Principal Statistician

About Digital Promise Global

Digital Promise is a global nonprofit working to expand opportunity for every learner. We work with educators, researchers, technology leaders, and communities to design, investigate, and scale innovations that support learners. Our vision is that every person engages in powerful learning experiences that lead to a life of well-being, fulfillment, and economic mobility. For more information, visit the Digital Promise website and follow Digital Promise for updates.

About the Position

The Center for Learning Sciences Research at Digital Promise Global is home to a group of learning sciences and researchers aiming to uncover how best to promote learning and how to ensure that meaningful, high-quality learning opportunities are implemented systemically and sustained over time. We are actively investigating how new methodologies and sources of data can be used to support both goals.

Our current portfolio of projects includes federally and philanthropic research-practice partnerships aimed at designing and evaluating powerful innovations to support teaching and learning across PreK through postsecondary. Our team has expertise and works across these different grade bands, as well as in a variety of educational contexts (e.g., public preschool, K-12 and postsecondary programs in urban and rural areas) and disciplinary areas (e.g., math, reading, science, computational thinking). Across projects, we research how emerging edtech and AI can be leveraged innovatively, responsibly and ethically to support the socially rich, collaborative and hands-on learning that is important throughout learners' trajectories.


As part of the Center for Learning Sciences Research, the Principal Statistician will work in close partnership with our multidisciplinary team, leading the application of advanced methodologies (such as multilevel modeling, structural equation modeling, Bayesian analysis and others ) . The role includes developing processes for managing large-scale datasets and integrating mixed methods approaches to provide comprehensive answers to complex questions. It also includes designing robust analytical frameworks and translating complex statistical findings into clear narratives that can be widely shared with a diverse audience to inform the field broadly.

Responsibilities

• Support strategic decision making : Contribute to the design of innovative research studies that examine the impacts of educational innovations on learner outcomes, with consideration of socioeconomic, cultural and linguistic diversity.
• Design and execute research : Collaborate with other lead members to develop proposals, analysis plans, and high-quality research products using a diverse range of data sets and methodological approaches.
• Lead and conduct advanced data analysis : Use modern statistical programming tools like R, SAS or Python to merge and analyze large, complex data datasets and to build and maintain analytic workflow, tools, or interactive dashboards (e.g., using Tableau or Excel).
• Support collaborative efforts : Support partnerships with educators, education leaders, and/or technology producers in research-practice partnerships by advising on the inferences that can be drawn validly from available data to inform design iterations and refinements.

• Contribute to dissemination and communication : Lead and contribute to scholarly dissemination efforts. Translate complex quantitative findings into clear narratives and visualizations for non-technical audiences, including educators, school leaders, funders and policy makers.
• Leadership and mentoring : As a senior role, the statistician in this position will advise and collaborate with other quantitative analysts, and may mentor colleagues in acquiring and applying a range of analytic techniques.

Qualifications

• A doctoral degree in (1) statistics, educational evaluation, psychometrics, or data science with substantial experience analyzing education data preferred or (2) education or social sciences with a concentration in quantitative methods.
• Expertise in advanced statistical methodologies (such as multilevel modeling, structural equation modeling, Bayesian analysis, longitudinal modeling, causal inference) and expertise in sampling and psychometrics (e.g., generalizability) theory.
• National reputation for leading large-scale research studies and high-impact dissemination efforts, including first authorship of technical reports and peer-reviewed publications on methodological issues, and experience serving as a technical advisor to education projects external to their own organization.
• Strong facility with tools like R, SAS or Python to merge and analyze large data datasets and build and maintain analytic tools.
• Minimum 10 years of practical experience analyzing quantitative education data.
• Experience working with multilevel data sets and conducting longitudinal analyses.
• Exceptional communication skills; proven ability both to communicate with quantitative analysts as a mentor and with nontechnical audiences to describe analytic approaches and findings.
• Experience and/or interest in emerging edtech and AI is a plus.

At Digital Promise, we also seek candidates with:

• A strong commitment to working toward Digital Promise's mission and impact goals
• An interest in redesigning learning systems to better serve those who are historically and systemically excluded
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional team members to ensure information is shared, projects are completed on time, and goals are reached.

Working Conditions

Digital Promise Global is a hybrid organization. The position is primarily working in a remote environment. Employees are expected to travel at least 4 times a year for in-person meetings and the annual staff retreat. Additional travel may be required based on role and responsibilities.

Physical/Sensory Demands: Fast-paced working environment. Extensive computer usage and online engagement & communication. Must be willing to build inclusive relationships and collaborate with employees at all levels within the organization and external partners.

Compensation

We consider candidate experience and location when determining where a candidate may fall within that range. Digital Promise Global offers a competitive total rewards package including coverage of 85% of health insurance premiums for employee coverage and 75% of health insurance premiums for dependent and family coverage, 15 vacation days, 12 sick days, 3% 401k employer contribution, 3% employer 401k match, and a flexible work environment.

The full-time salary range for the position is based on geographical regions, with exact salary depending on relevant experience.

California: $145,640-$163,845

DC Metro Area & NYC: $132,400-$148,950

National: $119,160-$134,055

To Apply

Please apply and submit your resume, cover letter, and salary requirements. Applicants are encouraged to submit their materials as soon as possible. Submissions are reviewed on a rolling basis until the search is successful.

Digital Promise is an equal opportunity employer and considers all applications without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex/gender, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status.