Betterup

Research Scientist, Technical

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What Betterup is looking for in applicants

Let’s face it, a company whose mission is human transformation better have some fresh thinking about the employer/employee relationship.

We do. We can’t cram it all in here, but you’ll start noticing it from the first interview.

Even our candidate experience is different. And when you get an offer from us (and accept it), you get way more than a paycheck. You get a personal BetterUp Coach, a development plan, a trained and coached manager, the most amazing team you’ve ever met (yes, each with their own personal BetterUp Coach), and most importantly, work that matters.

This makes for a remarkably focused and fulfilling work experience. Frankly, it’s not for everyone. But for people with fire in their belly, it’s a game-changing, career-defining, soul-lifting move.

Join us and we promise you the most intense and fulfilling years of your career, doing life-changing work in a fun, inventive, soulful culture.

If that sounds exciting—and the job description below feels like a fit—we really should start talking.

BetterUp Labs is currently seeking an innovative, accomplished Research Scientist who is passionate about advancing our understanding of the inner life and whole person performance of professionals around the globe. In this role, you will capture, measure, and analyze a range of behavioral data signals - from sensor data to self-report assessments to digital exhaust - to develop computational models of human flourishing. You’ll need to draw on your mastery of experimental social science, web- and app-based data engineering, applied machine learning, computational linguistics, and all-around data wizardry to uncover truly ground-breaking answers to The Big Questions.  

This role will provide a rich opportunity to showcase the intersection of your strengths as a social and computational engineer and scientist, and to leverage your diverse skills in the translation of science to practice. At BetterUp you’ll have the opportunity to work side by side with talented, motivated, and intellectually stimulating colleagues who thrive on helping organizations solve their most pressing behavioral business challenges.

What you’ll do:

  • Conceive of, develop, and prototype predictive computational models of personal and interpersonal flourishing behaviors.
  • Collect and process data from a range of behavioral health software and hardware (think productivity apps, wearables, and digital communication platforms).
  • Analyze both new and existing data to generate insights for both internal (marketing, product) and external (research community, prospects, customers) audiences. 
  • Develop best practices for collaboration, maintenance, and reporting of analytics projects.
  • Communicate findings with written, visual, and oral presentation media, for internal presentations, external reports and talks, and academic manuscripts. 
  • Stay on top of advances in relevant fields of research (e.g. applied ML, NLP, wearable/sensor technologies, psychological science) to inform experimentation and other business decisions.

Key Behaviors:

  • Practice rigorous science and compelling data storytelling.  Storytelling as a moral good!
  • Think creatively and interdisciplinarily.  Draw from the cutting-edge across academic and industry to inform study design and analysis.Always be ready to answer: what’s the best paper you’ve read recently that changed how you see the world?
  • Demonstrate unerring responsiveness to and seamless collaboration with internal customers, including marketing, product, sales, customer success, and operations teams. We work with a lot of different, amazing, people.
  • Learn continuously to stay on your edge in the relevant scientific literature.
  • Collaborate without ego, willing to take on small tasks (CSS tweaks) and large (design of years-long projects).

If you have some or all of the following, please apply: 

  • Hold an advanced degree from a top-tier university in one of the following (or similar) fields: applied machine learning, computational linguistics, computational social science, data science, data engineering.  (B.S. holders with strong computational/statistical backgrounds also considered.)  Note: This is not a traditional software engineering function.  A strong background in social science, along with computational science/engineering expertise, is required. Similarly, this role requires a lot more comfort with data engineering (e.g. building a data ingestion pipeline from scratch for a new wearable) than a traditional social science role.
  • Strong preference for minimum 2 years working in a similar role, preferably in a startup environment.
  • Proficient in Python, with a focus on ML/DL modules (Pandas, Scikit, Tensorflow, Pytorch).  Proficiency in R (tidyverse) a big plus.
  • Experience building and understanding predictive models based on multimedia data (video, audio, text), using cutting-edge deep learning methods. 
  • Comfortable with common inferential statistical methods, including hierarchical/multilevel models, Bayesian inference, cross-validation, and optimization.  
  • Basic SQL competency.
  • Expertise in human behavioral data measurement, collection, and analysis.  Psychology background a big plus.
  • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
  • Demonstrated desire for continued learning and development across different academic disciplines. 

Benefits:

At BetterUp, we are committed to living out our mission every day and that starts with providing benefits that allow our employees to care for themselves, support their families, and give back to their community. 

  • Access to BetterUp coaching; one for you and one for a friend or family member 
  • A competitive compensation plan with opportunity for advancement
  • Medical, dental and vision insurance
  • Flexible paid time off
  • Per year: 
  • Holiday charitable contribution of your choice on behalf of BetterUp
  • 401(k) self contribution
  • Company wide Summer & Winter breaks

Diversity & EEO statement

We are dedicated to building diverse teams that fuel an authentic workplace and sense of belonging for each and every employee. We know applying for a job can be intimidating, please don’t hesitate to reach out — we encourage everyone interested in joining us to apply.

BetterUp Inc. provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, genetics, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status. In addition to federal law requirements, BetterUp Inc. complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. 

Interested? Get in touch with Andrew Reece to learn more.  andrew.reece@betterup.co

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Want some tips on how to get an interview at Betterup?

What is Betterup looking for?
If this role looks interesting to you, a great first step is to understand what excites you about the team, product or mission. Take your time thinking about this and then tell the team! Get in touch and communicate that passion.
What are interviews for Research Scientist like?
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How to land an interview at Research Scientist?
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