Staff Behavioral Scientist

The Predictive Index•Westwood, MA

About The Position

The Predictive Index is assembling a small team to build a new venture that combines startup-like independence with the credibility of a long-established behavioral science brand. The Staff Behavioral Scientist will own the scientific integrity of the venture from its beginning, ensuring its claims, instruments, and insights can withstand scrutiny from HR buyers, legal teams, and academic reviewers. The role applies industrial-organizational psychology and assessment science to product, positioning, and research decisions. It involves developing and validating psychometric instruments and scoring models, conducting applied research with pilot customers, translating research into product experiences and messaging, and producing scientific documentation that supports the product’s credibility. The position is part of a lean, fast-moving team exploring and validating a new market, and reports directly to the venture lead. The position may be performed at the company’s Massachusetts headquarters or remotely within the United States. Employees may choose to work at the Westwood, Massachusetts headquarters, remotely, or in a mix of both. Every employee has access to AI tools and ongoing training in their use.

Requirements

A PhD or equivalent applied experience in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Organizational Behavior, Psychometrics, or a closely related field.
Deep hands-on experience in psychometric development, including scale construction, IRT or CTT, validation design, and norm development.
Demonstrated ability to conduct applied validation research in real organizational settings, not only academic labs.
Ability to translate rigorous science into language product teams can build from and buyers can trust.
Comfort working in an environment where the research agenda, product roadmap, and go-to-market strategy are still being developed.
Passion for using AI in all aspects of work and willingness to use modern tools to improve thinking, speed, and team capacity.
A builder’s mindset and willingness to work in a lean, fast-moving team and take on responsibilities beyond the job title.

Responsibilities

Provide the scientific foundation and defensibility for the venture’s claims.
Apply industrial-organizational psychology—including assessment science, team dynamics, leadership, engagement, and job fit—to product, positioning, and research decisions.
Design and validate psychometric instruments, scales, or scoring models required by the product, holding them to the scientific standards of PI’s existing assessments.
Conduct applied research with pilot customers, including criterion and construct validation, efficacy studies, and norm development.
Translate peer-reviewed industrial-organizational and organizational behavior research into product features, user experience, and go-to-market messaging.
Own scientific documentation and evidence for the venture’s claims, including technical manuals, validity evidence, and white papers.