Data Science 4 Everyone is a national initiative working to catalyze the adoption of data science as a fundamental component of K-12 education. DS4E facilitates a broad coalition of influential leaders in and out of U.S. education, seeded by support from Steven Levitt (Freakonomics), Arne Duncan (fmr. U.S. Secretary of Education), Linda Darling-Hammond (Learning Policy Institute, California State Board of Education), Eric Schmidt (fmr. CEO Google), Ken Griffin (CEO of Citadel), Scott Cook (co-founder of Intuit), and many others. Incubated at the Center for RISC and popularized by the 2019 Freakonomics podcast "America's Math Curriculum Doesn't Add Up," DS4E is now expanding into a dedicated center at the University of Chicago, striving to incorporate data science across all school subjects and grade-levels. Our core focus is to raise awareness and work with stakeholders across U.S. education to ensure every student is data literate by high school graduation. As a field catalyst, DS4E centralizes and disseminates resources, hosts convenings and communities of practice, builds awareness locally and nationally, creates partnerships with experts and stakeholders, pilots new content models and evaluates results, and helps schools and districts design new programs. We believe de-siloing stakeholders and empowering talent will uniquely enable our education system to adopt data science as fundamental.
Job Summary
The Instructional Design Specialist will have a unique role in both providing intellectual direction and hands-on capacity for a fast-growing national initiative to modernize the standard K-12 education curriculum for every student. The Specialist will be responsible for guiding DS4E's portfolio of curricular resources and consulting directly with partner schools, districts, and professional organizations to help implement them. This role will help conceptualize, design, and deliver evidence-based Data Science interventions for a variety of stakeholders, help partners to design pilots and test new content, and maintain partnerships to do so. This role will also focus on creating novel strategies to build field-wide educator capacity, and inform strategic planning in collaboration with the DS4E team and advisors.
Responsibilities
Project manages planning and development of novel data science curricula in collaboration with national and local partners, including identifying learning needs and instructional goals of target audiences.
Leads local adaptation and technical assistance for curricula interventions, helping school leaders navigate and select from the market of existing K-12 data science curricula, and identify needs to create new materials if none exist.
Manages the development and maintenance of the DS4E Teacher Resource Hub, including multimedia and web-based curricula resources.
Ensures all web-listed curricula content are in line with current research and ready for educators' experience-levels for real-world implementation.
Reviews Data Science lesson plans and other field-generated content to ensure quality and feasible adaptation across diverse schools and districts.
Facilitates communication between school leaders, educators, partner organizations, curriculum developers, researchers, and other stakeholders for creating pilot programs.
Facilitates monthly focus groups, office hours, and other direct assistance to create a community of practice for data science educators.
Designs, builds, manages and maintains a database of data science educators to build the DS4E community.
Designs, manages, and creates training opportunities for prospective data science educators, varying in length and complexity.
Applies research principles and relevant subject matter knowledge relevant to administer research and evaluation projects. With a minimal level of direction, manages research-related duties and tasks. Helps develop, design and conduct research evaluations according to rigorous statistical and social science best practices.
Supports data collection and analytical needs of curricula pilot evaluations. Conducts literature reviews and helps write reports and manuscripts. Ensures project compliance with different policies, procedures, directives, and mandates.
Assists with the development for primary and secondary school programs. Requires a deep understanding of the field of primary and secondary school education.
Plays a role in program evaluation and improvement efforts.
Performs other related work as needed.
Minimum Qualifications
Education:
Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
--- Work Experience:
Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
--- Certifications:
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Preferred Qualifications
Education:
College or university degree in statistics/sata science, computer science, and/or related field.
Experience:
3+ years of experience in data science, computer science, or statistics / mathematics education.
1+ years of experience designing and implementing new curriculum in collaboration with school or district leadership.
Demonstrated experience using a variety of modern data tools, processes, and modes of thinking.
Experience working in K-12 settings or teaching in a K-12 classroom.
Technical Skills or Knowledge:
Demonstrated proficiency in multiple data science software tools (Google Sheets / Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerBI, R / RStudio, Python, SaS, Tableau, etc.).
Demonstrated proficiency in graphic design, content production + editing, and LMS software (Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, Google Classroom, etc.).
Familiarity with an academic research environment and social science research methods (randomized control trials, A/B tests, etc.), or equivalent.
Preferred Competencies
Strategically drive independent content work to align with leadership vision and broader organizational goals.
Passionate about education reform and imagining constructive ways our system can better serve our students.
Demonstrated success in maintaining collaborative relationships with diverse constituencies.
Deep commitment to customer service, prioritize and balance different work streams, meet deadlines, and work successfully in a fast-paced environment.
Excellent verbal and written communications skills. Strong interpersonal, quantitative, and networking skills.
Demonstrated history of creativity, innovation, and energy to engage young audiences with trend-relevant educational content or lesson plans.
Application Documents
Resume/CV (required)
Cover Letter (preferred)
When applying, the document(s) MUSTbe uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.
Job Family
Academic Affairs
Role Impact
Individual Contributor
FLSA Status
Exempt
Pay Frequency
Monthly
Scheduled Weekly Hours
37.5
Benefits Eligible
Yes
Requires Compliance with University Covid-19 Vaccination Requirement
Yes
Drug Test Required
No
Health Screen Required
No
Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
No
Posting Statement
Employees must comply with the University's COVID-19 vaccination requirements. More information about the requirements can be found on the University of Chicago Vaccination GoForward.
The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.
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