Research Specialist

Position Title:

Research Specialist Salary Range:

Regionally Competitive Contract Length:

Full-time, Exempt 12 month

Immediate Supervisor:

Executive Director of Data, Technology & System Improvement

POSITION SUMMARY

The Research Specialist plays a pivotal role in transforming district data into actionable knowledge. This position is responsible for conducting high-level research and data analysis to assess district and school performance on key indicators and evaluate eUectiveness of district's improvement initiatives and strategies. The Specialist acts as a bridge between data and practice - managing external research partnerships, ensuring that all data-sharing activities are conducted under the highest standards of legal and ethical compliance, and providing assistance to staU on data analysis and interpretation to help move the district into a data driven decision-making institution.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Research Specialist will perform the following core functions and other duties as assigned by the immediate supervisor. Research, Evaluation & Monitoring ? Conduct descriptive and inferential statistical analysis on administrative and outcome data to generate insights for instructional and operational decisions ? Track and evaluate the ROI of district-wide programs and initiatives and impact on student learning. ? Develop and maintain enrollment projection models to assist district leadership in annual staUing allocations as well as long-term strategic facility planning and enrollment policy. 2 ? Monitor, investigate, and report the district's disproportionality data to help close the academic achievement and equity gaps. Reporting & Strategic Communication ? Author research reports and white papers that distill complex findings into actionable insights for internal and external stakeholders and audiences. ? Create compelling visualizations and present findings to non-technical audiences. Survey Design & Administration ? Lead the development, administration, analysis, and reporting of district-wide surveys. ? Support central oUice departments and schools with survey design, administration, data analysis and interpretation. Research Management & Data Stewardship ? Act as the primary custodian of student and staU data, ensuring strict adherence to FERPA, HIPAA, and Indiana-specific data privacy laws ? Manage internal and external research requests and related data sharing agreements

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

? Master's degree in Educational Research, Statistics, Psychology, Sociology, or a related field (Ph.D. preferred). ? Deep theoretical and practical knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, including survey design, sampling techniques, hypothesis testing, and internal/external validity threats. ? Solid training in advanced statistical analysis (e.g., GLM, HLM, propensity score matching, and factor analysis). ? Demonstrated mastery of FERPA and HIPAA regulations with a proven track record of maintaining data privacy and institutional compliance in the K-12 setting. ? Advanced proficiency in R (preferred) or other statistical software to perform data wrangling and statistical analysis. ? Working knowledge of using SQL to extract data from PowerSchool or other relational databases.

CORE COMPETENCIES 3

? A commitment to providing high-quality support to all internal and external data stakeholders ? Meticulous attention to detail in ensuring accuracy and integrity in analysis and reporting ? Resilience and adaptability in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment ? Strong verbal and written communication skills

Working Conditions:

? Indoor oUice environment ? The person in this position needs to be able to move about inside school buildings to visit classrooms and attend meetings outside of his or her oUice ? The person in this position must be able to transport himself or herself to all school locations within the district. ? The person in this position must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time ? The person in this position must be able to operate a computer and other oUice productivity machinery, such as a copy machine and computer printer ? The person in this position must be able to converse with administrators, teachers, families and community members and must be able to exchange accurate information with such individuals

Physical Demands:

Must be able to lift, push and pull up to 25 lbs., sit, stand, walk, speak, hear and use close vision.