DATA ANALYST #85726
Center for Game Science, Seattle, WA
Open Until Filled
Salary and benefits are competitive. Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Posting found at: https://uwhires.admin.washington.edu/eng/candidates/default.cfm?szCategory=jobprofile&szOrderID=85726
The Center for Game Science has a unique opportunity for a position of Data Analyst.The goal of the Center is to advance the state-of-the-art in games research and find solutions to currently unsolved problems in science and education by leveraging human problem solving in a game context. The center is bringing together leading computer scientists, learning scientists, educational experts, and scientific domain experts, game designers and developers, artists for the purpose of producing massively multiplayer games that advance scientific discovery and tries to revolutionize educational practices.
More after the jump
The University of Washington (UW) is proud to be one of the nation’s premier educational and research institutions. Our people are the most important asset in our pursuit of achieving excellence in education, research, and community service. Our staff not only enjoys outstanding benefits and professional growth opportunities, but also an environment noted for diversity, community involvement, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits, and natural beauty.
The work involves professional level responsibility for providing data analysis expertise to the Center for Game Science in the organization, analysis and evaluation of assessment and other student and teacher data collected through online software interaction. This data analysis will be integrated with the data-driven software development to develop the state of the art infrastructure for learning data analysis for in-school and out-of-school settings. The incumbent serves as a point person to data analysis of learning software efficacy according to dual metrics of long term persistence, and effectiveness of software as a learning tool, as well as a formative assessment tool. The position will also entail working with researchers through both using novel data visualization tools, and use of analyzed data in further research. Does related work as required.
Duties and Responsibilities
Provides data analysis expertise to the CGS in the collection, statistical analysis and interpretation of data (including but not limited to multiple software learning tools, their online use in school districts across US, correlation with the state assessment data, student demographics, etc.) for the purpose of learning software improvement towards student and teacher learning efficacy. The data will eventually grow to over 1 million students worldwide, each from varied educational and socio-economic backgrounds. For each of those students data will contain detailed interaction with games and other learning software allowing for deep hierarchical analysis on learning, evidence of misconceptions, and development of mastery. The data flows in realtime on a daily basis which necessitates rapid and semi-automated analysis that will eventually lead to realtime response and adaptation of the software to each individual learner.
Provides evaluation coordination for districts involved in research trials; including but not limited to data collection and analyses via surveys, observation, and review of archival data.
Constructs and provides models of analysis for national, state and local student performance measures and the way these measures correspond to the learning software interventions.
Serves as CGS liaison to the school districts in the ongoing collection of district data, review of assessment reports, use of data extraction tools, as well as how learning software can be used for formative assessment, etc.
Assists the CGS in the development of regional performance reports and in the preparation of supplemental materials related to the School Report Card.
Conducts surveys and data analyses of high interest concerns.
As a UW employee, you will enjoy generous benefits and work/life programs. For a complete description of our benefits for this position, please visit our website, click here.
Requirements:
Master’s Degree in quantitative methods, educational psychology, or statistics.
Plus 4-5 years of work experience, or its part-time equivalent, in evaluating education systems or institutional research and planning which includes research, evaluation, data collection and analysis in an educational setting.
NOTE: Classroom teaching will not be deemed as qualifying experience for this position.
Thorough knowledge of the principles, practices and methods of statistical analyses and evaluation design, A/B testing.
Knowledge of hierarchical statistical analysis.
Good knowledge of a variety of learning environments ranging from school districts with varying demographics, to home schooling community.
Knowledge of educational theories and trends.
Knowledge of experimental design as it applies to measurement of learning.
Ability to maintain effective working relationships with groups and individuals.
Ability to effectively collaborate with learning science researchers, and software developers.
Ability to read and comprehend complex oral and written material.
Ability to clearly and concisely express ideas orally and in writing, including technology based communications.
Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.
Desired:
Familiarity with data-mining and machine learning methods.
Ph.D. in related field.
Application Process
Part of the application process for this position includes completing an online cover letter assessment, as well as the Employment Eligibility Assessment to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. The assessment(s) will appear on your screen for you to complete as soon as you select “Apply to this Position” on this job announcement. Once you begin the assessment, it must be completed at that time. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your “My Jobs” page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed and you will not be considered for this position until the assessment is complete.