role in building scalable operational systems, improving cross‑functional coordination, and enabling high‑quality research execution across a growing and increasingly complex data collection ecosystem
• Own and maintain the program roadmap for decentralized data collection initiatives, partnering with researchers and stakeholders to align priorities, balance team capacity, and establish realistic timelines
• Lead intake and scoping processes for new requests by partnering with researchers and stakeholders to define requirements, assess feasibility, and determine appropriate timing and scope
• Ensure decentralized data collection planning incorporates applicable regulatory and compliance timelines, including IRB review and approval milestones where applicable
• Manage and prioritize incoming requests with a clear understanding of team bandwidth and operational constraints, making thoughtful trade‑offs across scope, timing, and prioritization
• Build and maintain scalable intake workflows, SOPs, tracking systems, and operational processes that support efficient and repeatable research execution
• Ensure data collection initiatives are planned and executed without overextending technical systems or operational capacity, proactively identifying risks and driving mitigation strategies
• Own and manage internal tooling that supports decentralized data collection operations, partnering closely with technical teams to enable, monitor, and improve system usage
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with Research, Product, Engineering, and Operations teams to align priorities, surface dependencies early, and support smooth execution across initiatives
• Use program metrics, operational insights, and performance indicators to improve prioritization frameworks, optimize processes, and increase the overall efficiency and impact of distributed research efforts