Data-Driven EnviroLab Temporary Research Specialist/Data Analyst

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Chapel Hill (NC); Hybrid; USD 30,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

The UNC Institute for the Environment seeks a Data-Driven EnviroLab Temporary Research Specialist/Data Analyst to support interdisciplinary research on environmental, climate, energy, and sustainability issues. The position will work with large, heterogeneous datasets to develop reproducible analytical workflows and translate findings into accessible tools.

Working with an interdisciplinary team, the candidate will use R and/or Python to collect, clean, and analyze data, build dashboards, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of training and experience.

Responsibilities

• Use R and/or Python to collect, clean, integrate, manage, and analyze data from multiple sources.
• Apply quantitative, statistical, and geospatial methods as relevant.
• Create dashboards and visualizations to translate findings for researchers and policymakers.
• Contribute to research reports, academic publications, and presentations.

Skills

R

Python

Data analysis

Geospatial analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in related field

Tools

Git/GitHub

APIs

Web scraping

Databases

Job description

Department:

UNC Inst for the Environment - 635200

Career Area :

Research Professionals

Posting Open Date:

09/30/2026

Application Deadline:

10/21/2026

Position Type:

Temporary Staff (SHRA)

Position Title :

Data-Driven EnviroLab Temporary Research Specialist/Data Analyst

Position Number:

20078850

Vacancy ID:

S028109

Full-time/Part-time:

Full-Time Temporary

Hours per week:

40

Work Schedule:

Monday – Friday, 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM; times may vary

Position Location:

North Carolina, US

Hiring Range:

$22.00 - $25.00 per hour

Proposed Start Date:

11/02/2026

Estimated Duration of Appointment:

6 months or longer

Be a Tar Heel!:

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation’s top public universities. Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn.One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks that include numerous retail and restaurant discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates for performing arts events.

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit:

The UNC Institute for the Environment (IE) has a multifaceted mission: (1) To strengthen environmental research capacity across UNC by supporting a multi-disciplinary community of scholars that enhances collaboration, increases sharing of knowledge, and identifies solutions to the world’s critical environmental problems. (2) To work in partnership across UNC and with external partners to coordinate and deliver 21st century educational programs that provide students with the experience and skills to thrive in a growing global economy. (3) To put new environmental knowledge into action by engaging and serving communities, here in North Carolina and around the world. (4) To fuel and harness the university’s sustainability activities through the Sustainable Carolina Initiative

Position Summary:

This position may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement that may include a partially remote work location, consistent with System Office policy. UNC Chapel Hill employees are generally required to reside within a reasonable commuting distance of their assigned duty station.

The Data-Driven EnviroLab (DDL) at UNC-Chapel Hill seeks a Research Specialist with a data science focus to support interdisciplinary research on environmental, climate, energy, and sustainability issues. The position will work across projects that use large and heterogeneous datasets to understand environmental and policy challenges, develop reproducible analytical workflows, and translate research findings into accessible tools and outputs for researchers, policymakers, and the public.

This Data Scientist/Research Specialist position is ideal for recent BS/BA or Master’s graduates and early-career professionals interested in strengthening their applied research skills, including those considering doctoral study. The candidate will use R and/or Python to collect, clean, integrate, manage, and analyze data from multiple sources; apply quantitative, statistical, and, where relevant, geospatial methods; and contribute to data products, visualizations, and research outputs.

Working with an interdisciplinary team spanning data science/statistics, computer science, climate policy, law, and social science, the candidate may contribute to projects that:

• Develop and maintain research datasets by integrating administrative, web, geospatial, policy, and other public or proprietary data sources, with attention to data quality, documentation, and reproducibility.
• Build and maintain data pipelines using APIs, web scraping, automated collection, cleaning, classification, and validation methods.
• Conduct quantitative, statistical, and geospatial analyses to study environmental, economic, health, and policy questions; depending on the project, methods may include regression, panel-data analysis, machine learning, and spatial analysis.
• Create dashboards, visualizations, and other data products that translate complex datasets and findings into accessible information for researchers, policymakers, and the public.
• Contribute to research reports, academic publications, presentations, and other outputs produced by the interdisciplinary team.

One current application of this work is DDL’s U.S. Data Center Dashboard, which tracks data center facilities and state and local policies related to data center development and may expand to incorporate community awareness and responses. In this project, the Research Specialist may help develop and validate facility and policy datasets, analyze environmental, health, economic, and policy implications, and support continued dashboard development. The position may also contribute to other DDL research projects as needs evolve.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements:

Bachelor’s degree in a discipline related to the area of assignment; or equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

Management Preferences:

• Coursework in Computer Science, Statistics, Data Science, Economics, Environmental Science, Geography, Public Policy, or another quantitative or computational field
• Strong programming skills in R or Python with experience working with large or complex datasets, including data cleaning, merging, quality assurance, documentation, or reproducible workflows
• Experience with quantitative or statistical analysis (e.g., regression, panel-data analysis, machine learning) or geospatial analysis (e.g., geographic coordinates, vector or raster data, spatial joins)
• Experience with research data tools or workflows such as Git/GitHub, APIs, web scraping, databases, or automated data collection.
• Ability to communicate technical findings clearly in an nterdisciplinary team

Campus Security Authority Responsibilities:

Not Applicable.