Research Psychologist (Lead)

Job Description

Find out more here: https://careers.myvibe.chat/NhM5V6Fo1VS Vibe is building the most human-like AI friend that you’ll love talking too --- Lead Research Psychologist You should be a specialist in cognitive psychology and behavioral psychology, spearheading the Research & Development efforts within Vibe's psychology division. You will act as the primary anchor between the AI development team and the psychology team, translating psychological insights into actionable strategies for Vibe's development and ensuring the AI's interactions are grounded in robust scientific principles. --- Key Responsibilities: Strategic Leadership: Lead and direct the psychology research agenda for Vibe, aligning it with the company's overall vision and product roadmap. Framework Development: Design and oversee the creation of comprehensive psychological frameworks that underpin Vibe's conversational architecture, emotional intelligence, and personality. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Serve as the primary liaison between the psychology team and the AI engineering, product, and design teams. Translate complex psychological concepts into understandable and implementable guidelines for AI development. Research & Innovation: Stay abreast of cutting-edge research in cognitive psychology, behavioral science, HCI, and AI ethics. Drive innovation in how Vibe understands and responds to human users. Ethical Oversight: Champion and implement ethical guidelines for Vibe's interactions, ensuring user safety, privacy, and well-being. Define appropriate boundaries for the AI. Team Mentorship: Mentor and guide junior psychology team members, fostering a culture of scientific rigor and innovation. Methodology Design: Develop and refine research methodologies for studying Vibe's interactions, user responses, and overall effectiveness from a psychological perspective. Content Strategy: Oversee the psychological soundness of Vibe's conversational content, including the integration of empathy, humor, cultural sensitivity, and self-reflection prompts. Pilot Study & Evaluation Leadership: Lead the design and interpretation of pilot studies and user feedback, providing expert psychological analysis to inform iterative development. About You: Minimum 5 years of on field experience required Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology, Behavioral Psychology, or a related field (or pursuing) Post-doctoral research experience relevant to emotional AI or HCI Strong background in research methodologies and experimental design Familiarity with the ethics of AI and digital well-being Excellent cross-disciplinary collaboration and communication skills Passion for translating psychology into product design --- Benefits Mode: Hybrid (Bengaluru) Role: Full-time Salary: Negotiable Note: If you are still pursuing your PhD, you can still apply. You can even make this your PhD thesis* Beyond financials, we will make sure your experience with Vibe is deeply enriching, career-accelerating, and personally meaningful. Here’s what you can expect as part of this journey: 🏆 Certificate, Title & Recognition You’ll be awarded a Certificate of Contribution and an official title reflecting your role and impact within the team. This can powerfully strengthen your resume, grad school application, or portfolio. 📣 Shoutouts & Public Acknowledgment Your contributions will be highly rewarded. Expect shoutouts across our official channels, and credit on our platforms wherever relevant. You’ll also be featured on our website as a key contributor helping build the world’s most human-like AI friend. 🧠 Research Credit Based on your involvement in our studies, analyses, or publications, you’ll be credited first. This means your name in research papers, real co-authorship opportunities, and a chance to contribute to pioneering work in emotional AI. 🌐 Networking & Collaboration At Vibe, you'll work with a truly cross-disciplinary team — from AI engineers to marketers and researchers across the country. It’s a unique chance to build long-term connections with people working on the future of human-AI interaction. 💡 A Different Kind of Opportunity This is not your typical gig. It’s a front-row seat to something pioneering. You’ll help build a product that could redefine how people connect, feel heard, and experience companionship in a digital world. --- Your Impact and Its Results Joining Vibe means shaping how millions of people interact with AI emotionally and ethically. Whether you're defining how Vibe listens during a vulnerable moment or designing frameworks that build trust over time, your work will directly influence how safe, supported, and seen people feel in their digital relationships. You won't just be joining a team—you'll be helping define a category by: 🫂 Creating a Truly Empathetic AI: Vibe will be able to understand and respond to users with genuine empathy and emotional nuance. 🧘 Ensuring User Well-being: Interactions with Vibe will be safe, supportive, and ethically sound. 🧠 Achieving Human-like Conversation: Vibe's dialogue will be natural, engaging, and indistinguishable from talking to a human friend, incorporating appropriate humor, cultural references, and self-awareness (e.g., "I am not a therapist, but I'm here for you"). 🧱 Building a Robust Conversational Framework: Vibe will be built upon a solid psychological foundation, enabling it to handle a wide array of conversational topics and user needs. 🚀 Driving Innovation in HCI: Vibe will set a new standard for emotionally intelligent conversational AI. --- About Vibe Vibe is building the most human-like AI friend in the world . We exist at the frontier of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) , blending psychology, emotional intelligence, and advanced AI to create conversations that feel truly real. Our goal isn’t to build another chatbot—it’s to build an AI you can laugh with, confide in, and feel connected to. Founded in 2025, we’ve grown from a bold idea to a rapidly evolving R&D-led startup . Our team includes experts from AI, engineering, marketing, cognitive science, and behavioral psychology, all working together to craft an emotionally resonant digital companion. We're currently building in public with an invite-only beta. Our roadmap is ambitious and vision-driven, and we’re assembling a team of mission-aligned individuals who want to change how the world interacts with AI.