Research Scholar/Sr. Research Scholar, Education

Child Trends is seeking a senior educational research leader to help grow and lead our portfolio of federal, state and philanthropic work in K12 and postsecondary education. We are looking for someone with deep expertise and a strong track record leading large scale applied research and evaluation projects and who will be compelling to funders and partners. We are especially interested in candidates who have experience serving as a Principal Investigator on projects funded by the Institute for Education Sciences (IES) and the National Science Foundation (NSF).

This role is especially well suited for a senior leader who is excited by the opportunity to help build a new portfolio of work in collaboration with other senior staff at Child Trends. Initially, this is an hourly position, with workload tied to proposal activity and project needs. This role is structured as a fellowship to allow senior leaders who are affiliated with other institutions or organizations to formally partner with Child Trends. Outside employment and professional affiliations are expected and welcomed. As part of our process, we review outside affiliations for potential conflicts of interest and will reach out to candidates to discuss any concerns before proceeding.

We envision this role transitioning to a full-time position as new work is secured, with the expectation that the individual in this role will play a central role in shaping, winning, and leading those efforts. The person in this role will help shape what Child Trends pursues, how we partner, and how we deliver high-quality work in education research. 

The ideal candidate brings both strong subject-matter expertise and senior leadership experience. They understand the education field deeply, know how to lead in competitive funding environments, and are excited to help expand Child Trends’ impact.

Typical Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead or co-lead education research and evaluation business development efforts, including opportunity shaping, technical approach development, partner strategy, and proposal writing for NSF, IES, and state and philanthropic funders.
• Serve in senior roles on awarded projects, such as principal investigator, project director, senior advisor, or subject matter expert.
• Provide deep education expertise to strengthen research design and methodology, project management, product development, and funder and partner engagement.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with federal, state and philanthropic funders, research partners, state and local education agencies, and leaders in the education field.
• Mentor and support staff contributing to education projects and proposals.
• Help identify and pursue new opportunities aligned with Child Trends’ mission and education strategy.
• Contribute to thought leadership through presentations, publications, briefs, and other dissemination activities.

Must-Have Qualifications

• Deep expertise in education research and evaluation, with at least 8 years of relevant experience in applied research, evaluation and program leadership.
• Demonstrated success leading competitive education research and evaluation funding, including as PI or Task Lead on awards from NSF, IES, and/or state and philanthropic partners.
• Strong track record contributing to competitive proposals through technical writing, capture strategy, partnership development, or related activities.
• Advanced degree in a relevant field (e.g., Education, Public Policy, Economics, Sociology), or equivalent combination of education and substantial senior-level experience.
• Expertise in one or more of the following areas: school readiness, language & literacy, postsecondary success, AI in education, and the educator workforce.
• Excellent writing, presentation, and collaboration skills.

Nice-to-Have Qualifications

• Experience as a Principal Investigator on an IES or NSF-funded research project.
• What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) certification in Group Design.
• Experience working collaboratively with state and local policymakers and educators.
• Experience mentoring multidisciplinary research teams.

Candidates should meet the must-have qualifications even if they do not bring expertise in every nice-to-have area. 

Candidates will be considered for placement at the Research Scholar (Level 8) or Senior Research Scholar (Level 9) level depending on qualifications.

• Candidates with an established track record of leading competitive multi-year awards from IES, NSF and/or state and philanthropic funders, managing a sustained line of research, and producing high-quality research products will generally be considered for placement at Level 8.
• Candidates who are recognized as among the leading national experts in education research, including those who have shaped federal or philanthropic funding priorities, built new lines of education research, or won very large or innovative awards, will be considered for placement at Level 9.

We encourage candidates across this range to apply and will discuss level placement during the interview process.

Note: All applicants with a current academic appointment or full-time organizational affiliation are expected to seek approval from their institution/organization to serve as a Research Scholar with Child Trends.

Work Arrangement

This is an hourly position, and hours will vary based on proposal activity and project needs. Initial schedule is not expected to exceed 10-15 hours a week, but workload is expected to be higher during peak proposal periods and early project startup, with opportunities to take on a sustained increased workload as work is awarded. Child Trends anticipates that this role will convert to a full-time position contingent on successful project wins and organizational need, with this individual well positioned to step into a senior leadership role on awarded projects. 

Location

Flexible remote; in most states. Child Trends does not yet operate everywhere in the US and may require additional start up time in certain states. We currently do not support fellows living primarily overseas.

Background Investigation

Jobs that involve interactions with children and positions that rely on high levels of trust to perform duties are subject to a background check at the time of hire. Employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background investigation including criminal history. We will always conduct interviews of qualified individuals prior to requesting a criminal background check and never inquire into an applicant's criminal history until interviews have been conducted and offer decisions are being made. Current employees may also be subject to future background checks depending on the nature of their duties. A criminal history will not automatically disqualify a candidate or current employee from employment; however, any convictions related to the responsibilities and requirements of the position may do so.

How to Apply

Please follow the “apply” link to submit your application. Please upload your resume/CV and cover letter as well as a brief writing sample, and three professional references.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. Protected veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.