Advanced Specialist, Researcher

Advanced Specialist, Researcher (English Language Assessment)

This role aligns to industry-level titles such as Senior Assessment Researcher / Senior Psychometrician.

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced language assessment researcher to join our English Language Learning division, supporting the delivery and ongoing development of high-stakes English language assessments used globally.

In this role, you’ll lead and contribute to research and validation activities that ensure our assessments are robust, reliable, and fit for purpose. You’ll work across established products like PTE Academic, as well as new assessment developments, helping to maintain regulatory recognition and support continuous innovation.

Our Team

You will be part of the Assessment Research and Validity team, responsible for ensuring Pearson’s assessments are psychometrically sound and supported by strong validation evidence.

The team works across a range of activities, including test performance monitoring, standards setting, score concordance, and large-scale validity studies—supporting both established assessments and new product development.

Location & Work Setup

UK-based role with remote and hybrid working supported

37.5 hours per week, with flexibility to support global collaboration

Occasional international travel may be required

Your Key Responsibilities

Assessment Research & Analysis

• Lead on validation research projects for high-stakes English language assessments. You will own research projects in your area of expertise, designing and delivering studies that interrogate validity evidence and assessment data to draw robust and insightful conclusions.
• Identify trends, risks, and insights from assessment data to inform decision-making.

Performance Monitoring & Standards

• Collaborate with other team members to support large-scale projects, such as assessment monitoring, standards maintenance, and score concordance research across the PTE portfolio.

Product & Innovation Support

• Contribute to the development of reliable and valid assessment products.
• Support field-testing research, ensuring rigorous evaluation of new assessment developments.

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication

• Communicate findings through technical reports, presentations, and publications.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders across product, research, and delivery teams.
• Contribute to academic publications and represent Pearson at academic and industry conferences.

What We’re Looking For

Essential Skills & Experience

• Strong expertise in validity theory, language assessment, and both qualitative and quantitative research methods.
• Proven experience working with large-scale, high-stakes assessment programmes. Proficiency in statistical tools and programming languages (e.g. R, Winsteps).
• Ability to analyse complex data and translate it into actionable insights.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including technical reporting.
• A proactive, curious, and flexible approach to problem-solving.
• Master’s degree or PhD in educational measurement, psychological measurement, psychometrics, statistics, or related fields preferred.

Desirable Skills & Experience

• Specialism in a defined area of language testing (e.g. cognitive validity, linguistic analysis etc.)
• Experience with additional statistical tools such as Facets or Python.
• Knowledge of item banking systems (e.g. CAT, LOFT).
• Familiarity with automated scoring systems for English language assessment.

Your Rewards & Benefits

We know you’ll do great work, so we give a lot back with some of the best benefits in the business. We know one size doesn’t fit all, so our workplace programs meet the different needs of our diverse teams, and their families, too.

Please see our attractive UK benefits here: Home - Pearson Benefits 

Who we are:

At Pearson, our purpose is simple: to help people realize the life they imagine through learning. We believe that every learning opportunity is a chance for a personal breakthrough. We are the world's lifelong learning company. For us, learning isn't just what we do. It's who we are. To learn more: We are Pearson.

Pearson is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a member of E-Verify. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit and business need. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status or any other group protected by law. We actively seek qualified candidates who are protected veterans and individuals with disabilities as defined under VEVRAA and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.

If you are an individual with a disability and are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our career site as a result of your disability, you may request reasonable accommodations by emailing [email protected].

Job: Research, Efficacy, and Psychometrics

Job Family: LEARNING&CONTENT_DEVELOPMENT

Organization: English Language Learning

Schedule: FULL_TIME

Workplace Type:

Req ID: 25016