Principal Scientist, Talent Assessment and Psychometrics | Relocation to Beijing, China Required (Onsite)

Principal Scientist, Talent Assessment and Psychometrics
Location: Beijing, China | On-site
Relocation to Beijing, China.
About Walnut Coding
Walnut Coding is one of China’s leading youth coding education providers, with programmes spanning coding, robotics and STEM. Founded in 2017, Walnut has reached millions of young learners through Scratch, Python and C++ courses that develop computational thinking, creativity and problem-solving skills.
In China, our programmes combine interactive learning software, structured curricula and guidance from learning assistants. We also have a strategic academic partnership with Tsinghua University’s Department of Computer Science and Technology, covering AI and digital literacy education, curriculum and textbook development, research and teacher development.
Internationally, we operate under the Walnut Education brand, working with schools, education partners and public-sector stakeholders across Southeast Asia and the Middle East. In Malaysia, our activities include teacher training, a Scratch pilot programme and curriculum integration in collaboration with education authorities. Our competitions give students opportunities to apply their skills and connect with peers from different countries.
In 2025, Walnut Coding signed a partnership agreement with UNESCO to advance inclusive and accessible digital education. The collaboration includes youth innovation initiatives and an international youth coding competition under the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development 2024–2033.
About the Role
We are seeking an experienced researcher to lead the design and validation of talent assessment methods. You will apply expertise in psychometrics, research design and statistical analysis to evaluate job-relevant competencies and support evidence-based talent decisions.
The role combines independent research, practical assessment development and collaboration with business and technical stakeholders. You will be responsible for ensuring that assessment methods are scientifically sound, consistently applied and appropriate for their intended use.
A completed PhD in a relevant discipline and relevant applied work experience are mandatory. This position is based on-site in Beijing.
Key Responsibilities
Develop competency frameworks and assessment methods aligned with clearly defined talent evaluation needs.
Design job-relevant assessment tasks, structured interviews, scoring rubrics and interpretation guidelines.
Design and conduct studies to evaluate reliability, validity, fairness and practical effectiveness, including relationships between assessment scores and relevant performance outcomes.
Analyse assessment data to refine instruments and scoring methods, and communicate findings, limitations and recommendations.
Establish consistent standards for assessment administration, scoring, data quality and documentation.
Collaborate with stakeholders to implement and improve assessment practices.
Required Qualifications and Experience
Completed PhD in psychometrics, educational measurement, psychological assessment, industrial-organizational psychology, quantitative psychology or a closely related assessment discipline.
Relevant work experience designing, implementing and validating assessment tools or systems in applied settings, with demonstrable responsibility for methodology, data analysis and validation.
Strong command of assessment development, research design and statistical methods, supported by practical examples.
Ability to independently lead assessment research, from competency definition and instrument design through data collection, analysis and interpretation.
Demonstrated ability to evaluate reliability, validity, fairness and practical usefulness, and explain the implications for assessment use.
Sound judgment when defining measurable outcomes, working with real-world data and communicating uncertainty without overstating findings.
Strong communication and collaboration skills, including the ability to explain research to colleagues from different disciplines.
Willingness and ability to be based in Beijing and work on-site.
Preferred Experience
Personnel selection, structured interviews, work samples, assessment centres or occupational testing.
Psychometric modelling, criterion-related validation, longitudinal studies and subgroup or adverse-impact analyses.
Applying research findings to practical assessment decisions and workflows.
AI-assisted assessment or automated scoring. AI expertise is welcome but is not required.
What Success Looks Like
You will deliver scientifically rigorous assessment methods supported by clear validation evidence, consistent scoring and well-documented research. Your work will help stakeholders make informed talent decisions, with a clear understanding of what the assessments measure and their limitations.
What We Offer
An opportunity to lead applied assessment research, exercise scientific judgment and contribute specialist expertise within an established education technology company. You will work with colleagues across disciplines to address practical questions about how talent is evaluated.
Explore Our Work
China website:
https://www.hetao101.com
International website:
https://www.walnutedutech.com
UNESCO partnership announcement:
https://www.un-sciences-decade.org/en/articles/unesco-and-walnut-coding-join-forces-advance-digital-education
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/walnutedu101

Work arrangement
Yes