Position description

DESCRIPTION OF POSITION:

The Research and Evaluation Specialist, under the direction of the Co-Directors, works to advance the research and practice priorities of the Center through leadership, coordination, and collaboration across multiple domains of work.

The Research and Evaluation Specialist will contribute high-level expertise to the Center's research portfolio, supporting the design, implementation, and advancement of complex research and evaluation projects focused on community schooling and education systems change. The Specialist will make significant and creative contributions to a range of research projects and agendas alongside the co-directors, PIs, and project staff. The Specialist will also play a central role in shaping research design, leading analytic efforts, and contributing to the production of research that informs policy and practice.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Contribute substantively to the design and execution of qualitative, quantitative, and/or mixed-methods research projects
• Develop alignment across research projects to ensure a coherent research agenda
• Lead or co-lead analytic components of large-scale research projects, including interpretation and synthesis of findings
• Collaborate with faculty and research teams to refine research questions, methodologies, and conceptual frameworks
• Under the supervision of PI, contribute to the development of research products, including technical reports, policy briefs, and scholarly publications
• Translate research findings into accessible and actionable insights for policymakers, practitioners, and community stakeholders
• Participate in research-practice partnerships and engage with students and educators at partnership schools, advocates, and government partners
• Support dissemination of research, including presentations, convenings, and policy briefings
• Mentor and provide guidance to junior researchers and project staff, as appropriate

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: (must address the degree level):
• Doctorate (Ph.D., Ed.D., or equivalent) in education, public policy, sociology, economics, or a related field
• Demonstrated expertise in research design and methodology, including quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods approaches
• Experience contributing to collaborative research projects, particularly those connected to education policy or practice
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience contributing to research reports, publications, or policy-relevant writing
• Ability to work effectively in collaborative, interdisciplinary, and community-engaged environments

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Knowledge of K-12 education systems, particularly in areas related to equity, school reform, or community schooling
• Experience working with large-scale administrative or longitudinal datasets and/or community-engaged research approaches
• Knowledge of hierarchical modeling, causal inference, or other data reduction techniques, and other complex statistical methods
• Demonstrated ability to efficiently use various software to manipulate data and conduct quantitative analyses (preferably R or Python)
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex research findings for non-technical audiences
• Experience contributing to grant writing or development of funded research projects
• Experience mentoring or supporting the development of junior researchers or staff

Qualifications

Basic qualifications
• Doctorate (Ph.D., Ed.D., or equivalent) in education, public policy, sociology, economics, or a related field
• Demonstrated expertise in research design and methodology, including quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods approaches
• Experience contributing to collaborative research projects, particularly those connected to education policy or practice
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience contributing to research reports, publications, or policy-relevant writing
• Ability to work effectively in collaborative, interdisciplinary, and community-engaged environments

Additional qualifications
Additional Qualifications (at time of application):

Preferred qualifications
• Knowledge of K-12 education systems, particularly in areas related to equity, school reform, or community schooling
• Experience working with large-scale administrative or longitudinal datasets and/or community-engaged research approaches
• Knowledge of hierarchical modeling, causal inference, or other data reduction techniques, and other complex statistical methods
• Demonstrated ability to efficiently use various software to manipulate data and conduct quantitative analyses (preferably R or Python)
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex research findings for non-technical audiences
• Experience contributing to grant writing or development of funded research projects
• Experience mentoring or supporting the development of junior researchers or staff

Application Requirements

Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Self-Statement/Cover letter describing research interests and relevant experience
• Reference check authorization release form - Complete and upload the reference check authorization release form
• UCLA Mission Statement - As the nation's premier public research university, UC's mission is the creation, dissemination, preservation and application of knowledge for the betterment of our global society. We have a particular responsibility to the people of California which we express in the excellence of the education we provide, the impact of the research we do, the comprehensive, life-saving medical services we provide, and the public service mission we are devoted to. The University of California promotes the social mobility of its students, equips them with the tools and experience that furthers their ambitions, and regards their accomplishments across the life span as evidence of the profoundly positive impact of higher education.
  
  The UCLA campus has expressed these goals in its strategic plan as follows:
  
  Deepen our engagement with Los Angeles
  Expand our reach as a global university
  Enhance our research and creative activities
  Elevate how we teach
  Become a more effective institution
  
  Prompt for candidates for recruitment:
  
  Reflecting on your personal and professional experiences, highlight your past contributions and future commitments to advancing UCLA's mission as embodied in the 2023-28 strategic plan. These accomplishments and ambitions may be discussed in the context of describing your teaching, scholarship, and service
• Sample Publication 1 (Optional)
• Sample Publication 2 (Optional)
• Sample Publication 3 (Optional)
• Research Statement (Optional)

Reference requirements

• 3-5 required (contact information only)

Contact information for three professional reference (contact only)
Apply link: https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF11023

Help contact: [email protected]

Job location

Los Angeles, CA