Part- Time Research Data Analyst

The Pennsylvania State University; State College (Centre County); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

The Pennsylvania State University is seeking a Research Data Analyst to support evaluations and analytics for translating scientific evidence to policymakers. The role involves designing data analysis plans, extracting and maintaining data, and contributing to grant writing and reporting.

Applicants should have a Master’s degree or higher and advanced analytical and statistical modeling skills. Preference will be given to those within commuting distance of Washington, D.C.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in psychology, public health, human development, public policy, social work, or prevention science preferred.
• Proficiency with statistical programming software such as SAS, STATA, or R.
• Experience handling longitudinal and multi-level data.

Responsibilities

• Design plan for analyzing observational and survey data regarding engagement in boundary-spanning initiatives.
• Extract, transform, clean, and maintain data from various sources.
• Contribute to the development of analytic plans for grants and publications.

Skills

Analytic abilities

Statistical modeling skills

Attention to detail

Applied research experience

Communication skills

Writing skills

Ability to manage multiple projects

Education

Master's degree or higher

Tools

SAS

STATA

R

Job description

Program Description

The Research Translation Platform invites applications for a Research Data Analyst interested in a career at the research-policy nexus supporting the evaluation and analytic needs of strategies for translating scientific evidence to policymakers. This opportunity will support the analysis and evaluation of research translation models, such as the Research-to-Policy Collaboration model. The Analyst will be responsible for supporting methods development and data analysis for a variety of projects, and may contribute to the implementation of an effective, replicable, and non-partisan model for brokering researchers and policymakers. Training and mentorship in applying their skills to the analysis of boundary-spanning initiatives will be provided.

Work Arrangements

Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. Preference will be given to applicants within commuting distance to Washington, D.C.; it is not required.

Job Responsibilities

• Design the plan for and analyze observational and survey data regarding policymakers' or researchers' engagement in boundary-spanning initiatives, including longitudinal and multi-level analyses
• Extract, transform, clean, and maintain data from a variety of sources
• Develop and proactively uphold data sources (e.g., surveys in Redcap, observational data via a CRM)
• Contribute to the development of analytic plans for grants and publications
• Support analytic needs for grant writing and reporting (e.g., power analyses; interim impact analyses)
• Meet with legislators or staff to collect survey data
• Mentor undergraduate- and graduate-level interns and fellows on developing and executing analytic plans
• Juggle multiple projects and move ideas into action with attention to methodological and analytic details
• Support research planning by setting milestone goals and incremental internal deadlines to achieve goals

Skills and Traits Needed by Applicants

• Excellent analytic abilities and advanced quantitative statistical modeling skills (e.g., longitudinal, multi-level, over-dispersed) of large, messy datasets
• Proficient with statistical programming software and languages (e.g., SAS, STATA, or R)
• Excellent attention to detail
• Applied research experience, such as large administrative datasets or real-world data
• Enthusiasm and commitment to accelerating the translation of science to policy
• Curiosity and a generalist attitude with interest in diverse social policy issues
• Ability to work on multiple simultaneous projects and prioritize work based on project scope, organizational need, and timeline
• Strong diplomatic communication and interpersonal skills
• Strong communication skills, such as seeking input early in design and escalating threats or problems to PIs
• Ensuring quality control of data collection, and alerting PIs as needed
• Strong writing skills that can produce written sections of methods and results for peer review publication
• Bipartisan mindset and ability to interpret findings from multiple viewpoints

Eligibility

• Master's degree or higher; applicants may have their degrees from any department, but degrees in psychology, public health, human development, public policy, social work, or prevention science will be particularly good fits for the program.
• While the RTP team primarily operates remotely, preference will be given to applicants in Virginia within commuting distance of Washington, D.C. to support in-person data collection from congressional staff.
• Applicants must have permanent residence established in an allowable state prior to the position start date.
• Remote work requires a high-quality, high-speed internet connection in a home office.

Supervision

Supervision will be provided by Executive Director, Taylor Scott, Ph.D., and Director of Research and Evaluation, Elizabeth Long, Ph.D. Additional mentorship will be provided by Max Crowley, Ph.D., Professor at Pennsylvania State University.

Background Checks / Clearances

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.

EEO Statement

Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473.