Specialist, Research

Our Human Resources Team at the Greenville County School District is dedicated to advancing student achievement by recruiting and employing the highest qualified staff for our schools and to serve those with whom we work.

Position - Research Specialist

Location -Accountability & Quality Assurance Department - Central Office

Posting Date - April 24, 2025

*Application Deadline- Until Filled

*Effective Reporting Date - As soon as possible

Salary Range - Level J (65,415-107,732)

Length of Service - Full-time (245 Day)

Position Overview:

We are seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented Research Specialist to support all facets of K-12 educational accountability and reporting. This role is responsible for managing large-scale accountability projects such as state school report cards, overseeing data collection and analysis processes, producing high-impact reports, and delivering presentations to district and school stakeholders. The ideal candidate will possess strong research, analytical, and communication skills with a passion for using data to inform educational policy and practice.

Major Responsibilities:

Accountability Project Management

Lead and manage all phases of accountability initiatives, including state school report cards, federal reporting, and other public-facing data projects.

Coordinate timelines and deliverables across teams to ensure compliance with state and federal reporting deadlines.

Liaise with state education departments and other external partners as required.

Stay up to date with changes in education policy and accountability frameworks at the state and federal level.

Data Collection & Analysis

Develop and maintain systems for efficient and accurate data collection from schools and districts.

Conduct rigorous quantitative and qualitative analyses of student performance, school climate, performance and ranking indicators, and other education-related data.

Ensure data integrity and quality through validation, verification, and other quality control procedures.

Design, organize, collect, analyze, manage, and report on data and research related to all aspects of district and school performance.

Plan, design, conduct, and manage recurring and new projects.

Design, analyze, and manage large spreadsheets.

Use tools such as Office Suite, Google Suite, spreadsheets, and performance monitoring platforms to manage and analyze data effectively.

Reporting & Communication

Author clear, comprehensive reports, manuals, executive summaries, infographics, and technical documentation tailored to diverse audiences.

Prepare and deliver presentations and data briefings to school administrators, district staff, and community stakeholders.

Translate complex data findings into actionable insights that support educational improvement efforts.

Collaboration & Support

Partner with internal departments such as academics, school counselors, principal supervisors, and communications to support aligned data strategies.

Provide training and consultation to school and district staff on interpreting accountability data and using it for continuous improvement.

Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Education, Public Policy, Statistics, Data Science, or a related field.
• Five or more years of professional experience in educational research, leadership, counseling, program/project management, data analysis/science, or similar research and accountability field.
• Proficiency in data analysis tools (e.g., Excel, R, Python, SPSS, etc.).
• Excellent written, oral, verbal communication and social skills, including experience presenting to non-technical audiences.
• Strong project management skills and the ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously (multi-task) and prioritize successfully.
• Able to work independently and as a team while organizing and performing multiple projects.
• Well-developed organizational, planning, executing skills. Able to reason effectively.
• Able to exercise good judgment, in decision making.
• Adept at recognizing issues/concerns and developing alternatives and solutions.
• Able to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Exhibits self-motivation, innovation, initiative, anticipatory mindset and productivity.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in related field or above
• Deep understanding of South Carolina's accountability frameworks, education laws and regulations and federal education accountability systems (e.g., ESSA) and policy.
• Familiarity with ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act), IDEA, Title IV, and other education policy frameworks.
• Background in school improvement, program evaluation, or strategic planning.
• Knowledge of data privacy laws such as FERPA.
• Earned Six Sigma Black Belt, PMP, IIA, or Design Thinking cert

Greenville County Schools does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, sex, color, disability, religion, or national origin in its dealings with employees, students, the general public, applicants for employment, educational programs, activities, or access to its facilities.