Description

The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) is a nonprofit organization that provides high-quality assessment products, services, and research for the benefit and protection of the public and the legal profession. We assist state courts and licensing authorities with fulfilling their responsibility to determine minimal competence for entry to the legal profession.

Diversity, fairness, and inclusion are central to NCBE’s mission and to our vision for a competent, ethical, and diverse legal profession. NCBE provides an inclusive and family-friendly environment, flexible schedules, remote work options, and competitive salary and benefits. NCBE’s headquarters is located in Madison, Wisconsin, a vibrant community with excellent municipal services and educational opportunities.

The Research Psychometrician is responsible for conducting the scaling and equating of NCBE’s testing programs, for conducting research on the characteristics of these programs, and for conducting substantive research on issues related to bar examinations. Much of this research is generated internally, but NCBE also provides assistance to jurisdictions related to their examination programs. This position is also responsible for implementing psychometric procedures for legal licensing programs, assuring the veracity of data, analytical methods and results, and independently and collaboratively designing, planning, and completing research studies to support operations.

Specific responsibilities include the following:

• Perform classical and IRT item analyses, equating studies, validity studies, sampling plans, and special statistical analyses.
• Critically evaluate IRT equating results.
• Develop and use psychometric tools to evaluate accuracy of results and decisions made during complex psychometric analyses.
• Accurately analyze, interpret, and clearly communicate test results to officials in different jurisdictions within specified deadlines.
• Work with operational testing personnel to review tests and equating models to support psychometric scales over multi-year periods.
• Author technical documentations that comprehensively summarize details of the assessment program, and that are in compliance with the professional educational testing standards.
• Participate in research projects that include, but are not limited to, designing research studies, presenting research at local, regional and national conferences and authoring articles for the Bar Examiner and peer-reviewed publications.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in educational statistics, measurement, psychometrics, or an Ed.D. in educational measurement.
• Study or curricular training in the following:  IRT applications, item calibration, score equating, and traditional and IRT-based methods of item and test analysis. Coursework and/or training through internships or graduate assistantships must include experience with statistical analysis software (SAS and SPSS) and IRT software (e.g., BILOG-MG).

The Research Psychometrician may work remotely.