Senior Research Scientist 1 - Remote

Description

Senior Research Scientist 1 - Remote

Note: This is a fully remote position, qualified candidates from all time zones are encouraged to apply. NWEA will provide all necessary equipment.

Position Summary

As a Senior Research Scientist 1, you will play a lead role in the design and execution of operational psychometric procedures. You will pursue both collaborative and individual research projects to sustain a publication record and your professional reputation in the industry. You will serve the industry and the organization by 1) mentoring junior staff, 2) engage in service to the organization by serving on or leading committees and cross-functional working groups, and 3) service to the profession with an active role in a professional organization such as NCME. Your work requires in-depth knowledge of measurement theory, test scaling, item response theory, contemporary validity theory, the intersection of educational policy and psychometrics, and experience with a variety of assessment types. You should enjoy working collaboratively with a diverse team of experts and be effective at writing proposals, communicating with internal and external audiences, and presenting research findings and results from psychometric studies.

Education and Experience

• PhD in psychometrics, education research, quantitative psychology, statistics, or related field
• 5-10 years of work experience in the field as a psychometrician
• Proficiency with the fundamentals of measurement, including item response theory (IRT) and classical test theory (CTT)
• Expertise in an area of focus such as Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT), linking and equating, generalizability theory, cognitive diagnosis models, hierarchical linear modeling, or structural equation modeling
• Skilled at using psychometric software such as WINSTEPS and flexMIRT
• Skilled at statistical analysis using Python (preferred), R, or SAS
• Experience with applying psychometric theories and analyses to solve problems
• An established track record of publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at professional conferences
• Involved in professional organization leadership or committee work
• Experience in K-12 education assessment, specifically early reading a plus

Responsibilities

• Design and document standard operational procedures to support NWEA assessments
• Conduct advanced statistical and psychometric analyses using methods such as CAT algorithms, IRT, and chain equating, cognitive diagnosis models
• Engage in service to the organization through a leadership role on an organization-wide committee (e.g., IRB member, data governance committee)
• Design new data structures and create tools for operational work such as R or Python code for analytics
• Implement data quality assurance procedures and guide data analysts in their work
• Design and execute long-term research projects involving multiple internal and/or external groups
• Guide software engineers in the development of partner-facing software infrastructure
• Contribute expertise and guidance to proposals in response to RFPs, leading the psychometric solutioning
• Interact with partners to answer questions or present technical work
• Participate in internal and external technical advisory committee meetings

About Us

NWEA® is a research-based, not-for-profit organization that supports students and educators worldwide through assessment and learning solutions and advocating for the learning needs of each student. For more than 40 years, NWEA has developed innovative pre-K-12 assessments and professional learning that fosters educators' ability to accelerate student learning, and engaged in research examining issues in education policy, psychometrics, and assessment innovation. Visit NWEA.org to find out how NWEA can partner with you to help all kids learn.

What We Can Offer You

At NWEA we not only offer a competitive base salary, we offer a 15% contribution of eligible employees' base salary to a defined contribution 403(b) retirement savings plan; career development opportunities; an awesome work culture and environment; we also offer industry leading benefits and perks that are focused on supporting our employees' holistic wellbeing. To learn more about what we can offer more, click here.

NWEA strives to make diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) practices the center of our work. Our organization's mission, Partnering to Help All Kids Learn, is the foundation for our DEIA commitment as we work to reflect, value, and support the educators, students, colleagues, and communities we serve. We seek to empower and engage all stakeholders in the research, services, solutions, and products we provide, our organizational culture, and the partnerships we establish with schools, districts, states, and countries.

NWEA endeavors to make www.nwea.org accessible to all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please call us at (503) 624-1951 or e-mail us at [email protected] and let us know the nature of your request, your location and your contact information. This is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.

NWEA is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. For our EEO Policy Statement, please visit our website. If you'd like more information on your EEO rights under the law, please visit the