AI Risk Mitigation Researcher (Contractor)

This is a contractor, remote position anywhere in the contiguous United States.

Commitment: 180 hours total  for November 2026 to February 2027

Compensation: $135.00 per hour

What You’ll Do

The AI & Instructional Innovation role shapes the vision and practical frameworks for how school systems navigate emerging technologies in service of student learning. Partnering alongside state and district leaders, this role uncovers critical challenges in education technology, translates complex field research into actionable guidance, and designs scalable support models that protect student inquiry and instructional rigor. Ultimately, this role ensures educational leaders across the country have the tools, clarity, and shared community needed to make thoughtful, student-centered decisions that expand opportunities for all learners.

Responsibilities:

Field Research & Systems Learning

• Champions organization-wide inquiry into how emerging technologies intersect with curriculum, classroom practice, and student learning
• Guides qualitative research across diverse school systems to examine how educational platforms support daily teaching and learning
• Partners with district and state leaders to surface promising local practices, examine critical policy decisions, and understand systemic challenges
• Cultivates open, reciprocal learning relationships with educational leaders across diverse geographic, demographic, and operational contexts

• Defines comprehensive frameworks and long-term strategies that guide how school systems evaluate, adopt, and implement instructional technologies
• Synthesizes findings across partner school systems into clear, mission-driven publications and practical resources for system leaders
• Shapes organizational strategy by identifying emerging needs across the education sector and translating insights into scalable support models
• Anticipates operational, ethical, and instructional risks to create proactive guidance that protects meaningful learning experiences for students

• Convenes diverse educational leaders to examine systemic challenges, foster open dialogue, and build shared understanding around instructional leadership
• Connects and strengthens professional learning networks to bridge communication between curriculum, technology, and system-level leadership
• Fosters cross-functional collaboration internally and externally to ensure alignment across instructional design, technology, and organizational priorities
• Models organizational values by fostering continuous learning, expanding educational opportunity, and centering student access across all initiatives

Candidate Qualifications and Traits:

• 10+ years of experience in educational leadership, school system administration, instructional technology strategy, or qualitative educational research  
• Qualitative Research & Analysis: Deep expertise in structuring and conducting qualitative inquiry across school systems, analyzing organizational dynamics, and synthesizing complex field data into clear, actionable frameworks  
• Instructional Technology Governance: Specialized knowledge of educational technology platforms, data privacy standards, and the operational balance between academic curriculum and digital tools
• Executive Communication & Synthesis: Proven ability to translate nuanced, complex qualitative findings into clear, concise, and compelling narratives for system leaders and policymakers  
• Cross-Functional System Leadership: Demonstrated skill in bridging academic, curriculum, and technology leadership functions to foster collaboration and build shared understanding across executive teams  
• Instructional Support Design: Expertise in diagnosing systemic needs within school systems and designing scalable, practical support models and learning tools that meet educators where they are 

Our Mission: 

We strengthen instructional leadership in schools, school systems, and states to ensure teachers have the support they need to improve learning experiences and learning outcomes for students— with attention to students of color, students experiencing poverty, multilingual learners, and students with disabilities.

Our Vision:

All students experience an excellent education that prepares them to contribute to their community, achieve economic security, and pursue their dreams.