Sr Research Scientist

NWEA® is a division of HMH that supports students and educators through research, assessment solutions, policy and advocacy services, professional learning and school improvement services that fight for equity, drive classroom impact and push for systemic change in our educational communities. For nearly 50 years, NWEA has developed innovative pre-K–12 assessments, including their flagship interim assessment, MAP® Growth™ and their reading fluency and comprehension assessment, MAP® Reading Fluency™. For more information, visit NWEA.org to learn more.

HMH is a learning technology company committed to delivering connected solutions that engage learners, empower educators and improve student outcomes. As a leading provider of K–12 core curriculum, supplemental and intervention solutions, and professional learning services, HMH partners with educators and school districts to uncover solutions that unlock students’ potential and extend teachers’ capabilities. HMH serves more than 50 million students and 4 million educators in 150 countries. For more information, visit www.hmhco.com

Location: Remote (U.S.)

What you’ll do: 

The NWEA Learning Sciences Division seeks a Senior Research Scientist to join the Research and Policy Partnerships (RPP) team, with a primary focus on research consulting and applied partner support. 

RPP generates rigorous, actionable research and helps educators, policymakers, and colleagues across HMH make effective use of research, assessment, and MAP Growth data. This role sits at the intersection of research and application: translating technical expertise into practical guidance, helping partners answer complex questions using data and evidence, and ensuring that research insights inform real-world educational decisions. 

The successful candidate will bring strong research expertise and will be especially energized by applying that expertise in partnership with others. They will work directly with school districts, researchers, and colleagues across HMH to understand their questions, determine what research or analysis can appropriately answer them, and translate findings into clear and useful recommendations. They will also contribute to RPP’s broader research agenda, with an emphasis on work that emerges from or strengthens our understanding of partner needs. 

In this role, you will: 

• Serve as a trusted research advisor to school districts, researchers, and internal HMH stakeholders, helping them interpret and appropriately use MAP Growth data and research evidence to inform educational decisions. 
• Lead research consulting engagements from initial scoping through delivery, including clarifying partner questions, determining appropriate analytic approaches, defining feasible deliverables, conducting analyses, and communicating findings and implications. 
• Use statistical software (such as R, Python, or SQL) to independently access, query, and work with large-scale assessment data in HMH’s Snowflake data environment. 
• Apply expertise in educational research, assessment, and research design to address complex and often ambiguous questions from partners and colleagues. 
• Translate technical research, data, and assessment concepts into clear, actionable guidance for audiences with varying levels of research expertise. 
• Design and deliver partner-facing presentations, technical consultations, custom analyses, data visualizations, and other forms of applied research support. 
• Collaborate with colleagues across NWEA and HMH to respond to partner needs while identifying opportunities to develop reusable resources and scalable approaches to common questions. 
• Conduct and contribute to rigorous applied research using large-scale assessment and education data in alignment with RPP’s mission and research agenda. 
• Communicate research findings through formats appropriate to the intended audience, including research reports, policy and practitioner briefs, presentations, data visualizations, and other accessible products. 
• Build and maintain productive relationships with educators, district leaders, researchers, and colleagues across HMH. 

What you’ll need:

• Experience: 5+ years of experience conducting educational research and/or providing research, data, or assessment consultation, preferably involving large-scale assessment or longitudinal education data. 
• Degree: Ph.D. in Education, Educational Measurement, Public Policy, Economics, Psychology, Sociology, or a related field. 
• Technical: Strong quantitative research background and demonstrated ability to select and apply methods appropriate to applied research questions. Proficiency with statistical software such as R, Stata, Python, or similar tools is required. Strong SQL skills and experience independently querying and working with large-scale datasets is preferred, as is experience working with Tableau or other data visualization tools. 
• Experience in: 
  • Working directly with educators, district or state leaders, or other stakeholders to scope and address research and data questions. 
  • Translating complex research findings, analyses, and assessment concepts into practical guidance for nontechnical audiences. 
  • Independently managing partner-facing projects from initial scoping through analysis and delivery. 
  • Conducting rigorous educational research using large-scale assessment or longitudinal data. 
  • Building productive relationships and collaborating across disciplines and functions. 
• Understanding of: 
  • K–12 educational assessment and measurement, including how assessment data can appropriately inform educational decisions. 
  • K–12 education policy and practice. 
  • The strengths and limitations of different research designs and data sources and how those considerations affect the conclusions and recommendations that can responsibly be offered. 
• Ability to: 
  • Move effectively between technical analysis and partner-facing consultation. 
  • Clarify ambiguous questions, identify the underlying decision or need, and recommend an appropriate analytic or research approach. 
  • Communicate clearly with audiences with varying levels of research, data, and assessment expertise. 
  • Exercise sound judgment about what research and data can and cannot appropriately answer and communicate those boundaries clearly. 
  • Balance multiple consulting engagements and research responsibilities while delivering high-quality work on agreed-upon timelines. 
  • Travel approximately 10-20% of time to support partner consulting engagements, conferences, and other internal and external events.  
• Preferred: Experience with MAP Growth, including its reporting ecosystem, appropriate uses, and application across educational contexts. 

How We Work  

• Nimble Learning: Actively learning through experimentation when tackling new problems, using both successes and failures as learning fodder. 
• Action-Oriented: Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm. 
• Courage: Stepping up to address difficult issues, saying what needs to be said. 
• Manages Complexity: Making sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems. 
• Collaborates: Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives. 

Physical Requirements  

• Might be in a stationary position for a considerable time (sitting and/or standing) 
• Constantly operate a computer 
• Must be able to collaborate with colleagues via face to face, conference calls, and online meetings 
• Must be capable of sitting, standing, and walking for extended periods of time.   
• Ability to work travel up to 10-20%.     

Benefits and Salary Range: 

Salary Range - $120,000 to $130,000.  Our salary ranges are based on national averages.  We have wide ranges so we can be flexible and determine compensation based on a number of factors including the candidate’s skills, experience, education, and location. 

Our Culture and Benefits - https://careers.hmhco.com/culture_benefits 

Application Deadline:

August 25, 2026. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible. The posting may be available past this date but is not guaranteed.  

HMH is fully committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and to attracting, retaining, developing and promoting the most qualified employees without regard to race, gender, color, religion, sexual orientation, family status, marital status, pregnancy, gender identity, ethnic/national origin, ancestry, age, disability, military status, genetic predisposition, citizenship status, status as a disabled veteran, recently separated veteran, Armed Forces service medal veteran, other covered veteran, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. We are dedicated to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment, and where employees are treated with respect and dignity. We actively participate in E-Verify.