Research Scientist 3 University Of Washington
Seattle, WA

Job Description

As a UW employee, you will enjoy generous benefits and work/life programs.

For detailed information on Benefits for this position, click here.

Applications received by 07/11/2019 will receive priority consideration. As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty. All of which has allowed the UW to be nationally recognized as a "Great College to Work For" for five consecutive years.

Undergraduate Academic Affairs (UAA) shapes, advances and stewards a world-class undergraduate academic experience for students at the University of Washington (UW). Staff, faculty and students in UAA deepen and enrich the learning experience for all undergraduates, recognizing and supporting the unique learning path of each individual student and the commitment of each academic program to excellence in learning and teaching.

As part of UAA, the Office of Educational Assessment (OEA) at the UW provides a variety of assessment-related services to faculty and departments at UW and other institutions. Services include providing ongoing assistance to faculty and administrators in using assessment to improve teaching and learning, coordinating institution-wide course evaluations, scoring classroom tests, and administering placement and certification exams. OEA assessment staff support institution-wide assessment of teaching and learning at the UW by 1) consulting with UW faculty, administrators, and staff to improve assessment processes within academic and student support units; 2) carrying out applied quantitative and qualitative studies at the request of faculty and administrators; 3) conducting original research supporting improvement of teaching and learning at the UW and elsewhere; 4) developing systems and applications supporting essential assessment functions; and 5) coordinating assessment efforts across UW academic and student support units. Additionally, program evaluation services are provided for both university and outside programs to inform program implementation, document progress towards program goals, and identify and measure program outcomes. These areas differ in their focus, but OEA research staff work collaboratively across all areas.

The Quantitative Research Scientist, as a member of the research and assessment team of OEA, will take primary responsibility for one or more specific projects while playing a supportive role for others. Specifically, this individual will serve as the primary researcher for quantitative and survey research in OEA, including conducting large-scale assessment surveys for UW, undertaking original research utilizing a combination of survey, institutional, and other quantitative data, and supporting other OEA program areas that rely on quantitative measurement, analysis, and interpretation (e.g., IASystem Course Evaluations, ScorePak scanning and scoring services, UW Testing Center). This researcher is involved in all aspects of ongoing projects including identifying and defining research questions, developing overall research strategies, creating and administering surveys, creating protocols, and analyzing and reporting quantitative data. Project management is an important aspect of this position, including networking with potential clients, effective communication with existing clients, accurate estimation and monitoring of costs and researcher time, and documentation of project activities. This individual will also represent OEA to both internal and external clients.

We seek competitive applications from individuals who fully embrace the University of Washington's commitment to racial equity, diversity, and inclusion. We are committed to building and supporting a diverse and inclusive work team and to bringing these core values into our daily work with students, faculty, staff, and the communities in which and with whom we work.

Reporting to the director of OEA, the Research Scientist has the following responsibilities:

RESPONSIBILITIES

The majority of the work for the Research Scientist involves conducting research projects for clients and the university, including the following duties:

Project development

Provide consultation services for projects or programs in early stages of development

Develop opportunities for new projects and expansion of services

Project management

Create research/evaluation designs based on needs of the client and other stakeholders, project goals, fiscal resources, and requirements of funding agencies

Prepare contracts, budgets, cost estimates, and invoices in conjunction with the director and office administrator

Monitor and document expenditure of staff time and fiscal resources and ensure that expenditures conform to project plan and cost estimate

Collaborate with other members of OEA research team to identify areas of shared responsibility, and develop research and project management strategies

Project planning

In collaboration with all stakeholders, develop research plans including background, methods, and analyses

Create questionnaires and tests for both paper-pencil and online formats

Complete Human Subjects Review paperwork

Define and a) pull or b) request data extractions from UW student, fiscal, and employment databases

Project implementation and reporting

Provide as-needed assistance for other data collection activities (e.g., survey administration, note-taking)

Build data files for both simple and complex (longitudinal and cross-project) analyses

Analyze and interpret quantitative data

Prepare written and oral reports for a variety of constituencies

Present findings to individuals and groups

The Research Scientist will remain current on educational research/higher education trends and engage in administrative activities within OEA and the larger UW community, including:

Professional development

Maintain up-to-date knowledge about relevant techniques and methods

Engage in ongoing professional development including reviewing literature and presenting at conferences

Prepare papers for possible publication in scholarly journals

OEA office and UW responsibilities

Organize work (both paper and electronic) so it is accessible by colleagues

Attend bi-weekly research staff meetings

Participate in office activities (monthly OEA staff meetings, yearly retreat)

Participate in UAA and university-wide committees and task forces

Maintain information in shared calendar

Supervisory responsibilities: May supervise graduate research assistants or associates or mentor undergraduates working on independent research projects

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Master's Degree in Education, Psychology, or other relevant social science field

Two to three years of experience in post-secondary research or assessment

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Exceptional communication, presentation, and writing skills.

Demonstrated excellence in quantitative research and data analysis skills, including expertise in multivariate statistics and survey construction and administration.

Proficiency in at least one statistical analysis software (e.g., SPSS, R, STATA, SAS).

Proficiency in Qualtrics survey software or equivalent

DESIRED

Doctorate Degree in Education, Psychology, or other relevant social science field

Three to five years of experience in post-secondary research or assessment

Working knowledge of applied psychometrics and other measurement theories (e.g., item response theory)

Proficiency utilizing transactional databases (e.g., SQL)

College-level teaching or administrative experience

Demonstrated deep understanding of higher education literature related to teaching and learning

Demonstrated commitment to and experience related to UAA's core competencies: accountability and integrity; race, equity, and difference; constituent focus; collaboration and teamwork

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Travel and presentation at professional conferences

Application Process:

Note: Candidates invited for the first round of interviews will be required to provide a writing sample.

The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select "Apply to this position". Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your "My Jobs" page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.

Committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff, your experiences, perspectives and unique identities will be honored at the University of Washington. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable, and welcoming.