Research Specialist/Senior Research Specialist

The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) is a nonprofit organization that provides high-quality assessment products, services, and research for the benefit and protection of the public and the legal profession. We assist state courts and licensing authorities with fulfilling their responsibility to determine minimal competence for entry to the legal profession.

NCBE is committed to fostering a welcoming environment that values respect and collaboration. The organization provides competitive salary and benefits, flexible schedules, remote work options, and professional development opportunities. NCBE's headquarters is based in Madison, Wisconsin, a dynamic community with exceptional amenities.

The Research Specialist contributes to NCBE's organization-wide efforts to ensure that educational and psychometric research is conducted to inform NCBE operations, test products, and services. This position will work closely with other NCBE staff to help the organization develop and achieve research goals.

The specialist serves as PI or co-PI on multiple research initiatives supporting new and emerging assessments. They conduct and/or review research on substantive issues generally related to bar examinations and share this work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders. They may assist others at NCBE with research projects - advising on methods, assisting with analyses, translating findings, coordinating efforts, and possibly managing small teams engaging in projects within or across departments.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Serves as PI or co-PI on multiple research initiatives simultaneously.
• Develops knowledge of research conducted at NCBE over time to support development of a comprehensive and cohesive research agenda, and serves as a SME as requested on historical, emerging, and ongoing research projects.
• Runs or otherwise actively participates in meetings focused on research and/or research partnerships.
• Contributes to the development and use of research instruments (e.g., surveys, interview protocols) and applies advanced statistical or methodological techniques to ensure accuracy and reliability.
• Engages in outreach efforts to NCBE stakeholders, including jurisdiction admissions staff, boards, and courts, as well as the legal education community as directed. These outreach efforts may include by facilitating webinars, workshops, webinars, and other presentations to share findings and strengthen stakeholder relationships.
• Evaluates requests for data, funding, and/or collaboration from external researchers with other NCBE employees, and coordinates NCBE's response to these requests.
• Ensures compliance with ethical standards in human subjects research by coordinating with the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and participating in IRB-related processes as appropriate.
• Assists with project management and project tracking, helping ensure that research initiatives progress on a schedule despite competing priorities.
• Supports work on operational exams (scoring, score reporting, quality control, etc.).
• Presents work at professional conferences, representing NCBE to enhance the organization's visibility and credibility in assessment, psychometrics, and/or legal education.
• Authors articles peer-reviewed publications, often collaborating with internal and external colleagues to broaden the reach and impact of NCBE research.
• Collaborates with cross-functional teams by contributing research expertise to interdisciplinary projects, ensuring evidence-based practices and supporting NCBE's strategic initiatives.
• Carries out assigned work in support of operational goals of the Psychometrics group and other duties as assigned, including some administrative responsibilities.
• Monitors developments in testing, higher education, and the legal profession to identify emerging trends that may impact NCBE's research priorities.
• Develops data visualizations, dashboards, and summaries to communicate complex findings to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Psychometrics, Education, Psychology, or related field.

• 3-7+ years of post-Ph.D. applied research experience in psychometrics, educational measurement, or a related field. 7+ years of applied research plus strong publication record for senior designation.

• Demonstrated research and analysis skills, ideally in educational research.

• Proficiency with advanced statistical software (e.g., SPSS, SAS, R, Office Suite, Data Visualization software).

• Experience publishing in peer-reviewed journals, making presentations at professional conferences, and engaging with stakeholders is essential, with the demonstrated ability to translate research findings into clear insights and strong writing skills for both technical- and general-audience communications.

• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-disciplinary teams.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with licensure programs.

• Experience with job or practice analyses.

• Experience with legal education.

• Familiarity with IRB processes and data privacy/protection practices.

• Active membership or involvement in professional organizations (e.g., NCME, AERA).

The specialist may work remotely. NCBE will consider applicants from the following states: FL, IA, IN, MA, MD, ME, MI, MO, MN, NC, NE, NJ, NM, NV, OK, PA, TX, WA, and WI.

Mission

NCBE promotes fairness, integrity, and best practices in admission to the legal profession for the benefit and protection of the public. We serve admission authorities, courts, the legal education community, and candidates by providing high-quality

• assessment products, services, and research;
• character investigations; and
• informational and educational resources and programs.

EEO Statement
NCBE is proud to be an equal employment opportunity organization. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunity to all applicants and employees.

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