Research Manager

Position Summary

Accelerate Learning is seeking a strategic and detail-oriented Research Manager to lead research for a selection of our product lines, oversee efficacy studies, and manage external research partnerships, including grants. The research agenda is determined on an annual basis by company leadership based on company needs, with input from the Research Manager. This role is central to advancing our mission to transform learning via hands-on interactive STEM products that are usable for teachers and increase student STEM outcomes. The research manager advances this agenda by securing and advancing high-impact research projects that demonstrate the effectiveness of our educational products. This position requires strong project management skills, the ability to coordinate cross-functional teams, and a talent for translating complex research into actionable insights. The ideal candidate is an experienced researcher with expertise in quantitative methods and educational research who thrives in a collaborative, fast-paced environment and is skilled at balancing strategic vision with operational execution. The Research Manager reports directly to the Senior Vice President of Research and Measurement.

Position Responsibilities

You will:

• Lead grant-funded research initiatives by managing five currently active federal and private grants, including serving as Principal Investigator on two major projects. Responsibilities include overseeing cross-functional project teams, coordinating internal and external stakeholders, developing and refining the research agenda, collaborating with external researchers, and ensuring timely, high-quality execution and project alignment. Proactively identify new funding opportunities and lead or support the development of grant proposal development aligned to strategic priorities.
• Design and conduct efficacy research to generate evidence of Accelerate Learning’s impact on student and teacher outcomes. Use experimental, quasi-experimental, and mixed-methods designs with both primary and secondary data sources. Collaborate with marketing, product, and curriculum teams to ensure findings are translated into accessible reports and materials that drive product growth and sales, and support product improvement and external communications.
• Serve as the research liaison to external partners, including funders, research institutions, universities, districts, and evaluation firms. Represent Accelerate Learning in meetings, ensure mutual understanding of project expectations, and maintain productive long-term collaborations. Serve as the internal lead for evaluation studies conducted by external research partners. Responsibilities include coordinating scopes of work and relevant contracts or data sharing agreements, ensuring alignment with grant or company goals, preparing and sharing data for analysis, and ensuring the translation of results for internal and external stakeholders. Click or tap here to enter text.
• Drive project management across research initiatives by creating and maintaining project timelines, tracking milestones, managing budgets, and ensuring coordination among internal departments (e.g., curriculum, finance, professional development, data and technology, marketing). Support internal teams by responding to emergent needs across departments such as project development, production, training, sales, marketing, and professional learning. Develop actionable insights and strategies using available data or design new data collection strategies as needed. Anticipate and resolve challenges to keep projects on track and aligned with goals.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support the mission and strategic goals of the organization.
  
  
  

Position Qualifications

Required Skills/Abilities/Experience:

• Experience in quantitative research methods, particularly in the field of applied education research. This includes statistical expertise (e.g., multiple regression, propensity score matching, logistic regression, multilevel modeling, structural equation modeling). Click or tap here to enter text.
• Experience developing data collection tools (e.g., surveys) or modifying existing tools as needed.
• Experience creating strong research partnerships with educators such as state and district leaders and classroom teachers.
• Experience in scientific publication and research dissemination (e.g., peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, literature reviews).
• Ability to translate complex research findings into clear, actionable insights for non-technical audiences, including school districts, product and marketing teams, grant stakeholders, and public-facing channels.
• Comfort working independently and in collaboration with cross-functional teams, including those without research expertise.
• Ability to write reports summarizing research findings for a range of audiences, from technical to layperson.
• Experience acquiring, cleaning, and utilizing large publicly available datasets of school district demographics and achievement data.
• Experience managing large-scale, grant-funded research projects, including budgeting, timeline management, reporting, and compliance.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment that requires flexibility, self-motivation, a collaborative working style, and enthusiasm.
  
  
  

Education & Experience:

• Doctorate in developmental psychology, cognitive psychology, human development and family studies, Research Methods, or a related technical field
• 3 years of relevant experience and/or training in applied research preferred
• Familiarity with R-studio and Excel
• Bonus/ Nice to have: Experience in applying machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques to solve product problems or enhance product uptake and experience
  
  
  

WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.
  
  
  

The above job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position. Incumbents will follow any other instructions, and perform any other related duties, as assigned by their supervisor.