Fractional Principal Researcher

Join AIR as a Part-Time Principal Researcher and use your experience and knowledge to help us deliver on our mission: to generate and use rigorous evidence that contributes to a better, more equitable world for all. AIR’s Employment & Economic Opportunity Program is seeking a Part-Time Principal Researcher to support project teams dedicated to collecting and disseminating valid and reliable data about how U.S. education compares with education internationally.

The Principal Researcher is a senior content and technical expert in measurement and assessment, science standards, and test items for international large-scale assessments and surveys, particularly those conducted by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). This role will contribute to providing expert input on the technical review of international and U.S. data collection instruments, data files, analysis plans, and reports.

They may also advise on strategic planning, schedule management, and engagement with study coordinators and international organizations.

Engagements are typically project-based, part-time, and may vary in duration and hours depending on project needs.

This position has the flexibility to work remotely within the United States (U.S.) or from one of AIR’s U.S. office locations
. This does not include U.S. territories.

Conducting specialized expert reviews and consulting with the project director, deputy project director, and task leaders on complex project activities, including:

• Providing insight on collaborations with international organizations on specific survey activities.
• Identifying potential issues, inconsistencies in estimates or methods based on historical and methodological knowledge across multiple cycles of a study.
• Proposing solutions based on experience with both national and international reporting and as well as a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of the activities of international studies.
• Advising on national-level release activities, including presentations, scripts, press remarks, and Q&A documents.
• Responding to requests from the client and other stakeholders, including the public, national and international researchers, policymakers, the U.S. Department of Education (ED), and other government offices.

Education, Knowledge, and Experience

• Masters in a relevant field (e.g., Sociology, Psychology, Anthropology, Public Policy) with a minimum of 11 years of postdoctoral experience in applied research. Ph.D. preferred.
• Extensive experience leading research projects in contract research, evaluation, or academic settings.
• Deep understanding of implementation science and systems-level change.
• Proven track record of securing funding and managing large-scale, multi-stakeholder projects.
• Experience with both qualitative and quantitative methodologies and associated software (e.g., STATA, R, NVivo, Excel).
• Established reputation and professional network in relevant fields.

Skills

• Strategic thinker with the ability to align research with policy and practice needs.
• Exceptional communication skills, including the ability to synthesize and present complex findings to varied audiences.
• Strong leadership and mentoring capabilities.
• Advanced project management skills and ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Skilled in stakeholder engagement, negotiation, and relationship-building.
• Commitment to equity, rigor, and innovation in research.

Disclosures: Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis. Employment-based visa sponsorship (including H-1B sponsorship) is not available for this position. Depending on project work, qualified candidates may need to meet certain residency requirements.

ACCESSIBILITY NOTICE: If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process due to a physical or mental disability, please send an email to Taliba Boone at tboone or call .

AIR’s Total Rewards Program
, is designed to reward our staff competitively and motivate them to achieve our critical mission. This position offers the anticipated annual salary as listed. Salary offers are made based on internal equity within the institution and external equity with competitive markets. Please note this is the annual salary range for candidates that are based in the United States.

Anticipated Hourly Rate Range

$70 - $94 USD