Principal Learning Scientist - K12 Emphasis

Core Responsibilities

1. Cross-Portfolio Research Strategy

• Conduct a standing audit of research gaps across Lemnis collective companies, identifying where evidence is thin, contradictory, or missing

• Partner directly with business leads across each Lemnis company to build and prioritize a portfolio-wide research agenda, translating business priorities and desired impact outcomes into a shared set of research questions on student engagement, belonging, self-efficacy, and persistence

• Regularly review research priorities with business stakeholders to confirm the agenda stays tied to measurable business and impact goals, adjusting scope as company strategy evolves

• Design studies that generalize across companies and product lines, rather than one-off, single-partner analyses

• Maintain a shared internal evidence base so findings from one Lemnis company inform strategy and roadmap decisions at another

• Build and maintain a theory of change and logic model for Lemnis collective organizations, nested within the Lemnis theory of change

2. Applied Research & Measurement

• Design and execute studies: RCTs, quasi-experimental designs, longitudinal analyses, social network analysis, and psychometric/survey work, to answer priority research questions

• Apply and refine behavioral science frameworks (e.g., the SPARK model, self-determination theory, mindset science, nudging) across Lemnis products and messaging

• Build measurement models for engagement, belonging, self-efficacy, purpose and future readiness that hold up across companies, populations, and product types

• Ensure methodological rigor, ethical execution, and alignment with Center for Ethical AI (CEAI) standards across all research

• Identify the outcomes Lemnis Collective organizations can credibly influence and set defensible attribution standards that distinguish correlational, quasi experimental, and causal claims

• Align study designs with recognized evidence standards (e.g. ESSA tiers, What Works Clearinghouse) so findings are usable in K-12 and postsecondary procurement

3. Product & Feature Translation

• Translate research findings into concrete, actionable product and feature recommendations for Lemnis companies

• Partner with Collective teams to embed behavioral science principles directly into features, messaging, and user experience

• Help prioritize research-backed opportunities on the product roadmap and validate feature performance post-launch

• Serve as the primary translator between academic evidence and product decision-making across the collective

• Recommend in-product features that enable partner institutions, districts, and schools to self-assess their impact

4. Sales, Marketing & Customer Success Enablement

• Equip Sales and Marketing with research-informed data points, proof points, and ROI narratives across the Lemnis portfolio

• Develop reusable evidence assets - one-pagers, slide content, talking points, data visualizations - that make complex findings clear and compelling

• Support RFPs, renewals, and competitive positioning with credible, research-backed differentiation

• Partner with Marketing on thought leadership, case studies, and campaigns grounded in Lemnis's research base

• Support Sales, Customer Success, and Implementation teams in interpreting and communicating efficacy data accurately 

5. Center for Ethical AI (CEAI) Contribution

• Contribute research and evidence to the CEAI's four pillars: Research & Evidence, Implementation & Practice, Ethical Standards, and Field Leadership

• Co-author frameworks, white papers, and standards that shape ethical AI practice in student engagement

• Represent Lemnis research at conferences, convenings, and partner events

6. Cross-Functional & Cross-Company Collaboration

• Partner with the Director of Research to keep partner-embedded studies and internal research agendas aligned, not duplicative

• Build relationships with leaders across each Lemnis collective company to surface emerging research needs early

• Mentor research scientists and analysts on study design, measurement, and evidence translation as the collective grows

Key Performance Indicators

• Number and priority-fit of internal research gaps identified and closed across the collective

• Research findings translated into shipped product or feature changes

• Sales and Marketing enablement assets produced and actively used in deals

• Consistency and reuse of measurement frameworks across Lemnis companies

• Publications, frameworks, white papers, and conference contributions

• CEAI contributions (frameworks, standards, convenings)

• Time from research question identified to actionable recommendation delivered

Principal Learning Scientist Profile

We are seeking a principal-level research scientist with:

• Doctorate in psychology, learning sciences, education, or a related behavioral science field

• 8+ years designing and executing applied research, including randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental designs, and mixed-methods studies

• Deep expertise in belonging, identity, motivation, and social-emotional development, and how these shape student engagement and persistence

• Fluency in advanced quantitative methods (e.g., structural equation modeling, social network analysis) alongside qualitative methods (interviews, focus groups, narrative and digital storytelling approaches)

• Background in education technology, including assessment and efficacy research or large-scale learning-outcomes studies

• Demonstrated ability to translate research into product decisions, not just publications

• Experience developing evidence assets that support sales, partnerships, or business development

• Familiarity with ethical AI principles, IRB processes, and responsible research practices in education

• Comfort operating across multiple companies or business units, synthesizing evidence into a shared, portfolio-wide narrative

• Excellent written and verbal communication; able to move between academic rigor and executive clarity

• Understanding of how K-12 districts and post-secondary institutions make decisions and define success (preferred)

Core Competencies

• Applied research rigor across qualitative and quantitative methods

• Behavioral science fluency (SPARK, self-determination theory, nudging, implementation intentions)

• Evidence-to-product translation

• Evidence-to-narrative storytelling for sales and marketing

• Cross-company, portfolio-level systems thinking

• Ethical AI awareness and responsible research practice

• Intellectual curiosity, scientific integrity, and collaborative influence without authority