Graduate Research Assistant supporting the Bridge Department - Part-time

National Opinion Research Center - NORC; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 20,000 - 29,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement program

Holiday pay

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Job summary

NORC at the University of Chicago is seeking a part-time Graduate Research Assistant II to support NSHAP and other projects in the Bridge Department. The role requires current undergraduate or graduate status and 5–10 hours per week on-site at NORC's Hyde Park office.

Applicants must be enrolled, with strong research, writing, and data-analysis skills, and a commitment to inclusive research practices. Some roles may require increased hours during term or breaks.

Qualifications

• Enrolled in an accredited Social Science graduate program.
• Available to work 5–10 hours per week on-site.
• Ability to work increased hours during term and breaks.
• Strong writing, analytic, and critical reasoning skills.
• Experience with qualitative and quantitative data analysis.
• Familiarity with SAS, SPSS, NVivo, Tableau is preferred.
• On-campus employment eligibility for University of Chicago students.

Responsibilities

• Conduct literature reviews.
• Support data collection activities.
• Perform quantitative and qualitative analyses.
• Prepare memos, summaries, and reports.
• Assist with administrative tasks.

Skills

Social science

Quantitative analysis

Qualitative analysis

Interpersonal skills

MS Office

Writing skills

Research methods

Education

Graduate student

Sociology / Social science

Tools

SAS

SPSS

NVivo

Tableau

Job description

JOB DESCRIPTION

NORC at the University of Chicago currently seeks a part-time Graduate Research Assistant II to support the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) and other projects in the Bridge Department, as needed.

We are looking for a student who brings a strong understanding of social science research concepts and a genuine commitment to inclusive and equitable research practices. The ideal candidate is curious, detailoriented, and motivated to contribute to highquality scientific insights.

This role requires you to be a current undergraduate or graduate student available to work 5-10 hours per week on-site at NORC's Hyde Park office on the University of Chicago campus.

Work Authorization: Visa-dependent applicants must be enrolled at the University of Chicago, as this position qualifies as on-campus employment for work-authorization purposes. NORC is unable to provide additional work-authorization sponsorship for student roles.

Location Preference: All eligible students are encouraged to apply; however, preference may be given to University of Chicago students due to the onsite work requirement and NORC's campus employment designation.

DEPARTMENT: The Bridge

The Bridge is a community of researchers and programs covering a variety of substantive domains and exemplifying NORC's commitment to the highest standards of academic excellence and research innovation. The Bridge brings substantive expertise and collaborative infrastructure to theoretically driven and multimodal research. The Bridge collaborates with multi-disciplinary research from the University of Chicago and other research institutions by collecting, analyzing, and disseminating data; providing methodological and statistical expertise; and facilitating pre- and post-award management. The Bridge's research staff collaborate jointly with social scientists, physicians, and other experts in an open, cooperative working environment.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct Literature reviews.
• Support a range of data collection activities.
• Conduct Quantitative and Qualitative analysis.
• Prepare memos, research summaries, and reports.
• Engage in a range of administrative tasks.

REQUIRED SKILLS

• Must be enrolled in an accredited Social Science graduate program (e.g., sociology, political science, public policy, psychology, economics, etc.)
• Be able to work 5-10 hours per week during the school year.
• Be able to work increased hours during term and summer breaks, if needed.
• Outstanding interpersonal, critical reasoning, analytic, and writing skills.
• Experience with qualitative and quantitative data analysis.
• Understanding of routine sampling procedures and working knowledge of statistical software packages (SAS, SPSS, NVivo, Tableau, etc.) preferred.
• Demonstrate strong problem-solving capabilities.
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously.
• Able to work independently and in project teams.
• Strong proficiency with MS Office software is expected.
• Visa-dependent applicants must be enrolled at the University of Chicago.
• Must be available to work onsite at our Hyde Park office.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The pay range for this position is $18/hour.

This position is classified as intermittent. Intermittent staff are eligible to participate in NORC's retirement program. NORC contributes directly to this account without any required employee contributions. In addition, intermittent staff are eligible to make pre-tax or post-tax contributions as part of NORC's Supplemental Retirement Plan. Intermittent staff who meet tenure requirements are eligible for three days of holiday pay. All staff at NORC, along with their significant others and dependent children who live at home, can receive free counseling and referrals through NORC's Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

NORC is committed to equity and transparency in its pay practices. We publish salary ranges and benefit information for every job. The listed hiring range reflects what we, in good faith, expect to pay at the time of posting, though actual compensation may vary and may be adjusted over time. A candidate's placement within the range depends on factors such as competencies, education, qualifications, experience, skills, performance, and organizational needs.

WHO WE ARE

For over 80 years, NORC has evolved in many ways, moving the needle with research methods, technical applications and groundbreaking research findings. But our tradition of excellence, passion for innovation, and commitment to collegiality have remained constant components of who we are as a brand, and who each of us is as a member of the NORC team. With world-class benefits, a business casual environment, and an emphasis on continuous learning, NORC is a place where people join for the stellar research and analysis work for which we're known, and stay for the relationships they form with their colleagues who take pride in the impact their work is making on a global scale.

NORC at the University of Chicago is an objective, non-partisan research institution that delivers reliable data and rigorous analysis to guide critical programmatic, business, and policy decisions. Since 1941, our teams have conducted groundbreaking studies, created and applied innovative methods and tools, and advanced principles of scientific integrity and collaboration. Today, government, corporate, and nonprofit clients around the world partner with us to transform increasingly complex information into useful knowledge.

EEO STATEMENT

NORC is an equal opportunity employer. NORC evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, sexual orientation, and other legally protected characteristics.