Evaluation & Research Assistant Manager

The Assistant Manager, Evaluation & Research supervises a team of Museum Evaluators and supports the management of the Department of Evaluation and Research in Learning. The role is responsible for designing and leading evaluation and research studies. While centering equity, this role develops tools and systems to support department operations, manages project budgets, and supports leadership on departmental planning to support the museum’s strategic directions.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Department Management

• Lead a team of Museum Evaluators, fostering a culture of learning and growth while centering equity.
• Train, supervise, evaluate, hire, discipline, terminate, and mentor Museum Evaluators.
• Maintain a high-level understanding of the department’s evaluation and research work recognizing its significant contribution to the museum’s mission and strategic vision.
• Collaborate with the Evaluation and Research Director on departmental planning and budget management to support the department and further the evaluation and research work at the museum and in the field.
• In collaboration with the Evaluation and Research Manager, oversee and develop departmental systems and tools to support equity-centered practices in evaluation and research studies.
• Manage and develop systems for the department to share findings, ideas, and methods from evaluation and research work within the museum, with the broader informal education field, and with study participants as appropriate.
• Maintain the department’s IRB and data management compliance systems and processes.
• Manage the technology and software the department uses for research and evaluation studies.
• Oversee and purchase departmental study supplies and incentives
• Oversee contracting and invoicing for departmental projects.

Lead Evaluation and Research Studies 

• Plan and conduct evaluation and research studies, which includes understanding the context; reviewing relevant literature; deciding on an approach or methodology, planning qualitative and quantitative data collection methods (e.g., surveys, interviews, observations, etc.) and sampling strategies; ensuring the protections of human subjects; developing and piloting instruments; collecting, entering, and cleaning data;  analyzing data; interpreting results; and reporting findings to a variety of audiences.
• Conduct studies using equity-oriented theory and practice that include and amplify voices from individuals and communities that might not be regularly heard or represented.
• Use software for conducting online surveys (e.g., Alchemer or Qualtrics), carrying out descriptive and inferential statistical analysis (e.g., R, SPSS, or Excel), and analyzing text and/or video data (e.g., Dedoose).
• Plan work using insights and practices from existing work in the fields of evaluation, educational research, informal learning, STEM education, visitor studies, and other areas as they are relevant. 
• Manage and cultivate relationships with internal and external project partners to ensure the ongoing relevance and utility of the evaluation and research studies. 
• Lead and manage evaluation and research projects and the collaborative teams doing that work, mainly within the department.
• Support the conceptualization and planning of new projects, including internal work, external grant solicitations, external project bids, and more.

Perform other duties as assigned

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES:

1. Communication: Expresses oneself clearly in conversations and interactions with others and ensures that information is shared with others who should be informed.
2. Collaboration: Develops, maintains, and strengthens partnerships with others inside or outside the organization who can provide information, assistance, and support.
3. Customer Service: Demonstrates an understanding of the SMM mission by ensuring that their own interactions with internal and external customers consistently support the mission. 
4. Fostering an Inclusive Community: Contributes to a museum environment, and people, that reflect and respond to the diverse needs and cultures of our community (internal and external).
5. Results Orientation: Focuses on providing a best in class visitor experience through work outcomes by meeting personal and organizational work objectives.
6. Management: Coaches and develops employees by providing feedback, development opportunities, and work direction while creating a sense of connection and belonging amongst staff and volunteers.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: 

Education: Bachelor's Degree Required

Required Experience:

• At least 3 years of direct experience developing, leading, and conducting evaluation or research studies in education, museum/visitor studies, youth development, or other social science fields. 
• Knowledge and experience with quantitative and qualitative data collection methods (e.g., in-person and online surveys, interviews, observations) and analysis techniques (e.g., qualitative coding, descriptive and inferential statistics).
• Experience effectively visualizing data and clearly communicating evaluation and research findings to a variety of audiences (e.g., project teams, public audiences).
• Familiarity with equity-related approaches and/or practices in evaluation and/or research.  
• Experience working on teams in a collaborative setting.

Preferred Experience:

• Knowledge of the research literature in education, museum/visitor studies, youth development, or other fields applicable to experiences in a museum setting is preferred but not required.
• People management, supervision, or mentoring experience is preferred but not required.
• Fluency in language(s) other than English valued (e.g., Hmong, Somali, Spanish).

Certifications: N/A

Work Environment: This position is currently a hybrid (on-site and virtual) position.  Most often, it is a combination of computer work, attending meetings, and collecting data; however, an entire shift may be entirely devoted to any one of these activities. Evening and weekend work required as needed for a project. Occasional travel may be required. Must have the ability to transport self to the museum and off-site Twin Cities locations.

Starting Compensation: $65,018 - $74,773/year (dependent on qualifications)

The job duties and responsibilities listed describe the general nature and level of work assigned to this position and are not an exhaustive list. For some positions, detailed procedures may be outlined in supplemental documents.

We exist to turn on the science and inspire learning, inform policy and improve lives. We envision a world in which all people have the power to use science to make lives better. We value science as an essential literacy and strive for inclusion inside and out so that our museum and our people reflect and respond to the diverse needs and cultures of our community.

It is the museum’s policy and practice to hire and promote qualified job seekers from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. We offer benefit packages to full-time and part-time employees.