Postdoctoral researcher in quantitative methods of education (M/F)

Job Description

Missions

As part of the ELISco program, the successful candidate will contribute to the study of educational inequalities by analysing and linking administrative data and survey data produced, in particular, by the Directorate for Evaluation, Foresight, and Performance (DEPP) of the Ministry of National Education.

The role has two main components:
- analysis of existing data
- development of new data (preparation of a survey integrated into the Panel).

In addition to analysing existing data, the successful candidate will help identify the methodological issues necessary for conducting analyses and preparing future surveys for the program. In particular, they will participate in discussions regarding the data to be collected, sampling strategies, the development of survey protocols, and the conditions necessary to address the project's scientific questions.

The successful candidate will be required to work on new scientific issues in the field of educational inequalities and must be able to propose and implement analytical strategies tailored to novel research questions.

Activity

• Organise, structure, and document data from multiple administrative databases and DEPP surveys ;
• Connect and analyse complementary data sources to map the factors associated with educational inequalities ;
• Design and implement quantitative analysis strategies tailored to the scientific research questions and the characteristics of the available data ;
• Draft analytical and informational notes, methodological documents, reports, and scientific publications ;
• Develop scripts and statistical models, including structural equation models and other multivariate methods appropriate for the research questions under study ;
• Anticipate methodological challenges related to the quality, availability, structure, and interpretation of data ;
• Contribute to the definition of data required to address the project's scientific questions ;
• Participate in the design and improvement of survey protocols, in particular sampling, measurement, and monitoring of study populations ;
• Contribute to legal assessments prior to data collection or the matching of data sources ;
• Oversee the collection of survey data in collaboration with a contractor ;
• Interpret the results and discuss their implications in relation to educational issues ;
• Develop methodological approaches for studying new or under-researched scientific issues ;
• Present key findings to scientific teams and institutional partners ;
• Contribute to the scientific and institutional dissemination of the program's data and findings, as well as to the documentation and availability of data to researchers.

Your Profil

Skills

Experience and Skills
• Proven experience in quantitative analysis and statistical data processing ;
• Experience working with complex databases, ideally with administrative or education-related data, in France or abroad ;
• Familiarity with the French education system, its institutions, and its various stakeholders ;
• Solid knowledge of the main methods of statistical analysis and multivariate models ;
• Knowledge of survey methodology and sampling is required. Experience in this field would be appreciated. The ability to quickly grasp and apply these concepts is an important aspect of the desired profile.
Expertise
• Identify the data needed to answer a research question and anticipate the conditions for collecting and analysing that data ;
• Structure and aggregate data from different sources ;
• Process, analyse, and interpret quantitative data using R ;
• Design and implement analysis scripts and statistical models in R ;
• Contribute to the development of survey protocols and the definition of sampling strategies ;
• Oversee a data collection contractor to ensure deadlines are met ;
• Ability to develop methodological strategies tailored to new or unprecedented research questions ;
• Excellent command of French, both written and orally, especially to draft scientific, methodological, and institutional documents ;
• Ability to communicate results clearly and in a manner appropriate for different audiences.
Interpersonal Skills
• Excellent analytical and synthesis skills ;
• Scientific curiosity and the ability to tackle novel problems ;
• Proactive and foresight of methodological challenges ;
• Autonomous and ability to take initiative ;
• Enjoys teamwork, has the ability to collaborate with actors of diverse backgrounds ;
• Strong interpersonal skills and at ease in communicating with scientific and institutional partners ;
• Organised, rigourous, and reliable ;
• Flexible and willing to learn ;
• Responsive ;
• Commitment to public service ;
• Strict adherence to confidentiality and data protection rules.

Your Work Environment

LaPsyDÉ (Laboratory of Child Developmental and Educational Psychology, CNRS UMR 8240), directed by Grégoire Borst, currently hosts more than thirty-five researchers working on the cognitive, socio-emotional, and neural mechanisms involved in the development and learning of children and adolescents. In particular, the laboratory's researchers study the role of these mechanisms in language acquisition, reading and mathematics, reasoning, decision-making, visual categorization, creativity, and information evaluation.
The Priority Research Program (PPR) “Science for Education” was launched on January 1, 2025, for a period of eight years as part of the France 2030 programme. It is led by the University of Poitiers and the CNRS, with the ANR serving as the programme operator. The programme brings together a broad network of academic, institutional, and professional stakeholders and is organized around a set of guided scientific initiatives (Work Packages), calls for proposals, scientific events, and training initiatives.

The ELISco program is one of the PPR's key initiatives and brings together a broad network of academic and institutional stakeholders to study educational trajectories and educational inequalities.

The successful candidate will work within the Directorate of Evaluation, Foresight, and Performance (DEPP), under the functional supervision of the Office of Student Statistical Studies, and under the direct supervision of the ELISco project director. The successful candidate will also work closely with the program's scientific teams, institutional partners, and data-producing agencies. A committee comprised of representatives from the DEPP and LaPsyDé will be established to guide and oversee the progress of the work.
As part of their duties, the person hired will work one day a week at LaPsyDé, where they will serve as a liaison with ELISco staff.

Constraints and risks

This position falls under the Potential Scientific and Technical Protection (PPST) sector thus, in accordance with regulations, requires that the recruitment of the successful candidate be authorised by the competent authority at the Ministry of Higher Education and Research (MESR).

The DEPP is located in the 15th arrondissement of Paris, and LaPsyDé is located in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. Effective at the end of 2027, the DEPP will relocate to Gentilly.

Activities involving access to individual or sensitive data are conducted in compliance with applicable rules regarding confidentiality, data protection, and information system security.

Compensation and benefits

Compensation

Starting from 3 131 € gross monthly

Annual leave and RTT

44 jours

Remote Working practice and compensation

Pratique et indemnisation du TT

Transport

Prise en charge à 75% du coût et forfait mobilité durable jusqu’à 300€

About the offer

About the CNRS

The CNRS is a major player in fundamental research on a global scale. The CNRS is the only French organization active in all scientific fields. Its unique position as a multi-specialist allows it to bring together different disciplines to address the most important challenges of the contemporary world, in connection with the actors of change.

CNRS

The research professions