Temporary Data Science Intern

Department

UL Crime Ed Lab Interns and Temporary Staff

About the Department

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.

For more information about our work, visit the Crime Lab and Education Lab websites.

Job Information

Job Summary:

The data science summer internship is a great opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of what it takes to process data and build and evaluate predictive models. This position will be full-time for approximately 37.5 hours per week for 10-12 weeks.

Responsibilities:

• Collect and organize different datasets.

• Derive summary statistics of those datasets.

• Help with the implementation of machine learning models.

• Conduct literature reviews of relevant policy and research topics.

• Prepare and deliver an end-of-internship presentation.

Competencies:

• Interest in and aptitude for developing programming and analytic skills.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Strong initiative and a resourceful approach to problem-solving and learning.

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.

• Sound critical thinking skills.

• Interest in research and relevant policy areas.

Additional Responsibilities

Education, Experience, or Certification:

Education:

• High school diploma or GED required.

• Significant progress towards a degree in a technical discipline (e.g. data science, statistics, or computer science) or a social science discipline (e.g. economics, public policy, or sociology) preferred.

Technical Knowledge or Skills:

• Coursework in computer science, statistics, applied math, or a related field required.

• Intermediate statistical data analysis skills, including experience in the fundamentals of machine learning, with the ability to use Python or R required.

• Experience working with messy, real-world data sets preferred.

• Experience working with text, images, or other non-tabular data formats preferred.

Required Documents:

• Resume

• Cover letter

• Coding sample (Python or R)

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

Job Family

Temporary Staff

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Pay Frequency

Hourly

Pay Rate Type

Hourly

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FLSA Status

Non-Exempt

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Pay Range

$16.00 - $22.00

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

This position is not eligible for benefits.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans