Western Governors University Looking for Senior Research Scientist (WGU Labs) Full Time

Job Type: Full time

Job Number: JR-009419

Location: Home Office

If
you’re passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country-and you’re committed to working hard to play
your part in building that future-consider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher
education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of
student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from
academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students
graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

WGU Labs (Labs) mission is to accelerate the pace of
innovation in education to serve a changing global economy and population. Labs invents, builds, and enables innovative education products
and offerings that multiply the effects of WGU’s mission to have a transformative impact on higher education: to expand access, improve
quality, and optimize student outcomes.

The Research Scientist plays a critical role in WGU Labs’ culture of data driven continuous
improvement. The successful candidate is curious, skeptical, technical, and detail oriented. An ideal candidate is also a continuous
learner, working to improve their scientific tool kit and increase productivity. This role is responsible for working with other team
members and clients and conducting studies to validate research questions. The Research Scientist has the opportunity to execute the full
life cycle of a study, including conceptualization of an idea, primary data collection, accessing our database to obtain the data, data
wrangling, performing the most appropriate quantitative and qualitative analysis and reporting the results. We are looking for a candidate
who has strong quantitative data analysis skills as well as experience and interest in applying survey and qualitative methods to uncover
the rich and complex issues in education.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

• Plans and executes research
  projects through design, data collection, analysis, and dissemination.
• Determines appropriate research methods including
  implementations studies, qualitative research, secondary data-analysis, quasi-experimental studies, and randomized controlled
  trials.
• Collects, combines and cleans data from multiple sources.
• Analyzes data, using statistical software and
  techniques.
• Designs and deploys surveys using software.
• Produces high-quality, client facing reports and
  presentations.
• Represent WGU Labs by presenting at relevant conferences.

Knowledge, Skill and Abilities

• Expert ability to independently define and conduct original scientific research.
• Data manipulation using programming
  languages like SQL and Python.
• Data visualization skills using tools like Python and Tableau.
• Deep experience with
  qualitative and quantitative primary research methods. 
• Proven ability to lead research projects including cost, resource, schedule
  management, compliance and reporting.

• Excellent written, oral, presentation, and interpersonal
  skills. 
• Exceptional ability to communicate research results and key ideas to lay and scholarly audiences.
• The ability to be
  a subject matter expert to provide thought leadership in the field.
• Thrives by working collaboratively and creatively in a
  fast-paced environment.
• Strong attention to detail and exemplifies pride and ownership over the quality of our learning
  experience.
• Ability to foster strong relationships within the team and external stakeholders.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in relevant field (e.g. education, psychology, sociology, economics,
  statistics, data science)
• 2+ years of experience in working in research in an academic or professional setting.

Preferred Qualifications:

• PhD, or MA with 3+ years of research experience
• Familiarity with research in
  education technology, higher education or related areas

Working Conditions

Travel up to
25%

Disclaimers 

WGU Labs, Inc is an affiliated non-profit entity of 501c(3) Corporation of
Western Governors University 

This Job Description has been designed to indicate the general
nature, essential duties, and responsibilities of work performed by employees within this classification. It does not contain a
comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications that are required of the employee to do this job.  Duties,
responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. This Job Description does not constitute a contract of
employment and the University may exercise its employment-at-will rights at any time.

As an equal opportunity employer,
WGU recognizes that our strength lies in our people. We are committed to diversity.