Lead Research Scientist, Education & Workforce Policy

Harvard Kennedy School; Cambridge (MA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous paid time off

Tuition assistance

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Harvard Kennedy School is seeking a Research Scientist to lead a multi-site longitudinal study on education, workforce, and healthcare outcomes. The role focuses on designing research protocols, managing data collection, and guiding a diverse team across institutions.

The position involves developing analytic frameworks, overseeing data systems and dashboards, and disseminating findings to practitioners, policymakers, and funders. Hybrid work in Cambridge, MA is expected.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in education, economics, education, public policy, or a related field and 3+ years of research experience, including research design and implementation.
• Demonstrated expertise designing and leading complex mixed-methods research studies.
• Experience supervising research staff or research teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, implementation, and refinement of a multi-year longitudinal study examining education, workforce, and employer outcomes across more than ten CTE healthcare sites.
• Develop study methodologies, analytic frameworks, and data collection protocols to ensure rigorous and policy-relevant research.
• Direct quantitative and qualitative data collection, management, analysis, visualization, and interpretation across multiple data sources.
• Design and oversee research infrastructure, including data systems, reporting processes, dashboards, and quality assurance procedures.
• Provide methodological guidance and technical assistance to participating sites to strengthen data collection, reporting, and evidence-informed continuous improvement.
• Manage the day-to-day execution of the research portfolio, including project timelines, budgets, deliverables, external vendors, and cross-sector partnerships.
• Supervise research assistants and other project staff, providing mentorship, workflow management, and quality oversight.
• Lead preparation of research reports, policy briefs, academic publications, presentations, and other dissemination products.
• Represent the Project on Workforce in meetings, conferences, and convenings with educators, healthcare employers, policymakers, funders, and other external stakeholders.
• Contribute to the strategic development of new research initiatives and external funding opportunities aligned with the Project's mission.

Skills

Research design

Mixed-methods

Supervising teams

Policy communication

Data interpretation

Education

PhD in Education/Public Policy

Job description

Harvard Kennedy School is seeking a Research Scientist to lead a multi-site longitudinal study on education, workforce, and healthcare outcomes. The role focuses on designing research protocols, managing data collection, and guiding a diverse team across institutions.

The position involves developing analytic frameworks, overseeing data systems and dashboards, and disseminating findings to practitioners, policymakers, and funders. Hybrid work in Cambridge, MA is expected.