About WestEd

As a community of over 1,300 researchers, practitioners, consultants, and administrative professionals from all backgrounds and life experiences, we are committed to making a qualitative difference in the lives of youth, children, and adults. We conduct and apply research, develop evidence-based solutions, and provide consulting services across the country in both rural and urban communities to improve equitable outcomes for individuals from infancy through adulthood. Serving as trusted partners in the areas of education, health, and justice, our teams enhance capacity within communities and school districts to prioritize impact - asking the right questions, customizing methodologies, developing relevant tools, and implementing best practices specific to a diverse range of stakeholder needs.

Furthering diversity, equity, and inclusion is core to who we are and how we work. We are committed to working with our clients to illuminate and address disparities, value and elevate diverse voices, and ensure equitable access to our resources and services. Read more about WestEd's Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Come and join us!

SPECIAL NOTICE REGARDING THE WORK LOCATION OF THIS POSITION-Although WestEd provides the option of working at one of its facilities for employees, many roles allow employees to choose to work remotely for their own convenience. The decision to allow remote work at the employee's convenience is based on the requirements of the position or project in question.

Content Area or Department Brief Description:

Work in the Early Childhood Learning and Development content area builds the capacity of ECE educators, caregivers, and parents to provide high quality, responsive, early care and education to all children (birth-five), supporting children's well-being and promoting their development across all domains.

This work includes: 1) The development of research-based professional development and curriculum resources (print, online, and video) and the provision of T/TA to build the capacity of the early childhood workforce 2) the evaluation of ECE programs and resources designed to promote children's learning and development, including assessing the quality of environments and relationships in early care and education programs, and 3) assessment development and research on the developmental progress of children.

Core Focus Areas:

Design of Applied Research or Evaluation Studies

• Design an evaluation for a complex intervention, taking into consideration the unique characteristics of the intervention and local variation in implementation.
• Design evaluation plans tailored to clients' priorities and within scope and budget
• Work to intentionally apply culturally responsive or equitable evaluation practices throughout the evaluation process.

Team Management and Project Management

• Manage teams of research associates and assistants to carry out mixed methods, applied research or evaluation projects, establish the day-to-day plans, provide feedback on team members' work, and build the relationships needed to produce high quality deliverables on time and on budget.
• Collaborate with a project manager to develop and manage a timeline for evaluation projects; ensure the team makes progress according to the established project plan.
• Oversee the quality assurance of all evaluation tasks and deliverables.

Data Analysis

• Oversee the development of qualitative and quantitative data collection instruments and procedures:
  • Lead instrument development (e.g., surveys, observation protocols, rubrics, interview guides, focus group guides)
  • Lead various data collection efforts (e.g., facilitating interviews and focus groups, conducting observations, administering surveys).

• Ability to lead mixed-methods data analysis, with expertise in:
• Conducting and overseeing quantitative data analysis, including basic and advanced statistical analyses (e.g., factor analysis, multiple regression).

Dissemination and Outreach

• Steer the writing of project reports, as an author and guiding junior research staff through the evaluation reporting process.
• Collaborate with internal team members and other colleagues (e.g., graphic designer) to craft a range of deliverables (e.g., presentations, dashboard, infographics) that are suitable for various audiences (e.g., clients, educators, policymakers)
• Collaborate with other senior researchers in proposal development and in building partnerships to expand WestEd's portfolio of evaluation work in early childhood contexts.

Position Overview:

As a Senior Research Associate in the Early Childhood Learning and Development content area, you will manage applied research and evaluation studies of local- and state-level systems and initiatives designed to support the learning and well-being of young children and families from diverse backgrounds. The applied research and evaluation projects have a focus on the professional learning of the early care and education (ECE) workforce, equitable access to learning opportunities for ECE educators and the young children (prenatal to age 8) and families they serve, and multiple domains of child development (e.g., math, science). Specifically, this position will shape and manage an evaluation of a multifaceted math and science initiative called Count Play Explore (formerly known as the California Statewide Early Math Initiative). You will use your expertise in applied research or evaluation and a relevant content area (e.g., early math and science development, family and community engagement, professional learning of the ECE workforce) to conceptualize and direct the planning and implementation of various aspects of the evaluation process, including evaluation design, data collection, data analysis, and interpretation, communication with clients and partners, and preparation of reports and presentations. This role will require the candidate to work with a broad range of individuals (e.g., internal colleagues, external researchers, external evaluation partners, early educators, and community organizations), demonstrate initiative and leadership, and adapt in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

What We're Looking For:

To help us make a positive impact on the diverse ECE workforce and the children and families they serve, we'll need someone who has:

• A graduate degree in child development, education, education policy, psychology, public health, or related field (PhD required).
• At least five years of experience leading applied research or evaluation studies, preferably experience in leading evaluations of complex interventions to build the capacity of the ECE workforce or to support the learning and well-being of young children and families.
• A strong commitment to apply practices of culturally responsive evaluation or equitable evaluation in applied research and evaluation practices.
• Content or contextual knowledge of child development, early education practices, ECE policies, and ECE systems designed to support the diversity of the workforce, young children, and families.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and work as a team player and to treat team members, partners, clients, and evaluation participants respectfully.
• Programming experience in Stata (preferred), SPSS, or R.

Other Skills:

• Strong written and oral communication skills to write evaluation reports, lead presentations, and facilitate meetings with diverse audiences.
• Ability to pursue work and goals with tenacity, flexibility, and persistence in the face of complex, uncertain, or shifting circumstances.
• Demonstrated ability to learn on the job, give and receive constructive feedback, and grow into new roles and responsibilities as the work demands.
• Demonstrated problem-solving and decision-making skills, including the ability to reflect on past experiences and apply lessons learned to future tasks and projects.

This position travels to other WestEd offices (for meetings, professional learning, or other gatherings), client offices, or evaluation participant sites on an as-needed basis.

*Note: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Successful candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.

WestEd conducts a criminal background check and education verification for all new hires. Any offers of employment will be contingent on receiving a clear background check in accordance with applicable law.

SALARY AND BENEFITS:

The full salary range for this position, WestEd level 12, is $120,400 to $180,600, but WestEd does not typically hire at or near the top of the salary range. The typical hiring range for this role is $120,400 to $150,500. The actual offer takes into account multiple factors, including but not limited to education, experience, internal equity, and other organizational needs.

In addition to the base salary, benefits include:

* 15% contribution toward retirement effective day 1 of employment

* Pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts

* All health/welfare benefits are effective the first of the month following the hire date

* PTO: 3 weeks' vacation (increases to 4 weeks beginning the 4th year of employment), paid holidays, and 12 days paid sick leave per year

* Life Insurance: value of 3x gross salary

* Opportunities for annual merit-based performance increases + annual incentives

* Professional development opportunities & mentorship program

For more details about our benefits, go to: https://www.wested.org/work-at-wested/benefits/

Committed to the diversity of race, ethnicities, perspectives, and opportunities, WestEd offers a variety of social and professional learning communities, such as Employee Resource groups, the Data Intelligence, Insights, and Innovation PLC, and the WestEd Parent Community, just to name a few. We hope you'll consider joining us to build better schools, communities, learning pathways, and more! WestEd is a Drug Free Employer and maintains a drug-free workplace. #LI-Remote