Education and Workforce Data Strategist

American Institutes for Research

2d•Remote

About The Position

AIR’s Employment & Economic Opportunity Program is seeking a Education and Workforce Data Strategist to integrate applied research, data science, and capacity-building for public sector change management. The position will work with internal teams and external partners to support the effective use of education and workforce administrative data for decision-making, continuous improvement, and policy development within and across states. The ideal candidate brings experience working with complex datasets and is equally comfortable conducting analyses and guiding others in how to interpret and use data in applied settings. This position has the flexibility to work remotely within the United States (U.S.) (not including U.S. territories) or from one of AIR’s U.S. office locations but requires availability to participate in meetings across all continental U.S. time zones. About AIR: Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance to address some of the most pressing challenges in the United States and globally. We generate evidence and apply data-driven solutions that expand opportunities and improve lives for all.

Requirements

PhD in related subject area (Economics, Statistics, Public Policy, Public Health, Human Development, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, or related fields), or a Master’s degree with a minimum of 4 years of relevant applied research experience.
Experience working on research or evaluation projects for federal, state, or local agencies or other public or nonprofit entities.
Demonstrated experience with research design, data analysis, and reporting.
Experience with data collection activities from the field using a variety of methodologies and data collection techniques such as interviews, focus groups, observations, and/or survey research.
Demonstrated ability to conduct quantitative analyses and support others in analytic thinking and data use.
Proficiency in one or more statistical/programming languages (e.g., R, Python).
Experience working with administrative or operational datasets, including data cleaning, validation, and documentation and experience linking or integrating datasets across systems or agencies.
Experience using AI tools to synthesize information, draft content, analyze data, or improve efficiency in day-to-day work and ability to apply sound judgment when interpreting AI-generated outputs.
Demonstrated ability to integrate emerging and nontraditional data sources and clear understanding of the methodological limitations and analytic opportunities associated with high-frequency data.
Strong understanding of research design and analytic methods (e.g., descriptive analysis, longitudinal analysis, or causal inference approaches).
Ability to communicate complex technical information clearly to non-technical audiences.
Experience working collaboratively in team-based environments and managing multiple tasks.
Experience training, mentoring, or coaching others in data use, analysis, or interpretation.
Familiarity with data systems and infrastructure, including SQL, databases, or cloud-based environments.
Knowledge of privacy, confidentiality, and restricted-use data environments.
Experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, Shiny).
Background in policy-relevant domains of education and workforce.
Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis.
Depending on project work, qualified candidates may need to meet certain residency requirements.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with federal contracting and compliance standards is preferred, but not required.

Responsibilities

Conduct quantitative analyses using administrative and survey data to support research, evaluation, and technical assistance efforts.
Contribute to the design of analytic approaches, including descriptive, longitudinal, and quasi-experimental methods.
Provide coaching and technical assistance to state and local clients and partners on the use of data for decision making.
Support clients in refining research questions, interpreting findings, and applying results to practice.
Design and facilitate workshops, trainings, or office hours to strengthen data use capacity among government and community-based organizations.
Prepare, clean, validate, and document complex administrative datasets.
Support data integration and linkage efforts across education and workforce systems within and across states.
Translate analytic findings into clear, actionable insights for non-technical audiences.
Contribute to written deliverables, including reports, briefs, presentations, and data visualizations.
Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams, including researchers, data scientists, and project staff.
Support multiple projects simultaneously, contributing to deliverables and timelines.
Apply and model best practices in reproducible research, including code documentation and version control.
Ensure data quality and integrity across all phases of analytic work.