Data Scientist, Education Systems and Policy
American Institutes for Research
Summary
AIR is seeking a Data Scientist to join our Education Systems and Policy (ESP) team, providing advanced quantitative and technical expertise across a range of education research and evaluation projects. In this role, you will apply rigorous analytic methods to complex education policy and systems questions while helping develop innovative tools and resources that improve project efficiency, strengthen analytic capabilities, and enhance the value we deliver to clients.
Job description
Responsibilities
- Lead or contribute to the design and execution of rigorous quantitative research and evaluation projects across multiple Education Systems and Policy initiatives.
- Apply appropriate quantitative methods to collect, manage, analyze, and interpret data, including leading inferential analyses for both causal and non-causal research questions.
- Develop, maintain, and document reproducible and collaborative analytic workflows, including data management processes and quality control procedures.
- Review, quality-check, and strengthen analytic code and outputs produced by junior staff; provide guidance and mentorship to promote best practices in analysis and documentation.
- Translate complex analytic findings into clear, actionable insights for client reports, technical memos, presentations, and briefings.
- Manage discrete project tasks or analytic components, including planning timelines, tracking deliverables, and coordinating with project leadership and clients.
- Support proposal development by contributing to technical and analytic sections and helping shape study design and analytic approaches.
- Engage with internal and external stakeholders through meetings and dissemination activities, contributing to a collaborative and inclusive team environment.
Qualifications
- Master's or doctoral degree in statistics, mathematics, computer science, computational social science, education data science, or a related discipline.
- Demonstrated understanding of education policy, education systems and school and district finance.
- Demonstrated experience supporting or leading quantitative research or evaluation projects, preferably for public-sector, nonprofit, or education-focused clients.
- Experience designing and executing inferential analyses and contributing to research reports, briefs, or presentations.
- Experience managing and maintaining analytic datasets, including documentation, quality control, and reproducible workflows.
- Experience with machine learning methods or interest in applying ML to support causal and non-causal research.
- Experience working in education or K-12 research contexts.
- Proficiency in R, Stata, or Python for applied quantitative analysis.
- Ability to review, quality-check, and improve others' analytic code and support junior staff through guidance and mentorship.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with attention to accuracy and research best practices.
- Strong communication skills, with the ability to translate complex analyses for technical and non-technical audiences.
- Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines independently while contributing to a collaborative team environment.
Requirements
- Master's or doctoral degree in statistics, mathematics, computer science, computational social science, education data science, or a related discipline
- Demonstrated understanding of education policy, education systems and school and district finance
- Demonstrated experience supporting or leading quantitative research or evaluation projects
- Experience designing and executing inferential analyses
- Experience managing and maintaining analytic datasets, including documentation, quality control, and reproducible workflows
- Experience with machine learning methods or interest in applying ML
- Experience working in education or K-12 research contexts
- Proficiency in R, Stata, or Python for applied quantitative analysis
- Ability to review, quality-check, and improve others' analytic code
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Strong communication skills
- Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines independently
- Must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis
Company overview
The American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a leading nonprofit, nonpartisan behavioral and social science research organization founded in 1946. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, AIR operates as one of the world's largest social science research institutions with over 1,800 staff members across multiple U.S. locations and international offices. The organization specializes in conducting rigorous research, evaluation, and technical assistance across three primary domains: education, health, and workforce development. AIR's mission centers on generating and utilizing evidence-based approaches to address complex social challenges and promote equity. The institute maintains strict independence and objectivity in its work, collaborating with government agencies, educational institutions, and international development organizations. Notable initiatives include Project Talent, a landmark longitudinal study tracking 400,000 high school students, and various federal projects supporting education policy implementation and workforce development. AIR's expertise spans early childhood education, K-12 systems, higher education, healthcare delivery, mental health services, and international development programs, consistently applying scientific rigor to inform policy and practice improvements.