Research Scientist

University of Arkansas System • Fayetteville, NC

1d • $67,500 - $70,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Research Scientist IV will play a key role in advancing rigorous, policy-relevant research in education economics and education policy. This position offers the opportunity to work on projects that examine the value of human capital investments, evaluate education policies and programs, and produce evidence that can inform decision-making in education systems.

The Research Scientist IV will help lead and contribute to empirical research projects using large-scale longitudinal, administrative, and other complex datasets. The position will be responsible for preparing, documenting, organizing, and maintaining research-ready datasets, with an emphasis on data quality, transparency, usability, and reproducibility.

A central part of the role will involve making complex data more accessible and actionable. The Research Scientist IV will help develop data visualizations, dashboards, and online tools that support research, analysis, and communication with academic, policy, and practitioner audiences. The position will also contribute to reproducibility packages and other resources that strengthen the transparency and long-term usefulness of research products.

The successful candidate will conduct and oversee econometric, statistical, and causal analyses; test hypotheses; and contribute to technical reports, policy briefs, academic papers, and other research outputs. As needed, the Research Scientist IV may also design and implement data collection systems and compile, clean, and manage complex datasets.

This position is well suited for candidates who are excited about using data, research, and visualization tools to address important questions in education policy and to communicate findings in clear, useful, and impactful ways.

Regular, reliable, and non-disruptive attendance is an essential job duty, as is the ability to create and maintain collegial, harmonious working relationships with others.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Economics, Public Policy, Data Science, or a related field from an accredited institution
• At least three years of experience conducting applied research in education economics, labor economics, education policy, or a related policy area

Nice To Haves

• Ph.D. in Economics, Public Policy, Data Science, Education Policy, or a related field
• Experience in applied econometrics, causal inference, and quantitative methods
• Experience using statistical software and programming tools such as Stata, R, Python, and advanced Excel
• Experience preparing, documenting, managing, and analyzing large datasets, including U.S. and international education and labor datasets
• Experience developing data visualizations, dashboards, or other tools that make complex data accessible to research, policy, or practitioner audiences
• Experience contributing to externally funded research projects
• Ability to work collaboratively and independently in a multidisciplinary research environment
• Strong research writing and communication skills, including publishing policy briefs, technical reports, and academic papers

Responsibilities

• Play a key role in advancing rigorous, policy-relevant research in education economics and education policy.
• Work on projects that examine the value of human capital investments, evaluate education policies and programs, and produce evidence that can inform decision-making in education systems.
• Help lead and contribute to empirical research projects using large-scale longitudinal, administrative, and other complex datasets.
• Prepare, document, organize, and maintain research-ready datasets, with an emphasis on data quality, transparency, usability, and reproducibility.
• Make complex data more accessible and actionable.
• Develop data visualizations, dashboards, and online tools that support research, analysis, and communication with academic, policy, and practitioner audiences.
• Contribute to reproducibility packages and other resources that strengthen the transparency and long-term usefulness of research products.
• Conduct and oversee econometric, statistical, and causal analyses.
• Test hypotheses.
• Contribute to technical reports, policy briefs, academic papers, and other research outputs.
• Design and implement data collection systems and compile, clean, and manage complex datasets, as needed.
• Use data, research, and visualization tools to address important questions in education policy and communicate findings in clear, useful, and impactful ways.
• Maintain regular, reliable, and non-disruptive attendance.
• Create and maintain collegial, harmonious working relationships with others.

Benefits

• University contributions to health, dental, life and disability insurance
• Tuition waivers for employees and their families
• 12 official holidays
• Immediate leave accrual
• Choice of retirement programs with university contributions ranging from 5 to 10% of employee salary

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior