Research Associate

Summary: 
The Research associate will be essential to developing a new research function within the National Academy Foundation (NAF).  This research will guide and strengthen NAF's work as an intermediary for 510 career-themed academies within public high schools nationally, and support the larger cause of education reform. The research function will connect with NAF activities at all levels, and will be built over a period of years. 

Background on NAF:
The mission of the National Academy Foundation (NAF) is to sustain a national network of career academies to support the development of America's youth toward personal and professional success in high school, in higher education, and throughout their careers. 
The National Academy Foundation serves and supports small learning communities within existing high schools across the U.S. These small learning communities are called "Academies."  Founded 25 years ago by Sanford I. Weill, Chairman Emeritus of Citigroup, Inc., the National Academy Foundation (NAF) currently supports over 50,000 students in over 500 Academies in 41 states and the District of Columbia.  Many Academies are located in cities and communities where segments of the student population, including Latinos and African-Americans, are not being adequately served with traditional teaching approaches or classroom settings.
NAF Academies prepare students for post-secondary education and professional careers in Finance, Hospitality & Tourism, Information Technology, and Engineering. The career-themed curriculum is supported through high-level mentoring by business professionals and real-world paid internships.  Across its network, NAF Academies boast an average graduation rate of 90 percent, well above the 68 percent to 71 percent national rate and 50 percent rate for minorities.  Four out of five Academy students go on to college.  NAF's proven and measurable results have earned it significant support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, as well as other major funding organizations. 

Responsibilities: 
The Research associate will be based in New York and will be responsible for developing a new research function within the National Academy Foundation, through the organization's recently funded Measured Progress initiative. The initiative was formed recently to continue to improve NAF's capacity to sustain its work by deepening ongoing organizational learning and better gauge program impact on defined outcome measures.
In general, the Research associate will be expected to collaborate with multiple team leaders in the coordination, oversight, development and implementation of their respective research and data strategies.  Because some teams have ongoing initiatives and resources relating to data collection, program evaluation and performance monitoring, collaboration and coordination is essential. 

The successful candidate will:

- Support strategic planning and research activities by conducting audits of current data collection capacities. 
- Assist in designing enhanced data collection methods and standards, and support the development of data management tools that will be helpful to principals and directors of academies and regional teams in identifying positive and negative performance trends.
- Inform the development of training models for academy teams in how to use these tools. Share these trends with the internal and external networks involved in the school(s) for the purpose of continuous improvement. 
- Work with contracted evaluators conducting ongoing formative and longitudinal studies to coordinate organizational learning and improved data capacity. 
- Apply a variety of research techniques to conduct formative and summative research and gather relevant information on the organization's evolving program. 
- Review and assess data for similar "theme-based" networks and provide the necessary support to "lower-performing" academies.  Develop evaluative criteria and assessment tools to help maintain, improve and market the organization's programs and services. Design and draft questionnaires and surveys, identifying new promising practices across the network; informing planning for professional development and dissemination of promising practices. Develop a model for data sharing partnerships with key district and state entities. Provide quantitative analysis of survey results; and reporting findings.

Qualifications:
The successful candidate must have a genuine passion and enthusiasm for NAF's mission, and in preparing all youth for college, careers and active civic participation. 

Specific qualifications include: 
- A PhD or PhD candidate with a background in statistics, education, and methods application or possesses significant and relevant experience in the field.
- Advanced knowledge of spreadsheets and experience in the manipulation of large data sets. 
- Experience in the use of relational data-base software and knowledge of statistics.
- Experience in research methodology and methodologies. 
- Experience with program evaluation. 
- Ability to develop and conduct complex data analyses and to present results in a variety of formats. 
- Ability to work effectively in a dynamic organization which embraces inclusiveness in creating momentum toward mission driven goal attainment.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, and a demonstrated ability to create persuasive and clear oral and written communications 
- Demonstrated initiative to solve problems with high energy and a positive attitude. Ability to anticipate, prioritize, and manage tasks while demonstrating respect for the diverse personalities and situations encountered at the organization.
- The highest personal and professional integrity along with a sense of humor.

To apply: Please email a cover letter and resume to jobs@naf.org with "Research Associate" in the subject line. No calls please.