Research Director/Principal Researcher

PowerSchool Group LLC

126d • $142,700 - $192,500

About The Position

At PowerSchool, we are a dedicated team of innovators guided by our shared purpose of powering personalized education for students around the world. From the central office to the classroom to the home, PowerSchool supports the entire educational ecosystem as the global leader of cloud-based software for K-12 education. Our employees make it all possible, and a career with us means you’re joining a successful team committed to engaging, empowering, and improving the K-12 education experience everywhere. Our Product team leads the direction, coordination, output, quality, and enhancements to PowerSchool’s product portfolio. This dynamic, multi-functional team ensures the effective rollout of new products across the platform, packages and positions products to appeal to consumers, and helps set the future direction and pace of innovation in our organization.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or a post graduate degree or years of relevant experience.
• Extensive experience in designing and conducting research studies and/or consultancy projects from start to finish using rigorous quantitative research methods.
• 5 years of progressive experience executing and leading research or consultancy projects in the K-12 education domain.
• Deep knowledge of and demonstrated experience with K-12 education topics and data.
• A passion for using data and data analysis/science methods to address social science questions.
• Experience in grant and RFP writing a plus.
• Experience building or implementing educational products a plus.
• Experience working in a school or education agency, especially in a leadership position, a plus.

Nice To Haves

• PhD in a relevant field (e.g., Education, Education Policy, Education Leadership, Sociology, Computational Social Science, Statistics, Data Science) strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with data science concepts and machine learning techniques strongly preferred.
• Proficiency with version control software (GitHub preferred) and best practices.
• Proficiency with project/task management software (Jira a plus).

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and execution of complex research projects on K-12 education topics, from initial concept and research questions through final deliverables.
• Develop detailed project work plans, theoretical frameworks, and methodological approaches that align with organizational goals.
• Ensure rigorous study design, including appropriate sampling, checks for data quality, bias, and limitations.
• Make high-stakes decisions on project direction and adjust strategies as needed to achieve research objectives.
• Manage project budgets, vendor relationships, and purchasing functions and related contractual agreements.
• Monitor and regularly report on project resources and operations, including hours, revenue, deliverables, and contracts.
• Develop and manage strong relationships with clients, partners, and K-12 education stakeholders.
• Lead and oversee the team’s communication of complex analyses into clear findings and recommendations.
• Champion the publication of findings where appropriate and the sharing of insights internally and with the wider education and research community.
• Play a key role in shaping the long-term research strategy and identifying new opportunities.
• Evaluate emerging K-12 education trends and policy issues to propose research initiatives.
• Mentor multidisciplinary team of researchers/data scientists and other staff.

Benefits

• Comprehensive Insurance Coverage (including Medical, Dental, Vision, Pharmacy benefits, Life Insurance and AD&D)
• Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Accounts
• Short-Term Disability and Long-Term Disability
• Comprehensive 401(k) plan
• Generous Parental Leave
• Unrestricted paid time off (known as Discretionary Time Off - DTO)
• Wellness Program, including ClassPass & Employee Assistance Program
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Optional Benefits: Pet Insurance, Identity Theft Protection, Student Debt Repayment Program and Prepaid Legal coverage

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Master's degree
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees