Program Supervisor - Senior Research Associate

Job Description

Job Title

Position Title: Program Supervisor, Senior Research Associate

Location: Fisher Building, 3011 W. Grand Blvd,, Detroit, MI 48202

Salary: $81,441 - $103,142

Reports to: Senior Director, Research and Data Science

Bargaining Unit: OSAS

Benefits Eligible: Yes

Telecommuting Eligibility: Eligible for up to 20% (one (1) day per week)

In accordance with the OSAS and the Board of Education of the School District of the City of Detroit, the following vacancy is announced.

Position Summary:

We are seeking a Senior Research Associate to join the Research and Data Science team.The Research and Data Science team executes on a rigorous research agenda driven by our District's Strategic Plan, which includes:

• Working side-by-side with district leaders to refine the outcomes we target through each of our core operations, programs, and student services;
  

• Designing our overall evaluation strategy to ensure we have clear research questions and the right balance between rigorous understanding of our impact and responsive analyses in support of our district and schools;
  

• Leveraging coherent, aligned, objective, and efficient frameworks and measurement systems to clearly understand our progress toward outcomes; and
  

• Ensuring we draw on the best research literature available to define outcomes and shape our methodology.
  

The Senior Research Associate plays a crucial role in empowering district leaders with data-driven insights. As a key member of the Research and Data district leaders Science team, the Senior Research Associate partners with district leaders and external partners to plan, research, and execute analyses within short timeframes. This role excels at delivering timely, actionable analyses to inform critical decisions and involves navigating complex datasets to produce insightful analyses, reports, and presentations that assess needs, inform strategy, and evaluate results. The Senior Research Associate develops and applies research methodologies to meet the District's diverse analytic needs and creates compelling data stories to support District stakeholders in enhancing students' experiences and outcomes. The Senior Research Associate transforms complex data into compelling narratives that drive strategic action.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education: Bachelor's degree in economics, public policy, statistics, or related field (Masters or Doctorate preferred)

We are looking for talented people who are passionate about transforming the district and making a significant difference in the lives of students, parents, administrators, teachers, and employees.

The ideal candidate will have most of the following professional experiences and competencies:

Essential Experiences and Competencies:

• Demonstrated ability to anticipate and meet the analytical needs of senior executives;
  

• Exceptional skill in balancing multiple high-priority requests with tight deadlines;
  

• Expertise in translating complex data into clear, actionable insights for non-technical audiences;
  

• Intermediate or better knowledge of MS Excel and PowerPoint;
  

• Proficient in data science workflow competencies including use of repositories for version control;
  

• Proficient in fundamental quantitative methods commonly used in education research (e.g., linear and logistic regressions);
  

• Proficient in statistical programming using R (preferred) or another programming language such as Python, SAS, or Stata;
  

• Strong written and oral communication skills that enable you to work with stakeholders to define requirements and research questions, and to share back findings with both technical and non-technical audiences; and
  

• Well-versed in educational research methods and can translate them to an applied setting to strengthen the team's work.
  

Preferred Qualifications (a successful applicant will have some but not necessarily all):

• Experience in analyzing and reporting on school performance metrics and trends;
  

• Classroom or other experience in a public school in an urban setting;
  

• Experience publishing and presenting research findings and compelling insights for practitioner and technical audiences;
  

• Experience using project management tools and techniques to advance work across teams and individuals;
  

• Knowledge of qualitative research methods and software (e.g., NVivo);
  

• Proficiency in advanced causal inference modeling such as propensity score matching, regression discontinuity analysis, etc.);
  

• Proficiency in SQL or evidence of the ability to quickly learn SQL; and
  

• Working knowledge of Michigan state assessments, education data, school finance, and accountability systems. ¿
  

Essential Functions:

Partner with senior District leaders to identify key data needs and deliver targeted analyses that inform strategic decision-making;

Develop and maintain a suite of executive reports and reporting that offer real-time insights into critical district metrics;

Support research efforts by providing timely data analysis and insights, collaborating with staff and external partners to answer research questions and measure the impact of district initiatives;

Rapidly respond to time-sensitive data requests from the Superintendent and other senior leaders, providing accurate and actionable insights within short timeframes;

Create and deliver compelling reports and presentations that communicate results and recommendations for both technical and non-technical audiences, motivating stakeholders to implement data-driven strategies;

Use research to support external and internal stakeholders on decision making and strategy as well as on project teams, influences what is done and how rather than simply executing;

Design, develop, and maintain ongoing metrics, reports, and other analyses that drive decision-making and meet District needs;

Translate analysis requests from the Superintendent or Cabinet member into data requirements, identify and acquire data from multiple sources, and develop reports that meet immediate needs and anticipate future questions and requests;

Translate analysis requests from the Superintendent or Cabinet members into data requirements, identify and acquire data from multiple sources, and develop reports that meet immediate needs while anticipating future questions;

Develop and implement efficient processes for data collection, archiving, and reporting, utilizing automated and reproducible methods whenever possible;

Contribute to the advancement of data science capabilities within the District by supporting the development of tools and workflows that enhance analytical efficiency;

Help manage relationships with external research partners, including reviewing applications, reviewing manuscripts, negotiating data sharing agreements, and managing regular data transmittals; and

Perform other duties as assigned by the Senior Director, with a focus on supporting senior leadership's data and analysis needs

Security Clearance:

Internal Applicants

If you are a current Detroit Public Schools Community District employee, you do not have to submit to a new security clearance, unless your new role requires a different type of criminal background check.

External Applicants

In alignment with Michigan law, if you are hired to fill a position, you will be required to submit to a Detroit Public Schools Community District criminal background check. Information regarding required background checks will be shared at point of hire.

Method of Application:

Applicants must apply through the online application system. Only applications submitted through the online application system will be considered for any posted position and all applications require a resume to be considered.

Successful candidates are required to submit official transcript(s) at point of offer to hire. Teaching service outside of the Detroit Public Schools Community District must be verified by the applicant's prior employer(s) prior to hire. It is the applicant's responsibility to provide all documentation (including copies) as requested.

Applicants requesting assistance during the application process should contact the Office of Human Resources via email at [email protected] or phone at (313) 873-6897.

DPSCD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, transgender identity, disability, age, religion, height, weight, citizenship, marital or family status,

military status, ancestry, genetic information, or any other legally protected category, in its educational programs and activities, including employment and admissions opportunities. Contact the Civil Rights Coordinator for more information at (313) 240-4377 or detroitk12.org/compliance .