Senior Manager, Research & Development

Job Description: Senior Manager, Research & Development

Anticipated Start Date: Flexible, with a Fall 2025 target

Role Type: Full-Time, Salaried

Background: Education innovation; edtech R&D; user-centered design; prototyping and tool testing

Location: Remote (up to 30% travel)

Salary: $95,000 - $105,000 per year, plus benefits 

Who We Are:

The Modern Classrooms Project is a fast-growing 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers educators to build classrooms that respond to every student’s needs. Founded by two award-winning teachers, we lead a movement of educators in implementing a self-paced, mastery-based instructional model that leverages technology to foster human connection, authentic learning, and social-emotional growth.

To date, our free online course and Virtual Mentorship Program have empowered nearly 100,000 educators in 150+ countries. We’ve partnered with 200+ schools and districts to train and support both teachers and administrators, and researchers from Johns Hopkins University found “overwhelming positive support” for our approach. We are an ambitious, idealistic team and we are passionate about what we do.  

Why We Need You:

At Modern Classrooms Project, we know that powerful instructional models require powerful tools. Over the last 18 months, we’ve developed content and training that helps teachers implement high-quality instructional materials more effectively. Now, we’re eager to understand how leveraging the right tech tools can help our teachers do even better. In particular, we aim to:

• Use AI to streamline curriculum adaptation
   
• Build more usable digital interfaces for teachers and students
   
• Optimize systems for self-pacing, progress tracking, and mastery checking
   
• Explore next-generation tools that support student learning and teacher efficiency
   

We’re looking for a Senior Manager, Research & Development to help us support effective teaching and learning through the purposeful implementation of technology. You will lead efforts to test tools, prototype new features, and improve the usability and effectiveness of the resources we build.

In this role, you won’t just execute on a product vision—you’ll help shape it. This is an ideal role for someone who’s excited to work across content, technology, and design to improve how educators and students experience our model.

What You’ll Do:

You will report to our Vice President of Product and collaborate closely with our growing Engineering team. You’ll also work cross-functionally with our Curriculum, Programs, and Research teams, and play a key role in connecting our internal development work with real-world classroom experiences.

As Senior Manager, Research & Development, you will:

• Lead the design, execution, and analysis of rapid user tests for both existing edtech tools and tools we ourselves build, including user interviews, educator feedback loops, and results synthesis
   
• Support the improvement of existing and in-development tools by identifying usability challenges and suggesting targeted design refinements for both educators and students
   
• Drive early-stage research on emerging tools that could be integrated into our instructional model (e.g., auto-grading, adaptive practice, AI-generated videos)
   
• Align testing priorities with the broader MCP tech roadmap and strategic vision
   
• Track relevant research and development timelines and help MCP leadership make informed decisions about what tools to build and what tools to integrate
   

You will serve as a critical connector between idea and execution, ensuring the tools we build are useful, usable, and grounded in real educator needs.

You Should Apply If:

• You have a deep understanding of the daily work of teaching and learning, whether through your own teaching experience or other experience in the education sector
• You've helped develop amazing products or systems, especially in edtech, education R&D, or a similarly innovative space
   
• You know how to translate user insights into iterative product improvement
   
• You are comfortable working in a start-up environment and excited to help define a new role
   
• You’ve led testing cycles, helped design prototypes of new tools, and/or supported software development processes
   
• You care about equitable design and want to make education more accessible and effective for all learners
   
• You’re energized by the chance to work cross-functionally on a wide range of projects
   

It Would Also Be Helpful If:

• You’ve worked on tools for K–12 educators or students
   
• You’ve designed or analyzed user research (qualitative or quantitative)
   
• You’re familiar with design thinking, agile development, or lean startup methodology
   
• You have experience with tools like Airtable, Canvas, Google Classroom, or EdTech APIs
   
• You’ve worked with AI/ML tools or have strong instincts about ethical and effective use of AI in education

Compensation and Benefits:  We offer a competitive compensation package, as well as the opportunity to work in a fast-growing nonprofit that is on a mission to improve education worldwide.  This includes:

• Salaried Position: $95,000 - $105,000 per year
• Employer-sponsored health insurance through CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
• Participation in Vanguard 403(b) deferred-compensation plan with 3% employer match
• Paid Time Off, inclusive of: vacation/PTO (20 days), paid holidays, paid parental leave, sick and safe paid time off, "Me Days", and the ability to earn paid Comp time off
• Annual budget for MCP-funded Continuous Learning for the program(s) you request (available after 6 months of continuous full-time employment) 
• FSA and Dependent Care FSA access
• 1x Salary Life Insurance company-paid coverage 
• Access to Wishbone Pet Insurance Benefit
• Ability to work remotely and to set own hours (within reason)

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STATEMENT OF NON-DISCRIMINATION: The Modern Classrooms Project is committed to equal employment opportunity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, disability, age, religion, sexual orientation, nationality, or ethnicity. We are strongly committed to hiring a diverse team and encourage applications from traditionally under-represented backgrounds.