Vice President, Research

Job Description

 

Vice President, Research

Job ID: JLW20172701-14330

Description:

The College Board seeks a Vice President of Research who will lead a team of approximately 20 researchers in developing and deploying evidence to improve student outcomes in life-changing ways. The College Board has a long-standing commitment to using evidence to strengthen its programs and improve public policy. Leveraging the extraordinary data housed at the College Board and its partners, the Vice President will integrate research even more deeply into our everyday work and our advocacy.

Working with the internal team and external advisors, he or she will develop and test hypotheses for how best to help students succeed, and will work with the leadership team to implement findings in programs of enormous reach and scope. The Vice President will also guide our research on the validity and impact of our assessments. The role provides opportunities for publication in both academic and non-academic settings.

The College Board is a mission-driven non-profit organization committed to clearing a path for all students, particularly students who face significant obstacles. The Vice President for Research will have the opportunity to help millions of students realize their potential.

The College Board is a mission-driven non-profit organization committed to clearing a path for all students to own their futures. This position can be resident at our New York City headquarters, or in our Washington, DC, or Yardley, PA offices. Other locations may be considered.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Vice President will oversee the College Board’s research agenda for its main programs. These include our assessment and course products: the SAT Suite (PSAT 8/9, PSAT 10, PSAT/NSQT, and SAT), the Advanced Placement courses, SpringBoard, ACCUPLACER, and CLEP. The Vice President will also guide research in connection with our college planning programs, which include Big Future, Student Search, PROFILE, and a suite of mission-driven initiatives under the heading of Access to Opportunity.

Lastly, the Vice President will lead our work with key partner organizations which include Khan Academy for free Online SAT Practice, the College Advising Corps for college counseling, and many states and districts. She or he will manage a strong team of 20+ researchers and will collaborate closely with external researchers, maintaining strong protections for data privacy throughout the work.

In addition to the overall research approach outlined above, the Vice President will work to do the following:

  • Integrate insights from behavioral science into our delivery of assessments, coursework, practice, and college planning tools.
  • Build our capacity to conduct and implement research more quickly within our programs, working closely with senior program staff.
  • Identify and incubate new approaches to scholarships and admissions, using data to improve the impact or targeting of these processes.
  • Identify and test new approaches to encouraging students to practice, to take rigorous courses, and to take all steps needed to reach a fit college.
  • Conduct studies that inform the strategy and design of the AP program.
  • Conduct assessment validity studies on the SAT suite, enhancing their value for higher education.
  • Conduct rigorous research suitable for external publication that shapes public or higher education policy to improve student access and outcomes.

ABOUT YOU

The College Board is seeking an exceptional researcher and leader with a passion to help all students achieve. Specifically, the role requires:

  • Strong expertise in research methods. The Vice President will have strong quantitative methodological skills, will have served as a principal investigator on education-related projects, and will have expertise with both randomized control trials and quasi-experimental research designs. Particular expertise in behavioral science is a plus.
  • Creativity. The Vice President will excel at finding new and different ways to complete research and implement findings.
  • Excellent communications skills. The Vice President will ably represent the College Board with state and district officials, senior policymakers, leading education researchers, media, etc.
  • Effectiveness in a large organization. The Vice President will effectively engage with senior leaders at the College Board and partner organizations to solve problems and drive action.
  • Management skill. The Vice President will be effective at developing and managing a team to sustain a high level of enthusiasm and productivity in challenging work.
  • Publication record. The Vice President will have a track record of publication in education and the respect of his or her peers in the research community.
  • A Ph.D. in educational research, measurement, economics, statistics, psychology or a related quantitative field with at least 10 years of experience in academia and/or a public or private research organization.

BENEFITS

We offer our employees an outstanding benefits package which includes 4 weeks of paid time off, a generous retirement savings plan, tuition reimbursement and a commitment to professional development and training.

APPLY

If you are interested in joining the College Board in this position and you meet our qualifications, we encourage you to apply by submitting your resume and a brief, introductory cover letter through our Careers page at www.collegeboard.org/careers. The posting is listed under the Research/Educational Measurement job category.

MISSION

The College Board’s mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. We are a not-for-profit membership organization committed to excellence and equity in education. Among our best-known products are the SAT®, PSAT/NMSQT®, and Advanced Placement Program®.

The College Board is committed to diversity in the workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The College Board participates in E-Verify, a service of DHS and SSA, where required.

Requirements:
Desired Travel Less than 25%
Areas of Expertise Educational Research, Assessments
Highest Level of Education Doctoral Degree
Job Type Full Time
Location Yardley, PA, Washington, DC, New York, NY
Years of Relevant Experience 10+

Apply Here

PI96713977