Temporary - Research Associate

North Carolina State University, United States

Updated: about 2 months ago
Location: Raleigh, NORTH CAROLINA
Deadline: ;

Posting Details
Position Information


Posting Number PG195774TM
Position Number 13ATA3
Position Type Temporary
Essential Job Duties
The Friday Institute for Educational Innovation is a large, multi-faceted Institute housed in a 33,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility on NC State University’s Centennial Campus in Raleigh. Our work encompasses educational research, professional development, policy and program evaluation, and direct services to schools, districts, state departments of education and public- and private sector organizations. We are deeply involved in work in throughout North Carolina, leading some of the major statewide K-12 education initiatives and working closely with the Department of Public Instruction, the State Board of Education, and the majority of school districts in the State on the transition to digital teaching and learning. Since opening in 2005, the Friday Institute has developed a strong national presence, working with organizations throughout the country, and is increasingly developing international connections. More information is available at http://www.fi.ncsu.edu.
The Friday Institute at NC State University seeks a Research Program Manager to help build and scale a growing portfolio of work focused on digital learning priorities. This role is pivotal in translating research and partner input into coherent programs, implementation supports, and field-facing deliverables. The successful candidate will be a strong project and portfolio manager; bring experience working at the intersection of research, policy, and practice; excel at building relationships across diverse stakeholder groups; and demonstrate strengths in synthesis, strategic communication, and continuous improvement.
Reporting to and working in close partnership with the Director of Digital Learning, the Research Program Manager will provide direct support to coordinate across initiatives, communicate clearly with internal and external partners, and maintain shared visibility into priorities, progress, and decisions. A core function of this role is extending the team’s strategic reach—helping the Digital Learning team author, package, publish, and report on its work so that high-quality ideas become usable artifacts, visible impact, and sustained momentum with partners and funders. The primary work centers on connecting the dots across initiatives by identifying patterns, surfacing insights, coordinating collaborators, and ensuring projects move from planning to high-quality execution.
While the role contributes in multiple ways across digital learning projects, typical responsibilities may include:
Program strategy and synthesis
  • Conduct structured discovery (interviews, listening sessions, document review) to understand needs, constraints, and opportunities across partners and initiatives.
  • Synthesize research, practitioner feedback, and implementation data into clear insights, recommendations, and decision points for project teams and leadership.
  • Translate strategy into actionable workplans (milestones, dependencies, risks, resourcing) and maintain visibility across the portfolio.
  • Identify gaps, overlaps, and opportunities for alignment across initiatives; propose pragmatic ways to streamline and strengthen the portfolio.


Evidence and improvement
  • Define and track meaningful indicators of progress (implementation readiness, participation, adoption signals, quality measures, partner satisfaction).
  • Support lightweight evaluation and learning cycles: collect feedback, document lessons learned, and integrate improvements into next iterations.
  • Monitor the broader landscape (policy, research, edtech and AI developments) and flag implications for program design and partner needs.

Convenings, coordination, and communications
  • Facilitate and/or contribute to convenings, trainings, and other partner-facing learning opportunities.
  • Coordinate project meetings, working groups, governance structures, and partner communications to support timely decisions and follow-through.
  • Prepare, maintain, and update partner-ready project materials for online and print dissemination (briefs, agendas, decision memos, implementation supports), ensuring outputs are clear, consistent, and publication-ready.

Growth and resourcing
  • Contribute to project and grant proposals, including framing problems and possibilities of practice and aligning deliverables.
  • Draft and coordinate funder-facing reports and updates that communicate progress, evidence, and impact with clarity and credibility—translating project activity into outcomes, lessons learned, and next-phase recommendations.
  • Track and support a pipeline of aligned opportunities; maintain portfolio-level visibility into funding status, commitments, and next steps.
Is Time Limited No
If Yes, Appointment Length
Wolfpack Perks and Benefits
As a Pack member, you belong here, and can enjoy exclusive perks designed to enhance your personal and professional well-being. As you consider this opportunity, we encourage you to review our Employee Value Proposition and learn more about what makes NC State the best place to learn and work for everyone.
What we offer:
  • Health Insurance for Temporary Employees
  • Enhance your career with LEAD courses
  • Attend non-revenue generating sporting events for free.


Attain Work-life balance with our Childcare discounts , Wellness & Recreation Membership , and Wellness Programs that aim to build a thriving wolfpack community.
Disclaimer: Perks and Benefit eligibility is based on Part-Time or Full-Time Employment status. Eligibility and Employer Sponsored Plans can be found within each of the links offered.

Department Information


Job City & State Raleigh, NC
Department Friday Institute

System Information


Classification Title Temporary-Professional NonFaculty
Working Title Temporary - Research Associate

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