Part-Time Research Fellow

Career Opportunity:

Part-Time Research Fellow

Organization Overview

Who We Are: Commonwealth Corporation is a quasi-public workforce development agency that strengthens the skills of Massachusetts youth and adults by investing in innovative partnerships with industry, education and workforce organizations. Their main objectives include:

• Building regional industry partnerships to train youth and the unemployed for in-demand jobs, boosting their job opportunities.
• Improving workforce skills to meet employer requirements, leading to more competitive businesses, job growth, and better wages.
• Engaging youth in pathways for post-secondary education and future careers.
  
  
  

About Commonwealth Corporation Foundation

The goal of the Foundation is to provide financial support to Commonwealth Corporation, whose mission is to strengthen the skills of Massachusetts youth and adults by investing in innovative partnerships with industry, education, and workforce organizations. Commonwealth Corporation seeks to meet the immediate and emerging needs of businesses and workers so that they can thrive in our dynamic economy. The Foundation focuses its efforts on three key areas:

• Creating and supporting Workforce Development-focused convening to discuss and refine concepts for experimentation.
• Developing demonstration projects that connect philanthropic dollars to innovative Workforce Development programs.
• Enhancing proven workforce strategies to effectively scale operations and fill gaps in proven Commonwealth Corporation programs where there are unmet needs.
  
  
  

Program Overview

The Commonwealth Corporation Foundation is seeking a part-time Research Foundation Fellow (approximately 20 hours per week on average) to support the launch of a Vocational ESOL Resource Center. This center will:

• Strengthen Massachusetts’ career-focused English training ecosystem by building centralized resources, delivering technical assistance, and implementing a rigorous research and evaluation strategy to identify and scale high-impact vocational ESOL (VESOL) models.
• Support investments in infrastructure and programming that help immigrants with foreign education and professional experience obtain the certifications, licenses, or recognized equivalencies needed to work in their field in Massachusetts (“skilled immigrant re-credentialing” initiative)
• The Fellow will lead evaluation across the full lifecycle of the Center’s initiatives, from research design through data collection, analysis, and synthesis. This role is designed for a graduate-level researcher who can work independently, manage multiple workstreams, and translate findings into actionable insights for practitioners and funders. The Fellow’s work will primarily focus on vocational ESOL initiatives, with some support for related recredentialing efforts.
  
  
  

Position Overview

Reports to: Director of Data, Research and Evaluation

Department:

Classification: Part-time, non-exempt

Work hours: 20 hours per week – Hybrid (Boston, MA)

Starting Salary: $43/ per hour

Responsibilities

Research Design

• Lead development and refinement of the overall research and evaluation strategy for this initiative, including developing core research questions, evaluation frameworks, and methodologies for vocational ESOL initiatives
• Support the development of a basic research strategy for the skilled immigrant recredentialing initiative
• For both initiatives, identify data collection parameters, including key fields, sources, and standardized definitions
  
  
  

Data Infrastructure & Reporting

• Design and implement data collection systems for grantees, built on existing database infrastructure, as well as evaluation tools
• Establish reporting requirements and evaluation protocols to ensure data quality, consistency, and compliance across providers.
• Maintain clear documentation of systems, definitions, and processes utilized.
  
  
  

Field Engagement & Technical Assistance

• Conduct interviews, focus groups, field visits, and consultations with grantees, training participants, and external research partners.
• Provide direct technical assistance to grantees on data collection, reporting, and evaluation expectations.
• Build strong working relationships with program staff and partners to support effective implementation of evaluation practices.
  
  
  

Analysis & Synthesis

• Analyze participant outcomes using CommCorp’s data systems, including completion,
• credential attainment, job placement, and wage outcomes.
• Synthesize findings to identify high-impact VESOL models, key program design features, and cost-effectiveness.
• Translate research findings into clear, actionable insights and reports to inform program effectiveness, areas for improvement, and potential for future investments.
  
  
  

Knowledge, Skills, and Competencies:

• Experience conducting applied research or program evaluation in workforce development, adult education, or related social policy fields.
• Experience with mixed-methods research, including qualitative data collection and quantitative analysis.
• Experience preparing research memos, briefs, or concept papers for internal and external audiences.
• Ability to design and implement participant-level data collection tools and protocols and ensure data quality and consistency across providers.
• Ability to conduct interviews, focus groups, and consultations with providers, ESOL learners, employers, and subject-matter experts.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and drive projects forward with limited oversight.
• Strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills, including the ability to translate ambiguous questions into clear research approaches and actionable insights.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to synthesize findings for diverse audiences (funders, grantees, policymakers).
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams and external partners, including subject matter experts and program grantees.
• Ability to translate research findings into practical recommendations for program and policy decisions.
  
  
  

EEOC statement

Equal Employment Opportunity: Commonwealth Corporation is committed to building a culturally diverse workforce. We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Research suggests that qualified women and Black & Indigenous POC may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to thrive at CommCorp to apply for this role.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

As a leader in workforce development, CommCorp is committed to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB). We strive to center DEIB in every facet of our work. This commitment requires us to identify and dismantle historical and existing barriers within systems, policies, and practices to create long-term economic opportunities and access for all.

 

The successful candidate is required to complete CORI background checks.