Research Data Analyst Associate

Department: IPR - Inst for Policy Res

Salary/Grade: EXS/6

Job Summary:

The Institute for Policy Research (IPR) at Northwestern University is looking for a full-time Research Analyst to join their interdisciplinary team starting Summer 2024.

The Research Analyst will have the opportunity to collaborate on the Early Childhood Research Alliance of Chicago (EC-REACH), a newly created center focused on conducting action-oriented research that promotes equitable solutions for early childhood policy and practice in Chicago. One key project within EC-REACH is a mixed-methods study examining the effects of the roll-out of universal prekindergarten in Chicago.

This role will be primarily focused on data management and cleaning, as well as preparing analyses for academic papers and policy memos. The Research Analyst will have two primary areas of responsibility: to support the development of a large, complex data system designed for researchers, and to conduct statistical analyses using these data.

More specifically, the Research Analyst will support research infrastructure and support, including checks on data quality and accuracy from multiple early childhood datasets. For example, the analyst will support the team in obtaining data from city partners and agencies; coordinate with schools and centers during data collection; contribute to study design and analytical plans; contribute to the development of research instruments; manage data storage and access; code data using statistical software (e.g., Stata); and create codebooks and data management protocols; conduct data cleaning and analysis when appropriate. Additionally, the Research Analyst will support our "rapid response" reports to our key policy partners and write short descriptive reports.

The position will be a one-year appointment with renewal for a second-year contingent on satisfactory performance and available funding. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and will continue until the position is filled, with the aim that the successful candidate will begin in July 2024. Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Core to the mission of EC-REACH is the hiring, training, and development of a diverse set of scholars and researchers. We encourage and welcome applications from members of groups who are traditionally underrepresented in the research field, those with lived experience, and those who are intimately familiar with the communities, systems, and programs in which our work is centered.

This is a one-year term position. Opportunity for renewal will be based on performance and available funding.

Specific Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning

• Partners with clients to define requirements based on business objectives.

Administration

• Develop standardized templates, policies, and procedures for internal and external reporting.

• Designs and prepares documentation for qualitative and quantitative data analysis.

Development

• Completes a variety of statistical analyses using appropriate data and software

• Merges data from multiple sources in preparation for analysis.

• Interprets results of analyses for use in reports and presentations

Performance

• Completes data cleaning and organizes data files for analysis.

• Reviews data and Identifies quality issues

Miscellaneous

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.

Other:

• Stata
• R

Certification/Licensure

• SQL Server

Analytical

• critical thinking

• data modeling

• Debugging

• problem solving

• Other: Data cleaning

Project

• Code documentation

• collaboration and teamwork

• facilitate collaboration

• organizational skills

• planning

• Other: Data dictionary creation

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong quantitative skills (coursework in econometrics and/or statistics) and familiarity of social scientific theories.

• Coursework in quasi-experimental methods for observational data, longitudinal data analysis, and/or spatial design.

Data skills:

• Programming

• Stata, R, SQL, and/or Python

• C

Analytical

• Critical thinking

• Data cleaning

• Data modeling

• Debugging

• Problem solving

Project

• Code documentation

• Creating data dictionary

• Collaboration and teamwork

• Facilitate collaboration

• Organizational skills

• Planning

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Experience cleaning large-scale administrative data and interest in applying these data for questions related to early childhood

• Experience with broader range of statistical techniques in descriptive, exploratory and causal analysis.

• Comfort with datasets that are not fully clean and interest in problem solving data issues

• Strong verbal and written communication skills and attention to detail.

• Comfortable with a high degree of ambiguity and thrives in a "start-up" environment that is rapidly evolving with many unknowns.

Target hiring range for this position will be between $57,000-$68,000 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data

Benefits:

At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:

Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.

We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:

Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern strongly recommends COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters for people who can obtain them as a critical tool for minimizing severe illness. More information can be found on the COVID-19 and Campus Updates webpage.

The Northwestern campus sits on the traditional homelands of the people of the Council of Three Fires, the Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odawa as well as the Menominee, Miami and Ho-Chunk nations. We acknowledge and honor the original people of the land upon which Northwestern University stands, and the Native people who remain on this land today.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Click for information on EEO is the Law.

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