Research Analyst

New York City Department of Transportation; New York (NY); On-site; USD 95,000 - 155,000; Full time

Job summary

New York City Department of Transportation's Chief Strategy Office seeks a Research Analyst for the Office of Inclusive Planning. This role focuses on advancing transportation equity for communities facing barriers, including people with disabilities and older adults, through data-driven research and inclusive public engagement.

The position involves leading federally funded planning studies, analyzing quantitative and qualitative data, and presenting findings to stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Experience conducting or supporting qualitative and quantitative research, including surveys, interviews, focus groups, and data analysis.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support federally funded planning studies and develop project materials.
• Support planning and research initiatives to understand needs and priorities of communities facing barriers.
• Coordinate logistics for surveys, interviews, and focus groups for inclusive public engagement.
• Create data visualizations, reports, and presentations for internal and external forums.

Skills

Qualitative research

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Master's degree in Physical/Biological/Environmental Science or Public Health

Doctorate with supervisory/research experience

Equivalent education/experience with required master's

Tools

Microsoft Word

Excel

R

SPSS

Python

SQL

Power BI

ArcGIS

Job description

The Chief Strategy Office is seeking a Research Analyst for its Office of Inclusive Planning (OIP). The Inclusive Planning team, under the Assistant Commissioner for Accessibility & Equity, is dedicated to advancing transportation equity throughout NYC DOT's programs and operations. OIP works to improve access to transportation for communities that experience barriers, including people with disabilities, older adults, low-income New Yorkers, and people with limited English proficiency.

Reporting to the Data Lead, the Research Analyst will:

• Lead and support federally funded planning studies, including research activities, data collection, analysis, and development of project materials for the current Accessible Wayfinding for People with Disabilities study
• Support planning and research initiatives to better understand the needs, experiences, and priorities of communities that have historically experienced barriers to transportation.
• Support the management and communications for biannual Travel Surveys examining the travel habits, perspectives, and priorities of these communities.
• Support the Accessible Wayfinding for People with Disabilities study, including research activities, data collection, analysis, and development of project materials.
• Conduct qualitative and quantitative research and analysis to address questions related to transportation equity, accessibility, and other priorities identified by program leadership.
• Support data collection and evaluation efforts, including developing data collection instruments and coordinating logistics for surveys, interviews, and focus groups and developing inclusive strategies for public engagement.
• Analyze and synthesize research findings from multiple sources and translate them into clear, accessible insights.
• Create data visualizations, reports, presentations, and other materials and present findings at internal and external forums, as requested.

The selected candidate should have strong organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills and be able to work effectively with diverse stakeholders. The candidate should also demonstrate an understanding of planning and project delivery within City government.

CITY RESEARCH SCIENTIST - 21744

Minimum Qualifications

1. For Assignment Level I (only physical, biological and environmental sciences and public health) A master's degree from an accredited college or university with a specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological or environmental science or in public health.

To be appointed to Assignment Level II and above, candidates must have:

1. A doctorate degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and one year of full-time experience in a responsible supervisory, administrative or research capacity in the appropriate field of specialization; or

2. A master's degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and three years of responsible full-time research experience in the appropriate field of specialization; or

3. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least a master's degree in an appropriate field of specialization and at least two years of experience described in "2" above. Two years as a City Research Scientist Level I can be substituted for the experience required in "1" and "2" above.

NOTE:

Probationary Period

Appointments to this position are subject to a minimum probationary period of one year.

Preferred Skills

• Experience conducting or supporting qualitative and quantitative research, including surveys, interviews, focus groups, and data analysis.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to synthesize information from multiple sources.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including experience preparing reports, technical memos, presentations, or other research materials.
• Ability to communicate research findings and complex information clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Ability to work effectively in a team, manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and maintain strong attention to detail.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate with diverse colleagues, stakeholders, and community members.
• Experience with Microsoft Word and Excel and familiarity with statistical, analytical, or data visualization tools such as R, SPSS, Python, SQL, Power BI, ArcGIS and related software.
• Knowledge of transportation, accessibility, equity, urban planning, public policy, or related fields is a plus.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education's website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.