Research Associate in Learning Maps

Accessible Teaching, Learning, and Assessment Systems (ATLAS), a research center at the University of Kansas (KU), is seeking a Research Associate to support research and development projects focused on learning maps-based educational solutions. ATLAS promotes learning and improved outcomes for all students, with a focus on students with disabilities and struggling learners. The center creates technology-based learning and assessment systems that are accessible and academically rigorous, informed by dynamic research on skill development, assessment design, and teacher professional development.

About the role

• Support the development of cognitive learning map models that represent students’ knowledge, skills, and understandings in academics.
• Collaborate on the design and development of related formative assessment tools and instructional resources.
• Contribute to proposals for externally funded projects and communicate about the work with external audiences.
• Implement collaborative project management tools within project teams to plan, execute, and monitor project plans and timelines.

Responsibilities

• 40%: Support the designing, planning, and implementing of learning map-related projects.
  • Represent formal learning structures in proprietary map-building software in response to program priorities.
  • Collaborate with research, implementation, and content teams to coordinate internal and external reviews of learning maps.
  • Review internal and external panel feedback and adjust maps in response to feedback and new research findings.
  • Produce technical documentation for map development projects.
• 30%: Conduct research syntheses in K-12 education. Evaluate empirical literature, including summarizing, coding, and analyzing results, as well as preparing written reports.
• 20%: Collaborate across functional teams to develop high-quality, accessible, map-based educational materials to support teaching and learning for all learners. Responsibilities may include using K-12 academic content knowledge to contribute to the design and development of formative assessment tools, instructional guides, professional development materials, and other documents.
• 5%: Contribute to developing proposals for funded research projects and communicate with external audiences, including state departments of education and professional organizations. Present information related to learning maps to technical and non-technical audiences.
• 5%: Other duties/special projects.

Requirements

• Full-time (40 hours/week), unclassified position.
• Depending on the center’s and team’s needs, well-qualified candidates may be allowed a hybrid or remote work location.
• Travel to Lawrence and/or other locations as needed, depending on the needs of the center and team.
• Attendance at regularly scheduled meetings, onsite or through telecommunication platforms.

Qualifications

Required

• Ph.D. in education, educational leadership and policy, psychology, curriculum and instruction, or a closely related field, OR a Master’s degree and three (3) years of additional experience in the field/area of research.
• One (1) year of academic or professional experience conducting, documenting, and synthesizing research in education.
• Two (2) years of experience in instruction, research, or assessments that serve a wide range of learners using principles of universal design for learning.
• One (1) year of experience or training in developing learning maps or other types of formal learning models.
• Work experience that required the ability to use complex spreadsheets and databases.
• Work experience that required the ability to work both independently and in teams.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills for scholarly and practitioner audiences.

Preferred

• Experience with universally designed instructional and assessment practices.
• One (1) year of experience with K-12 educational policies and landscape.
• One (1) year of experience developing learning map-based instructional resources.

Benefits

• 176 hours of paid vacation per year
• 96 hours of sick leave per year
• 10 paid holidays
• Medical and dental insurance
• Retirement program
• Life and disability insurance
• Educational and professional development opportunities

Pay

$67,000 minimum, commensurate with experience.

KU is not able to provide immigration sponsorship for this position. Due to state employment laws, the University of Kansas may be unable to hire fully remote workers for this position outside of Kansas. Specifically, we cannot currently offer employment to candidates residing in California, Delaware, Idaho, and Minnesota.