Advanced Specialist, Learning Scientist

Advanced Specialist, Learning Scientist 

Measurement & Learning | School Assessment 

Role Overview 

We are seeking an Advanced Specialist, Learning Scientist ( Early Assessment and Learning Systems) to guide the design, alignment, and continuous improvement of early learning assessment and instructional support systems across literacy and numeracy contexts.

This role sits within the Measurement & Learning team and operates at the intersection of Early Learning, Measurement, Product, Content Development, Learning Science, Technology, and Partner Strategy. The role is responsible for helping ensure assessment and learning experiences for young learners remain developmentally appropriate, instructionally meaningful, and aligned to evidence-based early learning practices.

The role supports early learning strategy across Pearson’s formative assessment system, Navvy+ with an emphasis on coherence between formative learning systems designed to support standards mastery and screening/progress monitoring systems designed to support early identification and intervention planning.

This role also helps guide strategic decisions related to early literacy and numeracy product development, instructional supports, state screening/progress monitoring requirements, external partnerships, thought leadership, and emerging opportunities related to early learning systems.

Early Learning Systems Strategy

• Provide strategic guidance related to early literacy and numeracy assessment and learning systems across formative, screening, and progress monitoring contexts

• Help evaluate product readiness, evidence alignment, and feature gaps related to state screening/progress monitoring requirements and approved provider lists

• Support development of strategic plans and recommendations to strengthen alignment to evolving state, policy, and funding expectations related to early learning and identification

• Help ensure coherence between formative learning systems designed to support standards mastery and screening/progress monitoring systems designed to support early identification and intervention planning

• Stay informed on emerging policy, research, and instructional trends related to early literacy, early numeracy, MTSS, dyslexia legislation, and early identification initiatives

Early Learning Product & Content Guidance

• Provide early learning expertise and developmental guidance related to assessment content, instructional supports, learning materials, and student experiences for PreK–early elementary learners

• Partner with Product, Measurement, Content, UX, and Technology teams to help ensure products and learning supports remain developmentally appropriate for young learners

• Support guidance related to foundational literacy, numeracy, and communication development; developmentally appropriate assessment experiences; student engagement and motivation; instructional scaffolding; family communication and reporting approaches; and standards-aligned learning pathways

• Explore innovative and developmentally appropriate approaches for eliciting, understanding, and supporting early learner thinking, reasoning, communication, and skill development

• Help guide decisions related to supplemental learning supports, instructional activities, and learning materials for early learners

• Support evaluation of instructional quality, educational usefulness, and alignment of learning supports and instructional materials

• Help guide developmentally appropriate and family-centered communication approaches related to student growth, learning supports, and early learning progress

Learning Supports & Instructional Ecosystems

• Provide strategic guidance for early learning instructional support ecosystems connected to assessment evidence

• Help guide decisions related to teacher-facing instructional supports, supplemental instructional materials, independent and teacher-facilitated learning activities, high-quality instructional materials (HQIM), external instructional partnerships and content providers, responsible use of AI-assisted learning supports and instructional materials, and cross-standard instructional and pedagogical supports

• Help guide developmentally appropriate and educationally responsible use of AI-assisted supports for young learners

• Help ensure instructional supports meaningfully support both student learning and teacher instructional understanding

• Support coherence across assessment systems, instructional supports, intervention planning, and learning experiences for young learners

Research, Writing & External Leadership

• Support responses to RFPs, grants, state opportunities, and strategic partnership initiatives related to early learning systems

• Contribute to internal enablement and guidance materials supporting onboarding, implementation, commercialization, partner engagement, and educator understanding related to early learning systems

• Contribute writing, guidance, and subject matter expertise for proposals, presentations, white papers, and thought leadership materials

• Represent Pearson in conversations with partners, clients, states, and external organizations related to early learning initiatives

• Contribute to external thought leadership related to early literacy, early numeracy, formative assessment, screening/progress monitoring, and instructional support systems

• Help translate complex early learning research and policy developments into practical guidance for cross-functional teams and external stakeholders

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Product, Measurement, Learning Science, Content, UX, Technology, AI Science, and Commercialization teams

• Collaborate with psychometricians, researchers, instructional experts, and content specialists to guide early learning system decisions

• Support alignment between assessment evidence, instructional supports, reporting approaches, intervention systems, and learner experiences

• Help guide developmentally appropriate reporting, communication, and engagement approaches for young learners and families

• Support long-term visioning and innovation discussions related to intelligent early learning systems

Required Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Early Childhood Education, Reading/Literacy, Mathematics Education, Learning Sciences, Educational Psychology, Educational Measurement, Curriculum & Instruction, or a related field

• Deep understanding of early literacy and/or early numeracy development and evidence-based instructional practices

• Experience working within early learning, assessment, intervention, MTSS, or instructional support systems

• Strong understanding of developmentally appropriate practices for PreK–early elementary learners, Familiarity with screening, progress monitoring, formative assessment, and early identification practices

• Strong understanding of evidence-based early literacy and early numeracy practices, including emerging policy and instructional trends related to early identification and intervention

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience writing proposals, guidance documents, presentations, or thought leadership materials

• Experience collaborating across cross-functional educational product or assessment environments

• Ability to communicate effectively with educators, partners, clients, and state stakeholders 

• Strategic thinking skills with the ability to evaluate product gaps, opportunities, and alignment needs within evolving early learning landscapes 

• Comfort exploring, testing, and prototyping AI-assisted approaches related to learning supports, instructional experiences, and early learner engagement 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience supporting products or initiatives related to early literacy screening, dyslexia identification, foundational reading skills, or early numeracy systems 

• Familiarity with state screening/progress monitoring requirements and approved provider processes 

• Experience evaluating or guiding high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) or supplemental learning supports 

• Experience contributing to RFPs, grants, policy initiatives, or external partnership opportunities 

• Familiarity with formative assessment systems and assessment-as-learning principles 

• Experience supporting instructional ecosystem strategy, digital learning supports, or intervention systems 

• Familiarity with AI-assisted instructional supports or intelligent learning systems 

• Experience contributing to conference presentations, publications, technical documentation, or thought leadership initiatives 

• Curiosity about emerging approaches to intelligent early learning systems and evidence-based instructional innovation 

Design Philosophy 

• Early learning experiences should remain developmentally appropriate, engaging, and instructionally meaningful 

• Assessment should support learning, not simply identify performance 

• Early identification should lead to meaningful instructional response and learner support 

• Instructional supports should empower both educators and learners 

• Human-centered educational design should guide innovation in early learning systems 

• Innovation should remain grounded in evidence-based literacy and numeracy practices 

Why This Role Matters 

This role is foundational to helping ensure early learning systems meaningfully support young learners, educators, and families during critical stages of literacy and numeracy development. By grounding assessment, instructional supports, and early learning experiences in evidence-based practices and thoughtful system design, this leader will help shape coherent early learning ecosystems that support both early identification and meaningful learning growth. 

Compensation at Pearson is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, and specific location. As required by the California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York State, New York City, Vermont, Washington State, and Washington DC laws, the pay range for this position is as follows: 

The minimum full-time salary range is between $110,000 - $125,000.

This position is eligible to participate in an annual incentive program, and information on benefits offered is here.

Applications will be accepted through Monday, July 6, 2026. This window may be extended depending on business needs. 

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