Research Scientist (TxBSPI)

University of Texas at Austin

18h • Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a Research Scientist to join Texas Behavioral Science and Policy Institute (TxBSPI) with a primary focus on producing high-quality publications based on ongoing NSF-funded projects and existing datasets. The Research Scientist will work closely with Dr. David Yeager to advance the scientific goals of the institute and disseminate findings through peer-reviewed journals, policy briefs, and other scholarly outlets. This position is currently funded for one year from start date and may be renewed based upon availability of funding, work performance, and progress toward research goals. The Texas Behavioral Science and Policy Institute (TxBSPI) is an interdisciplinary research institute committed to discovering and disseminating solutions that reduce barriers to economic mobility and well-being—starting in Texas and expanding globally. Our flagship projects focus on K-12 and post-secondary education, workforce development, and a growing range of topics including physical and mental health, political participation, and criminal justice.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Psychology, Sociology, Economics, Education, Population Studies, Epidemiology, Neuropsychology, Computer Science, or related field.
• Demonstrated record as an independent researcher with peer-reviewed publications.
• Expertise in quantitative research using large population-representative datasets, including multiple modeling strategies.
• Strong experience authoring journal articles and technical reports.
• Proficiency in Stata.
• Minimum of five years of relevant research experience.
• Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Nice To Haves

• Research experience in education, inequality, cognition, or intervention design.
• Extensive experience with longitudinal studies and large-scale, population-representative datasets.
• Experience working in interdisciplinary, collaborative research projects in academic or applied settings.
• Strong collaborative skills and experience mentoring junior researchers.
• Highly motivated by leading publications and advancing a research agenda through writing.
• Familiarity with R or Python is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead and co-author peer-reviewed journal articles, reports, and policy briefs derived from existing NSF-funded studies and longitudinal datasets.
• Collaborate with Dr. Yeager and the research team, including data scientists, on study design, analysis plans, and interpretation of findings to ensure rigor and publication readiness.
• Guide the analysis process; provide insight on modeling strategies, interpretation, and data visualization to support manuscripts.
• Provide mentorship and guidance to junior researchers, postdocs, and graduate students in scientific writing, data interpretation, and research methods.
• Facilitate workshops and trainings on research best practices and manuscript preparation.
• Contribute to project management activities, including organizing team meetings, reviewing protocols, and supporting project timelines.
• Perform additional related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• The university offers an impressive benefits package.
• For more details on benefits, please see: https://hr.utexas.edu/prospective/benefits and https://hr.utexas.edu/current/services/my-total-rewards.
• For more information about the College of Liberal Arts, please visit: https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/.
• Our college seeks to build a supportive, growth-minded community and cultivate outstanding and courageous leaders.
• For more information on the college staff leadership academy, please visit: https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/resources-for-faculty-staff/staff-leadership-academy/.
• For more information on college staff professional development, please visit: https://wikis.utexas.edu/display/larc/Staff+Professional+Development+Fund.
• The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS).
• This position has the option to elect the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) instead of TRS.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees