Learning Scientist Senior

EdPlus at Arizona State University; Scottsdale (AZ); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

ASU EdPlus is seeking a Learning Scientist Senior to join Action Lab in Scottsdale. You will design and translate applied research that informs enrollment, persistence, and student success, using rigorous quantitative methods and reproducible workflows.

Reporting to Action Lab leadership, you will collaborate with analytics and institutional partners to produce actionable insights for decision-making, communicate findings to non-technical audiences, and mentor junior researchers in a

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 5 years of relevant experience or equivalent.
• Advanced degree in Learning Sciences, Education, Statistics, Data Science or related field preferred.
• Experience applying quantitative methods in higher education research.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and execution of applied research studies on enrollment, persistence, and student success.
• Develop reproducible research workflows using R and Git.
• Conduct advanced statistical analyses, predictive modeling, and causal inference.
• Translate complex analyses into clear reports and visuals for diverse audiences.
• Ensure IRB compliance and data governance in research activities.
• Mentor early career researchers and collaborate across teams.

Skills

Quantitative methodologies

Statistical analyses

R for analysis

Communication to non-technical

Mentoring

Education

Master's or PhD in Learning Sciences or related field

Tools

R

Git

R Markdown

Job description

Are you a research scientist focused on higher education outcomes? Do you have strong expertise in quantitative methodologies and can communicate findings to non-technical audiences? Then keep reading below for this Learning Scientist Senior opportunity!

ASU EdPlus is a dynamic unit of Arizona State University focused on the design and scalable delivery of digital teaching and learning models to increase student success and reduce barriers to achievement in higher education. We advance the economic, social, cultural, and overall health of the local, national, and international communities served by ASU.

Action Lab is a data-driven, research-focused service organization that supports ASU and EdPlus initiatives by equipping leaders with the insights and analyses they need to make informed, evidence-based decisions. Action Lab drives transformational change in education through data and research, focusing on learner behaviors and the factors that drive success. Our goal is to improve access and achievement while bolstering the development of quality education for all learners.

Want to know more about working at EdPlus? Watch this short video!

We are looking for a knowledgeable, analytical Learning Scientist Senior to join our Action lab team. Every day you will make a difference in the lives of others by designing, conducting, and translating applied research that advances Action Lab's mission of improving educational outcomes through evidence-based decision-making. You will lead complex, quantitatively driven research and evaluation projects focused on enrollment, persistence, student success, teaching and learning, innovation, and emerging technologies such as virtual reality and AI teaching tools.

Working closely with Action Lab leadership, analytics teams, institutional partners, and university stakeholders, you will apply rigorous research methodologies to generate actionable insights that inform institutional strategy and improve learner experiences. You will contribute to Action Lab's growing research portfolio by developing reproducible research through R Markdown and Git repositories, communicating findings to diverse audiences, and collaborating across interdisciplinary teams to solve complex educational challenges.

Reporting directly to the Associate Director of Research in Action Lab, you will serve as a subject matter expert in research design, learning sciences, educational measurement, and applied analytics while helping build Action Lab's reputation for high-quality, decision-focused research.

NOTE: This is an in-person, hybrid position. You must be able to reliably commute to Scottsdale AZ.

• Lead the design and execution of applied research studies focused on enrollment, persistence, student success, educational innovation, and learning.
• Design rigorous quantitative studies that address institutional questions and generate actionable recommendations.
• Develop reproducible research workflows using R and modern analytical tools to ensure transparency, quality, and scalability such as R Markdowns and Git repositories.
• Conduct advanced statistical analyses, predictive modeling, causal inference, and program evaluation using appropriate research methodologies such as time series analysis, path analysis, and structural equation modeling, and cluster analysis (based on meaningful patterns of characteristics, behaviors, needs, and contexts).
• Conduct rigorous exploratory data analysis to uncover patterns, trends, relationships, anomalies, and emerging signals across complex datasets. Apply descriptive statistics, data visualization, segmentation, temporal and longitudinal exploration, and multivariate techniques to understand distributions and relationships, identify meaningful differences across populations and contexts, generate and refine hypotheses, assess data quality and analytic assumptions, and determine appropriate directions for subsequent statistical modeling, causal analysis, and program evaluation.
• Desire to understand and appreciate nuance in complex datasets is essential, learning the context is key for this role.
• Collaborate with analytics, product, and operational teams to integrate research findings into decision-making, product development, and institutional improvement efforts.
• Translate complex analyses into clear, compelling reports, presentations, and visualizations for technical and non-technical audiences using our templates and collaborating with our design staff to make our visuals come to life.
• Ensure research activities comply with IRB requirements, ethical standards, and university data governance policies.
• Mentor early career researchers and contribute to a collaborative culture of inquiry, experimentation, and continuous learning.
• Assume or coordinate other duties or projects as assigned or directed.

NOTE: This is an in-person, hybrid position. You must be able to reliably commute to Scottsdale AZ.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree and five (5) years of experience appropriate to the area of assignment/field; OR, Any equivalent combination of experience and/or training from which comparable knowledge, skills and abilities have been achieved.

Desired Qualifications:

• Master's or PhD in Learning Sciences, Education, Statistics, Economics, Data Science, Psychology, Organizational Research, Behavioral Sciences, or a related field.
• Five to eight years of experience conducting applied research in higher education with direct experience working with complex higher education datasets that move across time (academic years or semesters) and different dimensions of demographic make ups of our learner audiences and how these intersect.
• Experience designing and executing quantitative research studies that influence organizational decision-making.
• Demonstrated strong expertise in quantitative methodologies, including generalized linear models, mixed-effects models, causal inference, experimental and quasi-experimental design, structural equation modeling, predictive analytics, and evaluation methods.
• Extensive experience developing reproducible research workflows using R and modern statistical packages.
• Demonstrated ability to integrate quantitative evidence with qualitative findings (collaborating with our Action Lab qualitative research team) into actionable co-created comprehensive research products.
• Experience verbally communicating findings to non-technical audiences.
• Experience writing clear communication of findings to non-technical audiences.
• Evidence of familiarity with learning analytics, educational technologies, AI-enabled research methods, or student success initiatives.

NOTE:

• Do you have extensive, hands-on experience using R for quantitative research? (Yes/No)
• What types of analyses, data workflows, and research products have you developed using R?

Salary & Benefits:

$110,000 – 120,000 per year

ASU offers a total compensation package that includes valuable employee benefits. See the ASU Benefits website to explore options.

• Retirement
• Family Resources
• Tuition Reduction (Eligible ASU Employee, their dependents and spouse.)
• Discounts

Your desk will be in the beautiful, cutting-edge, and collaborative workspace at SkySong, the ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center. The Center houses a diverse business community that links technology, research, education, and entrepreneurship to position ASU and Greater Phoenix as global leaders in the knowledge economy.

ASU EdPlus supports flexible work options, ranging from alternate to hybrid work schedules, subject to approvals per ASU policy. (This is an in-person, hybrid position.)

Applicant must be eligible to work in the United States. ASU EdPlus will not be a sponsor for this position.

Department Statement:

As a central enterprise unit for ASU, ASU EdPlus supports the university charter by focusing on the design and scalable delivery of digital teaching and learning models to increase student success and reduce barriers to achievement in higher education.

ASU EdPlus defines itself through a culture of curiosity, risk-taking, and refusing to accept the status quo. Our employees are valued, respected, and encouraged to be their unique selves. We know that our ability to deliver high-quality services and educational experiences is strengthened by our culture of innovation, driving outcomes through serving learners, achieving milestones, striving for excellence, solving problems, embracing urgency, and being bold.

ASU EdPlus

11:59 pm Arizona time on Thursday, September 3, 2026