Learning Scientist Senior

Association For Institutional Research; Tempe, Northern (AZ, KY); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Association For Institutional Research seeks an experienced researcher to design and conduct applied studies on enrollment, persistence, and student success. You will build reproducible workflows in R, applying advanced methods like SEM and time-series analysis, and translate findings into actionable insights for institutional decision-making.

The role requires collaboration with analytics and product teams, clear communication to non-technical audiences, and mentorship of junior researchers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with five years of experience or equivalent combination.
• Master's or PhD in Learning Sciences, Education, Statistics, Economics, Data Science, Psychology, Organizational Research, Behavioral Sciences, or related field.
• Five to eight years of experience conducting applied research in higher education with complex datasets across time and demographics.
• Strong expertise in quantitative methodologies including GLMs, mixed-effects models, causal inference, SEM, predictive analytics, and evaluation methods.
• Extensive experience developing reproducible research workflows using R and modern statistical packages.
• Ability to integrate quantitative evidence with qualitative findings into actionable research products.
• Experience communicating findings to non-technical audiences.
• Familiarity with learning analytics, educational technologies, AI-enabled research methods, or student success initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and execution of applied research on enrollment, persistence, student success, and learning.
• Design rigorous quantitative studies addressing institutional questions and recommendations.
• Develop reproducible workflows using R and tools like R Markdown and Git for transparency and scalability.
• Conduct advanced analyses including time series, path analysis, SEM, and clustering.
• Perform exploratory data analysis to reveal patterns, trends, and differences across populations.
• Collaborate with analytics, product, and operations teams to apply findings to decisions and improvements.
• Translate analyses into clear reports and visuals for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Ensure research activities comply with IRB, ethics, and data governance policies.
• Mentor early career researchers and foster collaborative inquiry.
• Coordinate additional duties as assigned.

Skills

Applied research

Quantitative methods

R programming

Learning analytics

Data science

Communication

Higher education data

Education

Master's or PhD in Learning Sciences, Education, Statistics, Economics, Data Science, Psychology, Organizational Research, Behavioral Sciences, or related field

Tools

R Markdown

Git repositories

Job description

Essential Duties

• 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.

Job Qualifications

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: Please answer the following question in your cover letter: 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?

Institution Description

ASU has developed a new model for the American research university, creating an institution committed to excellence, access and impact — the New American University. Nationally and internationally acclaimed, ASU ranks among the very best in nearly every critical measurement of student success, outcomes of groundbreaking research and impact in the communities it serves. ASU is among the top 1% of universities in the world, has been repeatedly ranked No. 1 in multiple categories and is currently ranked No. 2 in the U.S. for employability among public universities. ASU is home to a vibrant, thriving global network of alumni — leaders, doers, shapers and learners, and serves graduate and undergraduate students across four Phoenix Metropolitan area campuses, online and throughout the U.S., including locations in California, Hawai‘i and Washington, D.C. Follow our page for the latest stories and updates from ASU.

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

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

Application Due Date: 2026-09-04

Job Start Date: 2026-09-04

Salary: Dependent on qualifications and experience.

City: Scottsdale

State/Province/Region: AZ

Reports To: Associate Director of Research

Staff # Reporting to Position: 1

Reports In Office: Action Lab

Search for openings in IR, effectiveness, assessment, planning, and related fields at higher education institutions in the U.S. and abroad.