Advanced Specialist, Researcher

Advanced Specialist, Researcher (English Language Assessment)

This role aligns to industry-level titles such as Senior Assessment Researcher / Senior Psychometrician.

We are looking for an experienced language assessment researcher to join our English Language Learning division, supporting the delivery and ongoing development of high‑stakes English language assessments used globally.

In this role, you’ll lead and contribute to research and validation activities that ensure our assessments are robust, reliable, and fit for purpose. You’ll work across established products like PTE Academic, as well as new assessment developments, helping to maintain regulatory recognition and support continuous innovation.

You will be part of the Assessment Research and Validity team, responsible for ensuring Pearson’s assessments are psychometrically sound and supported by strong validation evidence.

The team works across a range of activities, including test performance monitoring, standards setting, score concordance, and large-scale validity studies—supporting both established assessments and new product development.

UK-based role with remote and hybrid working supported.

37.5 hours per week, with flexibility to support global collaboration.

Occasional international travel may be required.

• Lead on validation research projects for high-stakes English language assessments. Own research projects in your area of expertise, designing and delivering studies that interrogate validity evidence and assessment data to draw robust and insightful conclusions.
• Identify trends, risks, and insights from assessment data to inform decision‑making.

• Collaborate with other team members to support large-scale projects, such as assessment monitoring, standards maintenance, and score concordance research across the PTE portfolio.

• Contribute to the development of reliable and valid assessment products.
• Support field-testing research, ensuring rigorous evaluation of new assessment developments.

• Communicate findings through technical reports, presentations, and publications.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders across product, research, and delivery teams.
• Contribute to academic publications and represent Pearson at academic and industry conferences.

• Strong expertise in validity theory, language assessment, and both qualitative and quantitative research methods.
• Proven experience working with large-scale, high-stakes assessment programmes. Proficiency in statistical tools and programming languages such as R and Winsteps.
• Ability to analyse complex data and translate it into actionable insights.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including technical reporting.
• A proactive, curious, and flexible approach to problem-solving.
• Master’s degree or PhD in educational measurement, psychological measurement, psychometrics, statistics, or related fields preferred.

• Specialism in a defined area of language testing (e.g., cognitive validity, linguistic analysis).
• Experience with additional statistical tools such as Facets or Python.
• Knowledge of item banking systems (e.g., CAT, LOFT).
• Familiarity with automated scoring systems for English language assessment.

We offer attractive UK benefits.

Pearson is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a member of E-Verify. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit and business need. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status or any other group protected by law. We actively seek qualified candidates who are protected veterans and individuals with disabilities as defined under VEVRAA and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.

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