Manager Psychometrics

Ascend Learning is a national leader in data driven, online educational solutions for learners, educators and employers in high-growth, licensure-driven professions spanning healthcare, fitness and wellness, skilled trades, insurance and financial services. We are passionate about accelerating learning while impacting job readiness, employment success and employee retention with the belief that our work changes lives.

Our culture is intentionally results-driven and selfless with a relentless focus on our customers. We believe in trust, transparency, freedom and responsibility with a commitment to meritocracy, inclusion and diversity of thought. Continual investment in our over 1500 employees is also a core principle realized through ongoing professional development and providing opportunities to grow, develop and lead. Ascend Learning is headquartered in Burlington, MA with additional office locations and remote workers in cities across the U.S..

Ascend Learning is seeking a motivated, energetic individual with strong psychometric experience and good communication skills as Manager Psychometrics. Are you interested in leading a team to build best-in-class assessments and learning products? Want to work with leading edge technologies on a team to positively change the lives of our learners? Our team consists of talented psychometricians and research scientists working together to developing software products to help students learn the right thing for them at the right time. This position is based in our Leawood, KS office as a hybrid position or can be a remote position.

Responsibilities & Duties

• Manage applied psychometrics team and drive progress for project tasks related to the team’s work.
• Plan psychometric team tasks with cross-functional teams for assigned projects (e.g., product development, project management, test development). Participate in project budget discussions to support capital planning process.
• Oversee the conduct of psychometric analyses to support product development and outcomes research (e.g., use of classical test theory and IRT, validation of equating, and standard setting). Investigate new methodologies to keep assessment programs modern and up to date with needs of markets.
• Guide and effectively mentor early career psychometricians.
• Work directly with Innovation Learning Sciences leadership team, business product teams and technology teams to help design and build strong product lines that are integrated into our technology services platforms.
• Advise and assist in the design of technology-driven measurement systems for automated reporting, use of AI and continuous product improvement.
• Work effectively with cross-functional teams demonstrating strong presentation, organizational, problem-solving, communication and customer service expertise with great attention to details and deadlines. Communicate technical psychometric concepts orally and in writing to all customer bases, including non-technical audiences.
• Lead team to conduct product research.

Qualifications & Experience

• Qualified candidates must demonstrate and display all of Ascend’s core values: passionate, selfless, courageous, inclusive, embracing change, and accountable.
• Applicants must possess a doctorate or equivalent professional experience in educational measurement, psychometrics, industrial/organizational psychology, experimental psychology, or a related field.
• A minimum of five years of experience working with high stakes assessment programs or professional certification organizations.
• Experience designing and conducting psychometric analyses in support of testing programs is essential.
• Understanding of concepts central to psychometrics: classical test theory, equating, and item response theory, and standard setting.
• Experience using statistical analysis software (e.g., SAS, WINSTEPS) and Microsoft Office suite is required.
• Strong presentation, organizational, problem-solving, communication and customer service expertise with great attention to details.
• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary team and keep pace with project timelines.
• Comfortable working in an iterative, user-driven design process.
• Familiarity with healthcare industry, certification/licensure programs, and accrediting organizations (e.g., National Commission of Certifying Agencies) is preferred.
• Ability to independently analyze, research, and propose solutions to current and future measurement problems, and to communicate those solutions effectively is required.

Education

• Applicants must possess a doctorate 5 + years of experience or equivalent professional experience in educational measurement, psychometrics, industrial/organizational psychology, experimental psychology, or a related field.

Ascend Learning, LLC is proud to be an equal opportunity employer (M/F/Vets/Disabled). No agency or search firm submissions will be accepted. Applications for U.S. based positions with Ascend Learning, LLC must be legally authorized to work in the United States and verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

#LI-KH1