Postdoctoral Associate - OpenStax K12

About Rice:

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities. 

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice’s culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name — RICE — Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.

Position Summary:

OpenStax (an initiative of Rice University) is the world’s largest non-profit publisher of open educational resources (OER) and a provider of interactive, research-informed learning technologies for high school and college. We are also the lead organization for the nation’s seminal education research infrastructure, SafeInsights.  Our mission is to provide amazing learning experiences for every student and instructor. We do this by offering free access to high-quality digital teaching and learning resources that support the teaching and learning journey. Since 2012, OpenStax has created a library of more than 70 free and openly licensed college textbooks that have served millions of students across the globe, resulting in $2.98 billion in student savings. Currently, we are creating interactive, research-informed learning experiences that support heightened student engagement in the learning process. OpenStax seeks to become an organization that continuously strives to learn, reflect, and make actionable better policies and practices for diversity, equity, and inclusivity at work and in education.

This position is a key OpenStax team member who helps drive advancements in math education research and translation of research to product features leveraging quantitative and AI/ML for education methodologies. 

You will join a team that is driving change at a pivotal phase of our evolution as we deliver high-quality educational content ranging from textbooks to simulations and videos to exercises to full courses, and give educators and learners the support they need in core college and high school disciplines.

Ideal Candidate Statement: 

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in Learning Analytics, Educational Psychology, Educational Data Mining, and the use of AI/ML methods for educational purposes. A PhD in Computer Science, Educational Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Statistics, or a related field is preferred. Experience with research in math learning will make you stand out but is not required. This role will include designing and executing independent research using our digital learning platform and facilitating workshops for inexperienced researchers to conduct their studies.

Workplace Requirements: 

Fully remote: This position is fully remote within the State of Texas, permitting all tasks to be completed from any location within the state. Working hours will remain central standard time. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change. 

This is a full-time, benefits-eligible position, and the salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. *Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

This position is funded by a grant, soft and/or restricted funds. Continued employment is contingent on the renewal of funding.

This position is funded by a grant that will end in June 2027. 

Minimum Requirements: 

• PhD in Educational Psychology, Cognitive Science, Computer Science, Learning Engineering, Cognitive Psychology, Statistics, Electrical and Computer Engineering, or related fields 
• 2+ years of related experience in learning research

Skills: 

• Proficiency in statistical software such as (R, Python) for robust quantitative analysis of large datasets
• Advanced statistical, machine learning (supervised, unsupervised, regression, classification), and AI methods (classical rule-based AI methods to Generative AI)
• From basic statistics (effect size, simple linear regression) to advanced statistical methods (complex regression models, multiverse analysis)
• Being able to implement and evaluate Generative AI tools for educational use cases including finetuning, Retrieval Augmented Generation, and sophisticated prompt engineering techniques 
• Teaching/ mentoring experience
• Understanding of learning theories, and learning engineering principles

Preferences:

• Familiarity with GitHub for software version control and collaboration
• Familiarity with Google Docs, Zoom, and Slack for communication and collaboration
• Experience with math education
• Research interests related to closing learning gaps in math and the role of motivation, engagement, and persistence in learning
• Ability to write well-documented, readable code
• Strong communication skills and compelling ways to communicate their research to a wide variety of audiences
• Strong theoretical foundations in learning sciences

Essential Functions:

• Propose and conduct educational research using the OpenStax digital learning products. 
• Guide external researchers on using OpenStax for research and facilitate their research.
• Program statistical analyses using R, Python
• Communicate research results to participating teachers and the wider research community via presentations and publications.
• Disseminate research findings via peer-reviewed journal publications, conference presentations
• Ability to influence organizational strategy based on research results
• Perform all other duties as assigned

Additional Functions

• Publish research in peer-reviewed journals and conferences, as well as in mainstream communication channels such as blog posts and podcasts
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including marketing, product, and research, to improve the efficacy of digital learning products with evidence-based iteration.
• Collaborate with a larger community of edtech researchers working to improve educational outcomes in mathematics

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits-overview 

Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University 

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact Rice University’s Disability Resource Center at 713-348-5841 or adarice@rice.edu for support.

If you have any questions, please email us at jobs@rice.edu. Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.