| JOB SUMMARY: |
NORC at the University of Chicago is seeking a qualified Data Analyst I or II (we are open to hiring at either level) to join the Methodology and Quantitative Social Sciences department and support a diverse range of research projects. At NORC, Data Analysts are early career team members who train and work with our Data Scientists and Research Methodologists to perform tasks including importing, cleaning, standardizing, transforming, and validating data sets.
Data Analysts also research and document data procedures and support the investigation of data problems. They may identify, analyze, and interpret trends or patterns in data sets, support modeling efforts, and help prepare data presentations and reports, including developing charts, graphs, and tables. In addition, the Data Analyst may assist in data collection and harmonization from primary or secondary data sources (e.g., administrative records, commercial data, social media data), preparing data files for delivery, and the maintenance of databases, data systems, and their relevant metadata/dictionaries. The Data Analyst is expected to work collaboratively in a team environment.
Qualified applicants must be eligible to work in the U.S now and in the future. We regret that we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position.
Location: This is a hybrid role based in our Chicago Loop office, with a minimum of six days per month in the office.
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| DEPARTMENT: Methodology and Quantitative Social Sciences |
The Methodology and Quantitative Social Sciences department implements state-of-the-art methodologies and develops innovations to deliver reliable data and rigorous analysis to guide critical programmatic, business and policy decisions for NORC clients. The department provides leadership throughout the project lifecycle on study design, data collection, assessment of data quality, quantitative analysis, and dissemination of results. The Methodological and Quantitative Social Sciences department also conducts its own research and is a leader in designing and implementing rigorous, efficient methods for gathering, evaluating, and analyzing data from primary and secondary sources. The department provides expertise and leads NORC strategy on the use of a broad range of methods and techniques, including research and experimental design, recruitment and retention, instrument design and testing, assessing data quality, evaluating measurement properties of new measures, causal inference methods, machine learning, analysis of clustered data, data visualization, use of novel data sources and technologies to improve data gathering, and building AI solutions that support NORC’s research. The department collaborates with the Statistics and Data Science Department on areas of synergy and intersection and with all NORC subject matter departments, in addition to leading its own projects.
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| RESPONSIBILITIES: |
- Collaborate with methodologists and subject matter experts to implement and improve data management and analysis activities.
- Develop programs and scripts for data cleaning, integration, transformation, and harmonization, as well as data quality checks and validation
- Support and enhance applications and databases already built for various research needs and produce data documentation and dictionaries.
- Create data dashboards and visualizations, including preparing charts, graphs, and tables for reports and presentations.
- Perform various types of data analysis and modeling, often involving multiple data sets.
- Contribute to documentation, reports, and presentations through writing sections, creating basic analytic summaries, and developing tables and graphics.
- Apply AI tools to help improve efficiency.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
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| REQUIRED SKILLS: |
- Bachelor’s degree in social science with a computational social science emphasis or data science.
- 0-2 years’ relevant experience (internships included.)
- Programming in statistical packages and databases: R, Python, and SQL required.
- Familiarity working with large data sets, conducting statistical and quantitative modeling, melding analytics with strong programming, data mining, clustering and segmentation.
- Strong foundation in areas of social science research, analytic methods, data engineering, machine learning, and scientific methods of inquiry.
- Proficiency with data management, quantitative analysis and modeling, data reduction techniques and data visualization.
- Working knowledge of different types of data that can be sourced whether from administrative data, surveys, social media, or sensor data.
- Strong skills in problem solving and quantitative analysis are required, including a willingness to understand deviations and ask questions about data issues.
- Able to organize and prioritize work assignments to meet project needs.
- Strong communication, writing and data storytelling skills.
- Enthusiasm for teamwork and collaboration across disciplinary boundaries.
- Qualified applicants must be eligible to work in the U.S now and in the future. We regret that we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position.
Preferred Skills:
- Experience working with SAS, Tableau, Hadoop, Hive, Databricks, MapReduce, and/or other large data systems
- Additional expertise in large and small language models, and machine learning, in working in cloud environments (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP), and with command-line workflows (e.g., in bash)
- Experience with JavaScript programming.
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| SALARY AND BENEFITS: |
The pay range for this position is $62,000-$73,000.
This position is classified as regular. Regular staff are eligible for NORC’s comprehensive benefits program. Benefits include, but are not limited to:
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Generously subsidized health insurance, effective on the first day of employment
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Dental and vision insurance
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A defined contribution retirement program, along with a separate voluntary 403(b) retirement program
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Group life insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance
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Benefits that promote work/life balance, including generous paid time off, holidays; paid parental leave, bereavement leave, tuition assistance, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
NORC is committed to equity and transparency in its pay practices. We publish salary ranges and benefit information for every job. The listed hiring range reflects what we, in good faith, expect to pay at the time of posting, though actual compensation may vary and may be adjusted over time. A candidate’s placement within the range depends on factors such as competencies, education, qualifications, experience, skills, performance, and organizational needs.
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| WHAT WE DO: |
NORC at the University of Chicago is an objective, non-partisan research institution that delivers reliable data and rigorous analysis to guide critical programmatic, business, and policy decisions. Since 1941, our teams have conducted groundbreaking studies, created and applied innovative methods and tools, and advanced principles of scientific integrity and collaboration. Today, government, corporate, and nonprofit clients around the world partner with us to transform increasingly complex information into useful knowledge.
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| WHO WE ARE: |
For over 80 years, NORC has evolved in many ways, moving the needle with research methods, technical applications and groundbreaking research findings. But our tradition of excellence, passion for innovation, and commitment to collegiality have remained constant components of who we are as a brand, and who each of us is as a member of the NORC team. With world-class benefits, a business casual environment, and an emphasis on continuous learning, NORC is a place where people join for the stellar research and analysis work for which we’re known, and stay for the relationships they form with their colleagues who take pride in the impact their work is making on a global scale.
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| EEO STATEMENT: |
NORC is an equal opportunity employer. NORC evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, sexual orientation, and other legally protected characteristics.
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