Research Analyst

Department
 

UL Urban Crime Lab

About the Department
 

Who We Are In cities across the country, people face high rates of gun violence, under-resourced schools, and social harms associated with the criminal justice system --all of which disproportionately impact people of color. These inequalities have profound consequences on public safety and opportunity. As a society we have failed to address these challenges, in part, because of our lack of understanding of the most effective and cost-effective solutions that can have a real impact on people’s lives. We believe that rigorous research can help. The University of Chicago Crime Lab and Education Lab partner with cities and communities to use data and rigorous research to design, test, and scale programs and policies that enhance public safety, improve educational outcomes, and advance justice. Our mission is to combine world-class data science and research, in partnership with government agencies, to substantially improve the effectiveness of the public sector and achieve impact at scale. To learn more about the Crime Lab and Education Lab, visit https://urbanlabs.uchicago.edu/labs/crime.The Role The Harris School of Public Policy and Professor Oeindrila Dube are recruiting research analysts with strong technical skills to work on a large-scale behavioral-science informed policing project. The project seeks to evaluate the impact of a new police training, that draws on novel concepts from the frontiers of behavioral science. The goal of the training is to improve officer decision-making in high-stakes situations. The training has been implemented in partnership with the Chicago Police Department. We are evaluating its effects through a randomized control trial that includes several thousand police officers. The evaluation utilizes cutting edge research analytics paired with large-scale, confidential administrative data. Our results will provide direct insight into policy strategies for reducing uses of force and adverse interactions between police officers and community members. Successful candidates will have foundational skills in statistical modeling, and extensive experience with data analysis and managing large datasets. The Research Analysts will contribute to all facets of data cleaning and analysis, including statistical model development, coding and implementation. Analysts will work closely with Professor Dube and also have opportunities to work with a small research team comprised of behavioral scientists, other analysts and law enforcement officials. The position is expected to begin immediately, and last for one year, with the possibility of an extension.

Job Summary
 

The job performs a range of activities to support the statistical design and implementation of research analysis. Uses knowledge of statistics to communicate analyses for research proposals and draft reports detailing their results. Follows objectives and procedures for sampling, randomization, data collection, analysis, and quality control.

Responsibilities

• Works with the research team to implement analytical approaches designed to address specific research questions.
• Cleans, transforms, merges, and matches large and complex research and administrative datasets.
• Builds statistical models and implements regression analyses. 
• Prepares results for memos, presentations, policy reports and academic papers.
• Assists in producing other types of content for academic papers and policy reports, such as literature reviews.
• Prepares replication packages and datasets for repositories for published academic papers.
• Performs a range of activities to facilitate the design of research project and the publication of their results. Uses knowledge of statistics to help develop objectives and statistical procedures for the project.
• Helps develop and implements new innovative procedures in the areas of data collection, quality control, presentation of results, and statistical analysis.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

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Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

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Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in economics, sociology, public policy, statistics, computer science, or a closely related field.

Experience:

• Relevant research experience through professional opportunities or in the classroom.

• Training in econometrics and experience working with Stata. Experience with Python is a plus.

Preferred Competencies

• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and meet tight deadlines.

• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.

• Ability to work both independently and as a team member.

• Ability to work carefully with sensitive and confidential data.

• Strong interest in data analysis.

• Strong interest in social policy.

• Strong quantitative skills.

Application Documents

• Resume (required)

• Cover Letter (required)

• References (3) (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST  be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family
 

Research

Role Impact
 

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status
 

Exempt

Pay Frequency
 

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours
 

37.5

Benefits Eligible
 

Yes

Requires Compliance with University Covid-19 Vaccination Requirement
 

Yes

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Posting Statement
 

Employees must comply with the University’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements. More information about the requirements can be found on the University of Chicago Vaccination GoForward .
The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu . Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.