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Lead end-to-end physical product research initiatives, partner with hardware/engineering/product/design, manage programs and timelines, mentor researchers, apply human-factors and usability methods, synthesize findings, and deliver actionable recommendations to inform product development.
Research Lead, Physical Product
Location: Boston, MA
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, behaviors, and daily lives.
WHOOP is hiring a Research Lead, Physical Product to drive research across WHOOP’s physical product development efforts. This role sits at the intersection of hands-on research execution, program leadership, and people development, with a primary focus on hardware-adjacent research. You will own multiple research initiatives end to end while supporting and mentoring other researchers—ensuring insights are rigorous, actionable, and tightly aligned with product development milestones.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Own and lead multiple physical product research initiatives from intake through execution, synthesis, and delivery.
- Partner closely with cross-functional stakeholders across hardware, engineering, product, and design to define research needs, scope, and timelines.
- Develop and maintain clear research plans, workflows, and deliverables, adapting to evolving priorities and constraints.
- Manage research programs and dependencies using project management tools, ensuring visibility, accountability, and on-time delivery.
- Support, mentor, and manage researchers by setting clear expectations, providing feedback, and fostering strong research craft and collaboration.
- Communicate research findings clearly and confidently, translating complex insights into recommendations that inform decision-making.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Strong project and program management skills, with comfort using tools such as Jira or similar planning frameworks.
- Bachelor’s degree or professional experience in a relevant field such as research & development, human subjects research, engineering, physiology, or a related discipline.
- 3+ years of experience conducting research in a hardware or physical product environment.
- Deeply understand, and can speak to a products development lifecycle within the consumer electronics space. Added benefit if this experience is in wearable technology.
- Experience applying research methods relevant to physical products, such as human factors, usability testing, applied research, or physiology.
- 1+ years of people management experience, or equivalent experience mentoring, leading projects, or supporting junior contributors.
- Ability to manage multiple concurrent research initiatives and operate effectively in ambiguous, fast-paced environments.
- Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills, with confidence giving and receiving feedback across disciplines.
- 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
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.
Top Skills
Ai Tools
JIRA
WHOOP Boston, Massachusetts, USA Office
1 Kenmore Sq, Boston, MA, United States, 02215
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