Director of Clinical Research

Skills this role screens for

About the role

JOIN THE SLEEP FITNESS MOVEMENT

At Eight Sleep, we're on a mission to fuel human potential through optimal sleep. As the world's first sleep fitness company, we're redefining what it means to be well-rested and building the most advanced hardware, software, and AI technology to make it possible. Our products power peak mental, physical, and emotional performance by transforming every night of sleep into a personalized, data-driven recovery experience. We are trusted by high performers, professional athletes, and health-conscious consumers in over 30 countries worldwide.

Recognized as one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies in 2019, 2022, 2023, 2026, and twice named to TIME's "Best Inventions of the Year."

We operate like a high-performance team: fast, focused, and motivated by impact. We don't just ship; we iterate, refine, and obsess over the details that help our members sleep better and wake up stronger.

HIGH STANDARDS. NO APOLOGIES.

We operate with intensity because our mission demands it. At Eight Sleep, we bring the same mindset as the world's top performers: focused, relentless, and always pushing to be in the top 1% of our craft. Think Kobe Bryant's mamba mentality, applied to bold ideas, next-gen tech, and flawless execution. This isn't a 9-to-5. Our team is deeply committed, often putting in the extra effort — not because we're told to, but because we're invested.

We're here to build fast, push limits, and deliver without compromise. If you thrive under pressure and want to do the most meaningful work of your career, you'll feel right at home. If you're looking for something easier — this isn't it.

The work

THE ROLE

We're looking for a Director of Clinical Research who will own Eight Sleep's clinical research organization — the data collection and scientific backbone of the company. Reporting to the VP of R&D, you will lead a team of 10+ research associates, data scientists, and data engineers. You’ll serve as the company's senior physiological authority across every human research study that powers our hardware, sensing, and AI/ML teams.

You will also own program management across the full breadth of the clinical team's verticals — hardware studies, AI/ML development studies, and women’s sleep studies — while also acting as Eight Sleep's public-facing voice on the science of sleep, from peer-reviewed publications to press and podcast appearances. This is a hands-on leadership role: you'll be as comfortable defining statistical criteria and reviewing raw data as you are managing people, budgets, and cross-functional stakeholders.

The work

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Own the clinical research & science organization — lead, mentor, and grow a team of 10+ spanning clinical operations, data engineering, and data science
• Direct all human research studies supporting our Hardware, Sensing, and AI/ML teams, from protocol development & study ideation, to IRB submission, data collection, analysis, and reporting
• Uphold the company's scientific validation standard by applying rigorous statistical and testing criteria (e.g., MAE, TOST equivalence testing, Bland-Altman analysis) to evaluate hardware and algorithm performance before launch
• Translate research into product features by partnering with Product, Growth, Design, and Engineering teams to develop science-backed features such as Pregnancy Mode, Rapid Cooling Mode, and Jet Lag Mode
• Provide scientific input on marketing claims, press releases, and journalist articles by reviewing web, social, and app content for accuracy and ensuring every public-facing claim and document is backed by data
• Lead scientific communications — author and direct blog posts, white papers, and peer-reviewed publications, and represent Eight Sleep in press interviews, podcasts, and conference talks
• Manage team growth and performance, including hiring, compensation strategy, mentorship, and formal performance management processes
• Drive new research exploration, identifyin