Quantitative Researcher (Senior Research Associate)

The University of Southern California (USC), founded in 1880, is located in the heart of downtown L.A. and is the largest private employer in the City of Los Angeles. As an employee of USC, you will be a part of a world-class research university and a member of the “Trojan Family,” which is comprised of the faculty, staff, and students that make the university a great place to work.  

As a community of Dornsife College “we are committed to the creation, preservation, and communication of fundamental knowledge in all its forms…as well as a lifelong passion for learning and a commitment to the betterment of society.”  The academic mission of Dornsife College can only be realized to its fullest potential when we build and protect a representative, equitable, inclusive culture of scholarship for students, faculty, and staff.  This is not done through initiatives but by embedding these values into the everyday interactions, relationships, policies, and practices of the College.  What is required is a seamless integration of the tenets of equity and inclusivity into every facet of academic life.  If we want our scholars, staff, and students to be able to give their very best, we must create an academic environment that portends success.  

Success is possible when every member of the Dornsife community owns their role as a steward of the culture in which we learn, research, and work; when we believe that it is because of who we are that we are able to do what we do: achieve excellence, together. 

Achieving a robust and inclusive academic culture requires more than just the completion of a task, but includes that person’s capacity to contribute positively to the relationships and culture of their office or department.  Therefore, any applicant seeking to advance the mission of Dornsife College should also be assessed on their capacities beyond the technical elements of their work, and demonstrate an understanding of their impact on others, and to articulate how they contribute positively to those around them.

The Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research (CESR) at the University of Southern California (USC) has an exciting opportunity for a quantitative researcher with a background or a strong interest in health and social science research. A successful candidate is expected to work closely with researchers focusing on aging, inequality, and population surveys. The position provides ample opportunities for professional development and advancement.

CESR is a multidisciplinary research institute with about 100 staff and is dedicated to discovering how people around the globe live, think, interact, age, invest, and make important, life-changing decisions. Our in-depth research and analysis are deepening the understanding of human behavior in a wide range of economic and social contexts.

Essential Duties 

• Plan and design highly technical and complex research projects in health-related and other social science fields, independently and in collaboration with project leads and other senior statistical personnel.

• With minimal supervision, independently execute research plan, including conducting the literature review, operationalizing the research hypotheses, conducting the statistical analyses, and preparing drafts of manuscripts and conference presentations.

• Contribute to applications for research funding, including identifying suitable study designs and conducting power analyses.

Qualifications 

• PhD or equivalent doctorate degree with a minimum of 3 years of experience in psychology, sociology, public health, statistics, biostatistics, or related quantitative research fields is required.

• Fluency in literature review and information synthetization is required. Prior experience with research publications and conference presentations is strongly preferred.

• Fluency in statistical applications such as Stata, R, SAS, or similar software is required.

• Working knowledge of panel studies, survey research methods, experimental and quasi-experimental research designs is required.

• Expertise in statistical data analysis, including exploratory data analysis, basic and advanced inferential statistics, and power analysis is required.

• Experience with longitudinal data, multi-level modeling, and psychometrics is a plus.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. 

• Ability to manage multiple projects with overlapping deadlines. 

• Ability to work independently, and with researchers with different disciplinary backgrounds and varying levels of expertise in quantitative research methods and data analysis. 

• Strong interest and some background in aging, inequality, and health-related fields is a plus.

Application Deadline: 

Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Early applications are encouraged.

Salary range: The annual base salary range for this position is $72,738 - $91,557. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

This is a grant funded position.

Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. The university reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

Required Documents and Additional Information:

• Letter of interest, resume/CV, one page research statement and a writing sample such as a prior publication (may be uploaded as one file). Please do not submit your application without these documents.
• Job openings are posted for a minimum of (5) five business days. This job may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended, so please apply on the same business day if interested.
• USC has excellent benefits, including health benefits for staff and their family with access to the renowned university medical network; eligibility for retirement plans with employer contributions after six months of employment; tuition benefits for staff and their family; free Professional Development classes; central Los Angeles location with easy access to commuter trains, buses and free tram pick up services; discounts to sporting and other campus events.

The University of Southern California is an Equal Opportunity Employer that Values Diversity.

Minimum Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate Minimum Experience: 3 years Minimum Field of Expertise: Directly related education and experience in research specialization with advanced knowledge of equipment, procedures, analysis methods, principles, theories and concepts.