Senior Researcher And Measurement Expert - Youth, Family, And Community Development

Overview

AIR's Youth, Family, and Community Development program area is seeking aSenior Researcher and Measurement Expertwith extensive measurement and research design expertise focused on child and youth development to lead and support teams aiming to build evidence on equitable pathways to child and youth learning, development, and thriving. The Senior Researcher will contribute to pursuits and projects that support whole child and youth development policies, programs, and initiatives in and out of schools, including with families and in communities.

 

We are interested in qualified applicants with content expertise and interest in child and youth development as well as methodological expertise in quantitative methods and/or mixed methods. In addition, applicants should have expertise in the design and evaluation of measures related to child and youth development including measures of school climate, conditions for learning, student and educator well-being, and social and emotional learning. The applicant does not need to be a psychometrician but should have enough expertise to engage and collaborate with psychometric experts on measurement related projects.

 

Candidates hired for the position may work remotely within the United States (U.S.) or from one of our U.S. office locations.

 

About AIR:

 

Established in 1946, with headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, AIR is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit institution that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance to solve some of the most urgent challenges in the U.S. and around the world. We advance evidence in the areas of education, health, the workforce, human services, and international development to create a better, more equitable world.

 

 

AIR's commitment to diversity goes beyond legal compliance to its full integration in our strategy, operations, and work environment. At AIR, we define diversity broadly, considering everyone's unique life and Community experiences. We believe that embracing diverse perspectives, abilities/disabilities, racial/ethnic and cultural backgrounds, styles, ages, genders, gender identities and expressions, education backgrounds, and life stories drives innovation and employee engagement. Learn more about AIR's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategy and hear from our staff by clicking here.

Responsibilities

The responsibilities for the position include:

• Conceptualize problems related to child and youth development, identify research and evaluation questions, and design experimental and quasi-experimental studies to address them. 
• Provide leadership on projects and pursuits involving the design and evaluation of measures related to child and youth development, including: survey/tool selection, development, and administration; survey equating and validation.
• Lead collaborative project teams in preparing timelines, coordinating staff on task assignments, and overseeing project implementation to ensure tasks are completed on time, on budget, and with quality.
• Conduct and/or oversee basic and advanced inferential statistical analyses (e.g., hypothesis testing, regressions, multilevel modeling, mediator and moderator analyses, structural equation modeling).
• Write reports, including briefs, charts, and graphs that describe and interpret findings of analyses for clients.
• Support clients and end users in understanding and applying evidence in decision making.
• Communicate effectively, with clients, site-based staff, and other stakeholders.
• Manage client and stakeholder relationships in ways that are respectful and demonstrate knowledge of the field and policy landscape.
• Demonstrate cultural and linguistic competence and sensitivity in all interactions with colleagues, stakeholders, and project participants. 

Qualifications

Education, Knowledge, and Experience:

• PhD in related subject area (Child/Youth/Human Development, Sociology, Psychology, Anthropology, Public Policy, etc.), or related field with a minimum of 3 years of relevant experience or Master's degree with a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience
• Experience at contract research and/or evaluation organization(s)
• Expertise in methodologies related to measurement, including but not limited to
  • Design of innovative assessments, including for hard-to-measure constructs related to child and youth development
  • Methods for investigating validity, reliability, and fairness
  • Approaches to scoring, reporting, and interpreting assessment results
  • Basic understanding of machine learning and other applications of artificial intelligence to assessment
• Experience designing and leading experimental and quasi-experimental studies related to child and youth development
• Extensive experience conducting inferential statistical analyses
• Experience managing project and/or task teams on research and evaluation projects
• Experience building and maintaining client and partner relationships
• Experience with business pursuit (e.g., grant and proposal writing)

 Skills:

• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy when writing
• Excellent interpersonal skills to ensure effective communication with individuals at all levels and from diverse backgrounds and the ability to produce concise, high-level summaries and briefings accessible to broad audiences
• Ability to take big ideas and develop work plans and timelines.

 

Disclosures:

 

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis. Employment-based visa sponsorship (including H-1B sponsorship) is not available for this position. Depending on project work, qualified candidates may need to meet certain residency requirements.

 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability.

 

AIR adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

 

AIR's Total Rewards Program, is designed to reward our staff competitively and motivate them to achieve our critical mission. This position offers an anticipated annual salary of $118,000 - $140,000. Salary offers are made based on internal equity within the institution and external equity with competitive markets. Please note this is the annual salary range for candidates that are based in the United States.

 

AIR maintains a drug-free work environment.

 

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Employment Type: OTHER