Learning Scientist, Efficacy Research

Duolingo • Pittsburgh, PA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Our mission at Duolingo is to develop the best education in the world and make it universally available. It’s a big mission, and that’s where you come in! At Duolingo, you’ll join a team that cares about educating our users, experimenting with big ideas, making fact-based decisions, and finding innovative solutions to complex problems. You’ll have limitless learning opportunities and daily collaborations with world-class minds — while doing work that’s both meaningful and fun. Join our life-changing mission to develop education for our half a billion (and growing!) learners around the world. Read our blog to learn more. About the role... We are looking for a world-class language researcher with a proven track record in conducting research studies and analyzing large datasets. Our ideal candidate has expertise in language learning and/or assessment, along with extensive experience in language data analysis. At Duolingo, you will have an opportunity to apply your skills and knowledge to the world’s largest language learning dataset. You’ll work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment, where you see the immediate impact of your work on millions of learners worldwide. This job is based in Pittsburgh.

Requirements

• Research Expertise. You are an expert researcher in language assessment, acquisition, or processing, including quantitative methods and writing research reports.
• You have a Ph.D. in applied linguistics, second language acquisition, linguistics, cognitive science, or a related field.
• Advanced Data Analysis Skills. You have strong skills in statistics and data visualization.
• You are proficient in R or Python, and are able to quickly learn SQL or other data tools for handling large datasets.
• Innovative Problem-Solving Ability. You critically evaluate your work, proactively recommend improvements, and adapt to evolving priorities.
• Strong Communication and Collaboration. You have excellent interpersonal and communication skills. You collaborate well with others.
• Operational Focus. You are organized, efficient, and always looking for ways to improve workflows.

Nice To Haves

• Industry experience, especially in tech
• Strong publication record in high-profile academic journals
• A passion for language learning and knowledge of a language other than English

Responsibilities

• Lead or collaborate on research efforts that evaluate the effectiveness of Duolingo courses, from study design through data collection and analysis
• Analyze in-app data to gain insights that inform the learning experience
• Share your findings with both internal teams and external audiences, across various formats such as reports, white papers, and presentations
• Manage external research collaborations, guiding projects from proposal to final deliverables

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees