Educational Research Consultant — Adaptive EdTech Platform (Federal SBIR Contract) We are developing an AI-adaptive financial literacy platform for high school students under a U.S. Department of Education SBIR grant. We are seeking an experienced education researcher to design and oversee the Phase IA usability and feasibility study, and to contribute to the research methodology sections of the proposal. Role Overview This is a part-time research consulting engagement supporting a 9-month federal R&D project. The consultant will serve as the named researcher on the project team and will own the study design, instrumentation, data collection oversight, and analysis for a pilot study with approximately 25 high school students. Phase IA Scope (This Contract) Proposal support (immediate): Review and strengthen the research methodology section of the SBIR proposal, including study design, instruments, and data analysis plan Study design: Design the usability and feasibility study protocol for the pilot, including participant selection criteria, data collection procedures, and IRB considerations Instrument development: Develop or adapt instruments to measure usability, student engagement, and initial feasibility of the adaptive platform Pilot oversight: Support data collection during the ~25-student pilot study Data analysis: Analyze quantitative and qualitative study data and contribute to the final research report Reporting: Co-author the Phase IA research findings section Timeline: ~9 months, estimated start October 2026 Estimated commitment by phase: Months 1–2 (Study Design): ~8–10 hrs/week Months 3–6 (Development Phase): ~2–4 hrs/week (light advisory) Months 7–8 (Pilot Study): ~10–15 hrs/week Month 9 (Analysis & Reporting): ~10–12 hrs/week Total estimated engagement: 200–300 hours over the project period.

Required Qualifications

PhD in education, educational psychology, learning sciences, instructional design, or a closely related field (required) Experience designing and conducting usability or feasibility studies with student populations Proficiency in both quantitative and qualitative research methods Experience developing research instruments (surveys, assessments, observation protocols) Familiarity with IRB processes and human subjects research requirements in school settings Strong writing skills — ability to contribute to federal research reports Preferred Experience in edtech research or evaluation of digital learning tools Familiarity with adaptive learning, personalized learning, or mastery-based instruction research Knowledge of financial literacy education or STEM/STEAM curriculum research Prior experience on federally funded research projects (NSF, IES, DOE, or similar) To Apply Submit current resume/CV Confirm you are a U.S. citizen or green card holder (hard requirement — federal contract) Briefly describe a relevant usability, feasibility, or pilot study you have designed or led Your hourly rate and availability starting October 2026 Applications without citizenship confirmation will not be reviewed.