Statistician

Department
 

SSD: Sociology - Staff and Temporary Employees

About the Department
 

The UChicago Justice Project is a research group at the University of Chicago directed by Sociology Professor Robert Vargas devoted to studying the political economy of cities and neighborhoods. Both interdisciplinary and multi-method in nature, the Justice Project is conducting multi-city projects on historic homicide patterns, redistricting, and policing. Our research aims for structural and institutional change through greater accountability, transparency, and democratic governance.

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.
The job provides quantitative and technical support to multiple ongoing research projects pertaining to policing, redistricting, and historical geographic homicide patterns. Tasks will include constructing, merging, cleaning, and analyzing data, as well as drafting academic publications, op/eds, and policy reports. The job will provide opportunities to coauthor on each of these publications, as well as dedicated office space at the University of Chicago Department of Sociology (1126 E. 59th Street). The position would start ideally on July 1, 2023, but there is some flexibility.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the construction, analysis, and writing of quantitative studies on redistricting, homicide, and policing in Chicago, New Orleans, San Francisco, Milwaukee, and St. Louis.

• Rigorously evaluate and draft op/eds or policy reports about local Chicago area criminal justice policies.

• Prepare project memos, summaries, presentations, reports, and other work products for dissemination targeting policymakers, academic researchers, and activists.

• Run basic statistical analyses including visualizations and regressions analyses.

• Supervise undergraduate or MA-level research assistants with complex or time-consuming data construction or cleaning tasks.

• Conduct descriptive social network analysis, as well as exponential random graph modeling.

• Solves complex problems relating to the administration of projects, including planning new procedures, adapting existing procedures to the needs of the project, and making significant contributions to methodology.

• Guides data collection, evaluation, and analysis. Designs and manages databases. Writes reports, articles, and manuscripts.

• 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.

---
Work Experience:

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

---
Certifications:

---

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• MA or PhD degree in computer science, statistics, data science, sociology, economics or a closely related field.

Experience:

• Research experience in a related job.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Proficiency with statistical data analysis and data management using R or Stata (preferably both).

• Proficiency with ArcGIS Pro or mapping packages in R (preferably both).

• Extensive experience with Python.

• Experience working with large sets of Twitter data.

• Strong technical capability to write robust data pipelines, including data ingestion (from multiple sources, including APIs), data cleaning, and statistical modeling.

Preferred Competencies

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present data in a simple and straightforward way for non-technical audiences.

• Desire to publish.

• Ability to work independently and as a supervisor of a team.

• Sound critical thinking skills.

• Familiarity with criminal justice policy and/or local government in the Chicagoland area or elsewhere.

Application Documents

• Resume (required)

• Cover Letter (required)

• Writing Sample Demonstrating Quantitative Research Skills (required)

• Contact Information of Two References (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

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.