Data Literacy Researcher

Position Title:

Data Literacy Researcher

Job Group:

Professional & Scientific

Required Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree and 5 years of related experience

Special Required Qualifications

Drivers License

Preferred Qualifications:

Knowledge and experience working with federal, state, and local data sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), and/or the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data sets.
Experience in developing, managing, and securing funds for multi-disciplinary complex research projects and tracking grant outcomes.
Experience with developing and delivering educational programming related to primary or secondary data to a wide variety of audiences.
Experience in writing and creating a variety of data reports along with communicating findings and insights to a variety of audiences.
Ability to identify, analyze, and interpret tabular or spatial data related to communities, community development, and the social sciences (community capitals framework, rural wealth capitals framework, or other similar framework).
Skills in data analytic, visualization, and coding software (R Studio, Tableau, R, SQL, Python, JavaScript, Excel, SAS, SPSS, PowerBI, GIS, etc.).

Job Description:

Are you a continuous learner who is looking for a new position? Do you enjoy working in a collaborative environment?

If so, The Community and Economic Development team with Extension and Outreach at Iowa State University is seeking applicants for a Data Literacy Researcher! This position will be classified as a Research Scientist III.

Community and Economic Development (CED) provides programs, processes, and people to play an important role in providing research-based information and resources to sustain communities into the future. As a part of the CED unit, the Indicators Program provides data and information for decision makers at the local, regional, and state levels.

What You’ll Do:

• Lead in the identification of key community development research questions that will help the CED unit better understand issues in Iowa and how to address those issues.

• Identify broad sets of data, indicators, and data sources to effectively understand and explore research questions.

• Lead or partner on complex, multi-disciplinary research projects across various scales and issues.

• Lead and work alongside CED teammates to identify and determine internal and external data literacy educational needs.

• Lead in the development and delivery of creative research-based data literacy curriculum, resources, programs, etc. that best address the determined end user’s needs across broad platforms.

The successful candidate for this position will have excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Why Join Us?
Be part of a collaborative team dedicated to making a difference. Your expertise will directly contribute to shaping sustainable community development and empowering those we serve.

If you’re ready to make an impact and drive positive change, we want to hear from you!

Occasional in-state travel will be involved for this position.

This is a two year, fixed term position with the opportunity for renewal.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an on-going basis without sponsorship.

Level Guidelines
• Senior-level position possessing high-level professional and/or technical skills working independently under minimal supervision to support ISU’s mission and department or work unit goals
• Applies senior-level professional knowledge and expertise to work requiring greater latitude
• Solves moderately complex problems and regularly exercises judgment to determine appropriate action
• Regularly exercises judgment to resolve problems and determine appropriate action on a broad set of issue and problems. May provide recommendations regarding problems/issues outside the bounds of defined procedures and practices
• Responds to complicated inquiries, provides training, and provides direction to lower-level staff
• May provide supervision for one to two other staff (i.e., leads a small work team)
• May lead projects for which well-defined practices and procedures may not exist
• Provides guidance to students

Appointment Type:

Regular with Term Appointment (Fixed Term)

Proposed End Date or Length of Term:

March 23, 2027

Number of Months Employed Per Year:

12 Month Work Period

Time Type:

Full time

Pay Grade:

PS810

Application Instructions:

To apply for this position, please click on “Apply” and complete the Employment Application. Please be prepared to enter or attach the following:

1) Resume/Curriculum Vitae
2) Letter of Application/Cover Letter

If you have questions regarding this application process, please email employment@iastate.edu or call 515-294-4800 or Toll Free: 1-877-477-7485.

Why Choose ISU?
Iowa State Employees enjoy comprehensive health and work-life benefits, including medical and dental; as well as:
• Retirement benefits including defined benefit and defined contribution plans
• Generous vacation, holiday and sick time and leave plans
• Onsite childcare (Ames, Iowa)
• Life insurance and long-term disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Various voluntary benefits and discounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Wellbeing program
• Iowa State offers WorkFlex options for some positions. WorkFlex offers flexibility on when, where, and how you do your work. For more information, please speak with the Hiring Manager.

Original Posting Date:

February 19, 2025

Posting Close Date:

February 25, 2025

Job Requisition Number:

R16244