People Research Scientist
Wealthfront · Palo Alto, United States +1 · 2mo ago
Wealthfront is looking for a People Research Scientist to join our Organizational Performance group and study how employees perform, what enables success, and what environments and practices are most conducive to development. You will work closely with People Operations leadership and function leaders across the company
At Wealthfront, we ask a lot from our managers and senior individual contributors, who develop the people around them while contributing to the advancement of their craft. You will study their career progression to identify what helps them grow, with specific focus on the unique needs of each group, managers and individual contributors. Rather than just delivering insights, you will collaborate to turn findings into practices and programs. When your research points to a solution, you will work with peers and leaders to design a program, launch it, and measure its impact.
A successful hire on this team will be a strong researcher, writer, and collaborator. Expertise in the research of individual and team performance will guide your efforts as an in-house researcher. Most of this job's output will consist of research briefs, program plans, training materials, and recommendations to leaders. Implementing new practices and programs will require close partnership and skillful collaboration. The ideal candidate is motivated to push the boundaries of employee and organizational performance; is motivated to experiment and innovate; and resonates with Wealthfront’s mission to improve our clients’ financial futures.
Responsibilities
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Run qualitative and small-N quantitative research on performance, career progression, manager effectiveness, and retention, using interviews, focus groups, surveys, and our people data.
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Collaborate to turn findings into programs. Design them and launch them with function leaders, measure their results, and iterate to improve.
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Partner with People Operations leadership on organizational design, leveling, and career pathways, and set clear expectations for success at each level for individual contributors and managers.
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Build the first-time manager program that turns strong ICs into confident Coaches, and the early career pipeline that grows our next generation of homegrown talent.
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Help launch a mentorship program that accelerates employee development.
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Strengthen our assessment process to improve how we attract, develop and retain top talent.
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Analyze the data behind talent decisions, and present findings to senior leadership with clear recommendations.
Qualifications
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A PhD in industrial-organizational psychology, organizational behavior, sociology, quantitative psychology, behavioral economics, or a related field. We are just as glad to meet candidates graduating now as those with a couple of years of industry experience.
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Evidence of putting theory into practice: published research or a dissertation with practical business implications, a program you designed and put into practice, or an analysis that changed how an organization operates.
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Depth in research methods, including interview and survey design, qualitative data analysis (coding), and some statistical analysis.
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A commitment to evidence-based practice, capable of separating scientifically sound methodology from superficial industry trends.
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Working proficiency in R or Python. Familiarity with SQL is a plus (or a strong willingness to learn it).
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A preference for building the program yourself over handing your findings off to someone else.
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Readiness to support People Ops leadership in advising senior leaders on what the data does and does not support.
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Clear writing across research briefs, program plans, and company communications.
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Discretion with sensitive employee data.
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An affinity for personal finance and investing, and the appetite to become an expert in our industry.
Estimated annual salary range: $140,000 - $155,000 USD,equity and a discretionary bonus.
Plus comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k) with company match, an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), generous time off, parental leave, wellness reimbursements, professional development, and an employee investing discount.