The National Institute of Education invites suitable applications for the position of Research Associate (Data Management Specialist) on a 2-year contract at the Office for Research.

Position Overview:

The Office for Research seeks a proactive and detail-oriented Research Data Management (RDM) Specialist to continue the foundational work of building a robust research data management system for the institution. The successful candidate will provide expert, hands-on data curation for key research projects, and play a vital role in enhancing the quality, integrity, and reusability of our institutional research data assets. This position moves beyond traditional data archiving, requiring an embedded, collaborative partnership with research teams to promote best practices in RDM throughout the research lifecycle.

Qualifications and Skills:

Required Qualifications:

• At least a bachelor’s degree in either Information Science, Library Science or in social and behavioral Sciences (e.g. Psychology, Sociology). Applicants with a master degree are preferred.
• Knowledge of social science research methods and survey design.
• Demonstrated experience (1+ years) in research data management, data curation, data stewardship, or a similar role within an academic or research environment.
• Proven experience working with quantitative and/or mixed-methods research data and familiarity with statistical software packages (e.g., SPSS, Stata).

Essential Skills and Competencies:

• Technical Proficiency: Expertise in data processing (e.g. data documentation, data cleaning and cataloguing).
• Analytical and Critical Thinking: Excellent problem-solving skills with the ability to diagnose complex issues in datasets and documentation and to work effectively with ambiguity (e.g., "tacit knowledge" of researchers).
• Interpersonal and Diplomatic Skills: Proven ability to collaborate effectively with academic researchers, build trust, and navigate competing priorities with professionalism and diplomacy.
• Detail-Orientation and Organization: A meticulous and systematic approach to managing complex information and workflows, with the ability to create clear, detailed, and high-quality documentation and reports.
• Autonomy and Initiative: Ability to work independently, manage projects, and proactively identify and address challenges.
• Writing and communication skills: Able to write various types of documents including policy guidelines and research communications.

Optional Skills:

• Knowledge of metadata standards (e.g., DDI) and data documentation best practices.

Key Responsibilities:

• Researcher Collaboration and Engagement: Act as a primary point of contact and a collaborative partner for Principal Investigators (PIs) and their research teams. Attend project meetings, provide expert consultation, and build strong working relationships to understand and support their data management needs.
• Process Development and Implementation: Implement, maintain, and refine the established Data Curation Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and the broader RDM Toolkit. Use insights from new curation projects to continuously improve best practices.
• Needs Analysis and Problem-Solving: Systematically analyze project documentation and data to identify complex issues, such as inconsistent records, ambiguous variable definitions, and gaps in contextual information. Proactively propose and implement effective solutions.
• Advocacy and Training: Provide guidance and support to researchers on best practices for data management.
• Reporting and Documentation: Maintain records of RDM development work and write guidelines to support institutional data management policies.
• Research Database Management: Support the development and management of a centralized research data repository.
• Other duties: Provide support to OfR along with any other duties assigned by the reporting officer.

Application

Applicants (external and internal) will apply via Workday. We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Closing Date

Closing date for advertisements will be set to 14 calendar days from date of posting.

Hiring Institution: NIE