The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) is the State Education Agency for the District of Columbia charged with raising the quality of education for all DC students. Within OSSE, the Division of Data, Assessment, and Research is responsible for using data to measure and communicate student success. We strive to develop data and measurement systems and resources, produce actionable data, and to conduct research that helps schools, community members, and families improve outcomes for all students in the District.

The Office of Research, Analysis, and Reporting (ORAR) team partners with divisions within OSSE as well as agencies across the District to promote the quality and transparency of education data in order to inform policy and practice. The purpose of this position is to provide data science and advanced analytical support, generating actionable insights from data and then presenting those insights in compelling graphical, numerical, and narrative forms. The management analyst will work collaboratively with other internal and external entities to provide timely, relevant, and scientifically rigorous evidence to inform OSSE’s policies, programs, and decision-making, particularly focusing in the area of Early Learning.

What you will do:

The management analyst will collaborate with relevant internal and external stakeholders to promote data-driven decision making and the strategic use of data to promote equitable evaluation of education programs. Additional functions/responsibilities are as follows:

• Identifies and executes on opportunities to harness data analytic approaches that provide insight into agency goals.
• Where applicable, automates data pulls, manipulations, and other rote activities to enable efficient operations.
• Uses descriptive statistics, predictive analytics, machine learning, and other methods to learn about and derive insights from the patterns and relations within a dataset.
• Creates data dictionaries, annotated code, and similar materials to ensure work product is as transparent and reproducible as possible.
• Proactively provides ideas and critical feedback—as well as being open to such constructive dialogue—as part of continuous improvement processes.
• Writes descriptions and summaries projects for diverse audiences, including agency leadership, government practitioners, and public stakeholders.
• Ensures the accuracy, timeliness, and completeness of the data they provide by following established quality assurance (QA) procedures.
• Collaborates with internal and external stakeholders and research partners, as appropriate, to plan and support research projects, develop policy briefs, and promote data-driven decision making.
• Remains current with education policy issues and relevant research methodologies.
• Promotes the office's role within the education research community by representing the team in meetings with education professionals, policymakers, and representatives in support of the office's mission.
• Handles confidential data securely, in accordance with local and federal policies and requirements regarding privacy.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

What you bring to OSSE

Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience which is directly related to the position and has equipped the individual with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. To be creditable, the incumbent must possess at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression. Examples of specialized experience include but not limited to:

• Concision and clarity in verbal and written communication (for both technical and non-technical audiences).
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of the work.
• Interest in education research theory, policy, principles, and practices.
• Completing data analysis using Python, STATA, R, SQL, or other statistical programs and an excitement to expand this skill set.
• Expertise in handling complex datasets, including importing, merging, and reshaping datasets, as well as handling duplicates, discrepancies, missing entries, and other quirks of large administrative data.
• Ability and resilience in the face of competing and evolving priorities and new information.

Interested applicants should submit a resume and cover letter to [email protected] with “Management Analyst (Data Science and Analysis) CS-12” in the subject line.