Predoctoral Fellow

Department

Harris School Pre-Docs, Temps and Non-Student Research Assistants

About the Department

Why Policy? For a better world. Why Harris Public Policy? Because when it comes to better policymaking, evidence matters. We work at the frontiers of data collection and analysis, using the latest technology and social science methods to design policies that work for society. We conduct rigorous inquiry in an environment of innovation and risk taking. We collaborate across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, adopting new methodologies to drive better solutions. We engage with our city, our world, and our leaders every day to evaluate and test our ideas. And we lead with our passion for driving social change, knowing that passion alone does not equal impact.

Job Summary

Professor Anjali Adukia (University of Chicago) seeks a full-time research assistant with strong technical skills to work on large-scale social policy research projects designed to improve educational outcomes. The analyst will work on a portfolio of projects related to education and restorative justice in schools.

The successful candidate will have experience in applying a variety of statistical modeling and data analysis techniques to datasets in real-world settings. From project inception to delivery, the research assistant will contribute to all facets of data collection and cleaning, model development, and implementation.

Responsibilities

• Works with partners and members of the research team to propose and implement analytical approaches to solving specific research questions.

• Cleans, transforms, merges, and matches between large and complex research and administrative datasets.

• Builds statistical models for a variety of research projects.

• Performs sampling, power analysis, and randomization.

• Prepares results for memos, presentations, and academic papers targeting both  policymakers and researchers.

• Assists with drafting papers.

• Writes statistical computer programs and reviews computer output for consistency and quality. 

• Maintains technical and administrative support for a research project.

• Analyzes and maintains data and/or specimens. Conducts literature reviews. Assists with preparation of reports, manuscripts and other documents.

• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through < 2 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Master’s degree in economics, sociology, public policy, statistics, computer science, or a closely related field. 

Experience:

• Experience working with statistical programming languages.

• Strong interest in social policy, especially crime and education policy.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Experience in data analysis.

• Strong quantitative skills.

• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet tight deadlines.

Preferred Competencies

• R or Python experience strongly preferred.

• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.

• Ability to work both independently and as a team member.

• Ability to work carefully with sensitive and confidential data.

• Candidates are encouraged to highlight experience in the following areas: Working with large, complex, and/or administrative datasets.

• Program evaluation methods (e.g., difference-in-differences, propensity score matching, regression discontinuity).

• Creating data visualizations.

• Conducting predictive analyses using random forest or related algorithms.

• Imputing missing data.

 Working Conditions

• Predoctoral Fellow will be based out of Chicago, IL.

Application Documents

• Resume (required)

• Cover Letter (required)

• Reference Contact Information (2) (required)

• Unofficial Transcript (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Research

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Pay Rate Type

Hourly

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FLSA Status

Non-Exempt

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Pay Range

$21.79 - $28.21

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement
 

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu. Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.