[Hiring] Senior Researcher @American Institutes for Research

Role Description

AIR's Employment & Economic Opportunity Program is seeking a Part-Time Senior Researcher to support project teams dedicated to collecting and disseminating valid and reliable data on how U.S. education compares internationally.

The Senior Researcher provides technical support and coordinates research, operational, and analytic activities that support U.S. participation in major international large-scale assessments and surveys, including studies conducted by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), such as TIMSS, PISA, and TALIS. Working closely with project leadership, clients, and international partners, this role oversees study activities across the assessment lifecycle, including:

• Instrument development and review
• Study operations
• Data quality review
• Analysis
• Reporting
• Dissemination

The role contributes to the development, analysis, and interpretation of international education statistics and research findings, translating technical information into clear, actionable insights for a range of audiences. Engagements are typically project-based, part-time, and may vary in duration and hours depending on project needs. This position has the flexibility to work remotely within the United States (U.S.) or from one of AIR’s U.S. office locations. This does not include U.S. territories. This position requires availability to participate in meetings across all continental U.S. time zones and, occasionally, international time zones, predominately Central European Time/Central European Summer Time.

Qualifications

• PhD in related subject area (e.g., Sociology, Psychology, Anthropology, Public Policy, or related field) with 3+ years of relevant experience or Master’s degree with 7+ years of relevant experience
• Firm understanding of implementation science
• Ability to take big ideas and develop work plans and timelines
• Experience at contract research and/or evaluation organization(s)
• Experience with data collection methodologies (including but not limited to structured interviews, observations, survey research) and analysis activities (including but not limited to experience with quantitative and/or qualitative analytic software packages [such as Stata, R, Excel, NVivo, and Access])
• 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)

Requirements

• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills including strong communication skills with the ability to produce concise, high-level summaries and briefings
• Strong negotiation, communication, and client management skills
• Strong presentation, professional development delivery, and facilitation skills
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy when writing
• Can collaborate effectively in a virtual work environment

Benefits

• Anticipated Hourly Rate Range: $62 — $67 USD