Job Title: Evaluator
Department: Science & Integrated Strategies
Reports To: Manager of Evaluation & Research
Status: Full Time
Responsibilities:
The Evaluator will work on evaluation and science education research projects for the entire Museum. This includes, but is not limited to, guest experiences, teacher professional development, community-based science education, youth development, student programs, online initiatives and exhibition projects. The Evaluator will work on a collaborative team with other evaluators, volunteers, interns and consultants. This position reports to the Manager of Evaluation and Research.
In summary this position is expected to support and lead projects studying the impact of Museum programming and services on our audience. The evaluator will:
- Collaboratively develop and implement evaluation and research studies integrating systematic collection and interpretation of data.
- Apply the basics of both quantitative and qualitative research methods, and to use them complementarily.
- Apply best practices from the fields of science and museum education research, including the use of experimental research designs.
- Successfully move between concurrent and consecutive projects and adapt to changes in research design iterations.
- Support other evaluation and research professionals, both internal and external to the Museum.
- Serve as liaison between Evaluation and Research team to other CASE and Museum-wide teams on specific projects.
- Represent the Museum at professional conferences and through publications.
- Manage appropriate documentation and record-keeping of all projects, including management of data collection and project time lines.
- Participate as team member in assigned working groups and on various Museum teams.
- Continually investigate and apply new research domains and methodologies.
- Maintain departmental responsibilities (meetings, email, phone, etc.).
- Contribute to a collaborative and congenial team environment.
- Communicate reliably and professionally to all stakeholders.
- Train and supervise volunteers and/or interns.
- Maintain the highest ethical standards.
Required Skill and Qualifications
- Education and Experience: Bachelors in science education, learning sciences, educational psychology or similar field, or a Bachelor’s plus at least one year of full-time experience in an evaluation or research role. Proven experience seeing a research project through completion.
- Language Skills: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret the most complex documents. Ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints. Ability to write speeches, reports and articles of original thought and conveyed in a professional manner. Ability to investigate research literature and synthesize it into coherent reviews.
- Mathematical Skills: Ability to apply basic social science statistical concepts and interpret statistical results.
- Reasoning Ability: Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
- Initiative: Ability to identify opportunities and challenges and address them independently.
- Computer Skills: Fluency inproductivity software (Microsoft Office, et al.).
Preferred Skill and Qualifications
- Theoretical background in science education, learning sciences, educational psychology, or similar field.
- Research or evaluation project management experience and skills.
- Experience working with populations that are diverse in ethnic background, cultural heritage, language, gender identity and socio-economic status.
- Expertise with social science data analysis packages such as SPSS, R, and Atlas.ti.
- Experience authoring scholarly publications.
- Experience conducting cognitive interviews with children.
Apply at http://www.msichicago.org/about-the-museum/jobs/opportunities/ .
Please submit job bids to Human Resources preferably within seven (7) days of below date
AA/EOE/ADA
Date: June 10, 2015