Sr Research Scientist

HMH

1d•$120,000 - $130,000•Remote

About The Position

The NWEA Learning Sciences Division seeks a Senior Research Scientist to join the Research and Policy Partnerships (RPP) team, with a primary focus on research consulting and applied partner support. RPP generates rigorous, actionable research and helps educators, policymakers, and colleagues across HMH make effective use of research, assessment, and MAP Growth data. This role sits at the intersection of research and application: translating technical expertise into practical guidance, helping partners answer complex questions using data and evidence, and ensuring that research insights inform real-world educational decisions. The successful candidate will bring strong research expertise and will be especially energized by applying that expertise in partnership with others. They will work directly with school districts, researchers, and colleagues across HMH to understand their questions, determine what research or analysis can appropriately answer them, and translate findings into clear and useful recommendations. They will also contribute to RPP’s broader research agenda, with an emphasis on work that emerges from or strengthens our understanding of partner needs.

Requirements

5+ years of experience conducting educational research and/or providing research, data, or assessment consultation, preferably involving large-scale assessment or longitudinal education data.
Ph.D. in Education, Educational Measurement, Public Policy, Economics, Psychology, Sociology, or a related field.
Strong quantitative research background and demonstrated ability to select and apply methods appropriate to applied research questions.
Proficiency with statistical software such as R, Stata, Python, or similar tools is required.
Strong SQL skills and experience independently querying and working with large-scale datasets is preferred, as is experience working with Tableau or other data visualization tools.
Working directly with educators, district or state leaders, or other stakeholders to scope and address research and data questions.
Translating complex research findings, analyses, and assessment concepts into practical guidance for nontechnical audiences.
Independently managing partner-facing projects from initial scoping through analysis and delivery.
Conducting rigorous educational research using large-scale assessment or longitudinal data.
Building productive relationships and collaborating across disciplines and functions.
K–12 educational assessment and measurement, including how assessment data can appropriately inform educational decisions.
K–12 education policy and practice.
The strengths and limitations of different research designs and data sources and how those considerations affect the conclusions and recommendations that can responsibly be offered.
Move effectively between technical analysis and partner-facing consultation.
Clarify ambiguous questions, identify the underlying decision or need, and recommend an appropriate analytic or research approach.
Communicate clearly with audiences with varying levels of research, data, and assessment expertise.
Exercise sound judgment about what research and data can and cannot appropriately answer and communicate those boundaries clearly.
Balance multiple consulting engagements and research responsibilities while delivering high-quality work on agreed-upon timelines.

Nice To Haves

Experience with MAP Growth, including its reporting ecosystem, appropriate uses, and application across educational contexts.

Responsibilities

Serve as a trusted research advisor to school districts, researchers, and internal HMH stakeholders, helping them interpret and appropriately use MAP Growth data and research evidence to inform educational decisions.
Lead research consulting engagements from initial scoping through delivery, including clarifying partner questions, determining appropriate analytic approaches, defining feasible deliverables, conducting analyses, and communicating findings and implications.
Use statistical software (such as R, Python, or SQL) to independently access, query, and work with large-scale assessment data in HMH’s Snowflake data environment.
Apply expertise in educational research, assessment, and research design to address complex and often ambiguous questions from partners and colleagues.
Translate technical research, data, and assessment concepts into clear, actionable guidance for audiences with varying levels of research expertise.
Design and deliver partner-facing presentations, technical consultations, custom analyses, data visualizations, and other forms of applied research support.
Collaborate with colleagues across NWEA and HMH to respond to partner needs while identifying opportunities to develop reusable resources and scalable approaches to common questions.
Conduct and contribute to rigorous applied research using large-scale assessment and education data in alignment with RPP’s mission and research agenda.
Communicate research findings through formats appropriate to the intended audience, including research reports, policy and practitioner briefs, presentations, data visualizations, and other accessible products.
Build and maintain productive relationships with educators, district leaders, researchers, and colleagues across HMH.