Overview

SRI Education is committed to supporting research, evaluation, and the implementation of equitable and effective practices in PreK–16 education. We are seeking to hire a Research Associate to join our team to work as a team member on multiple projects in the areas of early childhood, preK–8 education, digital learning, and social-emotional and behavioral health.

We describe the Research Associate job responsibilities below. If your skills and experiences align with the following roles, we’d love to hear from you! We are specifically looking for candidates who have strong organization skills, the ability to manage multiple priorities, and a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

This opportunity is available as a 100% remote opportunity, or if you are located near one of our offices you may take advantage of networking there. Our main offices are located in Arlington, VA and Menlo Park, CA.

Responsibilities

• Providing project management support (e.g., tracking progress of project milestones, making recommendations for project procedures, creating and managing project documents and databases, such as schedules and status reports for clients).
• Coordinating, scheduling, and monitoring data collection activities, such as child direct assessments, survey administration or interviews/focus groups.
• Contributing to hiring, training, and managing remote data collection field staff.
• Participating in data collection activities including child direct assessments and classroom observations.
• Contributing to the design of instruments such as surveys, interview, and observation protocols.
• Preparing district research applications and Institutional Review Board (IRB) packages.
• Contributing to qualitative and quantitative data analyses and analysis plans.
• Preparing reports, briefs, and presentations of research progress and findings appropriate for non-academic, academic, and policy audiences.
• Conducting literature, website, document, and policy reviews.
• Applying an equity lens to and engage diverse perspectives in our work.
• Growing professionally and developing new skills through ongoing project-embedded mentorship and professional development opportunities.

Qualifications

Requirements:

• A master’s degree in the social sciences, education policy or related fields or a bachelor’s degree and at least 5 years related work experience.
• Research, professional, or volunteer experience in or with early care and education (birth to 5 years) programs and/or the U.S. public education system, with a focus on pre-K to grade 8.
• Experience with multiple research methods, such as large-scale surveys, experimental research/group design, or case study methods, with strong preference for experience in educational settings.
• Experience summarizing and synthesizing qualitative or quantitative data, with preference for candidates that have experience with quantitative and qualitative analytic software.
• Ability to write well-structured, clear, and concise research summaries and sections of reports or briefs.
• Ability to discuss research tasks with individuals and organizations in the field, study sites, or study participants.
• Capacity to support multiple projects simultaneously and change focus as priorities shift through use of strong organizational skills.
• Knowledge of software applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Willingness to travel up to 3-4 times per year for data collection, trainings, or conferences.
• A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion both in research and in the workplace.

Candidates with the following qualifications preferred:

• Research, professional, or volunteer experience working with:
  • Black or African American, Latino, Latinx, or Hispanic students, and/or students and families with limited financial means.
  • Children ages birth to 5 years and their families.
  • Publicly funded preschool or pre-kindergarten programs.
• Experience communicating/coordinating with teachers and families.
• Experience conducting formative research and/or evaluation of digital learning platforms or early childhood media.
• Knowledge of social-emotional skill development and/or behavior/mental health among young children.
• Experience conducting culturally responsive research and/or research from an equity lens.

In your cover letter please include information about your training and experience in the relevant content and research method areas described in the research position. Candidates who receive a conditional offer of employment will be subject to a background check.

The salary range is: $71,000 - $89,000. Salary ranges will vary and are based on several factors, including geographic location, market competitiveness and equity amongst internal employees in similar roles. Positions may also qualify for SRI's Pay for Outstanding Performance program or the annual Performance Based Compensation program. SRI also has a competitive benefits package, to view details please go to https://www.sri.com/resources/benefits/. 

SRI International, an over 75-year strong pioneering research institute, has a rich history supporting government and industry. Our innovations have created new industries, billions of dollars in market value and lasting benefits to society. SRI is organized around broad disciplines and capabilities, with research and development divisions and labs to groups who excel at identifying new opportunities, developing products and creating custom solutions. Our organization is driven by impact - delivering unique solutions for the world's important challenges and transforming ideas into reality for clients and partners.