Join Our Mission to Help Kids Thrive
Character Lab connects researchers with educators to better understand the conditions that lead to social, emotional, academic, and physical well-being for young people throughout the country.


Working at Character Lab
As an employee at Character Lab, you will join a small but mighty team that works remotely across the United States.
Character Lab’s Values
At Character Lab, our values aren’t just abstract ideas. They guide our day-to-day work to make research accessible and actionable. We frequently reference these values when making important decisions:
- Kids First: We promote student voice and protect their privacy at every opportunity. Our research insights seek to help kids thrive.
- Kaizen: We are committed to continuous improvement. Whenever we reach one goal, we aim higher, and we celebrate failure as a learning opportunity.
- Excessive Generosity: We give without asking. We assume the best of others.
- Candor: We speak with conviction and listen with humility. We take strong positions but hold them weakly, choosing evidence and reason over ego. We seek truth rather than hollow harmony.
- Grit: Our mission requires passion and perseverance for long-term goals whose outcomes are years away. Failures don’t stop us: They make us better.
- Scientific Integrity: We believe in research that is transparent, relevant, collaborative, equitable, and rigorous.
DEI Commitment
At Character Lab, we are committed to creating a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workspace. We encourage applicants who identify as members of historically underrepresented racial, ethnic, gender, age, ability, cultural and/or religious groups to apply for all positions. We strive to create a work culture where all are welcome and experience a sense of belonging. Here are a few ways this commitment shows up in our work:
Hiring at Character Lab
These steps represent a typical process, but your experience may vary. We tailor our hiring process for each open position.
- Initial Stages: You’ll submit a current resume and answer a few brief questions. Selected candidates will then discuss their application in a phone interview. Advancing candidates will move on to answer more specific questions about the role in a one-way video interview.
- Reference Checks & Offer: You will provide three references for Character Lab to contact to learn more about your experience. Once the reference checks are complete, you may receive an employment offer.
- Work Sample: Then, you will spend a few hours completing a work sample. All participating candidates will receive a gift card as thanks for their time and effort.
- Onboarding: After signing the written offer, you’ll start our thorough onboarding process. This includes get-to-know-you chats with all members of our team and plenty of time for learning. Note: All team members complete background checks required under PA School Law.
- Interviews: Next, through live Zoom interviews, you’ll meet Character Lab employees, learn more about our work culture, and continue showing us why you’re the right person for the role.