Research Scientist, Research & Policy Partnerships

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt • US • 1m ago

Job Title: Research Scientist, Research and Policy Partnerships

Location: Remote

Who We Are

NWEA® is a division of HMH that supports students and educators through research, assessment solutions, policy and advocacy services, professional learning and school improvement services that fight for equity, drive classroom impact and push for systemic change in our educational communities. For nearly 50 years, NWEA has developed innovative pre-K–12 assessments, including their flagship interim assessment, MAP® Growth™ and their reading fluency and comprehension assessment, MAP® Reading Fluency™. For more information, visit NWEA.org to learn more.

About the Team

The NWEA Learning Sciences Division seeks a Research Scientist to join its Research and Policy Partnerships team. The RPP team is dedicated to generating actionable, policy-relevant research that directly addresses critical challenges in K–12 education. Our researchers have varied expertise but share a collective focus on producing research insights that translate into meaningful strategies for educators, policymakers, and school leaders. In addition, our researchers play key partner support roles, providing expert consultation on NWEA products and services, data analysis, and customized research solutions.

Beyond our research, our goal is to build and nurture a team of talented researchers and empower them to do their best work. In support of this goal, we seek researchers of diverse backgrounds and identities, academic training, work experience, and ideological outlooks to join our team. We are committed to creating a collegial environment that authentically recognizes, appreciates, and affirms each person’s strengths and differences.

Responsibilities

Primary research responsibilities:

Conduct and manage a portfolio of research projects focused on K-12 assessment and educational policy that support RPP’s mission and research agenda.
Analyze large-scale assessment data using rigorous research methodologies to generate actionable insights.
Build and maintain strategic research partnerships with school districts, state agencies, and academic institutions.
Present findings to diverse stakeholders (e.g., educators, policymakers, community leaders) and through diverse methods (e.g., research reports, policy briefs, peer-reviewed publications).

Partner support and consultation:

Serve as a research advisor to NWEA partners, helping them apply their assessment data to inform policy and programmatic decisions.
Provide technical consultation on assessment design and interpretation to both internal teams and external stakeholders.
Design and deliver compelling presentations tailored to partner needs and expertise levels on a range of topics—from practical guidance to the application of research findings, to hands-on technical workshops.

Education and Experience

A Ph.D. in Education, Public Policy, Sociology, Economics, Psychology, or a related field.
1-5 years of work experience in educational research, ideally using large-scale assessment data.
Strong quantitative training, preferably including the use of large-scale datasets (e.g., SEDA, ACS, CRDS, NAEP, and district and/or state longitudinal data systems).
Demonstrated proficiency with statistical software (R, Stata, or similar programs).
Experience publishing in academic journals and writing non-technical publications for general audiences.
Desire to work in an interdisciplinary, collaborative environment with researchers from a variety of social science backgrounds and professional experiences.
Desire to work with policymakers and educators on issues related to assessment data to inform future educational policies and practices.
Demonstrated ability to present and communicate complex assessment-related concepts and topics to practitioners and/or non-expert consumers.
Ability to carry out a research agenda in alignment with RPP focus areas and the individual’s area of expertise.
Experience with data visualization programs preferred (e.g., Tableau, Power Bi).
Experience using SQL and/or Python programming languages preferred.
Experience working in the K-12 education setting preferred.

Salary Range: 90k - 99k.

Application Deadline:

The application window for this position is anticipated to close on December 23, 2024. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible. The posting may be available past this date but is not guaranteed.

HMH is fully committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and to attracting, retaining, developing and promoting the most qualified employees without regard to race, gender, color, religion, sexual orientation, family status, marital status, pregnancy, gender identity, ethnic/national origin, ancestry, age, disability, military status, genetic predisposition, citizenship status, status as a disabled veteran, recently separated veteran, Armed Forces service medal veteran, other covered veteran, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. We are dedicated to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment, and where employees are treated with respect and dignity. We actively participate in E-Verify.

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