Edtech.com's Summary

Arizona State University is hiring an Associate Director of Research. The role involves co-leading the research strategy and execution for Action Lab, advancing a data-driven research portfolio that informs institutional decision-making on enrollment, persistence, student success, and innovation. The position includes overseeing research initiatives, ensuring methodological rigor, and acting as a senior strategic advisor to university leadership.

Highlights

Co-lead applied research strategy aligned with EdPlus and ASU priorities.
Manage a portfolio of mixed-methods research and advanced analytics projects ensuring rigorous data integrity and measurable impact.
Establish standards for data collection, research design, modeling, governance, and ethical data use in collaboration with ASU teams.
Lead analytics efforts including portfolio management, prioritization, and lifecycle oversight ensuring accountability for outcomes.
Act as strategic advisor translating complex analyses into actionable insights for senior and executive leadership.
Manage development of research products, KPIs, forecasting models, and performance measurement systems supporting student success and operations.
Lead, mentor, hire, and develop a multidisciplinary research team fostering a culture of ethical, data-informed decision-making.
Ensure compliance with IRB and data governance standards and represent Action Lab in cross-institutional partnerships.
Required qualifications: Bachelor’s degree with 7 years relevant experience including 2 years managerial experience; PhD preferred in related quantitative or interdisciplinary field.
Technical skills: Expert proficiency in quantitative methodologies (e.g. generalized linear modeling, causal inference, predictive analytics) and extensive experience using R to develop reproducible workflows.
Compensation ranges from $130,000 to $140,000 annually, dependent on experience, with a comprehensive benefits package.

Associate Director of Research Full Description

Job Profile:Research Development Manager 3

Job Family:Research Development

Time Type:Full time

Max Pay - Depends on experience:$140,000.00 USD Annual

Apply before 11:59 PM Arizona time the day before the posted End Date.

Minimum Qualifications:Bachelor's degree and seven (7) years of experience appropriate to the area of assignment/field including two (2) years managerial experience; OR, Any equivalent combination of experience and/or training from which comparable knowledge, skills and abilities have been achieved.

Job Profile Summary:
Drives the development and implementation of comprehensive capacity-building activities, working at both the individual and institutional levels to ensure sustained success in attracting extramural research funding.

Job Description:

Do you have a passion for research and advanced analytics that are used to make decisions? Can you successfully balance innovation with operational reliability? Do you lead with accountability for outcomes and organizational impact? Then apply today for this Associate Director of Research opportunity!

NOTE: This is not a fully remote position. Must be able to reliably commute to Scottsdale Arizona three days a week.

ASU EdPlus is a dynamic unit of Arizona State University focused on the design and scalable delivery of digital teaching and learning models to increase student success and reduce barriers to achievement in higher education. We advance the economic, social, cultural, and overall health of the local, national, and international communities served by ASU.

Action Lab is a learning laboratory at ASU that is housed inside EdPlus. As a data-driven, research-focused service organization—an impact hub—Action Lab supports ASU and EdPlus initiatives by equipping leaders with the insights and analyses they need to make informed, evidence-based decisions. Action Lab's goal is to support ASU with data and scholarship that foster transformations within higher education. With an emphasis on online learning, our predictive and evaluative analyses support student success and persistence from curiosity to graduation. Our research is actionable and operationally oriented, and we support and coordinate with high-level university stakeholders to improve student learning, motivation, and persistence and to increase equity across the university. We are a fast-paced unit that gets stuff done, makes a difference in the lives of our ASU students to drive change, and bolsters successes grounded in data and research.

Want to know more about working at EdPlus? Click here!

We are seeking an Associate Director of Research to co-lead the research strategy and execution for Action Lab, ASU's data-driven, research-focused service organization. Every day you will make a difference in the lives of others by shaping and advancing a rigorous, actionable, and scalable research portfolio that directly informs institutional decision-making across enrollment, persistence, student success, innovation, and emerging technologies.

As a senior strategic advisor to executive leadership, you will be accountable for measurable impact and value realization from Action Lab's research investments. You will oversee a diverse research portfolio, define success metrics, ensure methodological rigor and reproducibility, and track adoption and return on research insights. Reporting to the Senior Director or Executive Director of Action Lab, you will ensure Action Lab's research capabilities evolve in step with institutional strategy, scale, and complexity while remaining deeply grounded in real-world decision contexts.

Essential Duties:

Define and co-lead Action Lab's applied research strategy across enrollment, persistence, student success, and educational innovation, ensuring alignment with EdPlus and ASU priorities.
Oversee a portfolio of mixed-methods research and advanced analytics initiatives, ensuring methodological rigor, data integrity, reproducibility, and measurable institutional impact.
Establish and execute existing Action Lab and ASU standards for data collection, research design, modeling, governance, and ethical data use; partner with analytics, Action Lab colleagues and other ASU teams to deliver scalable, actionable research products.
Lead various analytics efforts, including portfolio management, intake, prioritization, service delivery, and lifecycle oversight, ensuring accountability for outcomes, not just outputs.
Serve as a strategic advisor to senior and executive leadership, translating complex analyses into clear, actionable insights that inform planning, performance, and decision-making.
Direct development of research products and staff to execute the work, KPIs, forecasting models, and performance measurement systems, co-supporting student success, operations, finance, and R&D.
Lead, mentor, and develop a multidisciplinary team; oversee hiring, performance management, and professional development while fostering a culture of rigorous ethical and data-informed decision-making that is woven tightly with our analytics colleagues in Action Lab.
Ensure compliance with IRB and data governance standards; represent Action Lab in cross-institutional partnerships, committees, and external engagements a guide and collaborative thought partner.
Perform other duties or projects as assigned or directed.

NOTE: This is not a fully remote position. Must be able to reliably commute to Scottsdale, Arizona, three days a week.

Desired Qualifications:

PhD in Statistics, Economics, Education Policy, Data Science, Organizational Research, Behavioral Sciences, Learning Science, or a related quantitative or interdisciplinary field.
Seven to ten plus years of progressively responsible experience leading applied research and analytics functions in complex organizations (preferably higher education, edtech, or mission-driven enterprises).
Demonstrated experience building and scaling an applied research or analytics organization with measurable institutional impact.
Proven record of aligning research strategy to enterprise strategy and delivering actionable insights that directly influence executive decision-making.
Demonstrated advanced expertise in quantitative methodologies first and foremost, including generalized linear modeling, mixed-effects models, causal inference, experimental and quasi-experimental design, structural equation modeling, and predictive analytics.
Demonstrated fluency in integrating qualitative (minor skill) and quantitative (major skill) methods into cohesive, decision-ready narratives.
Extensive experience using R and creating reproducible workflows.

NOTE: Please answer the following questions in your cover letter:

Describe your experience using R to conduct analyses or build reproducible workflows.
Applied research impact (aligned to role expectations): Provide an example of how your research or analysis directly informed a decision or action within an organization.

Salary & Benefits:

$130,000 - $140,000 per year, DOE

ASU offers a total compensation package that includes valuable employee benefits. Click here to explore options.

Healthcare
Financial Security
Retirement
Family Resources
Tuition Reduction (Eligible ASU Employee, their dependents and spouse.)
Discounts

Working Environment:

Your desk will be in the beautiful, cutting-edge, and collaborative workspace at SkySong, the ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center. The Center houses a diverse business community that links technology, research, education, and entrepreneurship to position ASU and Greater Phoenix as global leaders in the knowledge economy.

EdPlus at ASU supports flexible work options, ranging from alternate work schedules to hybrid remote work schedules, subject to approvals per ASU policy. (This is NOT a fully remote position.)

Applicant must be eligible to work in the United States. EdPlus at ASU will not be a sponsor for this position.

Department Statement:

EdPlus defines itself through a culture of curiosity, risk-taking and refusing to accept the status quo. As a central enterprise unit for ASU focused on the design and scalable delivery of digital teaching and learning models to increase student success and reduce barriers to achievement in higher education, our commitments support the University charter. ASU is a national service university and aspires to accelerate positive social outcomes through the seamless integration of cutting-edge technological innovation and scalability.

EdPlus employees are valued, respected, and encouraged to be their unique selves. We know that our ability to deliver high-quality services and educational experiences is strengthened by our culture. Our innovative approach drives outcomes through serving learners, achieving milestones, striving for excellence, solving problems, embracing urgency, and being bold.

ASU EdPlus

Driving Requirement:Driving is not required for this position.

Location:Off-Campus: Scottsdale

Funding:No Federal Funding

Instructions to Apply:

Current employees, student workers seeking staff opportunities, and students applying for student worker positions must apply directly through the Workday Jobs Hub.

Please use the link below to log in using single sign-on.

https://www.myworkday.com/asu/d/inst/1$9925/9925$20050.htmld

To be considered, your application must include all of the following attachments:

Cover letter
Resume or CV

Multiple documents may be uploaded in the attachments section. Alternatively, applicants may combine all required materials into a single PDF for submission. Please ensure uploaded documents are clearly labeled and include your name.

Please ensure your resume includes all employment information in month and year format, for example 6/04 to 8/14, along with job title, job duties, and employer name for each position. Your resume should clearly demonstrate how your experience and background meet the minimum and desired qualifications for this position. Incomplete applications or missing required materials may not be considered.

Important: Do not withdraw your application to make edits. Once an application is withdrawn, it cannot be edited, reactivated, or replaced with a new submission. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact The Office of Human Resources Talent Acquisition before the posting close date.

Graduate Assistant, Intern and part-time positions are counted as half time for experience equivalency, meaning one year equals six months of experience.

Only electronic applications will be accepted for this position. By submitting an application, you confirm that the information provided is accurate and complete.

ASU Statement:

Arizona State University is a new model for American higher education, an unprecedented combination of academic excellence, entrepreneurial energy and broad access. This New American University is a single, unified institution comprising four differentiated campuses positively impacting the economic, social, cultural and environmental health of the communities it serves. Its research is inspired by real world application blurring the boundaries that traditionally separate academic disciplines. ASU serves more than 100,000 students in metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona, the nation's fifth largest city. ASU champions inclusive excellence, and welcomes students from all fifty states and more than one hundred nations across the globe.

ASU is a tobacco-free university. For details visit https://wellness.asu.edu/explore-wellness/body/alcohol-and-drugs/tobacco

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law.

Notice of Availability of the ASU Annual Security and Fire Safety Report:

In compliance with federal law, ASU prepares an annual report on campus security and fire safety programs and resources. ASU's Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available online at https://www.asu.edu/police/PDFs/ASU-Clery-Report.pdf. You may request a hard copy of the report by contacting the ASU Police Department at 480-965-3456.

Relocation Assistance - For information about schools, housing child resources, neighborhoods, hospitals, community events, and taxes, visit https://cfo.asu.edu/az-resources.

Employment Verification Statement:

ASU conducts pre-employment screening which may include verification of work history, academic credentials, licenses, and certifications.

Background Check Statement:

ASU conducts pre-employment screening for all positions which includes a criminal background check, verification of work history, academic credentials, licenses, and certifications. Employment is contingent upon successful passing of the background check.

Fingerprint Check Statement:A fingerprint check is not required for this position.

Original Job Description