Post Doctoral Research Fellow

Position Summary:

The Postdoctoral Fellow will contribute to research initiatives within the Center for Advancing Human Competencies at the ETS Research Institute. Research work will focus on how K-12 education can better prepare students for future STEM pathways by conducting innovative, high-quality research on how future-ready human capabilities are developed, demonstrated, supported and measured within authentic disciplinary learning contexts, with an emphasis on STEM education, especially mathematics, and preparation for future STEM pathways.

This role is designed for an early-career scholar who have recently completed their doctoral degrees and aim to advance research at the intersection of STEM learning, assessment, and skills development. The role will study how students demonstrate skills, such as collaboration, critical thinking, communication, through disciplinary learning. The role will also examine how educators recognize, interpret, and use evidence of these skills within existing standards, curricula, assessments, and instruction.

The postdoctoral fellowship will be a one-year appointment with the possibility of renewal contingent on funding.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Design and execute research projects on competency-based STEM learning, skills development, and STEM pathways.
• Study how K-12 learning and teaching can integrate skills-based or competency-based approaches to better prepare students for future STEM pathways and AI-era STEM workforce opportunities.
• Support innovation by contributing to skills assessment tools and practical resources.
• Apply quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, or computational methods to analyze student competencies, disciplinary practices, human-AI interaction, and assessment evidence.
• Contribute to the development of skills indicators, competency maps, validity arguments for measuring future-ready skills in STEM contexts.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams across ETS and external partners.
• Disseminate findings through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and internal reports.
• Contribute to proposals for externally funded research projects.

• Strong background in one or more areas: STEM education, mathematics education, learning sciences, educational measurement, human-AI collaboration, or a related field.
• Experience in analyzing assessment data, process data, or human-AI interactions.
• Experience with STEM pathways, career-connected STEM education, K-12 system reform.
• Strong quantitative, mixed-methods, computational research skills, or programming skills (e.g., R, Python)preferred.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively in diverse, interdisciplinary teams.
• Commitment to ethical and responsible research practices.

Education and Experience:

• Ph.D. in mathematics education, science education, STEM education, learning sciences, educational psychology, educational measurement, or related field completed within the past three years or expected before the start date.