Senior Researcher, Place-Based Evaluation & Learning

About this role

<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Join AIR as a <strong>Senior Researcher, Place Based Evaluation & Learning</strong> and use your experience and expertise to help us deliver on our mission: to generate evidence and apply data driven solutions that expand opportunities and improve lives for all. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This role is designed for a senior researcher who thrives in deep partnership with place-based organizations and the national intermediaries that support them to improve programs and practices that support community and individual level wellbeing, including economic mobility. Working alongside practitioners, the senior researcher will co design learning projects, translate learning priorities into measurable and feasible indicators, and help build evaluation and learning systems that drive better decisions. In collaboration with a senior project director, the Researcher will lead components of complex projects, develop applied evaluation frameworks, and translate research into practical, actionable tools that partners can use to strengthen strategy, accountability, and continuous improvement. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This position will be primarily dedicated (approximately 80%) to supporting a research collaboration with a single national intermediary that engages place-based partnerships nationwide, to help stand up and implement an integrated evaluation and learning agenda. Over time, the role may evolve to support additional places, partners, or cross site learning efforts. <strong>This is a time-limited position expected to last 12 months. </strong>The selected candidate will work full-time on Place-Based Partnerships, with potential for extension at AIR’s discretion and continued business need. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This position will report to a senior leader within AIR’s Employment and Economic Opportunity program and will work closely with AIR colleagues supporting place-based initiatives and partnerships. This position may be based in either Washington, DC or New York, NY. Regular domestic travel to partner sites is expected, up to 25% time. </span></p> <h4><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">About AIR:</span></h4> <p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance to address some of the most pressing challenges in the United States and globally. We generate evidence and apply data-driven solutions that expand opportunities and improve lives for all.</span></span></p> <h4 style="background-color: transparent; display: inline !important;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Responsibilities:</span></h4> <p style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Place‑Based Evaluation and Learning </span></p> <ul style="background-color: transparent;"> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Partner closely with a national intermediary to design and operationalize evaluation and learning frameworks aligned with their place-based partners’ strategy, capacity, and context. </span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Lead the identification of metrics, data points, data sources, and data collection processes that balance rigor with feasibility. </span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Develop evaluation work plans, including timelines and sequencing for data collection, data entry, analysis, reporting, and learning cycles. </span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Translate evaluation needs into clear guidance for data systems, working with partner staff and technical administrators as needed. </span></li> </ul> <p style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Implementation and Capacity‑Building</span></p> <ul style="background-color: transparent;"> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Support early execution of evaluation and learning activities, particularly during start‑up phases, while partners build internal capacity. </span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span…