Research & Data Specialist for Public Policy

Harvard University FAS Human Resources; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Harvard Kennedy School is seeking a Research and Data Specialist to bridge reference services with data consulting for faculty, students, and fellows. You will administer access to course tools and licensed data, while collaborating to develop services addressing data needs across the HKS community.

The role emphasizes teaching, data literacy, and partnerships with the Research Computing and Data Services and Library Services teams to support scholarly work and the school’s mission.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in library and information science, social science, or a related field and a minimum of 2 years of professional experience in research data services, research consulting, or a closely related role in a research, teaching and learning organization.
• A complete application must include a cover letter and resume.

Responsibilities

• Delivers in-depth research and data consultations to faculty, students, and fellows, guiding study design, data sources, and analysis approaches.
• Designs, develops, and delivers training and workshops; creates instructional materials and online resources.
• Manages student licenses for tools used in courses (e.g., ChatGPT Edu and Claude).
• Controls user access to Harvard-licensed data, software, and other research resources.
• Supports data management processes for coursework, including data management plans for capstone projects.
• Collaborates with Library Services to embed data literacy into instruction and orientations.
• Builds relationships across faculty, research centers, and staff to anticipate data needs and shape services.
• Fosters teamwork and inclusivity while supporting the HKS mission.

Skills

R

Stata

Python

Data ethics

Open data practices

Citation management

Communication

Teaching/training

Research software

Collaboration

Education

Master’s degree in library and information science

Tools

Citation management tools

Data analysis software

Job description

Harvard Kennedy School is seeking a Research and Data Specialist to bridge reference services with data consulting for faculty, students, and fellows. You will administer access to course tools and licensed data, while collaborating to develop services addressing data needs across the HKS community.

The role emphasizes teaching, data literacy, and partnerships with the Research Computing and Data Services and Library Services teams to support scholarly work and the school’s mission.