Psychometrician, Measurement & Testing

National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc.; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 96,000 - 126,000; Full time

Job summary

National Council State Boards of Nursing, Inc. is seeking a Psychometrician, Measurement & Testing, Examinations to support psychometric operations and research.

The role emphasizes applying IRT principles, test design, adaptive testing, and fairness analyses, with responsibilities spanning code development in Python and R and data visualization. The position reports to the Manager, Measurement & Testing, Examinations and offers a full-time exempt role in Chicago, IL, with a salary range of

Qualifications

• PhD in educational measurement and testing, psychometrics or related field.
• 1 year of relevant experience for level 1; 3+ years for advanced level.
• Proficiency with SQL, R and Python for data analyses and tooling.
• Experience with large datasets and data integrity.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Supports psychometric operational tasks, including IRT calibration, DIF analyses, standard setting, panel reviews, data analyses, and test security.
• Assists in streamlining psychometrics workflow to meet deadlines and internal/external needs.
• Supports research projects and develops psychometric software (scoring, standard setting, automated test assembly, ML techniques).
• Writes, interprets, and maintains code in Python and R for daily operations.
• Facilitates data visualization and reporting using Databricks, Power BI, Shiny, Dash, or similar tools.
• Collaborates with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality results on time.

Skills

SQL

Python

R

Data analysis

IRT models

Education

PhD in educational measurement and testing/psychometrics

Tools

Databricks

Power BI

Shiny

Dash

Job description

POSITION TITLE: Psychometrician, Measurement & Testing, Examinations

STATUS: Full time / Exempt

ABOUT NCSBN

The National Council State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) is an independent, not-for-profit organization through which nursing regulatory bodies act and counsel together on matters of common interest and concern affecting public health, safety and welfare, including the development of nursing licensure examinations. Our mission empowers and supports nursing regulators in their mandate to protect the public.

JOB SUMMARY

We are seeking to fill a Psychometrician opening in our Measurement & Testing team. Position title (i.e., Psychometrician I or Psychometrician II) and corresponding level of responsibility will be dependent upon experience.

The Psychometrician position will support operational activities related to psychometrics, by applying core Item Response Theory (IRT) principles and methodologies and will support psychometric operation and research projects (e.g., test design, adaptive testing, differential functioning, fairness and equality, practice analysis, and standard setting) and other exam performance and improvement projects. Candidates will write, interpret and maintain code base and therefore will require at least intermediate programming skills in R, Python and/or SQL.

The Psychometrician position will report to the Manager, Measurement & Testing, Examinations. This role is an exciting opportunity for an individual looking to deepen their psychometric skillset in operational settings with keen attention to detail, while working for an organization committed to advancing nursing regulation and policy worldwide!

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Supports psychometric operational tasks, including IRT calibration, differential item functioning analyses, standard setting, panel reviews, data analyses, and test security under the guidance of senior psychometric staff and management.
• Assists in streamlining psychometrics workflow to meet both internal and external deadlines.
• Supports research projects concerning the performance of NCSBN examinations and possible improvements and assists in developing psychometric software (e.g., scoring, standard setting, automated test assembly, machine learning techniques, and test security measures) to support on-going operational efforts and new research initiatives.
• Writes, interprets, and maintains code base in Python and R for daily psychometric operations.
• Facilitates data visualization and reporting solutions using Databricks, Power BI, Shiny, Dash, or other similar technologies.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues and cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality results on time as well as be a strong supporter of effective teamwork .
• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• PhD in educational measurement and testing, psychometrics or related field is required.
• At least 1 year of relevant experience (dissertation research and internship experience could be acceptable) required for level 1 position. Additional years of experience (at least 3 years) required for an advanced-level position.
• Able to take directions from senior staff to achieve program goals and operational tasks.
• Excellent organizational skills and able to handle multiple projects simultaneously.
• Familiarity with IRT models and computer adaptive testing is preferred.
• Excellent written and oral business communications skills, and experience with academic writing is preferred.
• Experience with managing large datasets.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to data integrity.
• Proficiency with SQL/R/Python.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Travel Requirements: Less than 10% of total time including attendance at conferences and client meetings.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The anticipated starting salary for this position is $96,000 - $126,000 annually. Actual compensation will be dependent on a candidate’s relevant experience, skills, training, certifications/licenses, qualifications and geographical location.

NCSBN is an equal employment opportunity employer. Decisions affecting employment are considered without regard to disability, race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, genetic information, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status or any other protected characteristic.