Instructional Specialist, Data Science for Everyone
Please apply here through University of Chicago Workday. All applicants must apply through the UChicago Workday system.
Full job descriptions are available on the Data Science 4 Everyone website.
The Instructional Design Specialist will have a unique role in both providing intellectual direction and hands-on capacity for a fast-growing national initiative to modernize the standard K-12 education curriculum for every student. The Specialist will be responsible for guiding DS4E’s portfolio of curricular resources and consulting directly with partner schools, districts, and professional organizations to help implement them. The specialist will help conceptualize, design, and deliver evidence-based Data Science interventions for a variety of stakeholders, help partners to design pilots and test new content, and maintain partnerships to do so. The Specialist will also focus on creating novel strategies to build field-wide educator capacity, and inform strategic planning in collaboration with the DS4E team and advisors.
Responsibilities
- Project manages planning and development of novel data science curricula in collaboration with national and local partners, including identifying learning needs and instructional goals of target audiences.
- Leads local adaptation and technical assistance for curricula interventions, helping school leaders navigate and select from the market of existing K-12 data science curricula, and identify needs to create new materials if none exist.
- Manages the development and maintenance of the DS4E Teacher Resource Hub, including multimedia and web-based curricula resources.
- Ensures all web-listed curricula content are in line with current research and ready for educators’ experience-levels for real-world implementation.
- Reviews data science lesson plans and other field-generated content to ensure quality and feasible adaptation across diverse schools and districts.
- Facilitates communication between school leaders, educators, partner organizations, curriculum developers, researchers, and other stakeholders for creating pilot programs.
- Facilitates monthly focus groups, office hours, and other direct assistance to create a community of practice for data science educators.
- Designs, builds, manages and maintains a community of data science educators to build the DS4E community.
- Designs, manages, and creates training opportunities for prospective data science educators, varying in length and complexity.
- Applies research principles and relevant subject matter knowledge relevant to administer research & evaluation projects. With a minimal level of direction, manages research-related duties and tasks. Helps develop, design and conduct research evaluations according to rigorous statistical and social science best practices.
- Supports data collection and analytical needs of curricula pilot evaluations. Conducts literature reviews and helps write reports and manuscripts. Ensures project compliance with different policies, procedures, directives, and mandates.
- Performs other related work as needed.
Location
Chicago, IL or Remote.
Preferred Qualifications
Education:
- College or university degree in Statistics/Data Science, Computer Science, and/or related field.
Experience:
- 3+ years of experience in data science, computer science, or statistics / mathematics education.
- 1+ years of experience designing and implementing new curriculum in collaboration with school or district leadership.
- Demonstrated experience using a variety of modern data tools, processes, and modes of thinking.
- Experience working in K-12 settings or teaching in a K-12 classroom.
Technical Skills or Knowledge:
- Demonstrated proficiency in multiple data science software tools (Google Sheets / Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerBI, R / RStudio, Python, SaS, Tableau, etc.)
- Demonstrated proficiency in graphic design, content production + editing, and LMS software (Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, Google Classroom, etc.).
- Familiarity with an academic research environment and social science research methods (randomized control trials, A/B tests, etc.), or equivalent.
Preferred Competencies:
- Strategically drive independent content work to align with leadership vision and broader organizational goals.
- Passionate about education reform and imagining constructive ways our system can better serve our students.
- Demonstrated success in maintaining collaborative relationships with diverse constituencies.
- Deep commitment to customer service, prioritize and balance different work streams, meet deadlines, and work successfully in a fast-paced environment.
- Excellent verbal and written communications skills. Strong interpersonal, quantitative, and networking skills.
- Demonstrated history of creativity, innovation, and energy to engage young audiences with trend-relevant educational content or lesson plans.