RESEARCH ASSOCIATE II
Grade 9 – RESEARCH & EVALUATION
Education Development Center (EDC) is one of the world’s leading non-profit research and development firms. Established in 1958, EDC’s work spans the globe, joining research with practice to meet today’s and tomorrow’s challenges in education, health promotion, technology, human rights, and the environment. While the issues we confront are complex, all that we do is united by one simple conviction: Learning is the liberating force in human development.
EDC is Committed to Diversity in the Workplace
The Teacher Quality Science Project in the Center for Children & Families (CC&F) has a part-time (50%) opening for a Research Associate (II), reporting to the Project Director, in the Newton, MA, office of EDC. We seek a Research Associate (II) with exceptional skills as a psychometrician and methodologist.
In its Teacher Quality Science Project, CC&F is collaborating with Head Start partners to design and evaluate a credit-bearing professional development program, Foundations of Science Literacy. Foundations will help teachers master science content and inquiry-based methods through a combination of mentoring and face-to-face instruction. An emphasis will be placed on developing effective strategies for English language learners and low-income children who demonstrate lower levels of science proficiency than their peers. Because there are no existing assessments of science teaching and learning, CC&F will also develop new measures to advance the field.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
The Research Associate (II) independently provides support to complex or multiple qualitative &/or quantitative investigation efforts, including:
• working with the research team on the development of assessments of early science knowledge and skills
• conducting psychometric analyses of test validity and reliability
• research & analysis, with increasing methodology expertise and independent judgment
• independently drafting proposals; coordinating proposal development or execution
• perhaps assisting Principal Investigator with key deliverables
• performing or supervising fieldwork
QUALIFICATIONS - All jobs require educational achievement; excellent writing skills; demonstrable initiative, creativity, and flexibility; ability to work independently and effectively in groups; strong interpersonal & organizational skills. This position requires:
• Proven experience in assessment design, preferably within an evidence-centered design framework
• Experience with IRT modeling is preferred
• Experience with Bayesian approaches to educational assessment is preferred
• Master’s degree or PhD in educational or psychological measurement and statistics, educational psychology or a closely related field
• With Master’s degree, 5–8 years related research, education, public health or administrative coordination, requiring solid experience with psychometric and statistical measurement techniques
• With PhD, 0–3 years related experience (as above). An A.B.D. is acceptable, but you must anticipate receiving doctoral degree within 12 months of hire
CONTACT: Dr. Jess Gropen
EDC, 55 Chapel Street, Newton, MA 02458-1060
jgropen@edc.org
No phone calls, please
EDC is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer (M/F/D/V) and a smoke-free workplace
