Scientist Jobs in Austin, TX

Job Posting Title : Research Scientist

Hiring Department :

Educational Leadership and Policy

Position Open To : All Applicants

Weekly Scheduled Hours :

40

FLSA Status : Exempt

Earliest Start Date :

Feb 02, 2026

Position Duration :

Expected to Continue Until May 31, 2027

Location : UT MAIN CAMPUS

Job Details : General Notes

The university provides employees a competitive benefits package that includes health insurance (premiums covered 100% for full-time benefits-eligible employees), retirement plans, and paid leave, in addition to other programs and services. We offer robust free training access through LinkedIn Learning, professional conference opportunities, an expansive employee discount program, including athletic tickets. Free access to UT Austin's libraries and museums with a staff ID card. Free rides on all UT Shuttle and Austin CapMetro buses with a staff ID card. For more details, please see : https : / / hr.utexas.edu / prospective / benefits and https : / / hr.utexas.edu / current / services / my-total-rewards

Purpose

This position will be housed in the Education Research Center (ERC) in the College of Education at UT Austin. The position will report to Pedro Reyes, PhD., Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy and Faculty Affiliate at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, and Celeste Alexander, PhD., Director, ERC. The position is funded by multiple grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, with the possibility of funding from additional sources in the future.

Responsibilities

Responsibility 1 : Lead or co-lead the development and execution of research projects,

Responsibility 2 : Develop data collection instruments and research protocols, including for Institutional Review Board (IRB) review and approval.

Responsibility 3 : Analyze qualitative and quantitative data collected on research projects. Write grant reports and papers from research results.

Responsibility 4 : Conduct literature reviews, systematic reviews, and / or meta-analyses on topics related to the research agenda.

Responsibility 5 : Present research, practitioner, and scholarly conferences, meetings, and events. Publish peer-reviewed publications.

Responsibility 6 : Publish policy briefs, memos, and reports for audiences of practitioners and policymakers.

Responsibility 7 : Secure additional funding for research.

Responsibility 8 : Supervise undergraduate and graduate research assistants.

Required Qualifications

Master's degree in education, public policy, economics, or a related field with a focus on education

5-7 years of experience with research design and execution in education research

Experience analyzing large-scale administrative educational datasets

Experience with statistical programs such as R, Stata, and SPSS

Experience analyzing qualitative data

Experience managing undergraduate or graduate research assistants on large-scale research projects

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

PhD degree in education, public policy, economics, or a related field with a focus on education

Experience using Texas's Education Research Centers to conduct educational research

Experience conducting research on career and technical education and / or industry-based certifications

Familiarity with research on policies and programs designed to support students' preparedness for, transition into, and success in college and career pathways

Experience with publishing research findings

Salary Range

$75,000 + depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

Typical Office Environment

Hybrid, but must be in or close to Austin

Required Materials

Resume / CV

3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor

Letter of interest

Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers : You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure thatALLRequired Materials have been uploaded. Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers : As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questionspresented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

Employment Eligibility :

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion / transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

Retirement Plan Eligibility :

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length. This position has the option to elect the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) instead of TRS, subject to the position being 40 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

Background Checks :

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

Equal Opportunity Employer :

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity / affirmative action employer,complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Pay Transparency :

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information.

Employment Eligibility Verification :

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

E-Verify :

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university's company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following :

• E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

Compliance :

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.