Temporary - Research Scholar

About the Position

The Friday Institute for Educational Innovation is hiring a Temporary Research Scholar in the Program Evaluation and Education Research (PEER) Group. The role serves as an autonomous researcher and collaborator, leading the design and execution of rigorous quantitative studies that inform decisions by school, district, state, and policy stakeholders. The position is based in Raleigh, NC and requires an on‑site presence approximately four days per week.

• Design rigorous quantitative and mixed‑method studies addressing research and evaluation questions of importance to PEER’s K‑12 and higher education partners.
• Clean, manage, and analyze large administrative and longitudinal datasets, including K‑12, higher education, and other state sector data.
• Interpret findings and translate results for lay audiences such as school and district leaders, state agency staff, policymakers, and the broader public.
• Navigate data sharing agreements and secure access to administrative data in collaboration with state agencies (e.g., NCDPI, NCDIT).
• Act as a primary point of contact for external research teams, state‑level leaders, and partners on data access, quality, and usage.
• Serve as co‑investigator or principal investigator on funded research and evaluation projects.
• Write grant proposals to support research and evaluation funding.
• Review research progress, evaluate results, and recommend improvements for study quality.
• Present research findings to state leaders, school and district audiences, funders, and policymakers in clear, accessible language.
• Prepare reports, briefs, presentations, and publications based on project work.
• Oversee research staff and graduate assistants on project‑related tasks.
• Serve as liaison with varied entities to ensure streamlined collaborative research and evaluation efforts.

• Relevant Master’s degree in Education or Technology, or Master’s degree plus 5+ years of experience as a K‑12 educator, technology leader, or researcher.
• Expertise working with educational data in K‑12 and/or higher education contexts.
• Ability to design rigorous quantitative studies, including sampling strategies and analytic approaches.
• Strong skills in data cleaning, management, and analysis.
• Ability to interpret findings and communicate them clearly to diverse audiences.
• Strong written and oral communication skills; experience presenting to multiple stakeholder groups.
• Experience or ability to work with state agencies to access, share, and use administrative data.
• Skills in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with partners and collaborators.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team toward shared goals.
• Planning, organizing, and coordinating research activities.
• Willingness to take initiative, learn new skills, and adapt to evolving project needs.
• Proficiency with personal computer and related software applications (e.g., MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Apps).
• Preferred:
  Doctoral degree in education, public policy, statistics, or related field.
• Preferred:
  Experience with educational data in both K‑12 and higher education; familiarity with non‑education administrative data.
• Preferred:
  Experience presenting research findings to state leaders and partners.
• Preferred:
  Technical proficiency in R, Stata, or SAS;
  Tableau or Power BI;
  Qualtrics; SQL or similar tools.

NC State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal opportunities for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, and veteran status. The University encourages all qualified applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, to apply. Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations in the application process may contact 919‑513‑0574 to speak with the Office of Equal Opportunity.

If you have general questions about the application process, you may contact Human Resources at (919) 515‑2135 or workatncstate.

Final candidates are subject to criminal and sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. All qualifications must be met before the start date.

NC State University participates in E‑Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

Health insurance and other employment benefits are available to temporary employees in accordance with university policy.