Senior Research Associate

The Education Trust seeks a Senior Research Associate to support the organization’s Division of Program and Policy.   Founded in 1992, The Education Trust works for the high academic achievement of all students, pre-kindergarten through college, with the goal of closing the gaps in opportunity and achievement that separate low-income students and students of color from other youth.  

Reporting to the Director of Research, the Senior Research Associate will play a critical role in ensuring that The Education Trust’s practice and policy work is informed by the most current and cutting-edge education research. The Senior Research Associate will conduct primary and secondary research to compose analytical and strategic briefs that will inform discussion and debate among education decision-makers at the national, state, and local levels. For additional information on The Education Trust, please visit www.edtrust.org.

Major Responsibilities

The Senior Research Associate’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

• Serve as the primary manager of a new project exploring student success in high school science courses, including ensuring that project tasks and goals are met, overseeing and participating in the development of district and school profiles for use with identified projects and studies, and working with the Director of Research to develop overall design, protocols, and methodologies for project work.
• Read, evaluate, and summarize academic and policy research relating to school structure, teacher learning communities, standards, and student achievement in rigorous high school science courses.
• Serve as a resource to The Education Trust’s Teacher Quality team to track the most recent research on teachers, especially research that uses “value-added modeling,” and capture the findings from this research in useable form.
• Track and review the latest research and policy developments on a broad range of topics, including inequitable distribution of resources/opportunities in public education, policies and practices of highly successful schools and colleges, teacher quality, and education funding.
• Use SPSS or SAS to complete complex multivariate data analysis using databases developed either internally by The Education Trust or externally by the US Department of Education or state departments of education.
• Write and edit research briefs, reports, and position papers, including production of at least two policy/research briefs within the first year. 
• Give external presentations on The Education Trust’s research, analysis, and policy positions.

Qualifications and Expectations

The ideal candidate will possess the following:

• Passion for improving the educational experiences and outcomes for low-income students and students of color, and an unwavering belief that these students could be much more successful if institutions better served them.
• Strong interest and background in education research and data analysis, including knowledge of research design and use of research in policymaking.
• Demonstrated proficiency with statistical analysis software programming and database development.
• Possession of a doctorate, master’s degree, or equivalent in education research, education policy, or related fields (e.g., statistics, sociology, etc.).
• Excellent writing skills and ability to communicate results of research to a diverse audience.
• Excellent project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple projects and to build a sense of common mission among various team members.

Compensation

Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications.  The Education Trust offers a comprehensive benefits package.

Application Process

Inquiries, referrals, and resumes with a cover letter should be emailed to SrResearchAssoc@edtrust.org or faxed to 202-293-2605, attention: HR, Senior Research Associate.

The Education Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages diversity in all facets of the organization’s work.