Quantitative Research Associate, Employment & Economic Opportunity

Company: American Institutes for Research
Location: Chicago
Posted on: April 2, 2026

Job Description:

AIR’s Employment & Economic Opportunity Program is seeking a Quantitative Research Associate to support U.S. participation in international education data collections and assessments (e.g., Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, Programme for International Student Assessment). The role involves producing and validating education statistics, reviewing assessment and survey content, supporting survey operations and quality assurance, contributing to analysis and reporting, and coordinating with domestic and international partners. The position requires strong quantitative data sense, attention to detail, and the ability to work across multiple projects with differing timelines. This position has the flexibility to work remotely within the United States (U.S.) or from one of AIR’s U.S. office locations but requires availability to participate in meetings across all continental U.S. time zones. This does not include U.S. territories. About AIR Established in 1946, with headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, AIR is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit institution that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance to solve some of the most urgent challenges in the U.S. and around the world. We generate evidence and apply data-driven solutions that expand opportunities and improve lives for all. Responsibilities Compile, review, and submit U.S. national and subnational education data to international organizations and partners. Conduct basic statistical and descriptive analyses, (e.g., means, medians, percentages, distributions, subgroup comparisons, and regressions). Perform detailed data quality checks on statistical tables, figures, and narrative text to ensure accuracy, consistency, and compliance with technical standards. Review and provide input on assessment and survey frameworks, questionnaires, and content?related materials, including documenting comments and supporting alignment or review studies. Support survey and assessment operations by helping implement procedures, manage logistics, track timelines, and carry out quality assurance activities. Assist with preparation of technical documentation, methodological descriptions, literature summaries, meeting notes, and project records. Contribute to the development of descriptive analyses and support interpretation of results for reports, presentations, and policy?facing materials. Support production and review of reports and data products in PDF and web?based formats. Assist with project management tasks, including organizing files, tracking deliverables, troubleshooting issues, and coordinating across multiple concurrent projects. Maintain professional, collaborative working relationships with internal teams, federal clients, and international partner organizations. Qualifications: Education, Knowledge, and Experience Bachelor’s degree and 2 years of relevant experience or a Master's degree in in education, statistics, economics, social sciences, public policy, data science, or a related field. Substantive coursework or training in statistics or quantitative methods. Understanding sampling and weighting theories and techniques is preferred, but not required. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel (e.g., formulas, pivot tables, data review and validation). Experience working with datasets, large spreadsheets, databases, or survey data. High level of familiarity/proficiency with statistical programming (e.g., R, SAS, Stata) and the ability to read and interpret code or scripts for troubleshooting purposes. Subject matter knowledge in elementary, middle, or high school science, reading, mathematics, and/or financial literacy is preferred, but not required. Familiarity with the U.S. education system, including education standards (e.g., CCSS, NGSS) and state education systems and policies is preferred, but not required. Skills Strong attention to detail and familiarity with data quality assurance procedures. Excellent organizational and time?management skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks under deadlines. Ability to work independently to meet deadlines while also collaborating effectively within a team environment. Effective communication skills, especially for technical documentation and summaries. Demonstrated initiative, problem?solving skills, and adaptability across multiple projects. Disclosures: Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis. Employment-based visa sponsorship (including H-1B sponsorship) is not available for this position. Depending on project work, qualified candidates may need to meet certain residency requirements. American Institutes for Research is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability. AIR adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo reference and background checks. AIR maintains a drug-free work environment. ACCESSIBILITY NOTICE: If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process due to a physical or mental disability, please send an email to Taliba Boone at tboone@air.orgor call 202.403.5000. Fraudulent Job Scams Warning & Disclaimer: AIR is aware of individuals falsely presenting themselves as AIR representatives. Fraudulent job scams seek to extract sensitive information or money from victims. To protect yourself, please be aware that AIR recruitment will only email you from an “@air.org” domain. Please take extra caution while examining the email address, for example jdoe@air.org is correct and jdoe@aircareers.org is not a legitimate AIR email address. If you are unsure of the legitimacy of a communication you have received, please reach out torecruitment@air.org. If you see a job scam, or lose money to one, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) atReportFraud.ftc.gov. You can also report it to your state attorney general. Find out more about how to avoid scams atftc.gov/scams. LI-AS1 LI-REMOTE AIR’s Total Rewards Program , is designed to reward our staff competitively and motivate them to achieve our critical mission. This position offers the anticipated annual salary as listed. Salary offers are made based on internal equity within the institution and external equity with competitive markets. Please note this is the annual salary range for candidates that are based in the United States. Anticipated Hourly Rate Range $28 - $38 USD

Keywords: American Institutes for Research, Schaumburg , Quantitative Research Associate, Employment & Economic Opportunity, IT / Software / Systems , Chicago, Illinois