Pre-Doctoral Data Research Specialist, Penn Criminology Department

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Pre-Doctoral Data Research Specialist, Penn Criminology Department

Job Profile Title

Research Specialist B

Job Description Summary

The Department of Criminology is hiring a Pre-Doctoral Data Research Specialist with strong technical skills to work on research projects to evaluate what prosecutor-driven policies can help improve fairness and efficiency in the criminal justice. The Data Research Specialist will contribute to multiple steps of data collection and cleaning, developing the adequate models to analyze data, help in design / implement field experiments, and analyzing experimental results.
The position will work on a portfolio of projects that include both analyzing extant data, using quasi-empirical causal approaches, and helping develop research designs and conduct evaluations of new policies. Candidates should be comfortable working as a part of small research teams running multiple projects concurrently. This is a unique opportunity to work directly with leading economists at the University of Pennsylvania, Yale University, and the University of Virginia; as well as prosecutors and analysts at the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office (DAO). The position offers excellent mentorship opportunities for applicants who are considering applying to a PhD in economics or related fields; people who worked with our team have been accepted in PhD programs including Penn economics, NYU economics, or the Harvard Kennedy School’s public policy program.

Job Description

The University of Pennsylvania has the longest continuous program of research and teaching in criminology of any American university, with a rich history, strong traditions, and a distinguished group of alumni. Current faculty are highly regarded as teachers and researchers who represent a range of academic disciplines: psychology, sociology, economics, public policy, law, statistics, and criminology. All are professionally committed to even-handed science in service of the public good.

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