WestEd Position Announcement
Benefits Highlights
* All health benefits effective day one of employment
* 15% contribution toward retirement effective day one of employment
* 20 vacation days, 10 holidays, 2 personal days
Position Title: Research Associate II
Reports to: Deputy Director, Learning Innovations at WestEd
Program: Learning Innovations
Salary: Level G: $55,362 - $79,089
Location: Boston, MA
Time Base: 100%
Position No: 2451
WestEd, a nonprofit research, development, and service agency, works with education and other communities to promote excellence, achieve equity, and improve learning for children, youth, and adults. While WestEd serves the states of Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah as one of the nation's Regional Educational Laboratories, our agency's work extends throughout the United States and abroad. WestEd has 16 offices nationwide, from Washington and Boston to Arizona, Southern California, and its headquarters in San Francisco.
Learning Innovations is WestEd’s northeastern program with offices in the Boston area (Woburn, MA) and near Burlington, VT (Williston, VT). Learning Innovations conducts research and evaluation and provides training and professional development to address a wide range of school, district, and state improvement needs in education and related areas. Learning Innovations is home to the Northeast Regional Resource Center (one of USDOE funded special education technical assistance centers), and is a partner in the New York and New England Comprehensive Assistance Centers and the Regional Educational Laboratory for the Northeast and Islands (REL-NEI). REL-NEI is funded by the Institute for Education Sciences through a large, five-year contract, and is led by EDC, Inc., Newton, MA. The research activities of the REL include randomized control treatment studies of educational innovations, secondary analyses of existing data sets, research summaries and syntheses, and analyses of current practices. The Learning Innovations at WestEd Research and Evaluation group includes eight professionals who work across a wide variety of projects, including the REL and a group of constantly growing and changing short- and long-term evaluation projects with federal and local funding. Projects focuse on many areas of education and related human development and criminal justice fields, including among others, high school reform, innovative charter schools, PreK-12 and higher education partnerships, math/science education, special education, English language learning and learners, teacher preparation and induction, teacher professional development, administrator preparation and induction, leadership development, district and school program improvement, and issues in juvenile justice processes.
Position Description
WestEd is seeking to fill the position of Research Associate II to join the Research and Evaluation Group within Learning Innovations at WestEd. This position is designed for the seasoned professional seeking to lead evaluation and research projects. The person in this position will be responsible for contributing immediately to new and ongoing evaluation projects, including collaborative planning with clients, conducting focus groups, interviews, and classroom and professional development observations, as well as development and administration of online questionnaires and analysis of existing data and artifacts. Opportunities will also arise for work on a variety of different types of research studies for REL-NEI. This position is with our Learning Innovations at WestEd program and is located in the Woburn, MA office.
Responsibilities
1. Take leadership and work closely with Research and Evaluation team to carry out formative and summative evaluation projects, including conduct of focus groups, interviews, observations, and analysis of existing data and artifacts.
2. Conduct in-depth analysis and synthesis of qualitative and quantitative data.
3. Take the lead in preparing research and evaluation reports.
4. Conduct literature reviews.
5. Make presentations to and interact with clients.
6. Lead proposal writing and other business development activities with other members of research & evaluation team
7. Work collaboratively with REL-NEI team and other Learning Innovations /WestEd staff on these and other assignments and participate in all staff meetings and other expected communication protocols.
Qualifications
-Master’s degree in education or related field, including coursework in qualitative and quantitative methods and data analysis
- Experience in conducting focus groups, interviews, observations, and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data
- Experience in/with state departments of education, school districts, or other human service organizations
- Experience in proposal or business development
- Knowledge/coursework preferred in one or more specific educational specialty areas, including special education, English language learning, literacy, mathematics education, science education, educational technology, student assessment, teacher quality, drop-out prevention, or the federal education law No Child Left Behind
- Demonstrated ability to work as a team player and to treat staff and clients respectfully
- Demonstrated ability to write clearly and prepare useful reports and products
- Excellent organizational skills
- Tolerance of ambiguity, including shifting deadlines and priorities
- Ability to work across multiple projects and manage multiple tasks simultaneously
-Ability to work under pressure and to complete work by established deadlines
- Ability to address problem-solving in a creative and flexible manner
- Ability to provide and accept constructive criticism
- Willingness to travel
Application Process
Apply for this Position
We invite you to apply online at www.WestEd.org/jobs or you may send your resume, a letter of interest (specify Job No. 2451) and a list of three references to:
Human Resources
WestEd
730 Harrison Street
San Francisco, CA 94107
FAX: 415-565-3012
http://www.WestEd.org
WestEd is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Positions are open until filled.
BENEFITS SUMMARY
WestEd employees are offered a broad benefits package, including
* Competitive salary
* Health insurance, including dental and vision care
* Life insurance
* 403(b) retirement plan
* Paid vacation and holidays
