Researcher

AQA; Guildford; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

AQA seeks a Researcher to support research projects in educational assessment. The successful candidate will apply expertise in qualitative and quantitative research, and collaborate with experts to enhance assessment practices. Ideal applicants should possess strong analytical skills, an educational background in psychology or education, and a commitment to ethical research practices.

Benefits

Access to training and development

Mentoring opportunities

Qualifications

• Undergraduate and Master’s degree in psychology or education (preferably with statistical training).
• Knowledge of qualitative or quantitative research methods.
• Ability to communicate research findings effectively.

Responsibilities

• Conduct literature reviews and data analysis using statistical software.
• Support research design and delivery in collaboration with team members.
• Develop knowledge on educational assessment and compliance with relevant policies.

Skills

Critical thinking

Attention to detail

Communication

Teamwork

Education

Undergraduate degree in psychology or education

Master’s degree (or nearly completed)

Tools

Statistical software

Job description

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Description

Summary

Purpose:

•The Researcher will work alongside a team of educational assessment experts to support the delivery of research and development projects.
•This will require developing and applying specialist knowledge of educational assessment and related research methodologies to deliver research tasks independently but within the context of collaborative projects and with appropriate guidance from the project owner.
•As a technical expert, the Researcher will be responsible for aspects of research projects such as carrying out literature reviews, analysing quantitative or qualitative data using specialised software, and contributing to and delivering presentations and reports.Landscape:

The Researcher will work within the Research and Development team. The team sits within the Assessment Research and Innovation business area and carries out qualitative and quantitative educational research with the goal of supporting AQA develop innovative, valid and inclusive assessments, whether on paper or on screen, and lead thinking in the sector. Our research programme defines our active areas of interest: accessibility, fairness and ED&I; validity and innovation; marking, grading and standards; AI in education and assessment. Our team’s background is in the social and natural sciences and encompasses a broad spectrum of areas of expertise. The successful candidate will have access to a variety of training, development, and mentoring opportunities.

Activities:
Applying methodological expertise to support research design
Carrying out aspects of quantitative or qualitative research (e.g. literature reviews, data collection, data analysis, reports) using appropriate software, developing skills acquired in postgraduate studies or recent experience
Working in teams to contribute to the successful delivery of projects
Developing up-to-date knowledge of the educational assessment landscape and relevant literature
Ensuring compliance with AQA’s policies and procedures, with particular regard to Ethics and Data Protection
Contributing to research impact and engagement through report writing and other forms of dissemination and communication, beginning to develop a public voice in the assessment research community that contributes to the maintenance and enhancement of AQA’s reputation in educational assessment
Contributing to the ongoing development of the team’s research and development practice, promoting a positive team culture.

Need to know (to be successful in this role, you will need to have knowledge/experience of):
An undergraduate degree and a Master’s degree (or nearly completed) in psychology or education (although other disciplines will be considered), which will ideally include statistical training. Alternatively, an equivalent professional qualification or demonstrable experience.
Knowledge and developing practice of postgraduate-level qualitative or quantitative research methods for the social sciences
Demonstrable ability to communicate research findings to a range of stakeholders and in a variety of formats (written and spoken forms)
Ability to work independently and as part of a team
To succeed:you will have the ability to think critically about how exams and tests are made, how they work, and how they affect education and life chances.
You will be methodical with excellent attention to detail, capable of understanding and synthesising complex, diverse and incomplete information and able to present reasoned arguments
You will have the ability to build strong working relationships with a range of stakeholders
You will be able to manage your work and meet deadlines


(Desirable) Some experience of contributing to applied research in an academic or commercial setting
(Desirable) Principles of educational or psychological assessment (e.g. validity and reliability)
(Desirable) Principles of educational testing and test development (e.g. classical test theory, item response theory, psychometrics)