Research Program Manager

Who We Are

2K is headquartered in Novato, California and is a wholly owned label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO). Founded in 2005, 2K Games is a global video game company, publishing titles developed by some of the most influential game development studios in the world. Our studios responsible for developing 2K’s portfolio of world-class games across multiple platforms, include Visual Concepts, Firaxis, Hangar 13, CatDaddy, Cloud Chamber, 31st Union, HB Studios, and 2K SportsLab. Our portfolio of titles is expanding due to our global strategic plan, building and acquiring exciting studios whose content continues to inspire all of us! 2K publishes titles in today’s most popular gaming genres, including sports, shooters, action, role-playing, strategy, casual, and family entertainment.

Our team of engineers, marketers, artists, writers, data scientists, producers, thinkers and doers, are the professional publishing stewards of 2K’s portfolio currently includes several AAA, sports and entertainment brands, including global powerhouse NBA®️ 2K,  renowned BioShock®️, Borderlands®️, Mafia, Sid Meier’s Civilization®️ and XCOM®️ brands; popular WWE®️ 2K and WWE®️ SuperCard franchises, TopSpin 2K25, as well as the critically and commercially acclaimed PGA TOUR®️ 2K

At 2K, we pride ourselves on creating an inclusive work environment, which means encouraging our teams to Come as You Are and do your best work! We encourage ALL applicants to explore our global positions, even if they don’t meet every requirement for the role.  If you're interested in the job and think you have what it takes to work at 2K, we encourage you to apply!

The Role

The Research Program Manager is a critical role within our Research Operations pillar. This individual is responsible for the health and scaling of our global research infrastructure, with a primary focus on owning our vendor ecosystem and compliance frameworks.

As a subject matter expert in the research lifecycle, you will operate with significant autonomy to identify and resolve complex operational issues. You will serve as the strategic liaison between the R&I team and our corporate partners in Legal, Finance, and Privacy to ensure our research is performed ethically, efficiently, and at world-class standards.

 What You Will Do

• Vendor Strategy & Management: Lead the end-to-end lifecycle for research agencies and tool providers, including selection, onboarding, and performance evaluation.
• Legal & Privacy Partnership: Act as the primary point of contact for T2 Legal and Privacy teams to manage agreements and ensure all data collection meets global compliance standards.
• SOW Governance: Lead the Statement of Work (SOW) process, ensuring clear project scoping, legal review via platforms like Ironclad, and team adoption of processes.
• Process Innovation: Design and implement scalable systems for research participant recruitment, platform licensing, and internal knowledge management.
• Financial Stewardship: Partner with Finance and ExDev teams to manage PO initiation, track project billing across various titles, and supervise resource utilization.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Provide expert guidance to researchers on procedures for third-party collaboration and operational workflows.

 Who We Believe Would Be an Excellent Fit

• Operational Expertise: Extensive professional experience in research operations, program management, or a related field, with a consistent record of running high-complexity projects.
• Compliance Mastery: Deep familiarity with research ethics, data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA), and the legal nuances of third-party vendor contracts.
• Collaborative Influence: Outstanding ability to establish relationships and navigate a sophisticated interpersonal structure, specifically with Legal and Finance partners.
• Research Fluency: A strong understanding of various research methodologies (Qual, Quant, UXR) to better anticipate vendor and tooling needs.
• Problem Solver: A resourceful person who can spot challenges in the research process and build sophisticated, scalable solutions.

 Preferred Skills & Resources

• Experience with research-specific tools such as Alchemer, Qualtrics, or User Interviews.
• Experience with legal tools and software such as Ironclad.
• Familiarity with project management and documentation tools like Confluence, Airtable, or Jira.
• A passion for the gaming industry and an interest in how player insights drive game development.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

Please note that 2K Games and its studios never uses instant messaging apps or personal email accounts to contact prospective employees or conduct interviews and when emailing, only use 2K.com accounts.

The pay range for this position in New York at the start of employment is expected to be between $85,700 and $126,860 per Year. However, base pay offered is based on market location, and may vary further depending on individualized factors for job candidates, such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and other objective business considerations. Subject to those same considerations, the total compensation package for employees in regular roles may also include other elements, including a bonus and/or equity awards, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, provided that temporary or intern roles will not be eligible for many of these payments or benefits. Details of participation in compensation and benefit plans (if applicable) will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.If hired, employee will be in an ~at-will position~ and the company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation or benefit program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

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