Senior Embedded Analyst

Department
 

UL Crime Ed Lab Data Analytics

About the Department
 

Who We Are: In cities across the country, people face high rates of gun violence, under-resourced schools, and social harms associated with the criminal justice system -- all of which disproportionately impact people of color. These inequalities have profound consequences on public safety and opportunity. As a society we have failed to address these challenges, in part, because of our lack of understanding of the most effective and cost-effective solutions that can have a real impact on people’s lives. We believe that rigorous research can help. The University of Chicago Crime Lab and Education Lab partner with cities and communities to use data and rigorous research to design, test, and scale programs and policies that enhance public safety, improve educational outcomes, and advance justice. Our mission is to combine world-class data science and research, in partnership with government agencies, to substantially improve the effectiveness of the public sector and achieve impact at scale. To learn more about the Crime Lab and Education Lab, visit https://urbanlabs.uchicago.edu/labs/crime.

Job Summary
 

The UChicago Education Lab is seeking a Senior Embedded Analyst with strong technical, management, and communication skills to work in close partnership with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS). The Senior Embedded Analyst will provide technical leadership to the CPS in consultation with the UChicago Education Lab Senior Research Director and senior officials within the district in order to advance mutual priorities focused on equitable service provision to the district’s most vulnerable students. The Sr. Analyst will be embedded at the Chicago Public Schools Headquarters in the Loop approximately 50% of the week and at the UChicago Crime Lab and Education Lab Loop office approximately 50% of the week. This position requires an individual who is able to lead a small research and practitioner team running multiple projects concurrently. The position offers the opportunity to work directly with leading social policy researchers at the University of Chicago and senior leadership at CPS, as well as an experienced team of data scientists, administrative staff, and project managers from the Chicago office.

Responsibilities

• Manage team of embedded CPS analysts.

• Lead data and analytic technical assistance to CPS staff. Responsibilities include organizing disparate data sources, documenting incoming data, preparing files for analysis, matching, and sampling and direct other staff in those responsibilities.

• Lead the preparation of results for dashboards, spreadsheets, memos, and presentations targeting district officials and general population audiences. Ability to assist/lead other staff in production of same.

• Coordinates research activities such as data transfers and descriptive analysis, communications with partner agencies, and managing project deliverables.

• Serves as an in-house expert for one or more key administrative datasets, and advises research staff to ensure consistent use of data.

• In partnership with Associate Director of Data and Analytics, Research Directors, Executive Director, and/or Sr. Research Managers assists with internal coordination and management of data requests to partner agencies.

• Conduct analysis to drive district data strategy around improving equity and achieving district goals.

• Consult with departments to develop, understand, and fulfill their analytic questions.

• Support development and management of embedded data operations, which could include quality assurance processes, creating code standards, and building templates and tools for data management and visualization.

• Partner with the Talent Manager to help recruit, screen, and hire new talent, and create data exercises and other recruitment and onboarding tools.

• Work with the management team on issues of organizational development and leadership, potentially including identifying areas for staff development and professional development.

• May supervise other research staff and provide guidance on professional development, goal setting, and lab- or organization-wide opportunities.

• May serve on committees, supervise project personnel, and coordinate quality control efforts to support the efforts and ensure success of research projects. Writes the results section of reports and publications.

• Develops new and innovative procedures in the areas of data collection, quality control, statistical analyses, and presentation of results. Reviews and improves statistical computer programs.

• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Educ