Research Manager

About Us:

Good Business Lab (GBL) is a research-to-action nonprofit that advances access to high-quality jobs for low-income workers. We believe a truly good job is more than wages — it creates conditions for workers to thrive. Yet too few workers have access to sustained wage growth, supportive workplaces, and real opportunities for advancement. GBL works to change this by expanding pathways into better-fit, higher-opportunity work and improving job quality within large employers. We study worker needs, partner with workers and employers to co-design interventions that serve both individual and business goals, and evaluate impact through causal methods. Across manufacturing, retail, and food service, our work shows that improving job quality also improves firm performance. Globally, we have directly improved outcomes for over 500,000 workers, with indirect reach across an ecosystem impacting nearly 2 million more.

The founders of the Lab are Achyuta Adhvaryu - Professor of Economics and Director of 21st Century India Center at the School of Global Policy and Strategy, UC San Diego (), Anant Ahuja - Head of ESG and Sustainability at Shahi Exports Pvt. Ltd., and Anant Nyshadham - Assistant Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy at the University of Michigan ().
About the role

Research Managers (RMs) are integral to the success of randomized evaluations. Working closely with the research team at GBL and collaborating researchers across U.S. universities, the RM will support all stages of the research process across two U.S.-based projects, along with other key activities to develop more projects in the U.S. Here is a quick description of the two active projects in the U.S.:

- AI-assisted job search and matching: Research on using algorithmic matching to connect low-income jobseekers to local vacancies — widening the scope of job search across sectors and improving matching to jobs in which candidates may have no prior experience. This research builds on our prior work on AI-directed job search, which you can read about here.

- Cash incentives and continuity of care: Research investigating the effects of small cash incentives on continuity of care among the unsheltered population in the Los Angeles region.

To acclimatize yourself with our work, you can explore our website and LinkedIn.

Compensation: USD $80,000–&1,00,000 annually, subject to the candidate’s experience, skills, and fit for the role.
Type of Employment: Fixed Term Employment
Duration: 1 year

Location: This is a remote position. Team members are based in Philadelphia, PA (with an office space) and Ann Arbor, MI, and relocation to either location is an option for candidates who are interested.
Roles and Responsibilities:

- Lead grant writing and prepare reports for funding agencies

- Mentor Research Assistants and other research staff; assist with hiring and training Research Assistants and other research staff

- Assist with Research Assistant responsibilities as needed (literature reviews, survey instrument design, data cleaning, survey planning, data quality monitoring, fieldwork supervision, etc.)

- Ensure projects follow GBL standards and protocols, including IRB approval, coding standards, and analysis procedures

- Anticipate and identify risks or threats to research design/projects, propose solutions, and escalate to researchers as needed

- Maintain clear communication and alignment between researchers, GBL staff, and implementation partners; clarify expectations and troubleshoot challenges

- Ensure the project has sufficient material and human resources

- Maintain comprehensive project documentation — codebooks, field protocols, and project logs — to academic standards of transparency and reproducibility

- Coordinate with administrative and finance teams on participant payments and study-related costs

- Prepare policy memos, research briefs, and communications content (blogs, articles) on ongoing and completed studies

- Repr