Principal Research Scientist – Education and Child Development Research

JOB SUMMARY:

The Education and Child Development Department seeks a Principal Research Scientist to join our collaborative and creative team to conduct and expand our work in education. The ideal candidate will have a doctorate and will bring expertise in leading large scale U.S. Department of Education evaluation or technical assistance contracts or grants, specifically with either the Institute of Education Science’s National Center for Education Evaluation or the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. The ideal candidate will also have deep knowledge of the Every Student Succeeds Act and bring expertise in at least one content area  (e.g. school choice, AI, college and career readiness and access, literacy, STEM education, educator workforce). In this strategic role, the Principal Research Scientist will help one of the nation's most respected research institutions grow its portfolio of work, significantly impacting NORC's service to our clients and our organizational success.

DEPARTMENT: Education and Child Development

For more than 40 years, NORC has been committed to conducting high-quality education research and capacity building. Our Education and Child Development department focuses its research and technical assistance across the full array of education-relevant populations, from preschoolers to the post-graduate doctorate holders.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead business development efforts including with federal and state governments, large school districts, foundations, universities, commercial partners. 
• Lead major research and/or technical assistance projects.
• Advance creative analytic solutions and problem solving.
• Foster an environment that promotes professional growth of ECD staff.
• Support a cohesive, team-oriented culture across a geographically dispersed staff and promote communication and integration among all members.
• Develop and maintain client relationships.
• Develop and maintain key partnerships with other research organizations and research leaders that will support and advance the success of ECD.

REQUIRED SKILLS:

• Master’s degree in education, child development, social sciences, or another relevant discipline is required, Doctorate preferred.
• At least 12 years of directly applicable work experience in a significant management role; such as management of line business or research group in a nonprofit organization, research organization or government agency is required. 
• A track record for building, developing, managing and retaining a team of highly capable research professionals
• Recognition as an expert in education as evidenced by supporting publications and presentations.  
• Deep understanding of qualitative and quantitative methodologies OR technical assistance methods (e.g., implementation science, improvement science, continuous improvement).
• Expertise in managing large scale, complex research or technical assistance projects, or other similar accomplishments.
• Experience in reporting on research to a wide range of stakeholders using a variety of platforms.
• Deep and strong connections to major education clients.
• Successful record of securing high-caliber, compelling education/child development projects.
• Strong connections to one of the following U.S. regions, jurisdictions, or states: Central (Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming); Mid-Atlantic (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania); or Pacific (American Samoa, Hawaii, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Palau)
• Direct experience leading major components of work for a Regional Educational Laboratory OR Comprehensive Center

SALARY AND BENEFITS:

The pay range for this position is $171,000-$263,000. 

This position is classified as regular. Regular staff are eligible for NORC’s comprehensive benefits program. Benefits include, but are not limited to:  

• Generously subsidized health insurance, effective on the first day of employment 

• Dental and vision insurance  

• A defined contribution retirement program, along with a separate voluntary 403(b) retirement program  

• Group life insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance 

• Benefits that promote work/life balance, including generous paid time off, holidays; paid parental leave, bereavement leave, tuition assistance, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). 

 NORC’s Approach to Equity and Transparency  

Pay and benefits transparency helps to reduce wage gaps. As part of our commitment to pay equity and salary transparency, NORC includes a salary range for each job opening along with information about eligible benefit offerings. At NORC, we take a comprehensive approach to setting salary ranges and reviewing raises and promotions, which is overseen by a formal Salary Review Committee (SRC). 

WHAT WE DO:

NORC at the University of Chicago is an objective, non-partisan research institution that delivers reliable data and rigorous analysis to guide critical programmatic, business, and policy decisions. Since 1941, our teams have conducted groundbreaking studies, created and applied innovative methods and tools, and advanced principles of scientific integrity and collaboration. Today, government, corporate, and nonprofit clients around the world partner with us to transform increasingly complex information into useful knowledge.

WHO WE ARE:

For over 80 years, NORC has evolved in many ways, moving the needle with research methods, technical applications and groundbreaking research findings. But our tradition of excellence, passion for innovation, and commitment to collegiality have remained constant components of who we are as a brand, and who each of us is as a member of the NORC team. With world-class benefits, a business casual environment, and an emphasis on continuous learning, NORC is a place where people join for the stellar research and analysis work for which we’re known, and stay for the relationships they form with their colleagues who take pride in the impact their work is making on a global scale.

EEO STATEMENT: 

NORC is an equal opportunity employer. NORC evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, sexual orientation, and other legally protected characteristics.

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