Sr. Learning Scientist (Mathematics)

Job Title: Senior Learning Scientist (Mathematics)

Location: Remote

Who We Are

NWEA® is a division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt that supports students and educators through research, assessment solutions, policy and advocacy services, professional learning and school improvement services that fight for equity, drive classroom impact and push for systemic change in our educational communities. For nearly 50 years, NWEA has developed innovative pre-K–12 assessments, including their flagship interim assessment, MAP® Growth™ and their reading fluency and comprehension assessment, MAP® Reading Fluency™. For more information, visit NWEA.org to learn more.

What you will do

The Senior Learning Scientist (Math) applies their expertise of research and experience with learning theories, learning facilitation, and learner-centered activities to the design and evaluation of theoretically coherent k-12 mathematics education products. They are leaders within a team that is responsible for the design of substantive models of learning that manifest as ontologies and knowledge graphs that underpin product development and carry out evaluation studies to understand the efficacy of such products.  They must think flexibly and creatively about research applications within specific product constraints, and clearly communicate ideas and research findings to non-experts.

Responsibilities

• Apply knowledge of educational research to develop models of K-12 student learning of mathematics. They are responsible for leading the design and implementation of these models as ontologies and knowledge graphs that serve specified product and business needs.
• Operationalize knowledge of and experience with quantitative and/or qualitative research methodology to lead the design and execution of research studies to validate products that make explicit the cognitive models of student learning.
• Provide hands-on support with tasks that benefit from a learning-expert perspective, including learning-focused user research or data analysis to evaluate the learning effectiveness of specific product features or understand student learning outcomes.
• Work closely with other learning scientists, engineers, UX researchers, product managers, and other subject matter experts (SMEs) in the service of developing and iteratively refining products that help K-12 teachers make instructionally relevant decisions.
• Provide leadership and mentorship to more junior learning scientists in the service of developing and iteratively refining products.
• Create clear and detailed documentation of the results of their work. This documentation could be white papers, internal informational memos, technical reports, or standard operating procedures.

Education and Experience

• A PhD in developmental psychology, mathematics education, curriculum and instruction, cognitive psychology, or a related field with a mathematics education focus.
• 5+ years relevant job experience, preferably designing or evaluating educational technology (experience can include a leadership role on a funded research project).
• Extensive knowledge in educational trends in mathematics, with a good understanding of a grade band such as K-2, middle school, etc., or an area of study such as classroom technology use, personalized learning, etc.
• Practical experience in applying and interpreting quantitative methods in learning sciences studies, including classical statistical methods (t-tests, regression, etc.) and hierarchical statistical methods (e.g., HLM).
• Proficiency in quantitative data analysis using software like R and Stata, as well as qualitative data analysis tools such as Atlas.ti, MAXQDA, and Nvivo).
• Experience applying learning sciences to design or revise educational environments for diverse student populations, and leading incorporation of learning sciences into educational materials.
• Detailed understanding of content learning standards and learning models/trajectories in mathematics across different grade levels.
• Skilled in interpreting student performance data relating it to learning standards and trajectories.
• Ability to communicate effectively on how learning science frameworks impact production work or research projects.
• Collaborates productively with design team members and leads creation of internal documents explaining learning sciences to curriculum developers, designers, and leadership.
• Proficient in project management skills to oversee learning sciences aspects of multiple small-to-medium projects.
• Provides advice for, creates, and documents new and existing processes, including agile processes as appropriate, within assigned project.
• Applied expertise in designing at least one educational product/environment as part of a research project or commercial product.
• Values diversity, fairness, honesty, transparency, open communication, and feedback.

Competencies

• Nimble Learning: Actively learning through experimentation when tackling new problems, using both successes and failures as learning fodder.
• Action-oriented: Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.
• Courage: Stepping up to address difficult issues, saying what needs to be said.
• Manages complexity: Making sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems.
• Collaborates: Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.

Salary range:  110k – 120k.

Application Deadline:

The application window for this position is anticipated to close on June 2, 2024. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible. The posting may be available past this date but is not guaranteed.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) is fully committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and to attracting, retaining, developing and promoting the most qualified employees without regard to race, gender, color, religion, sexual orientation, family status, marital status, pregnancy, gender identity, ethnic/national origin, ancestry, age, disability, military status, genetic predisposition, citizenship status, status as a disabled veteran, recently separated veteran, Armed Forces service medal veteran, other covered veteran, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. We are dedicated to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment, and where employees are treated with respect and dignity. We actively participate in E-Verify.