Special Instructions to Applicants: All interested applicants should attach a resume in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in a PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

About Rice:

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice's culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name - RICE - Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.

Position Summary:

The Office of Research Development Services seeks an innovative Director of Assessment and Evaluation of Research Programs to lead, plan, and develop program evaluation activities for grant-related STEM and other education and outreach programs. The Director will collaborate closely with program leaders and staff to identify and apply optimal methodologies for data collection and analysis, incorporating robust statistical approaches to ensure rigor and validity. The Director will lead evaluation projects, develop success metrics, design and assess improvement strategies, and produce comprehensive formative and summative reports. The Director will also lead multiple cross-departmental program evaluation activities to determine the impact of STEM education programs and initiatives and to support the University's strategic goals.

The Director of Assessment and Evaluation of Research Programs will report to the Executive Director for the Office of Research Development Services; they will serve as a strategic advisor and will assist with designing, delivering, and assessing a solid and transformative educational plan to faculty members engaged in research grants that require an educational and outreach component and, in doing so, work closely with the Office of Research, the Rice Office of STEM Engagement, the Office of Research Development Services, and partnering universities.

Ideal Candidate Statement:

The ideal candidate is a strategic and collaborative leader with advanced expertise in statistical evaluation methods, experience leading multi-partner education assessments, and a proven ability to design, implement, and communicate rigorous, data-informed evaluation strategies that support institutional and grant-funded research goals.

Workplace Requirements:

This position is offered as a hybrid role, combining both in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

Hiring Range: $95, 900 - $106, 488

*Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences, Research/Statistics, Qualitative Analysis, Health Sciences, or a related field
• Four or more (4+) years of professional experience, including demonstrated leadership in contexts involving universities and federal funding agencies. Experience should include progressively responsible roles in program measurement and evaluation.
  • In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year for year basis may be substituted.

Skills:

• Ability to take a leadership role on projects and with users/clients to help the PI understand the purpose and value of evaluation and how it relates to a successful proposal
• Ability to manage multiple activities in a deadline-oriented environment and remain highly organized, flexible, and able to provide rigorous attention to detail
• Ability to use logic to calculate data efficiently construct a database and craft learning objectives
• Expert, in-depth knowledge in statistical analysis and use of related software (e.g., SAS, SPSS)
• Expert ability in assessing learners and evaluating educational programs
• Knowledge of institutional data systems and reporting software
• Ability to build and/or lead complex programs
• Knowledge of the curriculum development process
• Strong listening, verbal, and written communication skills
• Ability to work with data of varying levels of quality and validity
• Ability to "clean" data and convert it to a usable format
• Demonstrated ability to analyze and present data to the end user in a digestible, understandable, and actionable form
• Ability to work effectively with multiple internal and external customers, e.g., Open Stax, REU, RET, OURI, UH, etc.

Preferences:

• Master's Degree - M.A. or M.S. in Social Sciences, Research/Statistics, Qualitative Analysis, Health Sciences, or a related field
• PhD degree in Education, Educational Psychology, Quantitative Psychology, Social Sciences, or a related field

Essential Functions:

• Develops and implements assessment methodology through data collection, validation, and reporting using statistical procedures, statistical analysis, and published and cited instruments to support and document programmatic strengths, weaknesses, and needs
• Devises methods for identifying and analyzing complex data patterns and trends in available information sources using a variety of qualitative and quantitative techniques in order to produce actionable information
• Determines and recommends additional data collection requirements such as advanced survey creation (Qualtrics), with sophisticated branching and skip and display logic
• Leads the implementation of data standards and common data elements for data collection
• Leads technical staff to standardize and systemize routine reports, dashboards, and metrics
• Performs all other duties as assigned

Additional Functions:

• Directs the strategic initiatives, objectives, and outcomes associated with STEM Education programs learning assessment and evaluation and centers' missions
• Directs the research centers' assessment process and periodically review it for effectiveness
• Collects and analyzes data related to STEM projects, student learning outcomes assessment, and decision-making
• Manages all data and analysis related to STEM programs assessment. Provides data analysis support to all STEM programs for assessment purposes with regard to department-level metrics
• Conducts quantitative and qualitative data analyses to support data-informed decision making and action planning
• Develops and manages relationships across Rice University in consultation with the ORDS Executive Director in order to advance assessment and evaluation efforts for STEM programs
• Leads efforts for report generation to various constituencies (e.g., VP's office, Research Center Directors, Dean's Office)

Rice University HR | Benefits: https: //knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits

Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact Rice University's Disability Resource Center at 713-348-5841 or adarice@rice.edu for support.

If you have any additional questions, please email us at jobs@rice.edu . Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.