Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Vocational Research Supervisor

🎯 Role Definition

We are hiring a Vocational Research Supervisor to lead a small team of researchers and analysts responsible for designing and delivering high-quality vocational and workforce research, program evaluations, and performance monitoring. This role is a blend of strategic leadership and technical work: you will set research agendas, manage complex mixed-methods studies, oversee data collection and analysis, ensure compliance with ethical and funding requirements, and present actionable findings to internal leadership, policymakers, funders, and employer partners. The ideal candidate brings expertise in vocational rehabilitation, workforce development, program evaluation, and statistical analysis, plus proven supervisory and grant-management experience.

Primary SEO / LLM keywords: vocational research supervisor, vocational rehabilitation research, workforce development research, program evaluation, mixed-methods studies, statistical analysis, grant management, stakeholder engagement, policy translation.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Research Analyst (Workforce Development)
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor or Specialist
Program Evaluation Associate

Advancement To:

Research Director (Workforce or Rehabilitation Programs)
Senior Program Evaluation Manager
Director of Policy & Research / Chief of Research

Lateral Moves:

Workforce Development Program Manager
Data Analytics Manager (Public Sector / Nonprofit)
Policy Analyst (Labor & Employment)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead and manage a multidisciplinary research team conducting vocational and employment outcomes research, including staffing, mentoring, performance reviews, and professional development to build expertise in vocational rehabilitation and workforce analytics.
Design rigorous mixed-methods studies (quantitative and qualitative) to evaluate vocational programs, training initiatives, and employment supports, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and funder requirements.
Oversee all phases of research projects from conception to dissemination: study design, IRB/ethics approvals, sampling plans, instrument development, data collection protocols, cleaning, analysis, and reporting.
Conduct and supervise advanced statistical analysis using R, SAS, Stata, or SPSS to model employment outcomes, cost-benefit, longitudinal trajectories, and causal impacts of vocational interventions.
Lead qualitative research components including interview guides, focus groups, thematic coding, and synthesis of qualitative findings using tools like NVivo or ATLAS.ti, and integrate qualitative insights with quantitative results.
Manage grant-funded research and evaluation projects, including proposal development, budget planning, compliance with funding agency terms, progress reporting, and deliverable management.
Develop and maintain performance measurement frameworks and key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor program effectiveness, participant outcomes, employer engagement metrics, and continuous improvement.
Design and manage participant tracking systems and data pipelines, ensuring secure data collection, record linkage, and adherence to data privacy regulations (FERPA, HIPAA where applicable).
Create clear, actionable reports, policy briefs, and executive summaries tailored to diverse stakeholders including agency leadership, legislators, funders, employers, and community partners.
Present research findings at internal leadership briefings, public stakeholder meetings, academic conferences, and funder presentations, translating technical results into practical recommendations for program design and policy change.
Lead employer and community stakeholder engagement to inform study design, recruitment strategies, and the practical applicability of findings for workforce development and vocational services.
Supervise procurement of evaluation vendors, consultants, and subcontracts, including drafting scopes of work, proposal evaluations, and contract oversight to ensure quality and timely delivery.
Implement quality assurance and data validation protocols to maintain high standards for data integrity, reproducibility, and transparency in all research outputs.
Develop and deliver training and technical assistance for field staff, service providers, and partner agencies on data collection best practices, outcome measurement, and use of evaluation findings.
Translate research findings into practical program improvement plans and implementation roadmaps, and work cross-functionally with program teams to support operationalization of recommendations.
Monitor legislative, regulatory, and sector trends impacting vocational rehabilitation and workforce development and synthesize implications for research priorities and organizational strategy.
Coordinate multi-site and longitudinal studies, including site selection, partner management, baseline and follow-up data collection, and mitigation of attrition and sampling bias.
Oversee the creation of data visualizations and interactive dashboards (Tableau, Power BI) that make complex vocational and labor market findings accessible to non-technical audiences.
Ensure all research activities comply with institutional review board (IRB) standards, ethical research practices, informed consent procedures, and confidentiality requirements.
Manage research budgets, forecast resource needs, prioritize staffing assignments, and balance multiple projects to meet deadlines and deliver high-impact outcomes.
Facilitate cross-departmental collaboration across program operations, policy teams, finance, and IT to ensure research integrates with program delivery and data systems.
Serve as the organization’s subject-matter expert on vocational outcomes measurement and contribute to strategic planning, fundraising proposals, and external communications to raise the profile of evidence-based vocational services.

Secondary Functions

Respond to ad-hoc data requests and produce rapid-turnaround analyses to support program decisions and leadership queries.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy, including recommendations for data architecture, participant tracking, and analytics tooling.
Translate business and programmatic questions into technical specifications for data engineers, analysts, and vendor partners.
Participate in cross-functional project planning, sprint planning, and agile ceremonies to align research deliverables with product and operations timelines.
Provide mentorship and career development pathways for junior analysts, including structured training on research methods, statistical tools, and client-facing presentation skills.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Advanced proficiency in statistical analysis and modeling with software such as R, Python (pandas/statsmodels), SAS, or Stata for program evaluation and outcome analysis.
Experience with mixed-methods research design and qualitative analysis tools (NVivo, ATLAS.ti) for coding and synthesizing interview/focus-group data.
Strong data management skills including SQL, relational databases, and experience designing participant tracking systems and data linkage procedures.
Proficiency building interactive dashboards and data visualizations in Tableau, Power BI, or D3 to create stakeholder-ready products.
Knowledge of program evaluation methods including experimental/quasi-experimental designs (RCTs, propensity score matching, difference-in-differences).
Grant writing, contract management, and experience administering federal, state, or foundation-funded research projects.
Familiarity with compliance and privacy frameworks relevant to participant data (IRB processes, FERPA, HIPAA where applicable).
Expertise in survey design, sampling methodologies, instrument validation, and survey platforms (Qualtrics, REDCap).
Experience with longitudinal data analysis, survival analysis, and cohort tracking for employment outcomes.
Advanced report-writing and policy brief development skills with strong attention to evidence synthesis and actionable recommendations.
Practical knowledge of vocational rehabilitation program models, workforce development systems, labor market indicators, and employer engagement strategies.

Soft Skills

Strong leadership and people-management skills with experience coaching researchers and building collaborative teams.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, able to translate technical findings into clear, compelling narratives for non-technical stakeholders.
Strategic thinking and the ability to prioritize research activities to maximize policy and program impact.
Project management skills with attention to timelines, budgets, and competing stakeholder needs.
Stakeholder engagement and partnership-building abilities, including facilitation with employers, agencies, and community organizations.
Problem-solving orientation with a pragmatic approach to study design, data limitations, and real-world program constraints.
High ethical standards and professional integrity in handling sensitive participant data and reporting findings.
Adaptability in fast-paced environments and comfort managing multiple concurrent studies.
Coaching and mentoring aptitude to develop junior staff and foster a learning culture.
Attention to detail and quality assurance focus to ensure reproducible and transparent research outputs.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy, Sociology, Economics, Rehabilitation Counseling, Statistics, Psychology, Public Administration, or a related field.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree or PhD in Public Policy, Public Administration, Social Science, Economics, Rehabilitation Counseling, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Biostatistics, or a closely related discipline.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Vocational Rehabilitation / Rehabilitation Counseling
Public Policy / Public Administration
Economics / Labor Economics
Sociology / Social Research
Statistics / Biostatistics / Data Science
Industrial-Organizational Psychology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

5–10 years of applied research or program evaluation experience in workforce development, vocational rehabilitation, labor market research, or related fields.

Preferred:

7+ years with at least 2–3 years in a supervisory or team lead role.
Demonstrated experience managing grant-funded research, IRB approvals, and multi-site or longitudinal studies.
Proven track record publishing reports, peer-reviewed articles, or policy briefs and presenting to policymakers and funders.