About Constructive Dialogue Institute
What is the Constructive Dialogue Institute?
The Constructive Dialogue Institute (CDI) describes itself as "a non-partisan non-profit that equips individuals and institutions with the skills to communicate across differences and build cultures of constructive dialogue". Its about page says it "was founded in 2017 by Jonathan Haidt and Caroline Mehl", and states its mission as "to equip the next generation of Americans with the skills to bridge divides." The main product is Perspectives, "CDI's online learning program", which "uses psychology concepts and interactive scenarios" to teach students, staff and faculty to talk across differences; around it sit live workshops and certifications for faculty, staff and student leaders, strategic advisory services, and programs for high schools and workplaces. CDI reports reaching "160K+" learners across 570 institutions in 20 states, and its home page carries a news item about a $4.5 million grant from the John Templeton Foundation.
Where will I work?
CDI says "We're a fully remote team doing work we care about", and a Communications posting adds that "CDI was founded as a remote-first organization, and we work hard to maintain a strong team culture across vast distances". All six postings on its Recruitee board on 2026-10-16 are remote roles with the same two lines: "Location: Remote, must be based in the U.S." and "Schedule: Full-time, flexible within U.S. time zones". Roles on the board are a Software Engineer (Early Career), an Instructional Design Specialist, a Program Manager for Live Programs, a Senior Manager for Qualitative Evaluation and Insights, a Communications and Content Manager and an Associate Director / Director of Development. There is no office to commute to, and the careers page promises "Regular in-person team gatherings, where a remote team becomes a real community."
What is the Constructive Dialogue Institute team like?
The team page calls it "a team of educators, researchers, designers, and engineers committed to helping people bridge divides", organised into groups such as Partnerships, Implementation and Live Programs under an executive team led by Co-Founder and Executive Director Caroline Mehl. Six values are listed on the careers page: Embrace Our Common Humanity, Practice Intellectual Humility, Prioritize Research, Deliver Excellence, Keep Improving and Stay Adaptable. The last of these reads "Though we are deliberative, we learn fast and are able to pivot when the evidence points us in a new direction". Postings describe a mission-driven culture "characterized by intellectual humility, continuous improvement, and open-mindedness", and one adds a note on AI: CDI is comfortable with candidates using it as a writing assistant, though applications that sound alike are harder to assess.
Work-Life Balance
The careers page lists "Unlimited paid time off, plus 13 company holidays" under the heading "Time to recharge", and the postings repeat it as "recharge on your own schedule with unlimited paid time off, in addition to 13 company holidays". Hours are full-time and "flexible within U.S. time zones". The Communications posting also mentions "subsidized parental leave", without giving a number of weeks. Pay is published on every posting, from $72,000 to $82,000 for the early-career engineer to $132,000 to $147,000 at Director of Development level. The careers page frames the aim as having "what you need to do your best work and live a full life outside it".
Perks and Benefits
- Unlimited paid time off plus 13 company holidays
- Medical, vision and dental plans, with CDI contributing toward the monthly premiums
- A 401(k) match: 100% of your contributions, up to 3% of your pay
- A generous annual professional development budget (one posting states $1,000)
- A new laptop, a one-time home-office reimbursement (up to $500 on the postings) and a monthly internet or cell phone reimbursement (up to $50)
- Regular in-person team gatherings
- Short- and long-term disability, life and AD&D insurance, and subsidized parental leave (named on the Communications posting)