Senior Research Specialist

Boston College Introduction

Founded in 1863, Boston College is a Jesuit, Catholic university located six miles from downtown Boston with an enrollment of 9,654 full-time undergraduates and 5,072 graduate and professional students. Ranked 37 among national universities, Boston College has 923 full-time and 1,336 FTE faculty, 2,822 non-faculty employees, an operating budget of $1.4 billion, and an endowment in excess of $3.9 billion.

The TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center has an opening for a Senior Research Specialist, Psychometrics and Machine Learning Applications. The TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center is home to two major international research programs that monitor student achievement in mathematics, science, and reading in more than 60 countries. TIMSS (the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) is conducted on a four-year cycle and measures mathematics and science achievement at the fourth and eighth grades.

It has regularly reported results for more than 28 years. PIRLS (the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study) assesses fourth-grade student achievement in reading literacy on a five-year cycle. Both TIMSS and PIRLS completed transitioning to a fully digital assessment in their most recent cycle.

TIMSS and PIRLS are sponsored by the IEA (International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement), an independent international cooperative of national research institutes and governmental research agencies headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

The Senior Research Specialist, Psychometrics and Machine Learning Applications, supports the Assistant Research Director, Advanced Psychometrics and Machine Learning Applications, in conducting specialized analysis for insights reports, contributes to special research projects, and support QC procedures at the TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center. Under the general supervision of the Executive Director and the assistant director, the successful candidate will design and execute statistical analyses, develop and document reproducible workflows, and contribute to supporting the analysis needs of the center.

This role requires strong quantitative skills and familiarity with statistical models used for large-scale assessment data including extensive knowledge of approaches such as hierarchical linear models, latent variable modeling, multiple-group IRT frameworks, and the use of specialized psychometric software. The ability to work autonomously and an interest in the emerging AI and ML approaches are preferred.

Title and salary commensurate with relevant experience based on the following titles and full-time equivalent hiring ranges:

• Senior Research Specialist, Psychometrics & Machine Learning Applications: $79,950 - $99,900;
  Master's in field of expertise + 3 years of experience in field or PhD in field of expertise + 0-2 years of experience in field
• Research Specialist, Psychometrics & Machine Learning Applications: $67,150 - $83,900;
  Master's in field of expertise + 2 years of experience in field

Possible travel to international meetings. This is a grant funded position.

• Preparing and executing analysis plans for TIMSS and PIRLS Insights reports.
• Supporting writing Insights reports focusing on data analysis and methods sections.
• Supporting activities of the analysis team and systems verification team as needed.
• Supporting systems verification team by actively participating in verifications.
• Assisting in examining applications of ML and AI capabilities for data analyses and systems verification.

• Strong quantitative skills and experience in automated scoring, deep learning and NLP methodologies, complex data analysis, modeling, and statistical programming targeting analyses of large-scale assessment and/or survey data.
• Advanced proficiency in Python for data analysis, machine learning, and NLP tools.
• Experience with relevant statistical programming and analysis tools. Experience in either R or Python, and the ability to work with both, is desired.
• Knowledge of AI/ML applications in psychometrics, including classical and modern measurement models,…