The Center for Applied Linguistics is a nonprofit organization promoting access, equity and mutual understanding for linguistically and culturally diverse people around the world.

The mission of the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) is to promote language learning and cultural understanding by serving as a trusted source for research, resources, and policy analysis. Through its work, CAL seeks solutions to issues involving language and culture as they relate to access and equity in education and society around the globe.

JOB DESCRIPTION

**Applicants must submit a resume and cover letter to be considered for this position.**

The Center for Applied Linguistics is located in Washington DC. This is a hybrid position, and the employee may choose to work in their preferred combination of in person at the office in a hoteling capacity, or remotely. Staff may work from locations outside of Washington DC, Maryland, or Virginia if approved for telework. However, this position is not open to candidates residing in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, California, or the U.S. Territories.

SUMMARY

Under the guidance of the Senior Director of Psychometrics and Quantitative Research, the Senior Psychometrician is responsible for contributing to the overall direction of psychometric research at CAL; designing psychometric analyses of test performances; leading, managing, and conducting psychometric analyses related to test construction, validity, reliability, equating, and scoring; preparing technical reports; developing, maintaining, and applying quality control procedures; providing quantitative guidance to professional research staff at CAL; coordinating external quantitative resources on behalf of the organization and supporting CAL’s outreach, research, development, and client development activities. The Senior Psychometrician will also provide quantitative guidance to other researchers at CAL and coordinate external quantitative resources on behalf of the organization.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Lead, design, and conduct psychometric analyses for the WIDA ACCESS program
• Provide leadership in developing and maintaining CAL’s adult ESL testing programs, in collaboration with test developers.
• Plan, manage, conduct, document and present psychometric and statistical analyses using classical test theory and the Rasch model with Winsteps and Facets software, including analyses related to item quality, rater performance, DIF, reliability and classification consistency, standard setting, equating, scoring, and reporting.
• Investigate and evaluate new approaches to conducting psychometric analyses.
• Establish and monitor quality control procedures related to quantitative analyses, from data cleaning to the final report, ensuring the reliability and integrity of results.
• Provide guidance to CAL researchers in developing and maintaining CAL’s adult ESL testing programs.
• Provide guidance to professional researchers on proposal design and quantitative analytical approaches upon request and participate in writing quantitatively-oriented portions of proposals as required.
• Maintain contacts with individuals with specific quantitative expertise outside the organization who may be called on as needed for specific tasks.
• Support outreach and collaboration, including research, development and client development activities with external partners, academia, innovators in education and language, and the public.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Ph.D. in Educational Measurement, Psychometrics, or related field
• Ten years of extensive experience in designing, managing, and conducting applied Psychometric analyses for high stakes operational testing programs.
• Strong demonstrated experience in applying the Rasch model to a variety of psychometric issues.
• Experience in conducting analysis on performance and polytomously-scored tasks.
• Demonstrated proficiency in using SPSS, Winsteps, Facets, R and other statistical and psychometric software.
• Strong demonstrated experience with computerized adaptive assessments.
• Demonstrated knowledge and application of quality control procedures in creating and maintaining databases, conducting statistical and psychometric analyses, conducting other quantitative research, and producing technical reports.
• Demonstrated ability to work with a diverse, multi-disciplinary professional team of researchers and language testers.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate both orally and in writing with a wide variety of audiences, including researchers, test developers, and client leadership teams.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Minimum of ten years of extensive experience in programming using statistical software such as SPSS, Winsteps, Stata, and SAS.
• Proficient in using programming in R.
• Experience with language assessment.
• Experience working as a member of a team in producing timely high-quality deliverables.
• Experience creating replicable procedures for routine psychometric work.
• Experience in conducting standard setting study and/or alignment studies.

COMPENSATION:

Minimum Salary: $112,201 Annually

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

This position requires occasional travel (minimum of 2 times per year).

This job description summarizes the main duties of the job. It neither prescribes nor restricts the exact tasks that may be assigned to carry out these duties. This document should not be construed in any way to represent a contract of employment. Management reserves the right to review and revise this document at any time.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to effectively communicate. The employee may be required to sit or stand in a stationary position 50% of the time. This position constantly operates a computer and other office productivity equipment. The employee must be able to observe details at close range, including color on a computer screen. CAL adheres to ADA compliance and guidelines as a common practice.

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT STATEMENT

The Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, CAL complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

CAL expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of CAL employees to perform their job duties may result in discipline up to and including discharge.