Short-term Postdoc/Consultant position available in science education/instrument validation research
A PhD-level consultant position is available to support the efforts of a multi-institutional team to
validate an instrument designed to track how three core experiences and several mediating
variables contribute to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
undergraduate student persistence. The core experiences are community, mentorship, and
research experience delivered within STEM contexts. Mediating variables include motivation,
self-regulation, shared values, and sense of belonging. The successful candidate will be joining a
core team of researchers as part of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Project “Determining
the relative impact of community, mentoring, and research on STEM persistence and literacy: A
systematic Assessment.”
This short-term project is available for January 18th to February 28th, 2017. The successful
applicant will not be required to relocate.
The successful applicant will: i) perform statistical analyses to evaluate whether twelve adapted
instruments, collectively administered through an online survey yielded valid and reliable data
for STEM student populations across the five institutions included in the current project and ii)
advise on any future revisions of the instrument based on statistical analyses.
A candidate who has expertise in instrument validation, skills using a variety of statistical
modeling techniques, and experience with STEM undergraduate student persistence is preferred.
The candidate is expected to have a Ph.D. in educational psychology or a related field. We are
especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the
academic community.
To apply, please send a CV and a cover letter describing your interest and expertise to
bbooher@duke.edu . Review of applications will begin as received and will continue until the
position is filled, applications received before January 6, 2017 will be given highest priority.
Duke University is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action employer.
