Research Associate - Language and Literacy Research and Evaluation

Job Description:

WestEd's Language & Literacy Team is seeking a research associate to contribute to high-impact research and evaluation projects that advance educational opportunities and outcomes for learners. In this role, you will collaborate with researchers, educators, policymakers, and community partners to generate evidence that informs decision-making and strengthens language and literacy programs across P-12 education. You will bring expertise in applied research methods-quantitative, qualitative, or both-as well as knowledge of literacy instruction and education policy. You will support the full arc of a study, from design and data collection through dissemination. Projects may include evaluations of state literacy initiatives, curriculum and instructional programs, educational technology, and community-based efforts to improve learning outcomes. The ideal candidate is a skilled analyst and collaborative problem-solver who is passionate about using research to improve educational practice and policy.

About the Team

WestEd's Language and Literacy team is a collaborative group of researchers, practitioners, and professional learning designers united by a shared commitment to equity and excellence in literacy education. We partner with schools, districts, and state education agencies to strengthen literacy outcomes for all learners through professional learning design and facilitation, instructional coaching, curriculum development, and program evaluation across grade levels and contexts. We bring both rigor and care to everything we do, grounding our practice in research while centering the assets and experiences of the educators and students we serve. Our work reflects deep expertise supporting multilingual learners, students who struggle with reading, and educators working in diverse and under-resourced settings.

Responsibilities

Research and Data Analysis (40%)

• Contribute to research design decisions, including selection of methods, measures, and study designs appropriate for literacy and language evaluations.
• Develop data collection protocols.
• Collect and prepare data for and conduct quantitative and qualitative data analysis.
• Analyze data to measure the effectiveness of educational programs and interventions.
• Develop tables, figures, and data displays that communicate findings clearly to research and practitioner audiences.
• Analyze and synthesize qualitative data from interviews, observations, and documents using systematic coding and analytic approaches.
• Conduct literature reviews, including the identification and gathering of relevant research.

Project Planning and Coordination (25%)

• Lead the development of project plans and timelines to produce timely, high-quality deliverables.
• Build productive working relationships to coordinate shared work and accomplish project goals.
• Communicate with study participants and stakeholders to coordinate fieldwork and maintain project momentum.
• Develop and manage IRB documentation and approvals and data sharing agreements.

Dissemination and Outreach (25%)

• Write and present findings in formats tailored to research and practitioner audiences, including reports, memos, policy briefs, and presentations.

Proposal and Resource Development (10%)

• Contribute to the creation of proposals and outreach efforts that advance the goals of the Literacy Team.
• Help identify and develop new research and evaluation opportunities connected to the team's literacy priorities.

What We are Looking For

The successful candidate will have experience in the following areas:

• Knowledge of educational issues in the K-12 literacy context.

• Master's degree in education, public policy, economics, or closely related field.

• Proficiency with research software such as Stata, R, SPSS, NVIVO, Dedoose.
• Understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methods, with expertise in inferential statistics and data management.

Additional Experiences of Interest (Preferred)

• Experience with school-based work (e.g., teaching, leadership, coaching, curriculum coordination, assessment, or intervention support)
• Organizational, time management, and interpersonal skills
• Exceptional written and oral communication with a variety of interest holders
• Ability to think critically about complex problems, break down those problems into manageable parts, and engage in creative problem solving to achieve practical and efficient solutions

*Note: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Successful candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.

WestEd conducts a criminal background check and education verification for all new hires. Any offers of employment will be contingent on receiving a clear background check in accordance with applicable law.

SALARY AND BENEFITS:

The full salary range for this position, WestEd level 10, is $92,000 to $143,000, but WestEd does not typically hire at or near the top of the salary range. The typical hiring range for this role is $92,000 to $115,000. The actual offer considers multiple factors, including but not limited to education, experience, internal equity, and other organizational needs.

In addition to the base salary, benefits include:

* 15% contribution toward retirement effective day 1 of employment and immediately 100% vested

* Pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Account option

* All health/welfare benefits are effective the first of the month following the hire date

* PTO: 19 days (increases to 21 days beginning the third year of employment), 12 paid holidays

* Life Insurance: value of 3x gross salary, max of 500k

* Opportunities for annual merit-based performance increases + annual incentives

* Professional development opportunities & mentorship program

For more details about our benefits, go to: https://www.wested.org/work-at-wested/#benefits WestEd is a Drug Free Employer and maintains a drug-free workplace. #LI-Remote #Circa-Remote

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)