Senior Research Associate

Centre for Science of Student Learning

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ABOUT US

Set up by Fulbright alumni, Centre for Science of Student Learning (CSSL) is South Asias leading research based educational assessment organization working towards quality improvement in schools and school systems. Our mission is to build capacity for high quality assessments and research into the science of student learning. CSSL works with the Ministry of Education, Govt of India, Niti Aayog and more than 16 state governments such as Rajasthan, Haryana, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. CSSL regularly partners with the World Bank, UNICEF, UNESCO, Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, Tata Trusts, Central Square Foundation, several NGOs and CSR. CSSL also works with the National Assessment Organizations of Nepal and Maldives to build their capacity for learning assessments and improve student learning outcomes. CSSL currently has worked with more than 9 million students and 1 million teachers in India and abroad.

Vyjayanthi Sankar, the founder and executive director, is a Fulbright Humphrey Fellow and Ashoka Fellow. She is recognised as a leading Education, Assessment and Management expert who pioneered large scale assessments across South Asia. Vyjayanthi regularly advises governments in Eastern and Southern Africa, South-east Asia and South Asia on Learning Assessments.

WHY US

Many companies may provide you a job, but very few give you the opportunity to create something meaningful not only for you but that impacts lives around you at scale. We believe that we have the opportunity of a lifetime at CSSL to address some of the most challenging problems of education - and to put our own ding on the universe!

If this resonates with you and you think you have the necessary skill sets and would like the opportunity of a lifetime to explore, grow and stretch yourself to your fullest potential, then this may be the right place for you!

The growth potential for the right candidates is immense as the company is growing fast in both the academic space and social emotional arena as a leading provider internationally.

Role Summary

We are looking for a Senior Research Associate with a strong foundation in

psychometrics and quantitative analysis to support the design, analysis, and

interpretation of large-scale student assessments. The role involves conducting

item- and test-level analyses, contributing to rigorous research studies, and

translating complex analytical outputs into clear, decision-relevant insights for

education stakeholders.

Key responsibilities include ensuring data quality and analytical rigor, applying

appropriate statistical and psychometric methods, and contributing to analytical

frameworks that inform policy decisions, program design, and implementation

improvements across education systems. The role also offers opportunities to work

on the measurement and analysis of social-emotional and life skills.

Key Responsibilities

Conduct psychometric analysis using Classical Test Theory (CTT) and Item

Response Theory (IRT)

Analyze large-scale assessment datasets using R, ensuring data quality and

consistency

Develop reproducible analysis scripts, maintain documentation, and follow

version-controlled workflows

Create analytical summaries, visualizations, and inputs for technical and

non-technical reports

Collaborate with research leads, content teams, and field teams to support

timely and accurate delivery of analytical outputs

Required Qualifications

Masters degree in Statistics, Psychology, Cognitive Science, Education

Measurement, Economics, Data Science, or related fields

35 years of relevant analytical or research experience

Required Skills

Strong proficiency in R and/or Python for statistical analysis

Working knowledge of psychometrics and educational measurement

Understanding of Item Response Theory (IRT), multivariate analysis, and

factor analysis

Ability to work with large, real-world datasets

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Clear written and verbal communication in English.

Preferred

Experience with large-scale educational assessments

Familiarity with R

Prior exposure to education systems or social-sector research

Why Join

Work on meaningful, system-level education problems

Learn and apply rigorous measurement science in real contexts

Collaborative, meritocratic, and research-driven environment

Industry

• Education Management