Learning Scientist

Imagine Learning, Inc.; Tempe (AZ); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health plans

401k with company match

Paid holidays

Job summary

Imagine Learning, Inc. seeks a Learning Scientist to turn learning science into AI-enabled educational experiences.

You will build instructional artifacts, tests, and prototypes, turning research into practical materials for engineers and educators. In this role you’ll design sample activities, knowledge graphs, and rubrics; collaborate with product and engineering on rapid iterations; evaluate AI interactions for quality and accessibility, and apply research to drive continuous improvement in

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in learning sciences, educational psychology, cognitive science, or a related field.
• At least 3 years of applied learning design or research experience.
• Experience building instructional materials and prototypes; ability to show artifacts and describe improvements.

Responsibilities

• Translate learning science into concrete instructional examples, prototype content, design rules, and testable hypotheses for AI-enabled experiences.
• Build knowledge graphs connecting concepts, prerequisites, common misconceptions, and cross-domain touchpoints.
• Create sample learning activities, worked examples, assessment tasks, and rubrics for prototypes and evaluations.
• Collaborate with product and engineering to test interactions, identify instructional gaps, and revise content in short build cycles.
• Run learner sessions and use data to guide improvements and explain evidence limits.
• Evaluate AI interactions for instructional quality, accuracy, accessibility, and bias; build test cases for recurring failures.
• Investigate learner use of AI assistance and adjust examples to support motivation, reasoning, and independent performance.
• Apply relevant research to design questions; document assumptions and share artifacts early.

Skills

Knowledge modeling

AI tools

Education

Master’s degree in learning sciences or related field

Tools

Authoring tools

Spreadsheets

AI tools

Job description

Engineering, Tech, and ITHybrid Remote , Boston,Massachusetts

At Imagine Learning, we Empower Potential - in students, educators, and each other. As the leading provider of digital-first K–12 curriculum solutions, we’re committed to igniting learning breakthroughs that spark curiosity, creativity, and confidence. Every day, our team designs innovative tools that help educators personalize instruction and engage students in meaningful ways. We’re shaping the future of learning through our Curriculum-Informed AI™ approach - technology that understands instructional context, respects educator judgment, and transforms how teachers personalize learning at scale to unlock each student’s potential. Together, we’re reimagining what’s possible and transforming education .

That same spirit of innovation and purpose drives our team culture. At Imagine Learning, you’ll find opportunities for meaningful work, continuous growth, and connection with passionate colleagues who care deeply about making a difference. We celebrate collaboration, embrace change, and believe in lifelong learning - for our students and ourselves.

Imagine Learning offers flexible work arrangements across the U.S. and internationally. U.S.-based employees located in or around Tempe, AZ (HQ), Austin, TX, Petaluma, CA, Rock Rapids, IA, or Stamford, CT , typically work on a hybrid schedule at one of our office locations .

Imagine Your Impact .

Come help us explore what’s possible with AI-powered research and development in education. We’re building a small, entrepreneurial team with room to experiment, big problems to solve, and a shared drive to make a difference. You’ll dig into emerging technology, turn ideas into working prototypes, and learn alongside colleagues who are as curious and committed as you are. We’re looking for people who take initiative, bring energy to hard problems, and care about seeing the work through. If you’re excited to go deep on AI, share what you discover, and move quickly with a team that builds and learns together, you’ll have a hand in shaping this work from the start. Bring your curiosity, your ideas, and your determination to make things better for students and educators.

The Learning Scientist helps Imagine Learning turn learning science into working AI experiences. On a small, co-located R&D team, this hands-on role builds instructional artifacts, tests prototypes, and applies feedback in short iteration cycles. We are seeking a practical builder who wants to invent new approaches to education and work side by side with engineers. Success requires curiosity, comfort with ambiguity, and the ability to turn research into useful materials and decisions quickly.

Position Information : This is a regular, full-time position, reporting to the S enior Director of Data & AI .

Compensation : Base pay is anticipated to be between $ 119,786.00 and $ 180,000. 00 per y ear. Eligible employees may also receive incentive/commission/annual bonus pay based on individual and/or company performance. Compensation may vary based on factors such as, but not limited to, individual skills, experience, training, education/certifications, geographic location, internal equity, and local market conditions.

Location: This US-based position is hybrid, and a coworking space will be provided in the Boston, MA area. Candidates must reside in the Boston area to be considered.

Travel: This role may require limited travel of approximately 10% or less, with occasional travel to Connecticut and, less frequently, Tempe, Arizona. Be sure you have a valid driver’s license, automobile insurance, and a clean driving record for at least the preceding 39 months.

Benefits: I magine Learning provides a comprehensive benefits program to eligible employees, including:

• Multiple health, dental, and vision plans, including medical plans with zero employee premiums
• 401k plan with a company match
• 16 paid holidays, which include 2 floating holidays and a winter shutdown from Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day
• Paid Time Off
• Comprehensive m aternity and f ertility /family building benefits
• Paid bonding leave when a new child joins your family
• Access to on-demand mental health resources
• Life and short and long-term disability insurance
• Pre-tax savings plansA wide variety of professional development programs, including tuition reimbursement
• Work from home opportunities that foster work/life balance

Envision Your Experience .

In this role you’ll have the opportunity to:

• Translate learning science into concrete instructional examples, prototype content, design rules, and testable hypotheses for AI-enabled experiences.
• Build draft domain knowledge graphs that connect concepts, prerequisite skills, common misconceptions, and cross-domain touchpoints; refine them with experts and feedback.
• Create sample learning activities, worked examples, assessment tasks, and rubrics that engineers can use directly in prototypes and evaluations.
• Work alongside product and engineering colleagues to test interactions, identify instructional gaps, and revise content and behavior in short build cycles.
• Run lightweight learner sessions and rapid checks; use observation and performance data to choose the next improvement and explain evidence limits.
• Evaluate AI interactions and generated content for instructional quality, accuracy, accessibility, and bias; build test cases for recurring failures.
• Investigate how learners use AI assistance, then adjust examples and interactions to support motivation, reasoning, and independent performance.
• Apply relevant research to immediate design questions; document assumptions, share draft artifacts early, and update them as the team learns.
• Other duties as required.

Share Your Expertise .

Experience, education, and qualifications essential for success in this role, include:

• Master’s degree in learning sciences, educational psychology, cognitive science, or a related field and at least 3 y ears of applied learning design or research experience; or an acceptable combination of education and experience.
• Experience personally building instructional materials and prototypes; ability to show artifacts, explain design choices, and describe improvements made through testing.
• Ability to model domain knowledge, prerequisites, misconceptions, and connections across subjects using concept maps, knowledge graphs, or structured representations.
• Skill in assessment design, rubric development, and rapid evaluation; ability to use learner data and observation to improve a prototype without overstating findings.
• Comfort using authoring tools, spreadsheets, and AI tools to create and revise materials; ability to give engineers clear examples and structured inputs.
• Initiative and adaptability in a small team, with a commitment to improving education. Experience with human-AI interaction, knowledge modeling, or rapid product development is preferred.

At Imagine Learning, we believe our work is strongest when people feel respected, supported, and encouraged to contribute their unique perspectives. We strive to create a welcoming workplace where employees can learn from one another, grow together, and build educational experiences that reflect the world of our learners.

Imagine Learning is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing equal employment and advancement opportunities to qualified individuals. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation, or related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, transgender status (including whether or not you are transitioning or have transitioned), sexual orientation, marital status, religion (including religion dress and grooming practices), age 40 and over, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information (including results of genetic testing and characteristics), veteran and/or military status, or service in the military, and any other basis or status protected under applicable federal, state, or local laws.

Disclaimer

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.