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In November 2025, we published The Universal ResearchOps Career Ladder, an industry-defining asset that’s already become a go-to reference for ResearchOps professionals, hirers, and managers worldwide.
Jared Forney, the ResearchOps Principal at Okta, caught up with Kate Towsey to talk about The Ladder, why he's envious of ResearchOps newbies who now have this industry-defining asset to guide their work, and why it's important. The punchline? It makes obvious the growing role of ResearchOps as strategists, dot connectors, and system designers—not just as administrators.
On the topic of ResearchOps as strategists and system designers, if you haven’t already, make sure to listen to ResearchOps 2.0, “EP #3: Taking a Platform Approach to ResearchOps.” It’s a deep dive into the fast-moving evolution of ResearchOps, which Jared refers to in this minipod.
The Universal ResearchOps Career Ladder
Credits
The Universal ResearchOps Career Ladder was produced by Kate Towsey, with contributions from the following Cha Cha Club members: Wyatt Hayman, Saskia Liebenberg, Rodrigo Dalcin, Jared Forney, Lauren Galanter, Caitlin Faughan, Stephanie Marsh, Stephanie Kingston, Kalee Dankner, Leah Kandel, Jamie Williams, Jenna Lombardo, Christen Penny, Luana Cruz, Alma Krezla, Carolyn Morgan, Lydia Iana, and Rebecca Dennigan.
