Senior Researcher

The Senior Researcher is a full-time position within Strada’s Institute for the Future of Work, reporting to the Institute Managing Research Director. The Senior Researcher takes responsibility for the day-to-day organization and execution of original research projects that yield actionable evidence on policies and practices that influence individuals’ educational pathways and labor market trajectories, as well as providing support on other original research projects led by other members of the Institute research team. The Senior Researcher leads or collaborates in a wide range of research communication work, including writing peer-reviewed manuscripts, public reports, briefs, and literature syntheses, and creating presentation slide decks, data tables, figures, infographics, and other communications that convey relevant findings and recommendations to policymakers, institutional leaders, employers, researchers, students, families, philanthropic organizations, and other stakeholders. The Senior Researcher also identifies and develops new research directions to advance the Institute’s work on strengthening educational pathways to economic opportunity and responding to the talent needs of employers.

Strada’s Institute for the Future of Work develops and conducts rigorous, field-leading research that provides actionable insights on how to strengthen educational pathways that lead to economic opportunity for individuals and respond to the talent needs of employers. The Institute guides and grows national discourse on education and employment byi investigating important but underdeveloped areas of inquiry that are critical to individuals, employers, states, and the nation’s economy.

Context

Strada Education Foundation supports programs, policies, and organizations that strengthen connections between education and employment in the U.S., with a special focus on helping those who have faced the greatest challenges securing economic opportunity through postsecondary education and training. Strada’s strategic plan defines five focal areas by which to improve pathways to opportunity through post-high school education: clear outcomes, quality coaching, affordability, work-based learning, and employer alignment. Strada leverages research, strategic philanthropy, investments, communications, advocacy, and collaborating organizations in the pursuit of this mission. 

Key responsibilities: the Senior Researcher has four core responsibility areas, listed below with the approximate percentage of time required for execution.

1. Conduct Research (40%)

• Interpret the objectives and research questions of assigned projects.
• Make methodologically sound, defensible decisions about data cleaning, defining key terms conceptually and operationalizing them as variables, specifying an appropriate sample and unit of analysis, adjudicating between and selecting analytic approaches based on relevant literature, and sharing results in an accessible format.
• Clean, code, organize, merge, and otherwise prepare and manage complex longitudinal data sets for analysis using Stata or R (Stata is preferred).
• Perform data quality assurance checks and identify potential problems with data, as well as the causes of the problems.
• Write carefully commented and well-organized syntax.
• Design and refine methodologies to meet project objectives and answer project research questions.
• Conduct advanced statistical analyses. 
• Thoroughly document methodological and operational decisions of data preparation and analysis.
• Prepare data codebooks.
• Collaborate with internal colleagues and external partners to execute research.

2. Communicate Research (40%)

• Collaborate in writing research manuscripts, reports, briefs, and summaries.
• Conduct literature reviews and synthesize information and insights about key topics, developing subject matter expertise.
• Prepare slide decks, data tables, figures, infographics, and other communications to convey research findings for internal review and external dissemination.
• Review and contribute to products authored by colleagues, ensuring accurate content and assisting with effective communication.
• Deliver presentations to internal and external audiences.
• Represent Strada at external events, such as panels, conferences, symposia, and other convenings.
• Participate in and contribute to Institute meetings as well as meetings with internal and external partners.

3. Develop New Research Directions (10%)

• Identify and develop research topics and questions of value to the field and consistent within the Institute's mission, focusing on strategies to improve individuals’ educational outcomes and labor market opportunities.
• Build relationships and develop partnerships that advance the Institute’s research priorities.
• Collaborate in writing grant proposals to secure external funding to support the Institute’s research.

4. Lead Direct Reports and Third-Party Contractors and Contribute to Strengthening Strada Organizational Health and Supporting DEI (10%)

• Guide the work of supporting research staff and third-party contractors, assign tasks, set timelines, ascertain the quality and completeness of work products, and deliver timely and constructive feedback.
• Support an inclusive workplace culture through engaging in the diversity, equity, and inclusion learning agenda within the organization.
• Partner with Human Resources and the DEI leadership to support policies and programs that attract, promote, develop, and retain underrepresented talent in the workforce, inclusive of multiple dimensions of diversity.
• Model inclusion and respect in working with colleagues in a transparent and collaborative way.

The Person: Qualifications and Experience

• Education: PhD, EdD, or ABD in a relevant field (e.g., public policy, higher education, economics, sociology, demography, or a related discipline) or an equivalent combination of education and professional experience.
• Extensive experience with (1) advanced quantitative research methods, including multiple quasi-experiential designs; (2) preparing complex longitudinal datasets for analysis, including cleaning, coding, organizing, merging, and managing data; and (3) analyzing data and displaying results in tabular and graphical form.
• Experience with (1) writing manuscripts for peer-reviewed scholarly journals; (2) translating research findings for presentation to scholarly audiences, such as at research conferences; and (3) leading research projects.
• In-depth knowledge of one or more areas of research related to higher education, workforce development, and/or labor market outcomes.
• Demonstrated ability to (1) synthesize and communicate complex research findings, (2) work on multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining exceptional attention to detail; (3) work independently and meet deadlines; and (4) work well with others, including both receiving direction and providing direction.
• Exceptionally strong writing skills and verbal communication skills, including editing skills and the ability to communicate ideas clearly and concisely for public audiences.

Additional Desired Experience

• Experience working with administrative course-level, student-level, and institution-level education data, and with individual-level labor market data.
• Experience analyzing qualitative data (e.g., interview transcripts, open-ended survey responses) using NVivo or similar software.
• Experience writing research reports and briefs for policymakers, and translating research findings for presentation to policymakers. 
• Experience working in state or national higher education or workforce development organization.
• Experience writing research grant proposals.

Travel Requirements:

It is likely the role will naturally entail some travel for conferences and other meetings up to 15%.