Director, Research - Work-Based Learning

Director, Research – Work-based Learning

Full-time | Hybrid, 2 days/week in our Washington, DC or Indianapolis, IN office | Reports to the Vice President, Research

Help build the evidence base for work-based learning that works for students and employers

Strada’s postsecondary education research team develops evidence and insights that connect people to opportunity through postsecondary education, especially those who face the greatest barriers to doing so. We conduct innovative, actionable research grounded in student experiences, and we point to solutions that bring stakeholders into partnerships that deliver progress for all.

We are looking for a Director, Research who brings a strong foundation in quantitative and economic methods and the ability to translate complex findings into practical guidance for non-technical audiences. You will lead the research that supports Strada’s work-based learning portfolio, designing studies that estimate the economic and institutional value of programs, policies, and practices. Your work will inform decisions by state leaders, university and college systems, institutions, employers, and Strada’s own grantmaking and technical assistance.

What You’ll Do

Research Design, Analysis, and Economic Evaluation (40%)
You’ll work with the Vice President, Research to develop and pursue a research agenda that supports the work-based learning focus area team, which makes grants and provides technical assistance to help stakeholders implement evidence-informed solutions. The agenda will include studies anchored in the State Opportunity Index measures of student experiences and career outcomes. That means:

• Designing and executing rigorous quantitative studies using survey data and administrative datasets.

• Developing primary surveys to collect data from multiple stakeholder audiences.

• Conducting descriptive analysis and advanced statistical and econometric analysis, including causal inference methods (e.g., matching, regression, fixed effects, quasi-experimental designs).

• Designing and implementing cost-benefit, cost-effectiveness, and return-on-investment (ROI) analyses of education and workforce interventions, estimating:

  • Individual returns (e.g., earnings, employment outcomes)

  • Institutional returns (e.g., retention, completion, enrollment stability)

  • Public returns (e.g., workforce participation, tax contributions)

• Assessing the impact of work-based learning and related strategies across student populations, fields of study, and institutional contexts.

• Collaborating with internal colleagues and external partners to produce actionable research under tight timelines.

• Ensuring methodological rigor, transparency, and reproducibility in all analyses.

Communicate Research and Insights (30%)
Great research only matters if people can use it. You will:

• Author research briefs, reports, and presentations that communicate findings clearly to policymakers, institutional leaders, and practitioners.

• Translate economic findings, including ROI and cost-benefit results, into practical implications for decision-making and resource allocation.

• Contribute to thought leadership on the economic value of postsecondary education.

• Represent Strada at external events, including panels, conferences, and symposia.

• Synthesize data and insights across key topics to build the organization’s knowledge and subject matter expertise.

Internal and External Stakeholder Engagement (20%)

• Work closely with colleagues on the research team and across the organization to develop research agendas, annual budgets, and project plans.

• Build and maintain relationships with state agencies, higher education systems, institutions, and research partners.

• Collaborate with external partners on data access, study design, and dissemination.

• Identify emerging research questions and opportunities aligned with Strada’s strategic priorities.

Strengthen Our Culture (10%)

• Incorporate principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion into research design, topic selection, vendor selection, analysis, and interpretation.

• Support an inclusive and collaborative team culture.

• Support knowledge sharing and continuous learning across the organization.

What Success Looks Like in Your First Year: What You Bring

Required:

• A PhD (completed or imminent) in education, economics, public policy, political science, sociology, demography, or a related discipline.

• Advanced skills in quantitative research methods, including causal inference, and experience conducting economic evaluation such as cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, or ROI modeling, along with a proven ability to assess the quality and rigor of research design.

• Experience using administrative and linked education-workforce data to estimate economic returns to education or training programs.

• Expertise in Stata.

• Experience designing surveys and writing survey questions, and producing descriptive reports using survey data.

• Strong knowledge of research and innovations in policy and practice in postsecondary education and training, with a focus on work-based learning.

• Demonstrated ability to synthesize and communicate complex research findings, and experience developing effective strategies for research communications and thought leadership.

• Strong writing and editing skills, with the ability to communicate ideas clearly and concisely for public audiences.

• Experience managing projects with internal and external partners, and strong collaborative skills in planning, coordinating, aligning, and completing projects.

• Knowledge of effective strategies for partnership development and stakeholder engagement.

• The ability to connect individual projects and initiatives to organizational priorities and make specific recommendations to improve strategic alignment.

• A proven ability to build and manage positive, mutually beneficial relationships at all levels of an organization and with outside partners, supported by sound judgment and emotional intelligence.

Preferred:

• Training or demonstrated experience in applied microeconomics, labor economics, public finance, or program evaluation.

• 2–5 years of experience after completing your PhD working in a state or national higher education or workforce development organization. Candidates with less experience may be considered at the Senior Researcher level.

Also important:

• Commitment to providing equitable pathways to opportunity through postsecondary education and training, particularly for individuals who have faced significant barriers, and alignment with Strada’s values.

• Commitment to, and professional experience advancing, diversity, equity, and inclusion, including incorporating stakeholder perspectives into the design, implementation, and evaluation of strategic efforts.

• Comfort working in a fast-paced, high-profile environment with internal and external deadlines, and an operationally minded approach to improving efficiency, quality, and effectiveness.

• A positive, energetic, collaborative approach and sound judgment.

Why Strada

Strada Education Foundation is a national nonprofit dedicated to strengthening the connections between education and employment, with a particular focus on people who’ve faced the greatest barriers to economic opportunity through postsecondary education and training. Our strategic plan centers on five priorities: clear outcomes, quality coaching, affordable postsecondary education and training, work-based learning, and employer alignment.

We partner with education and training providers, employers, policymakers, and peer organizations, and we bring philanthropy, research, advocacy, and communications together to advance equitable pathways to opportunity. We invest in our people the same way, with real learning and professional development opportunities inside the organization and out.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance

• Generous PTO and paid holidays

• 401(k) retirement plan with employer contributions

• Paid parental leave

• Wellness reimbursement

• Professional development resources