Provo MTC PhD Research Intern; Unpaid Part-Time | Language Performance Assessment

Job Description

This position is central to the missionaries' role of inviting others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. The Research and Evaluation team seeks a PhD‑level Research Intern to support the initial phases of a large‑scale speaking assessment proof‑of‑concept project.

The intern will contribute to early‑stage assessment development activities, including construct refinement, rubric finalization, task review, and preparation for pilot testing, working closely with senior research staff and receiving ongoing guidance throughout the term.

• Support refinement of the speaking construct definition and intended score interpretations
• Review analytic rubric dimensions and level descriptors for clarity, coherence, and alignment with the construct
• Assist with documentation of scoring principles and interpretive guidance

• Participate in review of speaking prompts for construct alignment, appropriateness, and coverage
• Assist with mapping prompts to task families and proficiency expectations
• Support identification of gaps in the initial item pool

• Contribute to planning for content validity, construct representation, and early reliability analyses
• Assist with preparation of materials for SME review and cognitive labbing
• Help draft sections of technical documentation related to validation strategy

• Support cognitive labbing activities (administering protocols, documenting participant feedback, summarizing findings)
• Support preparation of pilot protocols, scoring guides, or research artifacts as needed

• Current enrollment in a PhD program in:
  • Educational Measurement / Psychometrics
  • Applied Linguistics
  • Educational Psychology
  • Program Evaluation
  • A closely related field
• Strong foundational knowledge of:
  • Assessment design principles
  • Rubric‑based scoring
  • Validity and reliability concepts
• Ability to analyze and synthesize research findings
• Strong written communication skills, especially the ability to explain technical concepts clearly

• Experience with performance assessments, especially speaking or writing
• Familiarity with rater‑mediated scoring or rubric development
• Exposure to AI‑supported or automated scoring, or interest in ethical use of AI in assessment

Church employees find joy and satisfaction in using their unique talents and abilities to further the Lord’s work. From IT professionals who develop apps that send the gospel message worldwide to facility managers who maintain buildings—providing places to worship, teach, learn, and receive sacred ordinances—our employees seek innovative ways to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the world.

Only members of the Church who are worthy of a temple recommend qualify for employment. Apart from this, the Church is an equal‑opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its employment decisions on any basis that would violate U.S. or local law.

Qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, national origin, color, gender, pregnancy, marital status, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or other legally protected categories that apply to the Church. The Church will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities.