Demographer

Nashville Planning Department; Nashville (TN); Hybrid; USD 83,000 - 102,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement benefits

Paid vacation

Paid sick leave

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Job summary

The Nashville Planning Department is seeking an experienced Demographer to lead research on Nashville’s growth, demographic and economic change. The role focuses on analyzing data, supporting the 2030 Census, and informing public policy with clear, accessible findings.

The Advanced Planning & Research Division uses tools like ArcGIS, Excel, StoryMaps, and Tableau to communicate trends to policymakers and the public.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Planning, Geography, Sociology, Demography, or related field.
• Bachelor’s degree with four years of professional experience in public sector or capital planning field.
• Must analyze data, think critically and communicate with government officials and related entities.
• Experience with Census Bureau data and ACS via various methods (API interfaces and public-use microdata).
• Knowledge of data cleaning, management, modelling, and reporting.
• Experience with spreadsheets, databases, GIS, and publishing software.

Responsibilities

• Assess demographic and economic data to identify trends and issues in Nashville and prepare growth reports.
• Lead preparations for the 2030 Census, including technical prep and support for a Complete Count Committee.
• Support local 2030 redistricting with analyses, draft district boundaries, public engagement.
• Conduct independent research and review data from divisions, Metro departments, or outside consultants.
• Present key trends to the public using non-technical language.

Skills

Data analysis

Public engagement

Research methods

Policy communication

Education

Master’s degree in Planning/Geography/Sociology/Demography

Bachelor’s degree with 4 years public sector experience

Tools

ArcGIS

Excel

StoryMaps

Tableau

R

Python

Job description

Demographer The Metro Nashville/Davidson County Planning Department is seeking an experienced individual to join its Advanced Planning & Research (APR) Division to lead research tasks related to Nashville’s growth and economic and demographic change.

Nashville is a dynamic, fast-growing city. Understanding this growth and using it to anticipate the future is fundamental to planning for a great city. APR prepares formal and informal analyses of administration, public, and market data to help policymakers understand growth trends and pressures. The division also communicates findings to other departments and the public, and leads local decennial redistricting. The division is looking for candidates who can:

• Assess demographic and economic data to identify trends and issues in Nashville. Working closely with long-range planners and the housing team, this position will prepare growth reports for Metro, the State Data Center, and the general public to help Nashvillians understand how the county is growing.
• Lead preparations for the 2030 Census. This includes technical preparations (such as Boundary and Annexation Survey or Local Update of Census Addresses) and support for community-facing work, such as support for a Complete Count Committee.
• Support local 2030 redistricting. Prepare analyses, draft district boundaries, community education, and public engagement related to Council and School Board redistricting in 2030.
• Conduct independent research and review research from other divisions, other Metro departments, or outside consultants. These may range across topics, such as growth trends, housing demand, transportation access, and land use change. This position should be able to select and assess appropriate data and methods, assess quality and limitations, and translate technical findings accurately for non-technical audiences.
• Present to the public. Using non-technical language, this position should be able to inform the public about key trends and respond to written and verbal questions.

The Advanced Planning & Research team uses a variety of technical tools for its work, including spreadsheets (Excel), geographic information systems (ArcGIS), online presentations (StoryMaps and Tableau) and code for reproducible data analysis (R and Python). Familiarity with these tools is preferred.

• Metro Nashville offers excellent health, dental and retirement benefits, and competitive paid vacation time, paid sick leave, and paid holidays.
• The Planning Department currently works a 3/2 hybrid work-week.
• This position qualifies for Public Service Loan Forgiveness for qualifying loans.

Annual salary is $92,310.

We are an equal opportunity employer that values diversity at all levels. All individuals, regardless of personal characteristics, are encouraged to apply. The Planning Department does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, creed or disability in admission to, access to, or operations of its programs, services, or activities. Discrimination against any person in recruitment, examination, appointment, training, promotion, retention, discipline or any other employment practices because of non-merit factors shall be prohibited. For ADA inquiries, contact Randi Semrick, ADA Compliance Coordinator, at [phone] or e-mail her at [e-mail]. For Title VI inquiries, contact Human Relations at [phone]. For all employment-related inquiries, contact Human Resources at [phone].

Education and certification requirements

• Master’s degree in Planning, Geography, Sociology, Demography, or a related field, with exposure to urban planning or the public sector with two years of professional experience or Bachelor’s degree in the same fields with four years of professional experience in the public sector or a capital planning field.
• Must have the ability to gather data, analyze facts, think critically and make accurate decisions, communicate effectively, and establish good working relationships with government officials and other related entities.
• Must have experience using U.S. Census Bureau and American Community Survey, accessed through a variety of methods (including API interfaces and public-use microdata). Should have experience with regional growth forecasts and targets.
• Should have knowledge of best practices in data cleaning, management, assessment, modelling, and reporting.
• Should have experience with spreadsheets, databases, geographic information systems, and publishing software.