Postsecondary Senior Researcher

About Digital Promise Global

Digital Promise Global is an independent, bipartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to spur innovation to advance equity and improve the opportunity to learn. Positioned at the intersection of educators, entrepreneurs, and researchers, Digital Promise Global identifies, develops, and promotes strategies to improve education and provide people with the knowledge and skills needed to compete in the global economy. Digital Promise centers our work in equity and values and rewards inclusivity, collaboration, and innovation.

About the Position

The learning sciences portfolio at Digital Promise Global includes projects aimed at uncovering how best to promote learning and how to ensure that high-quality learning opportunities are implemented systemically and equitably.

Our current portfolio of projects includes research-practice partnerships aimed at helping our partner education institutions design and execute effective teaching and learning supported by technology. This work requires collaborative explorations of problems of practice, co-design of new approaches, and cycles of implementation and design refinement informed by data on both implementation practices and learner outcomes. The populations served in our projects range from young children and their families, to school-age children, and college students, many of whom come from groups that have been marginalized by virtue of their race, culture, learning preferences, or linguistic background.

Members of the Digital Promise Learning Sciences Research team are currently working with faculty and academic leaders from broad-access colleges to improve the design and implementation of gateway courses to leverage both digital learning and equity-oriented teaching practices with the goal of raising course success rates for students who have been impacted by poverty, are the first in their family to attend college, or have been marginalized by virtue of their race/ethnicity/gender. A major new program of research is examining student course outcomes in relationship to teaching practices and blended learning experiences. Initially, as part of this effort, the successful applicant will lead a study of teaching and learning practices in general education chemistry courses that are incorporating new state-of-the-art learning technology resources. The research will include collection of course observations, survey and interview data to document chemistry teaching practices and how they affect both affect and achievement outcomes for students historically excluded from STEM fields. The Postsecondary Senior Researcher will (1) work closely with the director for this program of research (Dr. Barbara Means) to elaborate and refine the Chemistry Teaching and Learning Research project work plan; (2) design and oversee sample recruitment, data collection, and data analysis for this three-year project; and (3) participate in coordination activities with the client, higher education institutions, and research partner organizations.

Responsibilities

• Lead all phases of the Chemistry Teaching and Learning study, including:
  • Elaborate and refine the project work plan
  • Manage/conduct recruitment and retention of the study sample of chemistry instructors and their students
  • Manage/conduct qualitative and quantitative data collections
  • Collaborate on and oversee qualitative and quantitative data analyses
  • Manage project timelines and logistics for key research milestones, deliverables, events, and other commitments.
  • Provide timely and accurate reporting of status, deliverables, and other information to project funders, partners, and participating higher education institutions
  • Translate findings into actionable recommendations for different stakeholders on how to make learning activities more equitable and effective, especially for first-generation college students and students of color
  • Report and disseminate findings through technical reports, client presentations, research conference presentations, client memos, and blogs
• Contribute to design, data collection, and analysis activities for additional research projects as availability permits
• Collaborate with other postsecondary researchers and partners to conceptualize additional research projects that could contribute to the improvement of postsecondary learning opportunities and the success of students from historically and systematically excluded groups 
• Lead new postsecondary research proposals to philanthropic funders, private clients, and/or government granting agencies in the area of equity and digital learning

Qualifications

• Advanced degree (master’s or Ph.D.) in learning sciences, educational evaluation, statistics, higher education, or a related discipline with coursework encompassing research design and quantitative research methods 
• Postsecondary coursework in science education, especially in chemistry, is desirable.
• Knowledge of learning technologies used in postsecondary education is highly desirable.
• Minimum 5 years of practical experience conducting education research, including work in postsecondary settings and with large postsecondary data sets
• Versatility in working on each stage of education research/evaluation projects, flexibility in responding to team, project, and client needs; creative problem-solving; willingness to take on new challenges
• Proven ability to keep complex programs well-organized, productive, and on track
• Track record of leading successful proposals for postsecondary education research projects of significant size, resulting in funding from government agencies or private philanthropies, is highly desirable.
• Exceptional communication skills; proven ability to communicate with a nontechnical audience about research findings
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment and manage competing tasks, deadlines, requirements, and decisions
• Strong interpersonal, leadership, and teamwork skills

At Digital Promise, we also seek candidates with:

• A strong commitment to improving equity and accessibility in education
• A commitment to anti-racist approaches to our work
• Diverse life experiences
• An interest in redesigning learning systems
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional team members to ensure information is shared, projects are completed on time, and goals are reached.

Compensation

The full-time salary range for the Postsecondary Senior Researcher position is between $80,000 and $130,000 with exact salary depending on experience and geographic location.

To Apply
Please apply and submit your resume, cover letter and salary requirements. Applicants are encouraged to submit their materials as soon as possible. Review will be on a rolling basis until the search is successful

Digital Promise is an equal opportunity employer and considers all applications without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.