The University of Florida’s Institute of Higher Education invites applications for a Postdoctoral Scholar. Although the successful candidate will be given the option to work on campus at the University of Florida, this is a completely remote position. The Postdoctoral Scholar will work with the InformEd States project, a multi-institution research team that examines higher education policy. The Postdoctoral Scholar will work with Dr. Justin Ortagus and other Principal Investigators from Penn State University, the University of Tennessee, and Southern Methodist University on a project that examines local funding sources for community colleges. 

The Postdoctoral Scholar will collect and analyze longitudinal data on state higher education funding approaches, draft policy briefs and academic papers, present findings from the research at policy and academic conferences, and provide project management support.

Candidates for this position should have knowledge of higher education policy and experience cleaning, managing, and analyzing large-scale longitudinal data using Stata statistical software. A qualified candidate must hold a doctoral degree or have completed all of the requirements for a doctorate in education, education policy, higher education, or a related field by August 15, 2023. The anticipated start date is August 15, 2023. This position is funded through an external grant. The position is for one year from the date of hire. 

Survey Researcher, Center for Thriving Children 

Background: The Mary E. Walsh Center for Thriving Children (CTC) at Boston College uses research and data to identify and evaluate strategies that successfully transform schools and communities into systems of opportunity for all students. We conduct interdisciplinary research that builds on the strengths of both science and practice to understand how best to create true opportunity for all. CTC houses the City Connects intervention, an innovative and evidence-based approach to addressing the out-of-school factors that can impact students’ achievement and thriving in schools. 

Core Responsibilities

• Serve as a Survey Researcher to support research and evaluation projects that focus on analyzing the impact of intervention efforts, supporting the field to successfully scale interventions with proven impact, and generating new knowledge for consideration by leaders and key stakeholders:
  • Contributing to the development of research and evaluation plans and to the development of survey and focus group content
  • Collaboratively refining surveys and interview protocols to ensure instruments are aligned with research designs
  • Conducting descriptive and inferential data analysis (surveys, focus groups, interviews) with detailed written documentation that ensures analytic reproducibility
  • Serving as the primary contact with relevant stakeholders to coordinate the research process and to understand their questions and input throughout the research life cycle
  • Creating summaries, reports, and presentations for various audiences, including academic audiences, boards of research advisors, and practitioners
• Manage all survey administration for the Center, including:
  • Designing surveys in an online system (Qualtrics) to enhance and optimize users' experience
  • Developing communication plans, managing contacts lists, and distributing surveys to participants
  • Overseeing survey testing and quality assurance
  • Monitoring response rates and sharing progress updates
• Enhance existing systems and processes for collecting and managing data to support the Center’s research and evaluation effort:
  • Supervising 2-3 graduate students and/or junior survey team members
  • Increasing the capacity and expanding the capability of the survey team to enhance the primary data collection efforts
  • Enhancing and implementing a process for maintaining relationships with schools and stakeholders to facilitate the data collection
  • Maintaining high standards regarding human subjects research for all existing and new projects
• Contribute to data acquisition for secondary data analysis
• Contribute to the development of grant proposals 
• Enhance the quality, relevance, and usefulness of the Center’s research work

Minimum Qualifications:

• Ph.D. degree in educational research, developmental psychology, sociology, social psychology, or related field; or Master’s degree in those fields with at least three years of relevant work experience.
• Experience with survey administration and knowledge of best practices in designing and conducting surveys
• Proficiency in using Qualtrics or similar survey software
• Proficiency in using Stata, SPSS, or similar statistical/analytical software
• Familiarity with K-12 education systems and structures
• Passionate about opportunities to promote child and youth development through systematic student support in schools

Preferred Qualifications:

• A track record in leading and/or coaching others to produce rigorous and highly useful research
• Familiarity with education data and experience managing related large datasets
• Experience with reviewing and/or conducting program evaluations
• Experience with the management of complex projects
• Experience working with school districts around data acquisition

Skills and Abilities:

• Self-motivated and proactive
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Exceptional organization skills and ability to work simultaneously on multiple projects with careful attention to detail
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines
• Ability to work productively with a diverse team in a collaborative, team-oriented workplace
• Flexible and adaptable

Application Requirements:

• Cover Letter addressing reasons for engaging in this work
• Resume
• A writing sample that demonstrates research or analysis skills

This position will be based at Boston College.

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender identity, marital status, or sexual orientation. Acknowledging the importance of diverse perspectives, we are committed to employing individuals from a variety of backgrounds and with a variety of experiences. Members of historically marginalized communities and candidates who have been impacted by the systems we are seeking to change are strongly encouraged to apply.