Education Policy Researcher (PK–12 Finance)

TL;DR

Education Policy Researcher (PK–12 Finance): Evaluating state and local education funding policies through applied research with an accent on fiscal data analysis and school district budgeting. Focus on designing research studies, analyzing longitudinal data, and developing evidence-based strategies to improve equitable student resource allocation.

Location: Must be based in the United States. Flexible between remote work or at AIR office locations (VA, NC, IL, CA, TX), but requires availability across all continental U.S. time zones.

Salary: $92,700–$123,000 USD

Company

A nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization dedicated to conducting behavioral and social science research to address pressing challenges in the United States and globally.

What you will do

• Develop research designs to evaluate federal, state, and local PK–12 education funding policies.
• Analyze fiscal and administrative data to understand resource allocation in school districts.
• Prepare technical reports and policy briefs for decision-makers and the public.
• Lead research projects and contribute to the preparation of proposals for external funding.
• Supervise and provide mentorship to junior staff on research approaches and problem-solving.
• Present research findings to clients and professional associations.

Requirements

• Must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis (Visa sponsorship is not available).
• Master’s degree with 4–7 years of experience or a Ph.D./Ed.D. in education policy, economics, or related social science.
• Demonstrated expertise in education finance, fiscal data analysis, and empirical research methods.
• Proficiency in statistical software such as Stata or R.
• Advanced expertise in Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to communicate complex findings to non-technical audiences.

Nice to have

• Specialized knowledge in funding models for special education, English learners, and career/technical education.
• Experience with longitudinal data analysis.
• Familiarity with using AI models for education finance data analysis.

Culture & Benefits

• Competitive total rewards program designed to motivate and reward staff.
• Opportunity to contribute to national-level policy research with significant impact.
• Non-partisan, mission-driven professional environment.
• Commitment to a drug-free work environment.