Research Associate (Term): Learning, AI & Pathway Systems Lab (LAPS)
- Nashville, United States
Posted 5 days ago
About the role
Position Summary :
The Research Associate (UX Designer), working within the Department of Leadership, Policy, and Organizations at the Peabody College of Education and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, is an individual contributor responsible for supporting the design and evaluation of teacher-centered adaptive goal-setting tools for educational technology. This position conducts UX research activities including co-design sessions, teacher interviews, and prototype evaluation, and contributes to the creation of design specifications and research protocols. Reporting directly to Professor Conrad Borchers, the Research Associate (UX Designer) collaborates with the Vanderbilt LAPS Lab research team and external partners (including but not limited to partner schools).
The Research Associate (UX Designer) will create research protocols, consent forms, and interview guides for teacher co-design sessions, and other project-relevant deliverables as needed. They will design preliminary design probes and low-fidelity prototypes for structured teacher feedback, among others. They will support IRB documentation and study materials preparation. They will contribute to data analysis and the development of design recommendations and implementation roadmaps as well as dissemination of research findings.
This position is Remote and the individual should expect to be in the office 0 days a week.
This position will require Domestic travel around 10% over the course of the temporary assignment.
This is a term position expected to last 6 months and start on September 28, 2026, with a weekly commitment of 20 hours.
About the Work Unit :
The Department of Leadership, Policy and Organizations increases understanding and guides improvements in human learning and outcomes, in the political, economic, organizational, social, legal and regulatory contexts in which human development occurs. Trained in the fields of sociology, economics, education, history, political science, public policy, psychology, organizational behavior, and more, faculty apply multidisciplinary and collaborative approaches to research, teaching and public service. We purposefully cultivate an inclusive environment for faculty, lecturers, students and staff to excel intellectually and engage socially in the department. This is reflected in our exceptionally strong portfolio of research projects, external funding and highly active research centers, as well as in our top-notch interactive teaching.
With a genealogy dating to a one‐room Nashville schoolhouse in 1785, Peabody College today is a world ‐ class college of education and human development. Our mission is to enhance the human condition, with a particular focus on children’s learning and development. We do this as we always have, through the preparation of teachers and leaders; through cycles of research, implementation, and refinement; through service to families, schools, and communities; and through external engagement with professionals, leaders, and policymakers. Peabody’s focus on learning differences has helped to define the college, as has a reputation for empirical rigor in educational neuroscience; child, family, and community development; special education; the learning sciences; and educational leadership and policy. Peabody is devoted to creating opportunity in an increasingly diverse society and to solving large societal problems.
Duties and Responsibilities
Create and manage IRB documentation including subfolder organization, protocol drafts, and consent form templates based on Vanderbilt's institutional requirements
Develop semi-structured interview protocols for 30–60-minute teacher sessions exploring current goal-setting practices, use of learning analytics, and desired teacher controls
Design preliminary, representative design probes including low-fidelity and clickable prototypes for adaptive goal policies, teacher workflows, student-facing progress visualizations, and reward mechanisms
Support data analysis from teacher interviews and co-design sessions to inform design recommendations and support dissemination
Support research implementation through domestic travel to partner schools and related organizations, including research data collection on-site
Supervisory Relationships :
This position does not have supervisory responsibility; this position reports administratively and functionally to Professor Conrad Borchers.
Qualifications
Necessary: Bachelor's degree and experience in UX design, UX research, or HCI
Preferred: Master's degree in Human -Computer Interaction. Experience with educational technology, co-design methods, and prototype development using tools such as Figma
Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
At Vanderbilt University, we are intentional about and assume accountability for fostering advancement and respect for equity, diversity, and inclusion for all students, faculty, and staff. Our commitment to diversity makes us who we are. We have created a community that celebrates differences and lets individuality thrive. As part of this commitment, we actively value diversity in our workplace and learning environments as we seek to take advantage of the rich backgrounds and abilities of everyone. The diverse voices of Vanderbilt represent an invaluable resource for the University in its efforts to fulfill its mission and strive to be an example of excellence in higher education.
Vanderbilt University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Please note, all candidates selected for an offer of employment are subject to pre-employment background checks, which may include but are not limited to, based on the role for which they have been selected: criminal history, education verification, social media review, motor vehicle records, credit history, and professional license verification.