American Institutes for Research

Role Description AIR is seeking a Project Director to provide strategic, intellectual, and operational leadership for the organization’s flagship AI Century Study. The AI Century Study is a 100-year national research effort to understand how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping human development and society. The ideal candidate will: - Bring a strong track record leading complex, multi-year research initiatives. - Have demonstrated results with cultivating cross-sector partnerships that generate rigorous, accessible, longitudinal evidence. - Hold intellectual curiosity for the main question driving the study: “How does the age of AI change the human condition?” The Project Director will help shape the vision and lead the execution and evolution of the AI Century Study, serving as both scientific steward and strategic leader. This role is responsible for: - Guiding interdisciplinary teams. - Managing complex partnerships. - Ensuring the study produces high-quality evidence that informs policy, practice, and public understanding of AI’s long-term impacts. This position has the flexibility to work remotely within the United States (U.S.) or from one of AIR’s U.S. office locations. This does not include U.S. territories. Responsibilities - Strategic and Scientific Leadership - Contribute to and support the refinement of the strategic vision for the AI Century Study, ensuring alignment with AIR’s mission. - Provide intellectual leadership on research questions, study design, and the evolution of the study over time. - Integrate qualitative, quantitative, longitudinal, and design-informed research methods. - Guide synthesis of findings into clear, compelling insights for diverse technical and non-technical audiences. - Research Execution and Quality Assurance - Lead the full research lifecycle, including data collection, governance, ethics, privacy, and security across all study components. - Ensure high standards for research quality, transparency, and reproducibility. - Apply adaptive learning, reflection, and iterative improvement as the study evolves. - Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement - Develop strategic relationships with funders, academic collaborators, school systems, policymakers, and technology stakeholders. - Serve as a key point of contact for major external partners and funders. - Lead collaborative research activities such as listening sessions, convenings, and co-design or co-learning workshops. - Identify and pursue opportunities to expand the study’s reach, sustainability, and influence through partnerships, co-funding, and aligned initiatives. - Communication and Thought Leadership - Significantly contribute to dissemination and knowledge-translation strategies, including the development of reports, briefs, convenings, and public-facing products. - Represent the AI Century Study and AIR in national forums, media, and professional communities. - Translate complex and longitudinal findings into accessible, actionable narratives that inform policy and practice. - Program and Team Leadership - Lead, supervise, and mentor a multidisciplinary team of researchers, analysts, designers, and communications staff. - Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing team culture grounded in rigor, curiosity, and continuous learning. - Coordinate across AIR divisions and technical areas to ensure coherence, alignment, and effective use of institutional expertise. Qualifications - PhD with a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience, or Master’s degree with a minimum of 11 years of experience in one or more of the following areas: human development, health, workforce development, education, or learning sciences; social science research, evaluation, or longitudinal study leadership; technology policy, data science, or applied research related to digital or AI-enabled systems. - Proven record of directing large-scale, multi-year research or evaluation projects, including responsibility for study design, implementation, and learning over time. - At least 5 years of experience managing, or contributing to complex research initiatives, partnerships, or portfolios spanning multiple organizations or sectors (e.g., nonprofit, government, academia, philanthropy, technology partners). - Demonstrated success building and sustaining partnerships across sectors and disciplines to support long-term research and learning agendas. - Professional reputation and network in fields relevant to the AI Century Study. - Direct experience translating research and evidence into policy- or practice-relevant insights for technical and non-technical audiences. - Experience with longitudinal, cohort-based, or life-course-oriented studies. - Comfort engaging with both technical and non-technical stakeholders, including policymakers, practitioners, and the public. - Experience across domains of human development, health, education, workforce, and technology. - Experience at the intersection of AI and human development. - Background in human-centered research approaches. Skills - Intellectual curiosity for the main study question – “How does the age of AI change the human condition?” - Systems-oriented thinker with a deep understanding of systems change; able to see connections across research, policy, technology, and human experience. - Highly organized and adaptable, able to manage multiple priorities and navigate ambiguity in dynamic, evolving research environments. - Excellent communicator and storyteller who can translate complex, longitudinal findings into clear, actionable insights for varied audiences. - Strong leader and people manager with a demonstrated commitment to mentorship, collaboration, and staff development within interdisciplinary teams. 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. - American Institutes for Research is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employer. - AIR adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. - 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.org or call 202.403.5000. Anticipated Annual Salary Range $165,000 — $200,000 USD

Role Description Join AIR as a part-time Researcher Intern to support a project for the National Center for Systemic Improvement (NCSI). The NCSI supports state education agencies (SEAs) to best use their general supervision and professional development systems to establish and meet high expectations for every student with a disability by providing universal, targeted, and intensive technical assistance. This internship is designed for graduate students interested in special education leadership, state education agency work, systems-level improvement, and evidence-based practices that improve outcomes for children and youth with disabilities. This staff person will contribute to ongoing projects, participate in structured professional learning and mentorship, and complete a culminating project aligned to NCSI priorities. This part-time internship is expected to begin in October 2026 and conclude in May 2027. Interns must be available to work part-time during standard business hours on weekdays to support collaboration with project staff, participate in meetings, and engage in professional learning activities. This position is not intended for work performed exclusively during evenings or outside normal business hours. Candidates hired for the position may work remotely within the United States (U.S.) or from one of our U.S. office locations. This does not include U.S. territories. Responsibilities - Support projects related to the education of students with disabilities, with emphasis on state education agencies and special education systems-level work. - Assist with reviewing, synthesizing, and organizing research, policy, guidance, and other resources relevant to special education leadership and improvement efforts. - Contribute to the development of tools, materials, presentations, briefs, and other products for internal and external audiences. - Participate in team meetings, professional learning opportunities, and mentorship activities with leaders in special education and related fields. - Help analyze problems of practice and identify evidence-based strategies that support improved services, systems, and outcomes for children and youth with disabilities. - Collaborate with project staff to complete assigned tasks, monitor timelines, and communicate progress on internship activities. - Complete a culminating project aligned with the priorities of NCSI. - Perform other related duties in support of learning goals and organizational needs. Qualifications - Must currently be enrolled in a masters or doctoral program in special education, educational leadership, public policy, disability studies, education policy, or a closely related field focused on the education and development of students with disabilities. - Demonstrated interest in leadership, policy, systems improvement, or state-level work related to special education. - Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to synthesize information clearly for different audiences. - Strong organizational skills and attention to detail. - Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a hybrid or remote professional environment. - Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines. - Experience with literature reviews, policy analysis, data-informed decision-making, or program support. - Commitment to improving outcomes for students with disabilities, their families, and the systems that serve them. Requirements - Hourly pay is $30.00 for doctoral students and $25.00 for master's students. Rates are fixed and not negotiable. - 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. Benefits - 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.

• Serve as a bridge between data scientists, economists, and domain experts, translating across disciplines to ensure that analytical approaches are both methodologically rigorous and grounded in real-world development and global health challenges. • Design and implement quantitative analyses to address global health challenges in low and middle income countries, with a focus on predictive analytics, geospatial analyses, and causal design. • Apply machine learning and AI approaches, including predictive analytics, to real-world datasets (e.g., on AIR’s malaria early warning system and other geospatial or satellite data) to generate forward-looking insights and support innovative, data-driven solutions in global health and development contexts. • Develop and implement machine learning and predictive analytics workflows using Python (and, where appropriate, R) to analyze complex development and global health data. • Integrate and analyze survey, administrative, and remotely sensed (e.g., satellite or geospatial) data to generate novel insights on development and global health challenges. • Contribute to the design and execution of applied research studies, including experimental and quasi-experimental approaches where appropriate. • Translate complex analytical results into clear, actionable recommendations for policymakers, program implementers, and funders. • Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, including economists, data scientists, and sector specialists, to integrate data-driven approaches into projects. • Support business development efforts, including drafting technical approaches, shaping analytical strategies for proposals, and contributing to engagement with donors such as the Gates Foundation, World Bank, U.S. Department of State, UNICEF, and other partners. • Engage with partners and stakeholders in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) to ensure analyses are grounded in contextual realities and implementation constraints. • Mentor and supervise junior researchers and data scientists, fostering professional growth and technical excellence. • Manage multidisciplinary project teams and ensure high-quality deliverables aligned with client expectations.

• Support projects related to the education of students with disabilities, with emphasis on state education agencies and special education systems-level work. • Assist with reviewing, synthesizing, and organizing research, policy, guidance, and other resources relevant to special education leadership and improvement efforts. • Contribute to the development of tools, materials, presentations, briefs, and other products for internal and external audiences. • Participate in team meetings, professional learning opportunities, and mentorship activities with leaders in special education and related fields. • Help analyze problems of practice and identify evidence-based strategies that support improved services, systems, and outcomes for children and youth with disabilities. • Collaborate with project staff to complete assigned tasks, monitor timelines, and communicate progress on internship activities. • Complete a culminating project aligned with the priorities of NCSI. • Perform other related duties in support of learning goals and organizational needs.

• Demonstrating and applying content knowledge and methodological expertise to study design decisions, project activities, and reporting. • Contributing to or supervising collection and management of data for projects; · Leading or contributing to designs for rigorous experimental, quasi-experimental, and descriptive studies. • Leading or contributing to quantitative analysis and write-up of research technical reports, briefs and other project deliverables. • Carrying out task management activities, including supervising junior staff, communicating with senior managers, and communicating with clients as appropriate. • Engaging in business development activities, including cultivating relationships with existing and potential new clients, capture planning, managing or writing proposals. • Supporting collaboration among team members, both internal and external to the organization. • Contributing to dissemination activities, including presentations, journal manuscripts, issue briefs, data dashboards, infographics and other products for a variety of audiences. • Mentoring staff, share approaches to solving concrete study design and analytic problems, and provide feedback on the work of others.

• Leads project and task execution and business development, specifically for work conducted for CMS and the CMS Innovation Center (CMMI). • Directs execution of large complex projects or portfolio of smaller projects; oversees the planning, design, and implementation of project procedures. • Provides senior subject matter expertise related to prescription drug prescribing, pricing, and rebate programs to delivery teams and/or proposal teams. • Leads proposal efforts including review of proposals for sound practices and techniques, briefings, and client relation/development activities. • Serves as industry expert for alternative payment models, value-based reimbursement, or Medicare payment policies, especially as they relate to prescription drug policies and pricing. • Effectively coaches and manages others to promote their development; sets developmental goals and measurements for staff. • Fosters an environment that values a wide range of perspectives, experiences, backgrounds, and individual strengths.

• Engage with Marketplace, Medicaid and Medicare stakeholders through meetings, briefings, and dissemination activities. • Interpret policy and regulations. • Specify, oversee, and interpret descriptive and statistical analyses of large, complex datasets. • Translate complex analytic findings into clear, actionable insights for state and federal stakeholders, including client reports, technical memoranda, and presentations. • Design and oversee the development of dashboards and other data visualizations to present quality performance and associated data. • Apply appropriate quantitative methods to collect, manage, analyze, and interpret administrative data, such as claims, encounters, enrollment, eligibility, and provider data. • Lead or contribute to the design and execution of research and evaluation projects, including policy analyses, demonstrations, and program evaluations. • Support proposal development work by writing technical sections, contributing to analytic approaches, and supporting proposal strategy. • Manage small to mid sized project tasks or analytic components, including planning timelines, tracking deliverables, and coordinating with internal teams and external clients. • Develop and manage budgets (in collaboration with a Project Manager), and communicate timelines, scope and resources with clients. • Ensure the quality, accuracy, and consistency of all work products through appropriate QA/QC processes. • Supervise, mentor and guide junior staff through feedback, training, and modeling best practices in quantitative and qualitative policy research and professional completion of project tasks. • Work effectively in a highly collaborative, multidisciplinary team environment with staff of varied technical skills and expertise.

• Set the strategic direction for a portfolio of federal and state Medicaid policy and data analytics initiatives, spanning analytic design, data infrastructure, performance monitoring, and reporting, and ensure alignment with evolving Medicaid program priorities and regulatory requirements. • Provide executive oversight across the full analytics lifecycle, guiding multidisciplinary teams on analytic conceptualization, data specification, methodology, validation, and policy-relevant reporting, while ensuring methodological rigor and consistency across projects. • Serve as a senior strategic advisor to federal and state clients, particularly CMS/CMCS and state Medicaid agencies, shaping analytic approaches, anticipating data and policy risks, and strengthening long-term partnerships. • Work with AIR’s program area and functional leadership to create a business development strategy for established areas and specific new areas of growth and identify new opportunities, including coordinating pursuit plans and pipelines for opportunities. • Supervise and mentor task leads, analysts, researchers, TA specialists, and operational staff to build strong, high-performing project teams. • Represent AIR in stakeholder meetings, technical discussions, and conferences related to Medicaid data, policy, and program analytics.

• Manage large, complex research and evaluation projects focused on community safety, violence prevention, and related systems-change efforts. • Anticipate project risks and develop mitigation strategies to ensure timely, high quality deliverables. • Ensure compliance with ethical standards, IRB requirements, and data governance policies. • Lead and contribute to proposals and capture efforts for federal, state, local, foundation, and other client opportunities related to community safety. • Develop competitive proposal strategies, including conceptual design, methodological plans, staffing, and budgets. • Identify new business opportunities and cultivate partnerships that advance the organization’s mission. • Serve as a senior methodological leader, advising teams on rigorous quantitative and/or qualitative approaches. • Lead the review, analysis, synthesis, and visualization of data using appropriate practices and techniques. • Ensure data integrity, reproducibility, and strong documentation across all analytic workflows. • Translate complex research findings—both orally and in writing—into actionable insights tailored to policymakers, practitioners, and community partners. • Manage client and stakeholder relationships with professionalism and awareness of the broader policy and practice landscape. • Cultivate external relationships with researchers, practitioners, community partners, and other leaders working across the community safety and prevention landscape. • Manage and mentor staff to build technical capacity in community safety, prevention science, research design, and client service. • Provide thought partnership and coaching to mid level researchers on research design, analysis, and dissemination. • Model inclusive leadership practices and foster a collaborative team environment.

• Manage day-to-day project operations in roles such as principal investigator, project director, or task lead, ensuring deliverables are completed on time, within budget, and to a high standard. • Lead collaborative project teams by developing timelines, coordinating staff assignments. • Identify research problems and design rigorous applied studies, including aligned research questions, methodologies, and analytic plans. • Apply subject-matter expertise to design and implement relevant, responsive, and impactful research and technical assistance projects. • Develop study designs with aligned research questions, methodologies, and analytic plans. • Lead and contribute to proposals for federal, state, foundation, and other clients. • Devise and implement innovative solutions to practical challenges in applied research. • Lead data collection and analysis efforts, including the design of qualitative and/or quantitative data collection tools (e.g., interview protocols, focus group guides, surveys). • Supervise field-based data collection activities, including interviews, observations, focus groups, and document reviews. • Conduct or oversee data analysis using appropriate tools and techniques for various data types. • Communicate study progress and findings clearly and effectively through reports, briefs, visualizations, and other materials. • Represent the organization professionally in client interactions and manage client and stakeholder relationships with awareness of the broader policy and practice landscape. • Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with clients, partners, and stakeholders, and foster positive, collaborative working relationships. • Contribute thoughtfully and creatively to project teams.