[Hiring] Senior Research Specialist @Foundation for California Community Colleges

Role Description

The Senior Research Specialist, Strategic Policy, Innovation, and Research supports the Strategic Policy, Innovation, and Research (SPIR) unit by leading and contributing to complex research, evaluation, and data analysis initiatives that advance student success, equity, and higher education policy goals. This role involves:

• Designing and conducting quantitative and qualitative research.
• Managing projects through the full lifecycle.
• Translating findings into actionable policy and practice recommendations.
• Serving as a key source of research and analytical expertise for the Success Center and its partners.
• Leading the design and execution of research and evaluation projects that advance Success Center priorities and strategic goals.
• Independently conducting quantitative and qualitative analyses, synthesizing findings, and developing evidence-based recommendations for policy and practice.
• Leading and managing research activities, including project scoping, data collection, analysis, interpretation, dissemination, and reporting.
• Independently analyzing large and complex datasets using Stata, SQL, and other analytical tools.
• Developing near-final drafts of research reports, papers, policy briefs, presentations, data visualizations, dashboards, and other products.
• Synthesizing quantitative and qualitative evidence into clear strategies that support decision-making among college leaders, policymakers, practitioners, funders, and other stakeholders.
• Leading research and evaluation projects with limited supervision through the full project lifecycle.
• Serving as a research and data resource for the Success Center.
• Representing the Success Center at state, regional, and national meetings, convenings, conferences, and workgroups.

Qualifications

• Minimum of five years of progressive professional or educational experience in research, evaluation, and innovative project implementation.
• Minimum three years of experience contributing to project leadership through planning, coordination, and reporting.
• Experience engaging senior leadership, policymakers, or executive stakeholders in advancing organizational or system-level goals.
• Excellent research, evaluation, and analytical skills, including advanced qualitative and quantitative methodologies.
• Extensive knowledge of the California Community Colleges system and higher education landscape.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven project management ability to plan, coordinate, and deliver multiple complex initiatives independently and on time.
• Preferred: Experience in higher education reform, systems change, or nonprofit/public sector environments.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation, generous PTO, holidays.
• Medical, dental, and vision plans, Flexible Spending Accounts, and Health Savings Accounts (HSA).
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Wellness offerings.
• CalPERS retirement program and optional 403(b) and 457 Retirement plans.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness certified employer.