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.
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? 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
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? 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.