Research Program Manager, Distributed Research

At WHOOP, we’re on a mission to unlock human performance and healthspan. WHOOP empowers members to perform at a higher level through a deeper understanding of their bodies and daily lives. WHOOP Labs is the heartbeat of product development research at WHOOP, operating as a high-throughput, cross-functional team supporting diverse research initiatives across hardware, software, and emerging technologies.

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.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• 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

QUALIFICATIONS:

• 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.

This role is based in the WHOOP office located in Boston, MA. The successful candidate must be prepared to relocate if necessary to work out of the Boston, MA office. 

Interested in the role, but don’t meet every qualification? We encourage you to still apply! At WHOOP, we believe there is much more to a candidate than what is written on paper, and we value character as much as experience. As we continue to build a diverse and inclusive environment, we encourage anyone who is interested in this role to apply.

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 $90,000 - $130,000. 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.