Research Scientist, Project on Workforce

Harvard University • Cambridge, MA

5d • Hybrid

About The Position

Based at the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at Harvard Kennedy School, the Project on Workforce is an interdisciplinary initiative spanning the Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Business School's Managing the Future of Work project, and the Harvard Graduate School of Education. The Project produces rigorous research and actionable insights at the intersection of education, labor markets, and economic mobility, with the goal of creating stronger pathways between learning and work. Through research, policy engagement, strategic partnerships, and convenings, the Project brings together leaders across and beyond Harvard to address the nation's workforce challenges and expand opportunity for workers and learners.
The Research Scientist will provide intellectual and operational leadership for a multi-year research initiative examining education and economic outcomes associated with career & technical education healthcare pathways across more than ten sites nationwide. Reporting to the Project on Workforce Director, the Research Scientist will lead the design, implementation, and continuous refinement of a longitudinal research agenda, oversee quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis, and generate rigorous evidence to inform policy and practice.
The Research Scientist will serve as the project's primary methodological lead, developing research protocols, frameworks, and data infrastructure while ensuring research quality and integrity. The position will oversee project execution across multiple partners, manage research staff and external collaborators, guide participating sites in data use, and lead dissemination through publications, presentations, convenings, and engagement with practitioners, policymakers, and philanthropic leaders.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in education, economics, education, public policy, or a related field and 3+ years of research experience, including research design and implementation.
• Demonstrated expertise designing and leading complex mixed-methods research studies.
• Experience supervising research staff or research teams.
• Demonstrated success designing and executing data collection efforts and communicating results to different audiences, including practitioners
• Significant experience conducting quantitative and qualitative analysis, including program evaluation, descriptive and causal inference methods, and analysis of administrative and survey data.
• Demonstrated success managing complex research projects involving multiple partners, timelines, and competing priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex research findings to diverse audiences, including practitioners, policymakers, funders, and academic audiences.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience leading reports, publications, and presentations.
• Experience working with education, labor market, or healthcare administrative datasets.
• Experience engaging directly with education systems, employers, government agencies, or philanthropic organizations.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with CTE, healthcare talent pipelines, or education-to-employment transitions.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, implementation, and refinement of a multi-year longitudinal study examining education, workforce, and employer outcomes across more than ten CTE healthcare sites.
• Develop study methodologies, analytic frameworks, and data collection protocols to ensure rigorous and policy-relevant research.
• Direct quantitative and qualitative data collection, management, analysis, visualization, and interpretation across multiple data sources.
• Design and oversee research infrastructure, including data systems, reporting processes, dashboards, and quality assurance procedures.
• Provide methodological guidance and technical assistance to participating sites to strengthen data collection, reporting, and evidence-informed continuous improvement.
• Manage the day-to-day execution of the research portfolio, including project timelines, budgets, deliverables, external vendors, and cross-sector partnerships.
• Supervise research assistants and other project staff, providing mentorship, workflow management, and quality oversight.
• Lead preparation of research reports, policy briefs, academic publications, presentations, and other dissemination products.
• Represent the Project on Workforce in meetings, conferences, and convenings with educators, healthcare employers, policymakers, funders, and other external stakeholders.
• Contribute to the strategic development of new research initiatives and external funding opportunities aligned with the Project's mission.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off including parental leave
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one
• Retirement plans with university contributions
• Wellbeing and mental health resources
• Support for families and caregivers
• Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement
• Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks

What This Job Offers

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