WIDA Assessment Researcher

Job Summary:

The WIDA Assessment Researcher position is located within the Assessment department and will report to the Director of Psychometrics and Research. This position will be responsible for (1) contributing to the design and implementation of research that supports the technical quality of WIDA's assessments; (2) contributing to the assessment team's research efforts by serving as a subject matter expert on quantitative research methodologies; (3) facilitating meetings (online and in person) and collaborating with educators, other community members, and partners/vendors (may require travel); (4) as assigned, preparing and presenting project information to various stakeholder groups, including to a range of audiences at local, state, national, and international conferences; and (5) contributing to the authoring and review of research reports, journal articles or book chapters, and other dissemination activities.

Working fully remote is an option for this position within the United States (working remotely internationally is not an option).

Requests to work remotely would need to be reviewed based on the UW and School of Education (SoE) remote work policies and go through the SoE implementation process. To learn more about these policies, visit https://businessoffice.education.wisc.edu/human-resources/remote-work/. 

WIDA values linguistic and cultural diversity both as an end and a means for success in the field of education. As such, we strongly encourage applications from a diverse pool of candidates. For more information on WIDA's Mission and Values, please visit https://wida.wisc.edu/about/mission-history 

Responsibilities:

Provides research expertise to fundamental and applied scientific research and solves problems in research development and applications to support the advancement of research.

• 20% Collects and analyzes increasingly complex research data, conducts experiments and interviews, and documents results according to established policies and procedures
• 20% Conducts literature reviews, prepares reports and materials, co-authors publications, and disseminates information to appropriate entities
• 15% Trains individuals and groups on equipment operations, research protocols, and techniques within a specialized laboratory or research area
• 20% Develops and implements increasingly complex research methodologies, procedures, and criteria
• 15% Reviews and edits protocols to ensure accuracy, thoroughness, and consistency
• 10% Assists in developing grant applications and proposals to secure research funding

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion

Education:

Required
Master's Degree in education, measurement, evaluation, social research methodology, psychology, sociology, or related field.

Preferred
PhD

Qualifications:

Required
* Minimum of 2 years of experience or training in measurement, preferably relevant to large-scale assessment.
* Deep understanding of social research methodologies, with experience designing, implementing, and leading quantitative and/or mixed-methods research studies, preferably in complex educational settings.
* Proficiency in probability and statistics, with hands-on experience working with data and conducting analyses.
* Experience effectively working and communicating with audiences/groups from different backgrounds and cultures.
* Experience preparing research reports and journal publications.

Preferred
* Knowledge of U.S. K-12 education policy
* Experience working with large data sets (e.g., district, state, national, international)
* Experience working with school, district, and/or state educators
* Experience working on projects involving artificial intelligence (e.g., expert systems, machine learning, natural language processing)
* Grant writing and resource development experience

Work Type:

Full Time: 100%

It is anticipated this position will be remote and requires work be performed at an offsite, non-campus work location.

Appointment Type, Duration:

Ongoing/Renewable

Salary:

Minimum $70,000 ANNUAL (12 months)
Depending on Qualifications
This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid time off, competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund. For a summary of benefits, please see: https://www.wisconsin.edu/ohrwd/benefits/download/fasl.pdf. 

Additional Information:

What is WIDA? For nearly 20 years, WIDA has provided a trusted, comprehensive approach to supporting, teaching, and assessing multilingual learners. We are an educational services organization that advances language development and academic achievement for multilingual children in early childhood and grades K-12. In short, we provide educators around the world with high-quality language standards, assessments, professional learning, and research. We are proud to be a part of the Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER) within UW-Madison's nationally ranked School of Education. Visit https://wida.wisc.edu/about/careers  and watch our Introduction to WIDA video to see why WIDA is an incredible place to work!

The Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER), established in 1964, is one of the first, most productive, and largest university-based education research and development centers in the world. WCER's researchers and staff work to make teaching and learning as effective as possible for all ages and all people. WCER's mission is to improve educational outcomes for diverse student populations, impact education practice positively and foster collaborations among academic disciplines and practitioners. To this end, our center helps scholars and practitioners develop, submit, conduct, and share grant-funded education research.

WCER's Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion:
Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison and The Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER). Individual differences and group diversity inspire creative and equitable outcomes. WCER actively affirms values and seeks to increase diversity in our everyday interactions, practices, and policies.

For more information and news about our center, please go to https://wcer.wisc.edu/. 
If you need to request an accommodation because of a disability during the recruitment process, please email education-HR.DDR@education.wisc.edu, and one of our Division Disability Representatives will contact you.

More information can also be found at https://employeedisabilities.wisc.edu/disability-accommodation-information-for-applicants/. 

How to Apply:

Please click on the "Apply Now" button to start the application process. As part of the application process, you will be required to submit:
- A cover letter describing how your experience and qualifications meet the requirements of this position.
- A current resume or CV.
- A list of at least three professional references, including contact information.

Contact:

Kelly Krahenbuhl
humanresources@wida.us
Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

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Official Title:

Researcher II(RE041)

Department(s):

A17-SCHOOL OF EDUCATION/WCER

Employment Class:

Academic Staff-Renewable

Job Number:

300200-AS

 

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence through diversity and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, click here

If you need to request an accommodation because of a disability, you can find information about how to make a request at the following website: https://employeedisabilities.wisc.edu/disability-accommodation-information-for-applicants/

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require you and your references to answer questions regarding sexual violence and sexual harassment.

The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department.