Language Measurement Scientist

Duolingo
Pittsburgh, PA
On-site

Who this role is best for

Aimed at experienced language assessment experts who can collaborate across disciplines and apply advanced measurement principles.

Best fit for

  • Candidates with a PhD in language testing or related fields and a track record in high-stakes assessment design
    — “A PhD in language testing, applied linguistics, second language acquisition, educational measurement, or a related field.”
  • Individuals who can bridge research and product teams through clear communication and technical reporting
    — “Translate research findings into clear recommendations for technical and non-technical partners.”
  • Professionals with experience in designing interactive and adaptive assessments for digital platforms
    — “Design and evaluate assessment tasks, including new interactive item formats.”

Things to consider

  • The role involves explaining complex measurement concepts to diverse teams, which may require strong interdisciplinary communication skills.
    — “The ability to explain complex measurement concepts clearly to collaborators from different disciplines.”
  • Candidates must be prepared for a potentially high-stakes environment, as the test is used for global learners.
    — “Join our life-changing mission to develop education for our half a billion (and growing!) learners around the world.”

How to stand out

  • Highlight experience with interactive-task development and evidence-centered design in your resume and interviews.
    — “Expertise in evidence-centered design, interactive-task development, or integrated-skills assessment.”
  • Demonstrate a history of publishing research or presenting findings to academic and professional audiences.
    — “Experience communicating research through publications, reports, or presentations.”
  • Emphasize your ability to design and analyze both qualitative and quantitative studies.
    — “Experience designing and analyzing qualitative and quantitative research studies.”
  • Showcase proficiency in data-analysis tools like R or Python in your technical skills section.
    — “Proficiency with data-analysis tools such as R or Python.”
Pace · SteadyCollaboration · MediumAutonomy · MediumDecision Impact · Team

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • develop innovative language assessments
  • conduct validity, reliability, and fairness studies
  • translate research findings into actionable recommendations
Typical background
PhD in language testing, applied linguistics, second language acquisition, educational measurement

Skills & requirements

Required

Language AssessmentMeasurement PrinciplesQualitative And Quantitative ResearchCommunication Of Research FindingsProficiency With Data-analysis Tools (R Or Python)

Preferred

Large Language ModelsNatural Language ProcessingComputer-adaptive TestsEvidence-centered DesignInteractive-task Development

Stack & domain

PythonRLanguage AssessmentMeasurement PrinciplesTest DesignValidityReliabilityFairnessMeasurement Of Language ProficiencyQualitative And Quantitative Research StudiesCommunicationProject-managementOrganizational SkillsCollaborationLeadershipProblem-solvingTeamworkEducationLanguage TestingApplied LinguisticsSecond Language AcquisitionEducational Measurement

About the role

Original posting from Duolingo

Our mission at Duolingo is to develop the best education in the world and make it universally available. It’s a big mission, and that’s where you come in!

At Duolingo, you’ll join a team that cares about educating our users, experimenting with big ideas, making fact-based decisions, and finding innovative solutions to complex problems. You’ll have limitless learning opportunities and daily collaborations with world-class minds — while doing work that’s both meaningful and fun.

Join our life-changing mission to develop education for our half a billion (and growing!) learners around the world. 

Read our blog to learn more.

About the role...

Duolingo is looking for a language assessment expert to support test development and research for the Duolingo English Test. You will join our Assessment Research and Development team, collaborating across disciplines to design and evaluate innovative language assessments. Your work will help ensure that assessment tasks and scores are valid, reliable, and fair while advancing Duolingo’s mission through science.

🧠  You will...

Collaborate with measurement researchers, engineers, and designers to develop innovative, research-driven language assessments.

Design and evaluate assessment tasks, including new interactive item formats.

Conduct qualitative and quantitative studies examining the validity, reliability, and fairness of assessment tasks and test scores.

Apply language assessment and measurement principles to improve test design, content, scoring, and quality assurance.

Translate research findings into clear recommendations for technical and non-technical partners.

Share findings through technical reports, research publications, blog posts, and presentations to professional and academic audiences.

✅  You have...

A PhD in language testing, applied linguistics, second language acquisition, educational measurement, or a related field.

Experience developing or conducting research on high-stakes language assessments or comparable professional experience.

Expertise in language assessment, including test design, validity, reliability, fairness, and the measurement of language proficiency.

Experience designing and analyzing qualitative and quantitative research studies.

Experience communicating research through publications, reports, or presentations.

The ability to explain complex measurement concepts clearly to collaborators from different disciplines.

Proficiency with data-analysis tools such as R or Python.

Strong collaboration, project-management, and organizational skills.

⭐  Exceptional candidates will have...

Experience applying large language models, natural language processing, or related technologies to language assessment.

Experience collaborating with software engineers, or AI researchers to develop digital assessment products.

Experience designing or developing computer-adaptive tests.

Expertise in evidence-centered design, interactive-task development, or integrated-skills assessment.

The offered salary is dependent upon several factors, including work experience, skills, and internal peer comparisons. The posted range is subject to change in the future. For this role, base salary is supplemented by equity compensation. We encourage you to talk with your recruiter for more information related to compensation for this role!

Salary Range: $110,500—$149,500 USDBenefits: Take a peek at how we care for our employees' holistic well-being with our benefits here.

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Accommodations: We will do everything we can within reason to make sure that your interview takes place in an environment that fairly and accurately assesses your skills. If you need assistance or accommodation, please contact accommodations@duolingo.com.

Equal Employment Opportunity: Duolingo is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

Fraud Warning: Unfortunately, there is a rise in scammers pretending to be real Duolingo employees. Duolingo and our employees will never ask for your Social Security number, bank details, or passport info, and we’ll never ask you to deposit a check, purchase equipment, or exchange money during the interview process. Real Duolingo employees always use an email that ends in @duolingo.com or @recruiting.duolingo.com. Stay alert and double-check these details before sharing any information.

By applying for this position your data will be processed as per the Duolingo Applicant Privacy Notice.

Source: Duolingo careers

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