The Placement Exchange Job Board

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

The Continuum College has an outstanding opportunity for Education Policy Research Analyst to join their team.

The University of Washington (UW) is proud to be one of the nation's premier educational and research institutions. Our people are the most important asset in our pursuit of achieving excellence in education, research, and community service. Our staff not only enjoys outstanding benefits and professional growth opportunities, but also an environment noted for diversity, community involvement, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits, and natural beauty.

The UW Continuum College was founded in 1912 to extend the benefits of the university beyond the edge of campus to the world. In other words, we create educational equity. In 2022, that mission meant serving more than 60,000 children, adult, continuing education, and non-traditional college students in nearly 400 programs. Our learners range in age from seven to eighty-seven in programs designed to help people of all ages and backgrounds thrive in an everchanging world.

As Continuum College looks to the future, our original mission remains to extend educational equity to the state of Washington, our region, country, and the world. Our targeted focus over the next ten years is improving the attainment of meaningful credentials, especially in BIPOC and other underrepresented communities. We are beginning in our own backyard: Washington has 1.1 million residents with some college and no meaningful credential, and we want to change that. If you are undaunted by big challenges and want to make a global impact in higher education, join us.

POSITION OVERVIEW

Continuum College has an exciting opportunity for an Education Policy Research Analyst to shape a ten-year agenda to dramatically improve credential attainment in Washington state. Reporting to the Vice Provost for Continuum College, the successful candidate will have experience conducting primary and secondary research, synthesizing data, developing policy recommendations, and communicating research results. The position requires examination, and astute synthesis of Federal, state, and university policies that have an impact on credential attainment. This staff research role will provide thought leadership and education within UW, illuminating the current state of policy related to equitable degree attainment, adult education, and shaping the measurable social impact of Continuum College.

Top candidates will demonstrate experience in developing solutions that overcome policies that are exclusionary in intent or outcome, especially those that that disadvantage BIPOC and rural learners of all ages from successfully completing a higher education credential. In addition to the external policy environment, this candidate will bring energy to examining, revising, and developing new university policies that allow more people to engage in rigorous academic experiences over the course of their lifetime.


DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Research and writing

Conduct research using primary and secondary resources and synthesize results into meaningful reports, whitepapers, and publishable research.

Key areas of focus include developing a deep understanding of the current college credential environment, including IPEDs data and NCES reports; how national data compares to Washington state; policies and practices shown to help students (especially those underrepresented in current populations) successfully complete a meaningful credential;

Develop targeted short reports and position papers covering emergent education policy topics as needed by the Vice Provost and Continuum College leadership team.

Coordinate original research (potentially with faculty, Continuum staff or other researchers) to demonstrate impact of specific policies and make recommendations for improvements.

Policy alignment and development

Align Continuum College work with the UW legislative agenda by maintaining close relationships with the Office of Planning and Budgeting (OPB), UW Office of State Relations, and the UW Office of Federal Relations.

Collaborate with fellow education researchers across the state of Washington, including those already conducting policy research for Washington's Council of Presidents, to align positions and develop statewide solutions that reduce barriers for credential attainment.

Work with Continuum leadership to refine the social impact measures the College is using to align with the grand challenge of reducing those with some college and no credential by 50%.

Provide direct support to Continuum leadership to patiently advance new policy ideas through faculty and administrative governance processes.

Education and thought leadership

Provide regular whitepapers, reports, and data to the Continuum College Executive Council and administrative leadership teams to stay informed about changes to the education policy environment.

Coordinate educational research projects with staff, faculty, and students toward the mission and direction of the college.

Prepare and deliver educational policy presentations to Continuum College staff and other university leaders related to adult and non-traditional education, degree attainment, and the evolution of university education.


MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Master's degree and 2 (or 3) years of experience.

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.


ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Demonstrated ability to conduct original research using primary and secondary resources in the field of education or a closely related field (such as public policy, public health, social work, etc.)

Knowledge of U.S. higher education policy issues and concerns, especially those related to non-traditional student populations and those underrepresented in higher education.

Examples of education policy (or closely related) position papers, research articles, and whitepapers written solely, or primarily by the applicant.

Ability to present complex education policy information in ways that are appropriate for the audience and context.

Ability to create positive and open-minded inter-group communications


Individuals with these qualifications will also find rewarding career opportunities in this position

PhD in educational policy, public policy, or a closely related field.

5 or more years of experience working in a policy position, with responsibility for conducting research and formulating policies

Examples of policy development, especially policies that have overcome systemic barriers to educational attainment in underrepresented populations.

Knowledge of policy issues in the state of Washington, particularly those related to adult students and degree completion.


Application Process: The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select "Apply to this position". Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your "My Jobs" page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.