Lead Specialist, Learning Scientist (Clinical)

Pearson • United States,

1d • $95,000 - $115,000

About The Position

Pearson is seeking an innovative Lead Specialist, Learning Scientist (Clinical) to lead research across assessment portfolio domains, including academic achievement, speech and language, cognition, and/or early childhood. The role combines academic or applied research expertise with clinical experience administering, interpreting, or working directly with standardized assessments. The position provides subject-matter expertise and research leadership, translating business strategy into clear research and product priorities while fostering collaboration and applying digital capabilities, AI, and emerging technologies to research, product development, and innovation.

The Learning Scientist provides scientific, clinical, and research leadership throughout the development and ongoing evolution of assessment products. Working across Content, Product, Psychometrics, Design, Editorial, and Digital Development, the role translates scientific evidence, clinical and customer needs, and business strategy into innovative, high-quality assessment solutions. The role reports to the Lead Learning Scientist and may be remote or based in Pearson’s San Antonio, Texas, or Bloomington, Minnesota offices. It aligns with industry-level roles such as Research Director, Clinical Assessment Design Manager, Clinical Assessment Manager, or Clinical Research Manager.

The successful candidate is expected to exercise leadership beyond their individual area of expertise, think strategically, influence across functions, collaborate inclusively, take accountability for outcomes, and champion innovation and continuous improvement. The role may require flexibility in work hours to collaborate with international colleagues approximately 10% of the time, as well as approximately 10% travel.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Speech-Language Pathology, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Early Childhood Development, School or Clinical Psychology, or a related field from an accredited institution.
• At least 5 years of professional experience in speech and language, literacy, academic achievement, school or clinical psychology, and/or early childhood.
• Clinical experience administering, interpreting, or working directly with standardized assessments, with a strong understanding of their use in real-world clinical or educational settings.
• Strong knowledge of test development, measurement principles, research methodology, data analysis, and psychometric principles, and the ability to apply these to research and product decisions.
• Ability to translate scientific and clinical evidence into strategic recommendations balancing scientific rigor, clinical relevance, customer needs, product priorities, and business objectives.
• Strong digital fluency and curiosity, including ability to evaluate and appropriately apply AI and emerging technologies to research, assessment development, and evolving ways of working.
• Record of professional or scholarly contribution, such as conference presentations, peer-reviewed publications, technical papers, professional training, or related work.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead research plans supporting new product development, product revisions, and portfolio priorities.
• Provide subject-matter expertise and scientific leadership in speech-language pathology, literacy, achievement, and/or early childhood assessment.
• Help define product scope and assessment design, ensuring solutions are scientifically sound, clinically meaningful, and aligned with customer and business needs.
• Lead and contribute to item development, review, and evaluation, applying research, clinical expertise, and assessment-development best practices.
• Partner with psychometricians and research colleagues to review and interpret data and psychometric findings.
• Identify opportunities to responsibly apply AI and emerging technologies to assessment development, research practices, workflows, and product innovation.
• Oversee assessment materials, including digital interfaces, record forms, stimulus materials, manuals, administration and scoring resources, and visual and auditory stimuli.
• Support product commercialization and adoption by contributing scientific and clinical expertise to training, product support resources, presentations, and other customer-facing materials.
• Represent Pearson and contribute to its scientific leadership through conference presentations, technical papers, research publications, and other scholarly activities.
• Maintain flexibility in work hours as needed to collaborate with international colleagues, approximately 10% of the time.
• Travel approximately 10%.
• Connect research and scientific priorities to portfolio and business strategy, anticipate future needs, and identify opportunities to evolve assessment solutions.
• Build credibility as a trusted scientific and clinical expert, clarify complex issues, and influence decisions across functions and levels.
• Foster an inclusive, respectful, and accountable environment, seek diverse perspectives, communicate openly, and build cross-functional partnerships.
• Take ownership of outcomes, exercise sound judgment, manage competing priorities, and help teams move complex work forward.
• Challenge established approaches when appropriate and explore new research methods, digital capabilities, AI, and emerging technologies to improve products and ways of working.

Benefits

• Eligible to participate in an annual incentive program.
• Benefits are referenced through the Pearson benefits website, but specific benefits are not listed in the posting.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree